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Book Review of 1632 (Assiti Shards (Hardcover))

1632 (Assiti Shards (Hardcover))
BethG avatar reviewed Wonderful alternate history on + 108 more book reviews


The premise of this book is brilliant; a small, contemporary West Virginia town is picked up and transported to Germany in 1632.

The inhabitants of Grantville are more than a bit stunned to find themselves so far from home in both time and space, and the fact that they landed squarely in the middle of the 30 Years War doesn't help. But they are smart, resourceful people and they begin adapting quickly. The "natives" find the Americans a little harder to get used to.

It is lots of fun to see the problems Flint sets his characters and how he thinks the town of Grantville would affect history. Indeed this is such an interesting idea that Flint and co-authors have written a whole series working things out.

I had a few quibbles with the book. For instance, the characters don't seem to have a problem with wiping out several armies. True, the armies were attacking them, but shouldn't someone be a bit upset anyway? And they certainly don't worry too much when they start running out of modern drugs. Doesn't anyone in this town have an illness that requires medication? On a more literary note, only a few characters are really convincing as people.

But these are minor problems. The plot is fast and the story absorbing. I had a hard time putting the book down to take care of those pesky real-life requirements and I'm still working on the ideas in my head. (Which may explain the state of my house.)

In other word, don't miss this book!