1634

The Bavarian Crisis

By: Eric Flint, Virginia DeMarce

Narrated by: George Guidall

Length: 24 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

The Thirty Years' War continues to ravage seventeenth-century Europe, but a new force is gathering power and influence: the Confederated Principalities of Europe, an alliance between Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, and the West Virginians from the twentieth century, led by Mike Stearns, who were hurled centuries into the past by a mysterious cosmic accident.

The CPE has the know-how of twentieth century technology but needs iron and steel to make the machines. The iron mines of the upper Palatinate were rendered inoperable by wartime damage, and American know-how is needed on the spot to pump them out and get the metal flowing again - a mission that will prove more complicated than anyone expects.

In the maelstrom that is Europe, even a twentieth-century copy of the Encyclopedia Britannica can precipitate a crisis when readers learn of the 1640 Portuguese revolt, a crisis that will involve Naples as well. Another factor: Albanian exiles in Naples, inspired by the Americans, are plotting to recover lost Albanian turf, which will precipitate yet another crisis in the Balkans. This troubled century was full of revolutions and plans for more revolutions before the Americans arrived and gave every would-be revolutionary an example of a revolution that succeeded. Europe is a pot coming to a boil, and Mike Stearns will have his hands full seeing that it doesn't boil over on to Grantville and the CPE.

©2007 Eric Flint & Virginia DeMarce (P)2015 Recorded Books

yet another trip to the alternate time

a bit slow at first but as the characters were fleshed out it does up

Love stories?

Mostly a series of love stories with some interesting adventures set int the seventeenth century.

Slow start...

This book is GREAT! I do have to say that it is a slow start though. Not as ba-aaa-aaa-ad as the very slow start to the Ram Rebellion book, but slow nonetheless. Once it gets going though it is as good as any other in this series. Of course Guidell is flawless as ever.

A LOT of characters and some history too

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this to fans of the 1634 universe. This book has a lot of story lines revolving around women, so women may appreciate a look into history and it's alternate path in this series. Virginia is well versed in history, but sometimes the history lessons slow down the story. One of the charms of this universe is the many characters and plot-lines that make it closer to real life and not like a heroic adventure where all revolves around one key character. However, if you get tired of tracking a lot of characters, you may get frustrated trying to follow the many plots in this book. Overall, I liked it, but needed to listen in bigger chunks of time than I usually do to follow more easily.

If you’ve listened to books by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce before, how does this one compare?

This is much better than the Ram Rebellion

What does George Guidall bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Guidall's French pronunciation sounds good. His accents for the Austro-Hungarians did not sound different than the Americans.

Did 1634 inspire you to do anything?

buy 1635: The Eastern Front

Any additional comments?

I loved how they gave an Austrian princess a much happier ending in the book than she got in real life.

Audio editing needs work

The audio editing was a significant distraction for me throughout the listen. The audio used exponential fade at most cuts and often more than half a word or more was lost. It made for very confusing listening at times. Disappointed that this has marred a terrific and engaging story.

An enchanting story of a prince rescuing his princess

The characters were perfectly fitted into their
time and circumstances. Maria Anna the Austrian
arch dutchess is portrayed as a most intelligent strong woman and a devout but not dull ruler in training. These women were political chess pieces
but not victims, they knew how to make the best of their opportunities.

Just a damn good story.

The title says it all, so far all of the 1632verse books I've read/listened to have been damn good. The way the authors have researched and written the characters, historical and fictional, it brings them to life.

Could not follow at all

I enjoyed the original 1632. The next one a little less so. By this one, wow, it was all I could do to listen to the end. I consider myself modestly familiar and interested in history and geography, but I just couldn't follow the nuance and details of this story. The unique science fiction element from the Ring of Fire is almost totally gone.
If you like detailed political intrigue in a Pride and Prejudice sort of way, you might like this. Otherwise, I'd avoid it.

Boring and drawn out lacked action.

The book lacked a lot of the action in the prior books. it was a very difficult book to complete.

Worst of the series, so far...

The only thing that kept me listrning was hope for the next volume. HOURS of conversations between dozens of obscure dukes, landgravines, ministers, generals, etc. Talking, telling, explaining endless and pointless political ramifications of troop movements, noble births, weddings and deaths. This isn't what I'd call 'breathing life into history'.

Show don't tell!