Eric Flint’s 1632 & Beyond #3, January/February 2024
“Cassini Rounds Third” by Robert E. Waters
“A Fitting Tribute” by Bethanne Kim
“A Meeting at Midsummer, Part 2” Marc Tyrrell (Part 2 only, not reviewed)
“Disturbance at the Nishioka House” by Garrett W. Vance
Reviewed by Mike Bickerdike
Eric Flint’s 1632 and Beyond is a magazine comprising stories set in the late Eric Flint’s “Ring of Fire” or 1632 alternate-history universe. For those unfamiliar with the books, the essential concept is that the town of Grantville in West Virginia became transported (by cosmic accident) from our present day to northern Germany in 1632 during the 30 Years War. The book series extends to dozens of novels. The short stories in this magazine are set within that framework.
“Cassini Rounds Third” by Robert E. Waters is an entertaining family drama set in 1636. At this time, a young Giovanni Cassini—who was destined in our universe to become the great astronomer—is still a boy of 11 who loves his baseball, playing for the Grantville Mountaineers. This is quite a gentle, well-written tale, about the relationship between Cassini and his best friend, and his uncle’s relationship with his friend’s mother. Interspersed with highlights from the boys’ baseball games, the story keeps one’s attention, despite a lack of SF elements or plot surprises. Indeed, were this baseball drama not set in 1636 it could easily be a non-genre tale.
“A Fitting Tribute” by Bethanne Kim is also set in the “up-time” town of Grantville, in 1635-1636. A couple had a stonemason business, making headstones in our present day. But once they are transported back to the 17th century, they find demand is low for their services, and they struggle to make ends meet. The wife’s sister comes up with a good idea to get them out of their fix while also providing a fitting tribute to those lost in the ‘Ring of Fire’ event when the town was transported back through the ages. As a story it is okay, though it lacks the engagement and style of the Water’s story.
“Disturbance at the Nishioka House” by Garrett W. Vance is the second in a three story series. While it can stand alone (and is therefore reviewed here), it ends rather abruptly with an invitation to look forward to the next installment. In 1635, a Dutch trader has travelled to Phnom Penh. Once there, he makes plans to open an Asian restaurant with some of his friends once he returns to Grantville in Germany. Unfortunately, he gives away the location of a friend in Phnom Penh to river pirates—an action which has violent repercussions. The action sequences, featuring samurai (who seem to be many, albeit the tale is set in Cambodia) are quite well paced, but overall the tale lacks cohesion, is not the greatest prose, and has a rather unsatisfying conclusion. The author has published numerous stories, but they have all been set within the 1632 universe I believe.
Overall, it was interesting to revisit the 1632 universe, and this magazine will offer enjoyment to fans of the ‘Ring of Fire’ books. The novels in the series, especially the ‘main sequence’ novels by Eric Flint, are long, quite dense novels that immerse the reader in broad and sweeping historical events. Set against this background, it is fun to read focussed, less consequential tales set within that framework. However, readers unfamiliar with Flint’s alternate history series may find the simplicity of the stories here a trifle underwhelming, without benefiting from the wider background that adds some weight and context.
More of Mike Bickerdike’s reviews and thoughts on science-fiction can be found at https://starfarersf.nicepage.io/