Eric Flint’s 1632 & Beyond #5, May/June 2024
“A Rose by Any Other Song” by Virginia DeMarce
“Down This Path” by Natalie Silk
“Mail from Up-Time” by George Grant
“The Small Crisis” by George Grant
“Making Hay While the Sun Shines” by Marc Tyrrell
“Among the Faithful” by Bob Finegold
Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf
[Editor’s note: The following is offered by Tangent reviewer Mike Bickerdike as a guide for those not familiar with this magazine’s concept. Eric Flint’s 1632 &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.]
“A Rose by Any Other Song” by Virginia DeMarce features a man who wishes to pay tribute to his deceased wife, who came from the future. He pays for family portraits, leading to tension with his adult children from another marriage. He also commissions a trio of plays in her honor.
There is much more to the story than this simple synopsis suggests, but I found it difficult to follow the plot. Perhaps more knowledge of the 1632 universe is required to fully appreciate it. A subplot involving the diplomatic mission undertaken by the artist creating the portraits seems, at first, to be important, but remains unresolved.
The protagonist of “Down This Path” by Natalie Silk is a girl who, with the encouragement of her older brother, secretly participates in activities discouraged in females, such as learning to read and write and climbing trees. She witnesses childbirth in the presence of her mother, a midwife, and finds it a traumatic experience.
As this synopsis may suggest, there are no relevant speculative elements in the simple plot. The story can be appreciated as historical fiction, character study, and slice-of-life. Readers expecting science fiction will be disappointed.
In “Mail from Up-Time” by George Grant, the chaos that resulted when the town went back in time causes mail to remain undelivered until years later. A woman receives a package and a letter from the time before the event, leading to a bittersweet conclusion.
The story avoids melodrama, instead relying on wistful emotions. The characters are appealing and the plot involves an unusual aspect of involuntary time travel.
Only a few sentences long, “The Small Crisis” by George Grant is a tiny account of a child of the past dealing with an object of the future. Although this miniature tale is a trivial joke, the appearance of a second work by the creator of the previous story proves that the author is comfortable with whimsy as well as pathos.
In “Making Hay While the Sun Shines” by Marc Tyrrell, a mercenary soldier of the past is captured and agrees to work with the military from the future. His skill and experience make him a valuable asset during battle, and lead to the offer of an important, newly created position.
Readers of military science fiction will best appreciate this work, with its detailed battle scenes and discussions of tactics. Others may find this aspect of the story less appealing.
In “Among the Faithful” by Bob Finegold, a boy is raised to hate Jews, supposed witches, and the people from the future. Twice in his life the same Jewish man comes to his rescue, for reasons he does not understand. During an attempted attack on the Jewish community, peacekeepers with weapons from the future prevent the assault, shooting into the mob and executing those who took part in it. The same Jewish man helps the boy escape, and explains their connection.
This is a dark tale of bigotry and violence, with a complex, conflicted protagonist. The author is not afraid to confront difficult issues, such as the need to use harsh measures to prevent even worse atrocities. The heroic Jewish man is himself an imperfect character, haunted by his past. The story is unusually sober and thoughtful for this kind of science fiction.
Victoria Silverwolf thinks this issue has the second shortest story she has ever reviewed.