Rating: 
Summary: better than 1633 less than 1632
Review: This book is much better than the previous sequel 1633 but not near as good as 1632 which started the series. This one right up front lets you know it is a collection of short stories unlike 1633 which was about 4 short stories intermixed haphazardly throughout the book with about 3 or 4 hundred pages of boring history and old plane safety and flying. The stories in Ring of Fire introduce new people and have occasional appearances of our heros and heroines from 1632 - some of the stories happen before 1633 and some after 1633. A few of the stories even had some of the joy and adventure which made 1632 so good. It was a nice look back into the Mr Flint's 1632 time frame by many authors but did not really advance the overall series much. Hopefully Mr. Flint will re-engage and put some effort into writing a real sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book of Stories
Review: This is an absolutely must-read book for those who enjoy the 1632-ish universe created by Eric Flint. Anyone who likes great alternative history, or for that matter, likes history at all, will enjoy the stories of a group of Americans tossed back to 17th Century Europe and stranded there.
The complexity and texture of the universe has been remarkable. In the first book, 1632, Flint brought in Gustavus Adolphus and his generals as major characters along with a raft of fictional characters from two different centuries. The 1633 collaboration with David Weber expanded the field to include Richelieu in France, Cromwell in England, and Frederick Wilhelm of Holland, as all of Europe became part of the changed history. Real and fictional characters met and blended well. Coming a bit later in 2004 is the the book entitled "1634: The Galileo Gambit" that will center on Venice and include many of the Church people of the time including Giului Mazarini, generally known to history for his life a bit later as Cardinal Mazarin.
This book is a collection of stories that fills in gaps, that prepare the way for other books.
Some of the stories are by well-known science fiction writers, others by amateurs who participated in a contest run by Flint and his publisher (at Baen.com).
David Weber's "In the Navy" focuses on two characters who were center stage in "1633", John Simpson and Eddie Cantrell, as they create a new navy for the new nation, the United States of Europe. And it is a nice narrative tale, particularly fun for those who had previously read the book.
Mercedes Lackey's "To Dye For" is a comedy focusing on a 60's "drug chemist" hippie who needs to find a way to make enough money to win over the father of the woman he loves. David Freer;s "A Lineman for the County" brings in a couple of characters who will be in other works, Dougal, Len, and Ellie who create the first "telephone" system. Andrew Dennis has a story "Between the Armies" that looks at the impact of religion as brought in by those from the 21st Century on those living in the 17th and is a key to the upcoming book. Virginia DeMarco has a cute story about getting dentures for a key character that is a lovely comedy of manners. S.L. Viehl brings in William Harvey as a character in a way that brings a thread from 1633 full circle. "The Three R's" by Jody Dorsett, "Here Comes Santa Claus" by K.D. Wentworth, and most particularly, "The Wallenstein Gambit " by Eric Flint move key components of a new major element into the whole tapestry.
The first two stories combine with the third, in which the man who was the lead villain in 1632, Count Wallenstein, changes sides and is willing to work to prevent the largest porgrom in Eastern Europe that existed before the Holocaust (at Chmielnicki) if he gets support from the lead characters. The combination of fictional characters along with the historical ones (Wallenstein, Pappenheim, Comenius) is fascinating, along with a glimpse of life in East European ghettoes.
The book, again, is a "must read" for fans of the series and alternative history. Also, not a bad way to get into this series. As a former history teacher I must also add that it is a fascinating glimpse into an era that is often never examined in schools.
Bravo! to Flint (the "Wallenstein Gambit" is one of his best works) for putting together this group of stories and for including the work of non-professionals as well.
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