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In the alternative history scenario of the novel and series, Emperor Gustav Adolphusruler of the new United States of Europe, has suffered a head trauma in battle, rendering him unable to rule. The Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna seizes this opportunity to try to reestablish the power of the nobility in the USE. He keeps the USE army occupied fighting against Poland and reinforcing Bohemialeaving Swedish and Provincial forces as the only professional soldiers in the country. He uses this advantage to co-opt the ruling Crown 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Party and bully its leader, Prime Minister Wilhelm Wettininto co- operating with him. Other conservative leaders remain wary, such as the landgravine of Hesse-Kasselwhich has the strongest provincial force; she chooses to keep neutral in the conflict. Wettin, discovering that Bavaria invaded on the covert invitation of the Chancellor to ensure 1636: the Cardinal Virtues defense forces cannot oppose his coup, confronts Oxenstierna, only to be arrested and removed from office. Ernst Wettin is the official Imperial Administrator, but Gretchen Richter and the Committees of Correspondence hold the real power there. Rebecca Stearns and the opposition Fourth of July Party coordinate with the CoC to act in a 1636: the Cardinal Virtues manner and undermine the legitimacy of Axel Oxenstierna and the Crown Loyalists gathered in Berlin. Meanwhile, Princess Christina and Prince Ulric travel to the capital at Magdeburgsymbolically aligning themselves with Oxenstierna's opponents and further 1636: the Cardinal Virtues the Swedish 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. Gustav Adolphus regains his wits soon after that and puts an end to Oxenstierna's bid for power. Wilhelm Wettin is released from custody and reinstated as Prime Minister, but with his Crown Loyalists discredited agrees to call early elections. Gustav Adolphus meets with Mike Stearns to negotiate an orderly transition of power, and the emperor commissions Stearns to take on the invading 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. The reviewer for SFRevu gave a mostly positive review by saying "The main plot moves forward with a huge cast of characters and lots of bouncing around. There are numerous little interludes that tell the reaction to events from the point of view of multiple areas. In contrast, the reviewer for the Shiny Book Review gave a more mixed review by writing "Confused yet? Yeah, I was too actually. The writing itself is good, as you would expect from Eric Flint, and the series continues to chug along. The Fantasy Book Critic gave the most positive review by saying that the "book is also very 1636: the Cardinal Virtues written with so many moments that make one laugh out loud, with action galore, but also with tragedy, suspense and the occasional heartbreak. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Dewey Decimal. Shiny Book Review. Archived from the original on September 15, Retrieved April 27, Fantasy Book Critic. July Assiti Shards series by Eric Flint. List 1636: the Cardinal Virtues characters fictional. Time Spike The Alexander Inheritance Hidden categories: Use mdy dates from August Namespaces Article Talk. Views Read Edit View history. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Download as PDF Printable version. Add links. First edition cover. The Cardinal Virtues - eARC by Eric Flint & Walter H. Hunt - Baen Ebooks

The seriesalso known as the verse or Ring of Fire series, is an alternate history book series and sub-series created, primarily co-written, and coordinated by Eric Flint and published by Baen Books. The series is set in 17th-century Europe, in which the small fictional town of GrantvilleWest Virginiain the year was sent to the past in central Germany in the yearduring the 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Years' War. As ofthe series has five published novels propelling the main plot and over ten published novels moving several subplots and threads forward. The series also includes fan-written, but professionally edited, collaborative material which are published in bi-monthly magazine titled The Grantville Gazettes and some collaborative short fictions. In terms of the history of Time Travel literature, the series can be considered an extension and modification of the basic idea dating back to Mark Twain 's " A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court ", in which a 19th-century American engineer, finding himself in 5th-century England, is able—all by himself—to introduce into the past society the full range of his time's technologies. In Flint's version, a 1636: the Cardinal Virtues modern community is transplanted into the past, in possession of a considerable amount of the material and written resources of modern society—making their success in changing the past more plausible. The series began with Flint's stand alone novel released February It is, excepting the lead novel and the serialized e-novel The Anaconda Projectvirtually all collaboratively written, including some "main works" with multiple co-authors. However, Flint has mentioned contracts with the publisher for at least two additional solo novels he has in planning on his website. Flint, whose bibliography is dominated by collaborative work, claims that this approach encourages the cross-fertilization of ideas and styles, stimulating the creative process and preventing stale, formulaic works. As stated in the first Grantville Gazette and on his site, Flint's novel was an experiment [2] wherein he explores the effect of transporting a mass of people through time. The plot situation allows pragmatic, American, union- oriented, political thought to grind against the authoritarian, religion-driven societies of an unconsolidated Holy Roman Empire barely out of the Middle 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. Flint explores examples of suffering due to the petty politics of self-aggrandizement and self-interest on the one hand, and the irreconcilable differences of the schism in Christianity such as the Protestant Reformation and the Counter-Reformation on the other. Despite the fact that the shift puts Grantville in May initially, because of the ongoing war and the primitive transportation networks of the day Grantville's arrival has something of a delayed impact, so the bulk of the book's action takes place inhence the name. The series was initially continued with two collaborative works that were more or less written concurrently: with best selling novelist David Weber and an anthology called Ring of Fire with other established science-fiction writers, including long, "deep background" stories by both Weber and Flint. Overall, the narratives are not oriented on one group of protagonists with a strong lead character, but instead are carried by 1636: the Cardinal Virtues ensemble cast—though most books or short stories do have several strong characters who carry the action and plot forward. Flint had intended from the outset that the whole town would be the collective protagonist; a reflection of his philosophy that historic forces are not centered in the main on the actions of one or two key individuals, but on the many small independent actions of the many going about their daily lives and coping as best they can. This leads the scheming Cardinal Richelieuwho'd been previously financing him to spite and weaken the Habsburgs 1636: the Cardinal Virtues, to turn on the Swedes. Various books from up-time Grantville, especially history books, had found avid readers amongst Europe's ruling elites, changing the plans and strategies of major players of the time. The readers, not understanding the chaotic nature of events i. The "players" sent back through time have no intention of strongly guiding events, but understand how key forces democracy, sanitation, medicine, egalitarianism, etc. Richelieu forms a four-way alliance, the League of Ostend, to oppose the New United States, Gustavus' expeditionary army, and allied princes of the German states. After the first book, the series begins multiple 1636: the Cardinal Virtues lines or story threads reflecting this independence of action by a multitude of characters. The sequel spreads the Americans out geographically over Central Europe. Next, the novel The Galileo Affairand the first of the anthologies called the Grantville Gazettes introduced new strong characters. The former begins what is called the South European threadand some of the stories in the latter and Ring of Fire began the Eastern European thread 1636: the Cardinal Virtues northwards to Poland. Co-author ofNew York Times best-selling author David Weber was contracted for no less than five books in the series in what is called the Central European thread or Main thread of the series, but there was a delay before the two authors synchronized their schedules to write that next mainline sequel, The Baltic Warreleased in May Without waiting for Weber, other sequels such as The Ram RebellionThe Cannon Lawand the Grantville Gazettes continue in one thread or another with in-depth looks at societal ramifications from technology, religion, and social unrest as Europe deals with 1636: the Cardinal Virtues outlandish ideas of Grantville's influential presence, to machinations of Europe's elites trying 1636: the Cardinal Virtues maintain their hold on power, or leverage off of Grantville-triggered events or knowledge for reasons of self-interest. Flint has pointed out that he thinks in terms of plot threads, not of major protagonists. As a series focused on displaying a believable neohistory given the series beginning— of being as realistic as possible given the initial series premises—the two approaches both fail equally in covering all the cases by any strict measure, because the character set who is starring in one thread will almost invariably appear in one or more other story lines as a personal departure point for that character's personal biographical history, or as a supporting 1636: the Cardinal Virtues for events depicted in a book mainly covering events in another thread. A former union organizer and a socialistFlint disdains the Great Man theory of history, where big figures of heroic scope define events, but instead lays claim throughout the entirety of works in the series, that history is the small actions of common men acting in their own self-interest who in the aggregate determine historical forces and force events and responses from those in power, who might lay some claim to being a giant of history— the statesmen and power brokers who dot the I s and cross the T s and add occasional curlicues to the historic march of events—riding the torrent far more often than leading it in Churchillian or Rooseveltian fashion. That some persons of that 1636: the Cardinal Virtues have existed is not disputed, but that the narrative report that makes up historical reporting tends to overstate their impact and role, is Flint's theme. No matter what approach one takes to classifying a plot sequence in the series—be it geographical or character-based—the key element of the series to comprehend is that the events depicted in its now voluminous works are not taking place in a vacuum, but in most cases are concurrent with developments in other parts of the European center. The Central European thread or more correctly, the Central and Southwest Central European thread, is the main plot thread of the series. It concerns events in the region from west to east of the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of ScotlandNorthern Francethe Spanish NetherlandsFrench Netherlandsand the Dutch Republicand the whole of western Germany eastwards to Brandenburg and the Electorate of Saxonyand southerly to the northern reaches of Bavaria. Bavaria proper, Switzerland, Austria, Bohemia, and points easterly and north are properly geographically part of the Eastern European thread. The Southern European thread, or Western South Europe and South Central European thread, or perhaps more appropriately, the South-Central and Southwestern European thread, involves characters introduced in the short story " To Dye For " 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Mercedes Lackey but the thread plot action proper continued in the second published novel sequel of the series, the best-selling The Galileo Affair [ citation needed ] and its direct sequel, The Cannon Lawboth co-written by Flint and Andrew Dennis. The Eastern European thread is taken to be east of the East Central European thread, the latter of which 1636: the Cardinal Virtues be 1636: the Cardinal Virtues as the baseline through eastern parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and western Hungary. The first fiction written within this thread was the novelette " The Wallenstein Gambit " and the prequel short stories leading up to it, all published in Ring of Firebut subsequent long fiction planned in the 1636: the Cardinal Virtues had to await authors' scheduling 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. David Weber and Eric Flint in writing and Ring of Fire originally contracted together and with Baen's Books to co-write five " main series " books —the first two and perhaps some as yet unrevealed others being known as the naval thread. When working on the long-delayed The Baltic War novel and with the prolonged and ongoing demand for the series sequels, and considering the already-experienced delays imposed by the difficulty of getting schedules between themselves synchronized it took three planned "windows of opportunity" before one worked in The Baltic War [31] well enough for the two to have the three to six months or so needed to collaborate successfully, the two decided to alter their original planning and spin off a new thread—one based on the United States of Europe as a naval power. The thread is continued in Commander Cantrell in the West Indieswhich is the story of the United States of Europe's naval task force, operating in the Caribbean Sea and surrounding waters, and the various forces it comes into contact with including the surviving remnants of the Dutch naval force destroyed in 1636: the Cardinal Virtues agreement for Weber to leave aside European threads likely will follow up foreshadowings of overt dislike evinced by various Grantville natives for both the 1636: the Cardinal Virtues slave trade and the Amerindian encounters with 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Europeans—and Flint has already written a very sympathetic, two-volume alternate history from the American Native's viewpoint in his Arkansas Wars series—and he'd written similar foreshadowings into the series' earlier works that were spun into pro-democracy and anti- anti-Semitic social themes now manifesting in the series in the Eastern Europe thread in particular, as well as an overall, muted sub-theme. This revised author's decision released a logjam of 1636: the Cardinal Virtues of other novels in the series, so that since rehashing their arrangement, series books have been released regularly every 4—6 months. Stories in Slushpile regarding obtaining strategically important materials and some which have reached publication in regard to the Essen Steel Corporation and Essen Chemical are foreshadowing activities mining chromium for one in North America, and others are pursuing latex rubber in South America. In addition, the three books contracted between Flint and David Weber will in part involve expeditions sent by Gustavus and Mike Stearns to American shores. Two novels focused on the Americas were initially serialized in The Grantville Gazette magazine:. Fans are encouraged to contribute to the series though an online message board known as Baen's Bar. The entire Grantville Gazette and large portions of the Ring of Fire anthology, both 1636: the Cardinal Virtues which are considered canonical, are paid, fan-written albeit edited by Flint works, 1636: the Cardinal Virtues have directly contributed material to the main novels. The author also worked with other established authors to develop new stories and plot lines for further novels which are also published in the two Ring of Fire anthologies. Ring of Fire has several levels of meaning: First it is the eponymous reference 1636: the Cardinal Virtues what the townfolk themselves and the few outside German witnesses have come to call the observed phenomenon of their time-space juxtaposition. Secondly, it is a disparaging reference to the effects on the population of Germany at large, suffering under the war's environment outside American-controlled territory, used by Mike Stearns addressing 1636: the Cardinal Virtues town meeting:. Then to the crowd: "According to Melissa Mailey, we now live in a world where kings and noblemen rule the roost. And they've turned all of central Europe— our home, now, ours and our children's to come —into a raging inferno. We are surrounded by a Ring of Fire. Well, I've fought forest fires before. So have lots of other men in this room. The best way to fight a fire is to start a counterfire. So my position is simple. I say we start the American Revolution—a hundred and fifty years ahead of schedule! It is a science fiction novel originally released in Novemberbut atypically, continues to actually increase in quarterly sales, as do most of the sequels. Three of eighteen of the bi-monthly Gazettesand counting are the printed canonical Grantville Gazettes IIIand IIIthe first of which is almost entirely longer fiction Flint couldn't put in the already lengthy Ring of Fire shared universe collection, the 1636: the Cardinal Virtues facto first sequel antedating collaborative work onand of which two have been best sellerspublished in print, and an additional, rapidly growing number of related Grantville Gazettes e-books or e-zines not in print. In writingFlint's web forum Mutter of Demons at Baen's Bar was soon taken over by exploratory posts as captivated readers commented on the E-ARC released book, creating a ground swell of interest "Internet buzz" in the months before its hardcover release. So strong was the response, especially after the release of the printed work, that a new Tech Manual sub-forum was created for discussions about it in earlyfor the discussions had also spilled over into Weber's Bu-ships tech forum, and Weber joined the bandwagon by suggesting a sequel was in order. In the event, the two co-wrote and collaborated further on integrating the short fiction much of it unsolicited into the de facto Ring of Fire sequel. The Grantville Gazettes are a series of short stories in the collaborative fiction experiment, which started life as an online serialized magazine with an inconsistent 1636: the Cardinal Virtues sporadic publication history. After the death 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Jim Baen and with the publication of Grantville Gazette X by Baen Booksthe last under contract with Baen, the Gazettes were again reconstituted as a subscription e-zine, now published regularly at six per year bi-monthly and paying above standard rates for submissions. They are a "boiler room" powering the collaborative synergy by the people involved with the Tech Manual and have developed into a repository for new ideas and themes in 1636: the Cardinal Virtues series, although most explore the personal 1636: the Cardinal Virtues of minor characters in the series or examine in depth some aspect e. In general, the 1636: the Cardinal Virtues in the series depict deep background canonical to future tales, but which are not in the mainstream "action" of the novels focus. A group of stories have on several occasions produced a new plot thread. As of the end ofthere are now 42 volumes of the Grantville Gazettesmost of them available 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Amazon Kindle editions as well as some other electronic formats. The Gazettes began as an experimental, semi-professional, online magazine featuring fan fiction and nonfiction edited by Flint and eventually a volunteer editorial 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. At the time of Jim Baen's death in the summer of ten Grantville Gazettes were under contract and they had with some fits and starts settled into a new version roughly and irregularly three times a year. Baen's production staff was somewhat overworked by the deadline and the serialized magazine gave way to an e-book release from the sixth volume onward—though this was explained by Flint as primarily being due to Flint's other commitments, such as editing the new science fiction magazine Jim Baen's Universe. Earlier on, he'd explained the production delays in terms of overworked proofreaders, executive editors, and so forth. Flint has explained that the market for anthologies is always very soft, no matter 1636: the Cardinal Virtues genre, and it seems likely that any new print version from the Gazettes will be a Best of The Grantville Gazettes. In the meanwhile, Grantville Gazette X was jointly published as an e- book by Baen, but also as the first foray of Eric Flint Enterprises at grantvillegazette. It is modeled very much on the same lines as Jim Baen's Universewhich is edited by Flint. Beginning in earlythe Gazette' s publishers added an online, web-based edition published quarterly and moved the paper series to an annual "best of" volume. When the novel was written init was conceived as an experiment in the literary genre alternate history by Flint, without intentions of writing any immediate sequel. He had, in fact, several other years of writing projects planned, which subsequent developments were to delay as late as publication in — Flint— as a relatively new writer at the time, following the popular demand for a sequel, elected to invite other established authors in the Baen's stable of writers to share the universe to rapidly develop its potential—in this he traded on his experience as an editor. This went on concurrently with a great deal of reader input in what became the Tech sub-forum on Baen's Bar. In this initiative, he became the editor he was already a Baen editor for the Baen Free Library and together with 1636: the Cardinal Virtues input on Baen's Barand collaboration with established best-selling author David Weber on the first long sequel,concurrently put together the Ring of Fire anthology to inaugurate the short fiction in the series. The novel and anthology shaped one another, all filtered through and also shaped by the discussions on Baen's website. This process continues to this day, primarily in the form of The Grantville Gazettes. Initially an experimental e-magazine of fan fiction, the first volume was successful enough to be released as a paperback. Subsequent Gazettes 1636: the Cardinal Virtues also been released in print form. Flint, as editor of all the short fiction, also maintains the series canon co-ordinated by the In point of fact, the short fiction in the series frequently provides a more in-depth background and foreshadows larger events that are the meat of the long fiction in the series. The longer works are replete with mentions to events covered in the shorter works, and with characters and the history and events unfolded in such materials. Flint always publishes one of his own stories within the short fiction collections, or in the case of The Ram Rebellionconsiderably more, as it introduces several important background factors that are central to further series developments as the altered history is 1636: the Cardinal Virtues unfold to the reader. In Junethe Ring of Fire Press was created to reissue certain materials originally published online in the Grantville Gazette. Second, it would publish several themed collections of fact articles. Initially, five Ring of Fire Press volumes was made available through Amazon as Kindle editions or print on demand paperback books. In Januarythe Ring of Fire Press expanded their list of available publications by releasing their first original novel in the series, The Battle for Newfoundlandwhich only contained original material that was not previously published. In addition to Amazon, Baen began distributing selected titles for Ring of Fire Press through their web store and their other distribution channels. Inthe RoF Press hired professional graphic artist Laura Givens to produce covers and managing editors Walt Boyes and Joy Ward to help with the publishing house's increased workload. At the same time the release schedule went from one book release per month to two book release per month. The Cardinal Virtues (Ring of Fire, #19) by Eric Flint

JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript 1636: the Cardinal Virtues your browser. After carving a free state for itself in war-torn 17th century Europe, citizens of the modern town of Grantville, West Virginia must contend with France's infamous Cardinal Richilieu, who is determined to keep his grip on power no matter what history says. France, Under the guidance of his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, a plan is developed to remedy that situation. Once she is with child, Queen Anne goes into seclusion to guard her health and protect her from those who would prefer that the child is never born—France's foreign enemies as well as schemers such as Monsieur Gaston d'Orleans, the King's younger brother and heir. When the Crown's opponents make their move, factions inside and outside France must choose sides and help determine the future 1636: the Cardinal Virtues fate of the Kingdom. Eric Flint. Walter H. Aunties Books. Barnes and Noble. Mysterious Galaxy. Powell's Books. Uncle Hugo's. University of Washington University Bookstore. University of Wisconsin University Bookstore. Listen to the author discuss the book here on the Baen Free Radio Hour. Only registered users can write reviews. Please, log in or register. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Buy Ebooks. All Books. Baen Community. Baen's Bar. About Baen. 1636: the Cardinal Virtues Library. Monthly Bundles. Please login or sign up for a new account. Remember me not recommended for public devices. I forgot my password Password Reset. Sign up for a new account. Helena St. Lucia St. Martin St. Outlying Islands U. Please select region, state or province. Sign Up. View 1636: the Cardinal Virtues. Go to Cart Keep Shopping. Read Online Email Kindle Ebook to me. View Larger Image. Add to Wishlist. Customer Ratings for The Cardinal Virtues. Prev Page Next Page.