Eric Flint, Andrew Dennis, 1635: The Cannon Law

1635: The Cannon Law

Eric Flint, Andrew Dennis

Baen, October 2006, $26.00

ISBN: 1416509380

In 1634, the transplanted twentieth century Grandville, West Virginia diplomacy team led by Sharon Nichols seemed to be on friendly terms with Pope Urban VIII. His Holy See is very interested in future papacy rulings and has welcomed the Americans.

However, by 1635, Pope Urban VIII has to watch his back, as Spanish Cardinal Gaspar Borja y Velasco is outraged that he fails to condemn the foreigners for their heterodoxy as unholy beliefs. This Inquisitor wants these heretics burned at the stake. He also claims that the Pope's failure to do so proves that Urban must be removed from St. Peter's, and for accepting sacrilege, burned at the stake. Finally he plots to place himself on the Vatican throne with the most powerful country in the World, his homeland of Spain backing his Machiavellian manipulations.

This is a terrific entry in the "1632" alternate history saga, as Cardinal Borja with Spanish support plots to unseat Pope Urban using an insidious campaign to demonize the Grandville Americans, and in turn paint the Holy See as being spiritually corrupt (sounds like a modern day political campaign). The storyline is fast-paced, but contains a more serious tone than its predecessors (see THE GALILEO AFFAIR), but it is just as good, as the quality by Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis pay homage to the late innovative publisher Jim Baen, who passed away this summer.