1634: The Baltic War
Eric Flint and David Weber
Baen, May 2007, $26.00
ISBN: 141652102X

The Baltic War, which exploded the continent into two hostile armed camps, last year (see 1633) remains hot. The United States of Europe, allied with the Grantville, West Virginia's tranplanted Americans, prepares a counterattack on the League of Ostend allied monarchies (France, Spain, England, and Denmark). The League's rulers fear the democratic wave brought forth by the time traveling Americans, as that would end their privilege and status of power.

Meanwhile Grantville's Admiral Simpson continues to develop ironclad ships to break the naval blockade that the League of Ostend has imposed on the Baltic. Grantville's Mike Stearns begins a rescue of diplomats incarcerated by Charles I in the Tower of London. Rebecca Stearns negotiates with the Prince of Orange and the Spanish Cardinal-Infante to join their side of the conflict. Finally in Copenhagen, POW USE naval officer Eddie Cantrell tries to convince the Danish monarch to pull out of the Ostend alliance even while he flirts with one of the king's offspring. As fronts open seemingly everywhere, Europe remains tied up in the first continent wide war to end all wars.

This is an excellent entry in the Ring of Fire chronicles that specifically follows up on 1633 by the same authors; thus to fully savor the brilliance of Eric Flint and David Weber in this tale, it behooves the audience to read (or re-read) the previous collaboration first. The fast-paced storyline contains several fronts in which the advanced twenty-first technology plays key roles in the war, but it is a psychological and philosophical battle for the minds and hearts of the people that is perhaps more critical to the cause of freedom and democracy. Obviously relevant, with its emphasis to transform Europe from dictatorial monarchies/oligopolies to democratic societies, 1634: BALTIC WAR is one of the best entries in one of the best ever alternate history sagas.

Harriet Klausner