Eric Flint's 1632 & Beyond: Alternate History Stories

Volume 9 #31: The Daily Beer

Previous / NextThe Daily Beerby Anette PedersenThe Importance of BeerBeer was food. Before the potato arrived in Northern and Central Europe, barley, rye and oats were the main sources of nutrients. Of these, barley was the easiest and most robust crop. Barley isn’t that good as bread or porridge, so almost the entire harvest was […]

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Volume 9 #30: A Tempest In a Baptistry

Previous / Next A Tempest In a Baptistryby Terry HowardThe question of re-baptism and the distress it caused in the sixteen hundreds, including what has at times been described as bloody murder, is still with us.In 1965, President Johnson’s daughter Luci was re-baptized into the Roman Catholic Church. While most of the world took no […]

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Volume 9 #28: Radio in 1632, Part 3

Previous / Next Radio in 1632, Part 3by Rick BoatrightIn our two previous discussions of telecommunications in the 1632 series, we focused on radio communications uniquely available to up-timers (“Radio in the 1632 Universe,” Grantville Gazette, Volume One) , and to wired communications (“So You Want to do Telecommunications in 1633,” Grantville Gazette, Volume Two). In this article we […]

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Volume 9 #27: Butterflies In The Kremlin, Episode 2, A ‘Merican in Moscow

Previous / Next Butterflies In The Kremlin, Episode 2A ‘Merican in Moscowby Gorg Huff and Paula GoodlettSpring, 1633“Home,” Boris sighed then waved at the white stone walls of the Kremlin which stood sixty feet tall and dominated the mostly wooden city of Moscow.Bernie Zeppi, after the long trip, didn’t care if it was home or […]

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Volume 9 #26: At the Cliff’s Edge

Previous / Next At the Cliff’s Edgeby Iver P. CooperFriedrich Adelsohn, Captain of the Third Company of the Mounted Constabulary of the State of Thuringia-Franconia, stared at the ox. The ox stared right back. After a moment, it lowered its gaze, and resumed its attempts to convert the roadside into a nicely trimmed lawn. Friedrich […]

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Volume 9 #25: The Essen Chronicles, Part 3: Trip to Paris

Previous / NextThe Essen Chronicles, Part 3: Trip to Parisby Kim MackeyChapter OneOctober 1632 was an eventful month for Josh and Colette Modi. Their first wedding anniversary prompted Colette to make an appointment with Doctor Adams for her first ever gynecological exam, but it was early Ocotober of 1632 before the doctor could fit her […]

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Volume 9 #24: The Transmitter

Previous / NextThe Transmitterby Gorg Huff“But the article says that Monsieur Bell’s selenium cells had a resistance of one hundred to three hundred oms!” Piair La Corrian pointed imperiously at a pile of papers on his desk. “That’s a variation of two hundred watts. With one positive and the next negative, four hundred watts. If […]

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Volume 9 #23: The Order of the Foot

Previous / Next The Order of the Footby Richard EvansGrantville Police Department OfficesA Monday morning, early winter 1634“We’ve had another complaint about Bigfoot, Chief. This time over by the fairgrounds where the locals store their flocks before they can be sold and then processed at the slaughterhouse.” Officer Ralph Onofrio looked up from his cup […]

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Volume 9 #22: Safe at First Base

Previous / NextSafe at First Baseby Mark H Huston“I tell you, I saw it in the movie. Plain as the nose on your face. And you have a large nose, Johan. The up-time device looked just like this—”“Heinrich. Listen to yourself. Movies are like dreams; they are not real. This is reality.” With that, Johan pointed over […]

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Volume 9 #21: Little Jammer Boys

Previous / NextLittle Jammer Boysby Kim MackeyThe terrified servant handed the message to Johnny von Sachsen as he and his younger brother, Augi, entered the elector’s palace in Dresden. It was terse and to the point.Come to my bedchambers. Now.In their father’s handwriting. John George I, Elector of Saxony, was not a subtle man.“Wonderful.” Johnny […]

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Volume 9 #19: Waves of Change

Previous / Next Waves of Changeby Paula Goodlett and Gorg Huff“I WANT TO LISTEN!!!” Joseph screamed, making it impossible for anyone to listen.“For God’s sake, girl. Let your brother listen to the damned thing.”“But, Papa . . .” Marie couldn’t help the whine in her voice.Papa raised his hand. Marie decided to let her brat […]

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Volume 9 #20: Try Try Again

Previous / Next Try, Try Againby Paula Goodlett“It isn’t right.”Marie lowered her eyes so that her employer wouldn’t see the glare she couldn’t suppress. “Ma’am, I did what the package said to do. Twice.” She picked up the container of Spirits of Hartshorn and tried to get Frau Werrin to look at it.The Frau ignored […]

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Volume 9 #18: If at First You Don’t Succeed . . .

Previous / NextIf at First You Don’t Succeed . . .by Paula Goodlett“That will never work.”Margaret looked up at her younger brother, Nathan, and stuck her tongue out at him. “Says you. And what do you know, what with all your years of experience?”“Pa says it won’t work. And you’ve wasted your time. Time you […]

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Volume 9 #16: Ultralight

Previous / NextUltralightby Sean MasseyWismar, GermanyMarch, 1635Flight had taken hold of Johann Rommel. Since the thirty-something merchant from Wismar first saw the American air force in action last October, he had decided he wanted one of their strange flying beasts, something they called an air craft, for himself. After several months of designing, waiting, and building […]

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Volume 9 #15: The Minstrel Boy

Previous / NextThe Minstrel Boyby John ZeekSaturday morning, February 1634“Well, that’s that.” Bill Frank lowered the hood of the new rail engine. “Though I have no idea how we’re going to deliver it.”Hagen Filss, who had been handing him tools, responded, “Maybe when Sergeant Hatfield and Private Schultz get back they will know, Herr Frank.”Warrant […]

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Volume 9 #12: Wings on the Mountain

Previous / NextWings on the Mountainby Terry HowardThe regulars left the table nearest the fire when the strangers came in. At the base of the Matterhorn summer nights are chilly, so a fire is welcome starting in the late afternoon. Strangers paid much higher prices for everything and the whole village, not just the innkeeper, […]

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Volume 9 #11: Under the Tuscan Sun

Previous / NextUnder the Tuscan Sonby Iver CooperNovember, 1633Curzio Inghirami had learned a great deal during his visit to Grantville, but he now was back home at Villa Scornello, the family seat. It was a few miles outside of Volterra, a town in the grand duchy of Tuscany.He beckoned to one of the family servants. […]

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Volume 9 #6: Those Not So Daring

Previous / Next Those Not So Daringby Rick BoatrightBANG!!!Karen leaned her head towards the cellar. No more explosions were forthcoming.“The boards worked.”“Yes. It appears that one doesn’t shatter another now.”“Four dozen bottles all at once. But now that we’ve got a better judge of the amount of sugar to use, and how to wire in […]

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Volume 9 #4: Those Daring Not So Young Men

Previous / NextThose Daring Not So Young Menby Rick Boatright“Thank you for coming.”“Of course we came, lass.”“At least it’s over now.”“Over? What’s over?”“This steam nonsense.”“Tisn’t nonsense, lass. Your grandfather died because he got the last bit working.”“It’s still nonsense, Mr Iverson.” She pointed at the “monster” in the work-yard. “What does it do that the mill […]

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Volume 9 #3: NCIS -Young Love Lost

Previous / NextNCIS -Young Love Lostby Jose J. Clavell People sleep peaceably in their beds at nightonly because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf. George OrwellI rode to the crime scene in the early morning calm of Magdeburg’s streets. It was not difficult to find. The area, surrounded by the flickering light […]

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Volume 9 #2: Those Daring Young Men

Previous / NextThose Daring Young Menby Rick BoatrightThe door into the building opened, spilling young men and sunlight into the space.“Rotgut, Henrich, all around. And the paint.”“We’re out of the Grantville Rotgut. You’ll have to make do with the Italian version.”“As long as it’s corn liquor, and burns, it will do.”Heinrich scanned the faces, quickly […]

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Volume 9 #1: Mail Stop

Previous / Next Mail Stopby Virginia DeMarceHome, Sweet HomeFrankfurt am Main, March 1633Martin Wackernagel drew up his horse, first looking back at the route he had just completed and then forward toward the walls of Frankfurt am Main.Via regia. Die Reichsstraße. There would never be anything to equal the Imperial Road. Sure, if you wanted […]

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