Gino

Sad to see the end

Revisado: 12-09-22

Okay, it is not highbrow literature, but it sure as hell is fun. Narration is delightful as always and the story is wonderful escapism. This wraps up the series (afaik) and they don’t screw it up by rushing to wrap up everything ( like Destroyermen) . I am really going to miss Joe and Skippy.

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A niche classic

Revisado: 05-25-22

This book and others by Zelazny, Moorcock, PKD are the youthful literature of the early progressive rock, Krautrock, space music kids of the 1970s. Read in and around school often to the accompaniment of a vinyl LP. Books far more influential than the drugs that were rumoured more than ingested. To have an audio version of the worn out mouldering paperbacks in the trunk, guitar csse or on the shelf is a pleasure that I can’t describe, it is like social affirmation. This book is wonderful.

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Seems rushed

Revisado: 07-17-20

The etory seems rushed, wrapping up everything in a less than satisying way. All those deaths in the Popes chambers jsut seemed awkward.

Tha Narration did not even attempt to fit the rest of the series and it threw me. I understand why literally, but the spirit and the feel of the series was lost on me. I would have rather an actor who did some prep and a little closer emulation would have been better. This says nothing about the narrator, I have read him many times and he is great , but he was miscast. I suggest you rerecord, just like you you did the non Marsden Dresden book. I strongly suggest that.

I feel a little GOT about this.

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The legendary Gazette is now in audio

Revisado: 03-03-20

If you are a casual fan of 1632 you may not be aware that there is a quarterly that is up to over 80 volumes that is written to fill in the postulated world of the story arc. Professionally edited with writers who are not established beyound these volumes, getting into intimate details of the idea of 1632 with short stories, essays, serials and fact based articles. It is a treasure for wonks but is not light entertainment or fine literature. If you really like ROF and can't wait for the next main book in the series, this and the other 80+ volumes of trhe GG are a real treat.

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A good thing gone bad

Revisado: 01-20-16

The notion that you can just hire an actor and they read a book and its wonderful does not work when the book is in a long running series and the producers don't even indulge due diligence.

If the narrator read the book and marked it up and did lots of prep, I would not be surprised, he's good but he didn't listen to the earlier readings for audio continuity, for many of us that effort is moot. If this was a stand alone book it would be ok but it isn't

When primary characters, place names etc.. in a series have new pronounciations, something stinkingly arrogant has surfaced.

Perhaps I have taken the wrong party to the pillory. This could have easily been great, instead it is jarring and annoying and has intruded on my sense of disbelief and my enjoyment of this series. An expensive disapointment.

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It's Not a 1633 Sequel. So What ? It's Great Fun

Revisado: 02-05-15

Get over the idea that this is a 1633 sequel and enjoy these delightful stories. You will get to meet some important ongoing characters in this volume. The more of a fan you are, the more you will understand and like this read.

When this book was published the Grantville Gazette was not past it's 50th issue and many people thought the Ring of Fire series was a few glamorous novels with more of the same to follow. The idea of humble people from a small town assimilating into a big world in a known historical context is fertile ground for new and expanding approaches and with the big success of the Grantville Gazette, the ROF universe has expanded greatly into a number of serial adventures, articles and stories, some very small, some factual, some speculative and all organized around the Ring of fire.

Acculturation, opression, rebellion, irony, humor all with an allegorical eye to our current state is brought up in this book all the while under the subheading, 'This is all a bit of fun'. The bigger the fan of the Grantville Universe you are, the more you will like this book.

I wish there was more bandwidth in the recording, it sounds a little confined.
Nick Sullivan could do a real good job on this series, they should add him to the crew. There are a number of titles to go to catch up.

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A Key Ring of Fire Title Fun Read

Revisado: 12-08-14

Of the Ring of Fire Books this is one of the most important. This is full novel written by the originators. It introduces and fleshes out key characters and events that set the scene for almost every ROF and Grantville Gazette story. Given the number of accents and settings these books are tough work for narrators, I overlooked that in my earlier critcism, although I stand behind my opinion, you can't buy better work than this commercially with this material.

Perhaps some some charitable souls will produce the Grantville Gazette for the Blind and Audible will pick it up.

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Grantville comes to Audible and boy am I chuffed.

Revisado: 01-31-14

The Grantville Gaette is and object of reverence anoung 1632 Ring of Fire fans. Although there are over 50 full electronic issues avaialble with up to 12 stories in each this is a single story that is abstracted from the Gazette for Amazon print sale. It is pricey and i hope that full issues become available so we get a real book credit worth of story.

Having said that, this is a good cultural juxaposition story set in the 1632 universe, very well written especially given it is from a fanzine. The narration and recording is par with all of the the other ROF titles not outstanding by any stretch, especially compared to the 5 recorded for the Library of Congress NLS program (of course unless you are blind you wont hear them), however the recordings are workmanlike and you can warm to initial and repeated listenings.

Audio books are still in their infancy compared to other recorded media, the best, most experienced producers and narrators toil in the non commerical world and haven't crossed over yet save for a few, that is something to hope for.

Grantville Rocks.

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A fun, rousing tale

Revisado: 10-01-13

The fictional town of Grantville is the home of a great series of books and E-Zine / Journals that all begin here in a typical West Virginia town that lands in 1632 Germany. Outrageous, unlikely and wonderful.

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Satisfaction

Revisado: 03-21-13

I really enjoyed Papal Stakes. In the Ring of Fire series it is a wonderful addition and key story. Finally getting a good story with the Wrecking Crew is something every afficionado has been waiting for and we have gotten a very good answer to our wish.

George Guidall took a very difficult read and pulled it off with absolute aplomb. Though I was critical of his earlier performances, he took this story and made it his own. I suspended all disbelief and rode his reading of this tale like it was a magic carpet.

I hope that more books in the series and the Grantville Gazette come out. I am willing to pay for every bit of this series that comes to light.

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