1635: The Dreeson Incident (The 1632 Universe)

Weakest of the Books in the Series

This book is similar to The Ram Rebellion (by the same two authors earlier in the series) inasmuch as it actually seems to be more a string of episodic pieces strung together. I think the point was to show how people actually behave and how families go through various strains and stresses. That is how real life works. Unfortunately, it makes for a tedious read. The book is largely the long conversations members of a handful of extended families have in the series setting, and while a plot is unfolding more or less simulaneously, the conversations that make up the largest part of the novel tend to the repititious and bland. This would have been a strong entry (or several entries) in an anthology, but overall it made it a slog to get through. If it was designed to echo more "real life," I would remind the authors that if I wanted to read "real life" I would not be picking up a novel in this genre.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

If you enjoyed 1632, 1634 and 1635 (Canon Law) skip this book and wait until 1636 arrives

I must confess I have not yet read the entire book. I am only on page 300 and am still trying to maintain a semblance of remembering the names of numerous characters as they appear. Thankfully, a list of characters appears in the back which is essential to an understanding of the ongoing plot. So far the majority of action (if you like that type of entertainment)consists of conversations that occur around kitchen tables or bars with LOTS of details about family history which do not (necessarily)add to the plot. If you gather from reading this that I have been EXTREMELY disappointed, you have reached the correct conclusion. I suppose the real disappointment comes because it is so satisfying to think what if we 21st century Americans really did have a chance to impact the many injustices that occurred in real history. The brush used to paint this story was not a broad brush covering lots of actions but a very small detail brush which makes me wonder why when it takes so much effort to write a book that the authors did not ask for additional input on the skeletal outline before tackling the story. It has been such a severe disappointment after 300 pages I am not sure if I will finish it although I probably will just to see if there are (finally) any redeeming qualities. I certainly hope so!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Very disappointing

I've enjoyed most of the series so far, although the earlier books were better than the most recent. This book however is so bad I've put it back on the shelf unfinished. If I want to listen to gossip and who's related to who, I'll go talk to my mother. If there is a plot in this book, I haven't found it yet. I just can't force myself to put up with plodding through it any more and I'm about half way through.

I wasn't impressed by the Ram Rebellion which was also coauthored by Virginia DeMarce. Granted the Ram Rebellion had at least some plot. Going forward I don't think I'll buy any more books in this series where Virginia DeMarce is one of the authors. Other books in the series with other authors have generally been good.

All of the books, do seemed to go through sections where they plod along. Maybe its the need to set the scene and characters in every book, something that most other series don't need to do. It could also be that there are way to many story lines going on in most of these books. The first book was very good, the rest have been at best good. Some like this book and Ram Rebellion have actually been bad.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Dreeson incident is a big let down

The storyline is garbled. It concentrates way to much on who is related to whom instead of building a story. and then the story is very weak. This is the worst book of the series, If you have been waiting for the election to happen, its almost skipped over here.
Thus ends this series of stories for me.

Dreeson Affair a Miss

Although those of us who are loyal fans would not have been happy without having read the Dreeson Affair, it is not up to the standards of the other books in the series, especially 1632 and the Baltic War. I think that Flint should have used another helper in writing this book because there was entirely to much geneology and romance and not enough creative thought.

Reads like a phonebook - lots of characters but not much plot.

If you are looking for one of the crisp action-focused plots that typify Eric Flint's writing, you won't find it here. If, on the other hand, you want to know the detailed social history of half the population of Grantville - and all their new downtime relatives, then this is your book.

The plot drowns in detail about characters. This is the first book in the 1632 series I was seriously tempted to not finish. I spent half the book royally confused about who all these people were and why they were important to the storyline. I was just barely hanging in there desperately hoping for a smidgin of plot and action. I simply couldn't make myself care that much about all these people and their convoluted relationships.

I realize that the 1632 universe is taking on a life of its own as other authors add their piece. In the long-run, as more and more of the 1632 universe rolls out, some of the various relationships in the book will become important to future developments. However, Flint - or a good editor - needs to rein-in the other authors a bit and ensure that the writing retains some of the characteristics that brought so many of us to the series. Another book or two like this one and this series will die a well-deserved death from lack of ongoing interest.

I've been buying the series in hardback because I just couldn't wait for some of the earlier releases. From now on, I think I will wait for the paperbacks to come out.

1635: The Dreeson Incident

Excellent book. Good set up for future developements in the series.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Everyone has their off days...

And this book is Mr. Flint's and Ms. DeMarce's off day indeed. I am a devoted fan of this series and have been a dedicated fan since the beginning. I was truly disappointed in this book - I finally quit about half way through and skipped to the ending.

I found it, quite frankly, boring. It was the written equivalent of watching paint dry.

I will continue to read Mr. Flint, I suspect that the collaboration with Ms. DeMarce was not a happy one, and so I will not read anything further with her as a co-author.

liked but not loved--3 1/2 stars

Ruy and Sharon are a couple of my favorite characters. The second half moves faster, but it seems rather too condensed at the end. Sort of like a movie where the editing is off--the parts that should be tight meander, while the parts you want to see more of end up on the cutting room floor. There is the promise of a rousing next installment w/the dispatch of harry lefferts at the end to rescue the imprisoned stones, and there seems to be setup for bigger roles for the spanish soldiers too. I am hoping the next one brings together Ruy & Harry, who seem like kindred spirits that could get into great action siturations.

Profoundly boring

This is a profoundly boring and complex book where nothing of interest happens until the last fifty pages. The characters tread through the setup as if even they find the whole business boring, until the inevitable fighting breaks out.

terrific alternate history saga

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 story line is fast-paced, but contains a more serious tone than its predecessors (see THE GALILEO AFFAIR), but 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. --- Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.