1636: The China Venture

Written by Eric Flint and Iver P. Cooper

Narrated by George Guidall

The Ring of Fire Series Continues! The United States of Europe finds itself embroiled in international intrigue, as the uptimers attempt to establish an embassy in Ming Dynasty era China. The newly formed United States of Europe, created by an alliance between the time-displaced Americans from the town of Grantville and the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, decides to send an embassy to the Chinese empire. One of the main purposes of the embassy is to establish trade in order to gain access to critical resources. The mission is a gamble-some might say, a long shot. The Ming dynasty is on the verge of collapse and China's rulers are suspicious of foreigners. The mission experiences one setback after another, but presses on. And they gain an important ally along the way: Zheng Zhilong, a former pirate now an admiral for the Ming navy and the head of an extremely wealthy Fujian province trading family. He knows through his Jesuit missionary connections that according to Grantville's history books, the Ming dynasty is in danger, from famines, bandit armies and barbarian invaders. And he is determined that, one way or another, he and his family will survive and even prosper. The embassy is joined as well by a young scholar, who helps them make inroads into China's complex and often dangerous society. Can the up-timers and their friends persuade the imperial dynasty and its mandarins to establish trade and diplomatic relations with the USE? They have one great asset: their knowledge may be the key to saving China from decades of mass suffering and civil war.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9781501962080

Reviews for 1636

[bgknighton · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The USE is extending its influence slowly into the rest of the world. China may be a harder nut to crack, it is much more insular. We will have to see how the butterfly wings affect happens.

[quondame · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

More of the same only in China where the places and names have less resonance for those raised in Western culture, which also diminishes the discomfort of historical figures used as play toys. Pretty light weight entry with most of the body count kept fairly remote.

[jamespurcell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good insights into the Middle Kingdom and the Dutch as a world power during this era. Lots of information and not much action in this expansion of the 1632 World. However, a siege that serves as an excellent introduction of more current weapons and other technology while repulsing one of the many warlord led bandit swarms that invested China until late in the 20th Century.