1632

Way to lead out, Katie!!!

I also read "most" of 1632...my library didn't have it so I had to read it online. I must say, much much harder to do for me than to have a physical book to read, and I think it tainted my opinion just a bit. For the last chapters, I just wanted to get it over with, though I was thrilled that chapters don't seem so long when scrolling...anyway, I digress.

I agree with you, Katie, that the premise is very interesting--to have these parrallel universes and the "birth" of a new one, sending a slice of our present to a past...and I enjoyed the history revists (as far as I could tell, the real characters were pretty acurately portrayed), but had a hard time getting into the story (sorry Katrina!). I'm cracking up about Katie's comment re: everyone speaking English instead of German or Italian, even Latin or some combination, now that I think of it. That language barrier would have bogged character interaction down, to be sure.

There were way too many characters to keep track of (and all the romances). However, that being said, how refreshing was it that the characters were "everyday" people who had realistic jobs, but just happened to be transported to this new universe? I liked that aspect.

OH! Thanks, Katrina, for adding the bit of trivia about the sequels...I love that some of the sequels (or what-have-you) out there that are fan written. I don't think I would have written one, but I can see how people could get REALLY into it (it was an easy read!). I am finding, however, that I'm not the biggest fan of historical fantasy fiction (I'm in another bookclub and we're reading "Son of Avonar" by Carol Berg, which is interesting, but I don't know that I'm loving it just yet, either).

In any case, I was glad to have had an opportunity to read it...and read it online even. At least it was available!!!! And poor Leven Thumps, the sequel, is having to wait till the library gets it in. :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!!
:) Laurenda

1632

Sure, I'll be first again. ;-)
I read 1632, at least most of it. The premise was fascinating, and I overlooked a lot of the language to see how the premise would play out. I was talking with a co-worker about the book, and when he found out it was sci-fi, he said "well, everything will be well thought out, not like in a silly romance novel." Meaning, things like the power plant (how to keep power for the town), ammunition, fuel for cars, etc. Which, in fact, they were.
There were a few things that the author kept doing that drove me nuts. He would describe a person, either in action, or just features, etc. and then the next sentence would say "that is to say, Mike" or "that is to say, Doug" or whatever. It was also very hard for me to follow the story/characters when the author kept changing how he referred to them - by first name, then last name, then nickname. There were too many characters for me to keep up with.
I found myself wondering whether in 1632 is was really feasible that so many people would speak English - especially an English that would be understood by present day people (or whether our English would be understood by those people).
And what happened to Mike's sister and her new husband? Everyone was attending their wedding, but I don't remember hearing about them again (at least as far as I read). We saw the groom's father, of course, but where did the groom go?
Again, I really liked the premise - but found that I got bogged down in the historical stories and didn't feel like I got to know the characters very well.

Thanks, Katrina!!