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1632 Universe/Ring of Fire #23
1635: Music and Murder
Music . . .
It's been said that musicians live for the next new sound. Well, the musicians of Europe were presented with the biggest new sound ever when the Ring of Fire brought the future back to 1631. What will the court musicians think when they hear Bach, Stravinsky, and the Beatles? What will the street and tavern musicians think when faced with Johnny Cash, Metallica, and Nirvana? Things don't go smoothly for Marla Linder and her friends.
And Murder . . .
The Thirty Years War was an 'interesting' time to be alive, in the proverbial Chinese curse sense of the word. Then Grantville arrived from the future, bringing technology and philosophies that set European civilization on its ear. But that's not all that came back with Grantville. Imagine trying to establish modern police procedures in a time where neither the powers-that-be nor the people underneath them provide much support. Up-timer Byron Chieske and his down-timer partner Gotthilf Hoch walk some mean streets and lonely roads.
It's been said that musicians live for the next new sound. Well, the musicians of Europe were presented with the biggest new sound ever when the Ring of Fire brought the future back to 1631. What will the court musicians think when they hear Bach, Stravinsky, and the Beatles? What will the street and tavern musicians think when faced with Johnny Cash, Metallica, and Nirvana? Things don't go smoothly for Marla Linder and her friends.
And Murder . . .
The Thirty Years War was an 'interesting' time to be alive, in the proverbial Chinese curse sense of the word. Then Grantville arrived from the future, bringing technology and philosophies that set European civilization on its ear. But that's not all that came back with Grantville. Imagine trying to establish modern police procedures in a time where neither the powers-that-be nor the people underneath them provide much support. Up-timer Byron Chieske and his down-timer partner Gotthilf Hoch walk some mean streets and lonely roads.
518 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2013
18 people are currently reading
236 people want to read
About the author
David Carrico
66 books26 followersDavid Carrico is best known for the novels 1636: The Devil’s Opera and The Span of Empire (both written in collaboration with Eric Flint). His most recent book, 1636: Flight of the Nightingale, will be released in November 2019 by Baen Books. David began his writing career publishing stories in The Grantville Gazette e-magazine in 2004, and to date his stories have appeared in The Grantville Gazette, the Ring of Fire anthologies from Baen Books, in Jim Baen’s Universe e-magazine, and in Baen.com’s monthly free story offerings.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 14, 2023
2019 re-read of the music story! I had the urge to read about Marla and Franz again! I just love their story!
2023 reread! I still enjoy it!
2023 reread! I still enjoy it!
October 30, 2013
This was quite different for the series. I'd like to make an analogy: I don't like baseball as a sport. It's boring to watch, and I don't give a damn about the statistics. But I like baseball movies - A League of Their Own, The Natural, For Love of the Game, Major League, Mr. Baseball, Field of Dreams...
Anyway, I'm not a fan of classical music, either, and I'm CERTAINLY not steeped in the technical lingo of music, but I found the descriptions in this book interesting enough that I would pause occasionally and go to YouTube to find whatever piece was being described just so I could better understand what the author was telling me about. Author David Carrico's obvious passion is music, but his writing is quite good. I did enjoy the main novel and the following short story both.
Anyway, I'm not a fan of classical music, either, and I'm CERTAINLY not steeped in the technical lingo of music, but I found the descriptions in this book interesting enough that I would pause occasionally and go to YouTube to find whatever piece was being described just so I could better understand what the author was telling me about. Author David Carrico's obvious passion is music, but his writing is quite good. I did enjoy the main novel and the following short story both.
September 2, 2020
Not my favorite narrator. Not particularly well written. Some amusing bits and nothing awful.
November 5, 2013
Music and Murder
Davids Carrico’s “1635: Music and Murder” brings 21st Century music to 17th Century Europe.
To anyone who knows Eric Flint’s 1632 series, in which he allows other authors to write, that statement makes sense.
To anyone who loves music, the book is much more.
The 1632 series postulates that through some kind of cosmic event, a little town in West Virginia is sent back in time to 1632. The central theme is how it affects warfare and politics. But it affects so many other things.
What does music do? It entertains us, it tells us stories, it makes us laugh, it moves us, it can overwhelm us. Carrico’s book does all of that.
It follows the story of Marla Linder, a recent Grantville High School graduate who breaks barriers to become the first great female vocalist in Europe, and Franz Sylvester, a crippled violinist who becomes Europe’s first true symphony conductor. They, together with 17th Century friends and some actual historical figures, change the face of music.
Carrico’s work mostly appeared first in The Grantville Gazette, a collection of writings by non-professional followers of 1632 stories. Carrico has gone far beyond non-professional. You can see the growth in his book. He ends an early chapter with a hokey, “And the Grantville hills will be alive with the sound of music.”
He ends the book with an amazing “Elegy for Lost Innocence,” a vocal piece written and sung by a friend after Marla’s first child is stillborn and she falls into deep depression. The piece starts and ends with a lullaby. In the middle is an agonizing lament: “How could you take her?/She did nothing wrong!/She didn’t deserve to die!”/Send her back!/Take me in her place!”
It moved me to tears. Isn’t that what music can do?
Davids Carrico’s “1635: Music and Murder” brings 21st Century music to 17th Century Europe.
To anyone who knows Eric Flint’s 1632 series, in which he allows other authors to write, that statement makes sense.
To anyone who loves music, the book is much more.
The 1632 series postulates that through some kind of cosmic event, a little town in West Virginia is sent back in time to 1632. The central theme is how it affects warfare and politics. But it affects so many other things.
What does music do? It entertains us, it tells us stories, it makes us laugh, it moves us, it can overwhelm us. Carrico’s book does all of that.
It follows the story of Marla Linder, a recent Grantville High School graduate who breaks barriers to become the first great female vocalist in Europe, and Franz Sylvester, a crippled violinist who becomes Europe’s first true symphony conductor. They, together with 17th Century friends and some actual historical figures, change the face of music.
Carrico’s work mostly appeared first in The Grantville Gazette, a collection of writings by non-professional followers of 1632 stories. Carrico has gone far beyond non-professional. You can see the growth in his book. He ends an early chapter with a hokey, “And the Grantville hills will be alive with the sound of music.”
He ends the book with an amazing “Elegy for Lost Innocence,” a vocal piece written and sung by a friend after Marla’s first child is stillborn and she falls into deep depression. The piece starts and ends with a lullaby. In the middle is an agonizing lament: “How could you take her?/She did nothing wrong!/She didn’t deserve to die!”/Send her back!/Take me in her place!”
It moved me to tears. Isn’t that what music can do?
March 30, 2022
This is essentially two books. I have really enjoyed every other book I've read in the series. The series is about a modern West Virginia town which is transported to Germany in 1632.
In the first, Music gets 2 stars. It deals with the effects of a modern town with its library and all the knowledge and some recordings of the music of the masters, ie Bach, Beethoven etc. who now because of the butterfly effect may or may not ever write their masterpieces. Women in that time are not involved in music as it was very much a "man's" world.
As with the previous books set in this world, the characters are well written and their interactions are portrayed with the normal humor, angst etc that one would expect.
The problem for me lies in all the music specific jargon that took up the majority of this half of the book. It was boring to me and didn't catch my interest. However if you are a classical music buff or musician you might very well enjoy it.
The "Murder" section was well written and involved a couple of uptime (what the folks from our time called themselves) being assigned to the City Watch to turn them into a police force.
The cases involved are investigated by an uptimer and a native German. There are several cases and I found them quite enjoyable and on its own gets 4 stars, bringing the overall rating up to 3.
In the first, Music gets 2 stars. It deals with the effects of a modern town with its library and all the knowledge and some recordings of the music of the masters, ie Bach, Beethoven etc. who now because of the butterfly effect may or may not ever write their masterpieces. Women in that time are not involved in music as it was very much a "man's" world.
As with the previous books set in this world, the characters are well written and their interactions are portrayed with the normal humor, angst etc that one would expect.
The problem for me lies in all the music specific jargon that took up the majority of this half of the book. It was boring to me and didn't catch my interest. However if you are a classical music buff or musician you might very well enjoy it.
The "Murder" section was well written and involved a couple of uptime (what the folks from our time called themselves) being assigned to the City Watch to turn them into a police force.
The cases involved are investigated by an uptimer and a native German. There are several cases and I found them quite enjoyable and on its own gets 4 stars, bringing the overall rating up to 3.
January 4, 2017
A generally enjoyable read.
Like all short story collections, some stories were better than others, but the main characters were well developed and enjoyable, the stories well written, and the musical jargon slipped in smoothly so a reader without a music background doesn't get lost.
Stories were divided into two sections, the "Music" section follows Marla Linder, Franz Sylwester, and their friends as they introduce modern music to 1635 Germany. The "Murder" section follows Byron and Gotthilf (can't recall their last names) as they clean of the streets of Magdeburg and, in Byron's case, introduce modern ideas about police and the right of even a lowly beggar to the services of the city's constabulary.
Of the two I prefer "Music", which has a well developed over-arching storyline that ties together all the various stories, but the stories of "Murder" are well worth reading.
I'm a bit burnt out on the 1632 Universe, but David Carrico manages to bring some fresh air to an old series.
Like all short story collections, some stories were better than others, but the main characters were well developed and enjoyable, the stories well written, and the musical jargon slipped in smoothly so a reader without a music background doesn't get lost.
Stories were divided into two sections, the "Music" section follows Marla Linder, Franz Sylwester, and their friends as they introduce modern music to 1635 Germany. The "Murder" section follows Byron and Gotthilf (can't recall their last names) as they clean of the streets of Magdeburg and, in Byron's case, introduce modern ideas about police and the right of even a lowly beggar to the services of the city's constabulary.
Of the two I prefer "Music", which has a well developed over-arching storyline that ties together all the various stories, but the stories of "Murder" are well worth reading.
I'm a bit burnt out on the 1632 Universe, but David Carrico manages to bring some fresh air to an old series.
September 9, 2024
This is a good quality anthology consisting entirely of stories from within the 1632/Ring of Fire/Assiti Shards Universe and taken from issues of the Grantville Gazette and the Ring of Fire anthologies. As always I recommend reading 1632 before reading any of the other books in the series so as to get some context.
The first part of this book is a love story between Marla Linder (a potential rising star in the music world prior to the Ring of Fire) and a brilliant musician with a damaged hand who comes to Grantville. Within that context the idea of what might happen when 17th century composers are exposed to orchestras led by a conductor, jazz, the piano, classical guitar and the banjo is introduced. It changes musical history. The reader also gets to learn about what makes music important.
The second part of the book is a collection of several murder mystery stories with two detectives (one an uptimer, the other a downtimer) in Magdeburg's emerging police force.
These two story lines are unrelated other than being part of the same alternate history.
Any problems with this story? I had some trouble getting interested in the music story at first, but I gave it some time and really got into it. The murder mystery stories were very good. I didn't need any encouragement to get into them.
Any modesty issues? Well... regarding the music storyline, I can't think of anything. The murder mysteries included a discussion of the adultery the deceased engaged in and the possibility of future incest which wouldn't happen since the guy was now dead.
The book didn't really end. It just faded out as most anthologies do.
This is my second reading of this book.
The first part of this book is a love story between Marla Linder (a potential rising star in the music world prior to the Ring of Fire) and a brilliant musician with a damaged hand who comes to Grantville. Within that context the idea of what might happen when 17th century composers are exposed to orchestras led by a conductor, jazz, the piano, classical guitar and the banjo is introduced. It changes musical history. The reader also gets to learn about what makes music important.
The second part of the book is a collection of several murder mystery stories with two detectives (one an uptimer, the other a downtimer) in Magdeburg's emerging police force.
These two story lines are unrelated other than being part of the same alternate history.
Any problems with this story? I had some trouble getting interested in the music story at first, but I gave it some time and really got into it. The murder mystery stories were very good. I didn't need any encouragement to get into them.
Any modesty issues? Well... regarding the music storyline, I can't think of anything. The murder mysteries included a discussion of the adultery the deceased engaged in and the possibility of future incest which wouldn't happen since the guy was now dead.
The book didn't really end. It just faded out as most anthologies do.
This is my second reading of this book.
December 30, 2021
This is two books under one cover. The first is a novel about musicians (both vocal and instrumental) and the second one is a police procedural novella (or novelette/short story/shorter piece).
The main novel is the first of the musical David Carrico books. Yes, when Grantville suddenly found itself hundreds of years in the past AND on a different continent, its uptime technology made a big effect in the lives of 1630's folks.
Not surprisingly, much had happened in music as well. Pianos were lightyears ahead of harpsichords and similar keyboard instruments that 1630 folks were familiar with.
In particular, pianos were strung with steel wire which would not be available for a very long time yet.
Anyway, this book has uptime musicians (both singers and instrumentalists) interacting with their downtime counterparts.
I particularly enjoyed the music novel because, while I am by no means on their level, for the most part I understood and enjoyed the musical jargon.
The last part of the book was the first installment of Carrico's police procedural stories.
An uptimer cop is paired with a downtimer cop as the uptimers try to turn the Magdeburg City Watch into a real city police force.
So, two subjects I enjoy reading about under one cover!
Highly recommended for both musicians (and armchair musicians) as well as both sleuths (and again amateur sleuths), longtime 1632/Ring of Fire fans, and historical fiction fans!
The main novel is the first of the musical David Carrico books. Yes, when Grantville suddenly found itself hundreds of years in the past AND on a different continent, its uptime technology made a big effect in the lives of 1630's folks.
Not surprisingly, much had happened in music as well. Pianos were lightyears ahead of harpsichords and similar keyboard instruments that 1630 folks were familiar with.
In particular, pianos were strung with steel wire which would not be available for a very long time yet.
Anyway, this book has uptime musicians (both singers and instrumentalists) interacting with their downtime counterparts.
I particularly enjoyed the music novel because, while I am by no means on their level, for the most part I understood and enjoyed the musical jargon.
The last part of the book was the first installment of Carrico's police procedural stories.
An uptimer cop is paired with a downtimer cop as the uptimers try to turn the Magdeburg City Watch into a real city police force.
So, two subjects I enjoy reading about under one cover!
Highly recommended for both musicians (and armchair musicians) as well as both sleuths (and again amateur sleuths), longtime 1632/Ring of Fire fans, and historical fiction fans!
September 27, 2023
Great book and excellent edition to the 1632 universe. For me, it starts off slow in the beginning but gradually picks up and before you realize it you’re hooked and invested in Franz and Marla’s love story. The core of the narrative is that love story and it works.
You can tell David Carrico has a passion for music and possesses the technical knowledge of the history, the composers, and the language that comes with that world. Carrico works that expertise into the narrative organically. You feel like you’re learning some real world history and musical terms, but not being talked down to.
There are times where the prose drags and Carrico gets too stuck on minutiae for my tastes. Also, this book should have been called “1635: Music (and Murder)” because the murder mystery short stories at the end felt tacked on. I understand this book is composed of multiple serials from the Grantville Gazettes all gathered into one place, but the “murder” part was too jarring compared to the bulk of the novel and the remaining 2 music short stories (“Sound of Sweet Strings” and “Elegy”) put a downer ending on an otherwise uplifting larger story.
The main story ends with “Motifs,” which makes for a good epilogue. That’s where this book should have ended, with the remaining 5 stories shunted off into a separate Ring of Fire Press novelette. Other than those nitpicks, if you love the 1632 universe and are interested in how music begins to develop in this alternate world, highly recommend.
You can tell David Carrico has a passion for music and possesses the technical knowledge of the history, the composers, and the language that comes with that world. Carrico works that expertise into the narrative organically. You feel like you’re learning some real world history and musical terms, but not being talked down to.
There are times where the prose drags and Carrico gets too stuck on minutiae for my tastes. Also, this book should have been called “1635: Music (and Murder)” because the murder mystery short stories at the end felt tacked on. I understand this book is composed of multiple serials from the Grantville Gazettes all gathered into one place, but the “murder” part was too jarring compared to the bulk of the novel and the remaining 2 music short stories (“Sound of Sweet Strings” and “Elegy”) put a downer ending on an otherwise uplifting larger story.
The main story ends with “Motifs,” which makes for a good epilogue. That’s where this book should have ended, with the remaining 5 stories shunted off into a separate Ring of Fire Press novelette. Other than those nitpicks, if you love the 1632 universe and are interested in how music begins to develop in this alternate world, highly recommend.
June 30, 2019
Although I have read several of the Ring of Fire books, I have not read anything by David Carrico before. This I read at my husbands’ recommendation. The music part of Music and Murder was extremely well written. It took over three-fourths of the book which made it long enough that all the characters were well developed, the plot was excellent, the suspense superb. The tearjerker near the end was indeed that; I cried more than I can recall crying over any story before. I would have given this story five stars except the long passages where songs were written out in their entirety; especially the ones in another language. Just a few lines would have been enough and not had me skipping ahead. The song for Marla at the end, yes, that could definitely be written out in full, but not the others.
The murder part of the book was interesting. My husband stated it would make an excellent TV series, on par with Murdock Mysteries . He may be right, but that section was short enough that it wasn’t very well developed. I did like the two ‘new’ detectives, Chieske and Hoch. I felt that Chieske trying to bring up-time investigation and thinking into this old world and Hoch trying to reason it out was well done. I liked how well Hoch came around to actually participating in the investigations.
All in all this was a very enjoyable read. This author is someone to keep an eye out for.
The murder part of the book was interesting. My husband stated it would make an excellent TV series, on par with Murdock Mysteries . He may be right, but that section was short enough that it wasn’t very well developed. I did like the two ‘new’ detectives, Chieske and Hoch. I felt that Chieske trying to bring up-time investigation and thinking into this old world and Hoch trying to reason it out was well done. I liked how well Hoch came around to actually participating in the investigations.
All in all this was a very enjoyable read. This author is someone to keep an eye out for.
March 28, 2024
Music and Murder is a collection of loosely related short stories regarding the development of the music scene in Grantville and then Magdeburg. These stories mostly revolve around Marla Linder and her husband Franz Sylwester. Marla the Grantville prodigy who is pretty much a musical Mary Sue. Franz was a downtimer violinist who had his hand crushed by a jealous rival. Grantville medicine was able to partially heal the crippled hand and now he is learning to play the viollin backwards (hands and strings reversed.) He is also learning to become the first orchestra conductor 20 years before Lully was slated to do so (in the 1650's).
The "Murder" side follows uptimer Byron Chieske and his downtime partner Gotthilf Hoch as they try to turn the Magdeburg City Watch into a legitimate police force. Coincidentally, Byron just happens to be the brother in law to Marla Linder, but that is pretty much the only connection between the two parts of this book.
For anyone who has been reading along with other books in the series, some of the short stories might seem familiar. I didn't bother to look it up, but some of the best of these stories have already appeared in either Grantville Gazette or Ring of Fire anthology collections.
The "Murder" side follows uptimer Byron Chieske and his downtime partner Gotthilf Hoch as they try to turn the Magdeburg City Watch into a legitimate police force. Coincidentally, Byron just happens to be the brother in law to Marla Linder, but that is pretty much the only connection between the two parts of this book.
For anyone who has been reading along with other books in the series, some of the short stories might seem familiar. I didn't bother to look it up, but some of the best of these stories have already appeared in either Grantville Gazette or Ring of Fire anthology collections.
April 21, 2021
This is a collection of stories set in the universe which resulted from the 1999 town of Grantville, West Virginia, being dropped into 17th century Germany by alien tech. They originally appeared in the Grantville Gazettes and the Ring of Fire anthologies. The collection is divided into two sections, "Music" and "Murder". The "Murder" section contains Carrico's stories about Byron Chieske and Gotthilf Hoch of the Magdeburg Polizei. The "Music" section contains stories about the interaction between the music, instruments, and musical ideas brought back by Grantville and the music and musicians of the early 1630s.
July 27, 2024
I want to hear music the way they do.
The way music is described makes me want to weep in frustration. I’ve never heard it describe with such passion and beauty. Maybe I did but didn’t pay attention. I have a new world of music to listen to now. Unfortunately I’m getting old and while I still hear well, it’s not as good as it was, so I will be left to wonder I’m missing.
About the stories, they’re not very engaging, the characters and plots are predictable but I still had a tough time putting it down and didn’t want the book to end.
The way music is described makes me want to weep in frustration. I’ve never heard it describe with such passion and beauty. Maybe I did but didn’t pay attention. I have a new world of music to listen to now. Unfortunately I’m getting old and while I still hear well, it’s not as good as it was, so I will be left to wonder I’m missing.
About the stories, they’re not very engaging, the characters and plots are predictable but I still had a tough time putting it down and didn’t want the book to end.
December 30, 2017
An excellent sewing together of pre-existing stories containing characters, most of whom I was already done of, into a new story which both took these character?s fr
I'm the Ring of Fire further along, and (not incidentally) cleared up many loose threads f
Rom those previous stories. Having a strong background in both theology and in music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, I found the story fascinating and we'll researched.
I'm the Ring of Fire further along, and (not incidentally) cleared up many loose threads f
Rom those previous stories. Having a strong background in both theology and in music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras, I found the story fascinating and we'll researched.
May 21, 2021
A nicely read set of books by David Carrico. I have not kept up with the 1632/Ring of Fire series like I used to, so am working my way back into this series. Some of the stories in the Music portion I read years ago, but had not read them all. And I had not read the murder tales. And now I have the background that I missed when I read 1636: The Devil's Opera. Sometime I need to reread that title. A nicely read set of tales.
April 8, 2019
Music can be murder.
The music part of this novel left me wanting more.
I enjoyed the historical music but I want to know what the Masters think about the rock operas,
Queen, Emerson, Lake and
Palmer, Switched on Bach,
The Moody Blues and other groups that mixed rock with orchestras.
The murder coda brought back familiar characters
from previous stories.
The music part of this novel left me wanting more.
I enjoyed the historical music but I want to know what the Masters think about the rock operas,
Queen, Emerson, Lake and
Palmer, Switched on Bach,
The Moody Blues and other groups that mixed rock with orchestras.
The murder coda brought back familiar characters
from previous stories.
September 22, 2021
Part from the Gazette part new
The stories that I had read before interleaved well with those I had not. Each story can be read alone, but they make a well rounded story of music and detecting in Grantville and Magdenburg. Although a fine read-alone book, it is a great series book, adding and refining what comes before and after
The stories that I had read before interleaved well with those I had not. Each story can be read alone, but they make a well rounded story of music and detecting in Grantville and Magdenburg. Although a fine read-alone book, it is a great series book, adding and refining what comes before and after
February 3, 2018
This is definitely a bridge book as it talks about the beginnings of the symphony in the 1632 universe. I also enjoyed the beginnings of the police force as well. Some of the music parts were drawn out but I liked the coda parts.
March 31, 2023
I collection of short stories following two separate plot threads.
Overall good. I thought there were perhaps a little too much focus on describing musical performance. I almost started skimming during these scenes -> I get that the music is good, lets move the plot along...
Overall good. I thought there were perhaps a little too much focus on describing musical performance. I almost started skimming during these scenes -> I get that the music is good, lets move the plot along...
September 10, 2023
The music portion of the book are the stories of Marla and Franz and the journey of introducing uptime music to the 1632/Ring of Fire Universe. The murder portion of the book are stories of training the Magdeburg watch with uptime police procedures, investigating children as thieves and murder.
February 28, 2021
I enjoyed the descriptions of how musicians listen to music.
January 19, 2025
Not really a novel, more of a pair of anthologies, 1635: Music and Murder is a collection of David Carrico's Ring of Fire short stories. The first 80% of the book, the Music section, primarily follows Franz, a down-time violinist who had a promising career cut short when his dominant hand was deliberately mangled by a jealous rival, and Marla, an up-time Grantville resident with some impressive singing talent who faces a world where women aren't considered capable of becoming musicians. Together the two work to ensure that the musical traditions brought back from the future are propagated in 17th century Europe, everything from the music of Bach and Beethoven (and Metallica) to pianos and guitars to the very idea of a symphonic orchestra led by a conductor. Franz, Marla, and their crew of musicians, composers, and craftsmen are a likeable bunch and despite the fact that I'm no great enthusiast for the technical side of music, I loved this collection, mostly because David Carrico writes really good characters and his stories make them come alive. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that his stories are more about the characters' issues: Marla is depressed at the fact that most of her immediate family wasn't in the Ring of Fire, Franz feels lost without his ability to play violin, one of their friends is a Jewish man whose love of music led his rabbi father to cast him out of their community, another character is deeply upset when he hears music that he would've written in the future, and so on. It's fascinating stuff and it comes together so beautifully. A portion of this section appeared in the print editions of the Grantville Gazettes, though most of this was new to me.
The second portion of the book follows Byron Chieske (Marla's brother-in-law), who is assigned to help reform the Magdeburg city watch into an approximation of an up-time Police force and is partnered with Gotthilf Hoch, a young man from a minor noble family, to bring law and order to Magdeburg's streets. These stories were all new to me, though I've read some of the Byron & Gotthilf stories before (as here, the pair feature alongside Marla & Franz in 1636: The Devil's Opera, which is basically a sequel to this book), and as with the Music stories, the Murder stories are full of memorable characters and oddly the two types of stories serve as interesting counterparts as the Music stories are driven by those who wish to bring light and hope to the souls of their listeners while the Murders are (obviously) driven by the acts of those who bring darkness and despair to others. While the Music section is woven-through with overarching plotlines, the Murder stories are much more self-contained mysteries following the police-procedural format (though we do get a locked room mystery where the detective gathers everyone at the scene of the crime to reveal the killer).
Of all the Ring of Fire stories I've read, no one does a better job of making the world of 17th century Europe crossed with 20th century America feel real and alive than David Carrico, his stories are such a delight and I'm always happy when I see that he's contributing to a short-story collection or working on another novel. I'm not saying that he's better than Eric Flint, Eric has such a wonderful ability to mash things together and come up with something new and interesting, but that's the point, while Eric Flint's books are straight up alternate history techno-thrillers, David Carrico's stories have an almost Dickensian feel to them, which is what makes them stand out so much among the wide selection of Ring of Fire novels.
The second portion of the book follows Byron Chieske (Marla's brother-in-law), who is assigned to help reform the Magdeburg city watch into an approximation of an up-time Police force and is partnered with Gotthilf Hoch, a young man from a minor noble family, to bring law and order to Magdeburg's streets. These stories were all new to me, though I've read some of the Byron & Gotthilf stories before (as here, the pair feature alongside Marla & Franz in 1636: The Devil's Opera, which is basically a sequel to this book), and as with the Music stories, the Murder stories are full of memorable characters and oddly the two types of stories serve as interesting counterparts as the Music stories are driven by those who wish to bring light and hope to the souls of their listeners while the Murders are (obviously) driven by the acts of those who bring darkness and despair to others. While the Music section is woven-through with overarching plotlines, the Murder stories are much more self-contained mysteries following the police-procedural format (though we do get a locked room mystery where the detective gathers everyone at the scene of the crime to reveal the killer).
Of all the Ring of Fire stories I've read, no one does a better job of making the world of 17th century Europe crossed with 20th century America feel real and alive than David Carrico, his stories are such a delight and I'm always happy when I see that he's contributing to a short-story collection or working on another novel. I'm not saying that he's better than Eric Flint, Eric has such a wonderful ability to mash things together and come up with something new and interesting, but that's the point, while Eric Flint's books are straight up alternate history techno-thrillers, David Carrico's stories have an almost Dickensian feel to them, which is what makes them stand out so much among the wide selection of Ring of Fire novels.
January 11, 2014
This book is a compilation of stories that were previously published in the Grantville Gazette. It is part of the 1632 series (also known as the Ring of Fire series. In 1632 a small town in West Virgina in the year 2000 is mysteriously transported to Germany in the year 1631. Subsequent books continue the story, as the Americans (now called uptimers) interact with the Europeans (now refered to as downtimers).
The first section (Music) is a linked series of stories primarily focussing on two characters: Franz Sylvester is a downtime violinist who has injured his hand and can no longer play. Marla Linder is a skilled uptime music student who has lost her parents and her music teachers through the Ring of Fire. Together they work to introduce uptime music to Europe in the 1630's. (For reference, Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685, so his music is considered modern and uptime, as is Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and the Irish folk music popularized by the Chieftans).
Several real-life musicians and composers appear as characters as they try to accept (or reject) the new music. There is also a moving storyline about a Jewish musician trying to reconcile his love for music with his religion.
I sing in a chorus, and really enjoyed reading this. I appreciated being able to read the entire series instead of reading one and then having to wait two months for the next one. (This was a re-read since I had read them in the Grantville Gazette, but I think they gain from being put together.)
The three stories in the second section ("Murder") has a totally different set of characters. It focusses on an uptime and downtime partnership as the Magdeburg City Watch tries to recreat itself as a police department with uptime principles of investigation.
David Carrico is a good writer and I look forward to reading 1636: The Devil's Opera.
The first section (Music) is a linked series of stories primarily focussing on two characters: Franz Sylvester is a downtime violinist who has injured his hand and can no longer play. Marla Linder is a skilled uptime music student who has lost her parents and her music teachers through the Ring of Fire. Together they work to introduce uptime music to Europe in the 1630's. (For reference, Johann Sebastian Bach was born in 1685, so his music is considered modern and uptime, as is Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and the Irish folk music popularized by the Chieftans).
Several real-life musicians and composers appear as characters as they try to accept (or reject) the new music. There is also a moving storyline about a Jewish musician trying to reconcile his love for music with his religion.
I sing in a chorus, and really enjoyed reading this. I appreciated being able to read the entire series instead of reading one and then having to wait two months for the next one. (This was a re-read since I had read them in the Grantville Gazette, but I think they gain from being put together.)
The three stories in the second section ("Murder") has a totally different set of characters. It focusses on an uptime and downtime partnership as the Magdeburg City Watch tries to recreat itself as a police department with uptime principles of investigation.
David Carrico is a good writer and I look forward to reading 1636: The Devil's Opera.
May 22, 2018
These stories form part of the increasingly large of Ring of Fire series. David Carrico's impressive historical and contemporary musical knowledge endlessly fascinates in the stories involving Marla Linder and Franz Sylwester. Equally admirable is his ability to switch genres and show his talents in the police procedural mysteries involving the quirky duo of uptime Grantviller Byron and his seventeenth-century partner Gotthilf. Carrico is one of the best writers in the series, by far, and always worth reading.
July 16, 2015
Good addition to the expanding Ring of Fire-verse.
While this collection of stories completely tangential to the major storylines in The Ring of Fire series, it is a welcome addition, showing more of the rippling effects that Grantville is having on a much larger Europe. Music moves people and the stories of the musicians here are equally moving to the 300 years worth of music so quickly deposited on an unsuspecting 17th century audience. The second half, Murder, is concerned with other characters, with family ties to the Music characters.
While this collection of stories completely tangential to the major storylines in The Ring of Fire series, it is a welcome addition, showing more of the rippling effects that Grantville is having on a much larger Europe. Music moves people and the stories of the musicians here are equally moving to the 300 years worth of music so quickly deposited on an unsuspecting 17th century audience. The second half, Murder, is concerned with other characters, with family ties to the Music characters.
December 25, 2013
This was essentially a compilation of short stories written earlier, but compiled together into a cohesive storyline. It was very interesting to read speculation of how more modern music would impact the current state of music in the 1630s. Almost all of the instruments of that times have been modified greatly over the last 400 years. The piano didn't exist at all. Music composition has greatly changed as well.
This made for a very interesting read.
This made for a very interesting read.
May 29, 2016
A narrated history of music set in an alternate seventeenth century Germany. Sounds funny, but it works. The passion for music and the protagonists' desire to establish the foundations of modern music, despite the fact that they are smack-dab in the middle of the bloodiest European war before the twentieth century, are conveyed in a credible and engaging way. The readers cannot but become interested in the topic, even if they are not crazy for classical music.
July 20, 2017
FYI, some of the stories in this e-book were previously published in the Grantville Gazette. The great advantage of Music and Murder is that the tales are chronologically ordered and expanded.
If you are looking for tales regarding the main ROF characters, you can skip this collection. Only Mary Simpson occurs frequently, and then as just a minor player.
On the other hand, if you are interested in either classical music or police procedures, I truly believe you would enjoy this volume.
If you are looking for tales regarding the main ROF characters, you can skip this collection. Only Mary Simpson occurs frequently, and then as just a minor player.
On the other hand, if you are interested in either classical music or police procedures, I truly believe you would enjoy this volume.
November 5, 2013
A collection of stories previously published in the Grantville Gazette and Ring of Fire Anthologies. I'd read some of them before but not all. Mostly covering the effects of 20th Century music on the 17th century.
A fun (and sometimes sad) addition to the Ring of Fire series.
A fun (and sometimes sad) addition to the Ring of Fire series.
March 4, 2014
This is basically a collection of stories first published in other places, some about music, some about murder, but not really connected with each other. I'd read some of them before. Enjoyable.
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