The Trouble with Huguenots

by Virginia DeMarce

Ever since the assassination of King Louis XIII and the overthrow of his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu, France has been in political and military turmoil. The possibility—even the likelihood—of revolution hovers in the background.The new king Gaston, whom many consider an usurper, is no friend of France’s Protestants, known as the Huguenots. The fears and hostility of the Huguenots toward the French crown have only been heightened by the knowledge brought back in time by the Americans of the town of Grantville. Half a century in the future, the French king of the time would revoke the Edict of Nantes of 1598, which proclaimed that the rights of Huguenots would be respected.At the center of all this turmoil is the universally recognized leader of the Duke Henri de Rohan. He knows from the same up-time history books that he is “scheduled” to die less than two years in the future and he has pressing problem on his hands. His estranged wife and brother are siding with the usurper Gaston and plotting against him. Still worse, his sole child and heir is his nineteen-year-old daughter Marguerite. He believes he has less than two years to find a suitable husband for her—but acceptable Calvinist noblemen, French or foreign, are sparse at the moment.What’s a father to do?

Genres: Science Fiction, Historical, Alternate History

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2019

Reviews

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book adds to the situation in France using a search for a husband for a Huguenot's nobles daughter. Step one free the daughter and step two, search. Intermix politics, complications, interesting characters - some previously familiar and some not i.e. depending on how you are reading the 1632 universe, plus throw in adventure and excitement. Result a fun book. Do not start the 1632 universe with this book. Read plenty of other 1632 books first - like the mainline novels before attempting this one.

[Russell R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another confusing and fragmented work

This is the second work by this author in the Ring of Fire series that I have read. If there is a story line, it is deeply buried in the constant jumps from one disconnected scene to another. As in another of her works, 1635 TheTangled Web, there was no overall narrative to connect the fragments. Her historical details are good, but the story needs more cohesion

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

And we think politics is complicated in the 21st century! Side trips in the ROF universe, such as this and others by DeMarce, are always entertaining and informative. As many of my fellow ROF addicts know, much of the Trouble suffered by many in 17th century Europe was religious intolerance used too often as a weapon of the state.

[Randy Pursley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable entry into the 1632 universe. The characters were interesting the and history around the story was new to me. I am glad that I got into this series of books many years ago.

[Kevin K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Narrative mess, jumps between scenes that don't seem to connect to one another. Wasn't a fan.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

It bounces around from character to character but it does answer many questions as to what happen to many minor characters from the main ROF novels. I liked it.

[Carl Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

1700s romance and intrigue.

I like all the well crafted and represented personalities and the interactions and dialog. Well written and presents the era graphically.