1636: The Devil's Opera
A semi-detective novel in the 1632 alternative history series.
1636: The Devil's Opera is a stand-alone novel in the alternative history 1632 series, published on October 1, 2013. Written by David Carrico and Eric Flint, it is a semi-detective novel set in a growing industrial city. The book continues two series of stories originally published in the electronic versions of the Grantville Gazette.
Quick Facts
- Author
- Eric Flint and David Carrico
- Cover artist
- Tom Kidd
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Series
- 1632 series
- Genre
- Alternate history, science fiction
- Publisher
- Baen Books
- Published
- October 1, 2013
Facts from the source article.
Plot
The story begins when a new character finds a corpse in a river, but this is only the first of several unexplained crimes. Detectives Byron Chieske and Gotthilf Hoch, who work for the newly formed Magdeburg Police (once the city watch), are assigned to the case. These detectives first appeared in "None So Blind," a story from the tenth Grantville Gazette. A second plot follows musician Marla Linder and her husband Franz Sylwester. They use music to rally ordinary people against conservative factions trying to restore medieval rule after the emperor is wounded in battle. Those characters were introduced in "The Sound of Music," published in the third Grantville Gazette.
Literary significance and reception
A Booklist reviewer called the book "Another engaging alternate history from a master of the genre," but noted that familiarity with previous stories is strongly recommended. The SFRevu reviewer stated it is not the best entry point. Mark Lardas of the Galveston Daily News described it as an old-style police-procedural mystery set in 17th century Germany. The Fistful of Wits reviewer praised the pacing and denouement. The novel was a runner-up for the Locus Hardcovers Bestsellers List in 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who published 1636: The Devil's Opera?
1636: The Devil's Opera was published by Baen Books.
Who illustrated 1636: The Devil's Opera?
1636: The Devil's Opera was illustrated by Tom Kidd.
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