A new addition to the four-time New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series. After carving a location for itself among the attempting forces of 17th century Western European countries, the ‘out-of-time’ modern town of Grantville, West Virginia must battle for its life against Dark Age domination. Alternate history master Eric Flint results in top form with an epic addition to the multiple NY Times best selling Band of Fireplace series. A cosmic accident sets the modern city of Grantville, Western world Virginia, about 1637: The Polish Maelstrom down in war-torn seventeenth century Europe and a new nation is certainly forged. Today when United States of Europe ally Ruler Gustavas of Sweden invades Poland, the U.S. of E. is usually dragged right into a full-scale Western war against ruthless competitors. Meanwhile Mike Stearns, wily and courageous leader from the up-time Western world Virginians, has been proved of office within an election. But, like Churchill (before and after him) Stearns is not done yet. He’s motivated to stoke the fires of democratic rebellion in Saxony near the main front, and thus keep the young country he founded, as soon as led, from the hands of medieval tyrants-tyrants who would like nothing much better than to clean those frustrating upstarts from the near future from the timeline and get back to the poor days of the past of oppression and serfdom.