A review by julis
1634: The Baltic War by David Weber, Eric Flint

adventurous funny slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Would it kill them to cut some explanations? I don’t care how planes work! I’m not here to learn how planes work! If I wanted to know how planes work, I would’ve gone into aerospace engineering! But I didn’t, because I don’t care how planes work. Quit talking about the technology and talk more about the personal drama (weirdly rapidly resolved this book) and the politics (largely off screen).

However in the last half of the book, my irritation with the pacing was overshadowed by my irritation with Weber and Flint’s romance between a) Eddie Cantrell, a 20 year old American lieutenant POW and b) Anne Cathrine, the 15 year old daughter of the king of Denmark (Eddie’s captor).

I absolutely do not believe that the political dynamics outweigh the five year age gap–and THOSE five years too? Hands up, all college students who want to date high school sophomores. Not to mention, but Eddie has a 1990s/2000s high school education and all the access to culture that implies, while Anne has, um, 17th century tutors…and a protective father…

Yeah I definitely buy that Anne can give informed consent, totally. Hands up everyone who thinks marrying their sophomore crush would’ve worked out well for you (mine wouldn’t, and mine was only 2 years older and the musical lead).

And what is with Eddie (and Mike Stearns, and Simpson) that he thinks acting on his crush is a good idea? Dude, no. Put it back in your pants and remember that she has no idea what the world is like outside her tiny royal early Modern bubble. Ugh.