What do you think?
Rate this book
Fire on the Rio Grande
It started with a letter. In Nuevo Mexico, the Spanish province farther from the king than any other, Father Philip, the only Jesuit north of the Rio Grande, received word of a new town in Germany full of time travelers. Just one article from the Britannica lights a revolt of the native population. Will it be the first colony to throw out European governance? Would it be the first American Revolution?
It started with Eduardo Bernal, born in Nuevo Mexico, sixteen years old, with a love for the countryside, and his native neighbors. Could he save them from the prejudice of Spanish colonists?
It started with young Teniente de Bances, arriving for the first time to the distant Province of Nuevo Mexico al Dentro. He was nineteen years old, and it had taken him three years to get there. Will one hundred fifty Spanish soldiers hold off attacks from nine thousand natives?
In Nuevo Mexico, the Spanish province farther from the king than any other, Father Philip, the only Jesuit north of the Rio Grande, received word of a new town in Germany full of time travelers. Just one article from the Britannica lights a revolt of the native population. Will it be the first colony to throw out European governance? Would it be the first American Revolution?
It started with Eduardo Bernal, born in Nuevo Mexico, sixteen years old, with a love for the countryside, and his native neighbors. Could he save them from the prejudice of Spanish colonists?
It started with young Teniente de Bances, arriving for the first time to the distant Province of Nuevo Mexico al Dentro. He was nineteen years old, and it had taken him three years to get there. Will one hundred fifty Spanish soldiers hold off attacks from nine thousand natives?
In Nuevo Mexico, the Spanish province farther from the king than any other, Father Philip, the only Jesuit north of the Rio Grande, received word of a new town in Germany full of time travelers. Just one article from the Britannica lights a revolt of the native population. Will it be the first colony to throw out European governance? Would it be the first American Revolution?
- GenresAlternate History
Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2020
20 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 2, 2020
Alternative history with the uptimers is the name of this game. Kevin & Karen Evans have joined the 1632 Ring of Fire crowd with their offering, Fire on the Rio Grande. No uptimers show up in this novel, but some pages from an encyclopedia do, and that influences some events. The setting is around Santa Fe in 1634. The Spanish occupy the area, but there is no gold, only lots of Indios, Pueblos, Navajos, and Apaches. All four groups are at odds with everyone else. It is a stack of dry wood waiting for a match, and the fire gets lit.
The organization of the book jumps around quite a bit. There are multiple short chapters with a place name heading and a date, Cocinas of Bernalillo, September 1635, for example. It does make sense, however, so the book is readable. There is some fighting, some humor, some Roman Catholicism along with Indian shamans and a death cult, and ultimately some semblance of order among the four groups after two major events. I liked it; it was an easy read, and there will likely be a sequel, and maybe there is already.
The organization of the book jumps around quite a bit. There are multiple short chapters with a place name heading and a date, Cocinas of Bernalillo, September 1635, for example. It does make sense, however, so the book is readable. There is some fighting, some humor, some Roman Catholicism along with Indian shamans and a death cult, and ultimately some semblance of order among the four groups after two major events. I liked it; it was an easy read, and there will likely be a sequel, and maybe there is already.
November 29, 2020
Starts as an alternate history novel in the 1632 series. This one is set in what is later New Mexico relating to the Pueblo Revolt against Spanish rule come roughly 45 years early. Then you throw in some Zorro to help the downtrodden Indian peasants, Conan the Barbarian fighting and Indiana Jones style heroics going against the properly totally evil sorcerer villain that Robert E. Howard has in his stories. I will not argue against the possibility of such a villain not being realistic. I have lived on the Navajo Reservation and saw things, so I fully realize that type of evil villain is entirely realistic in a society where the influence of Christians is lacking. However, I kept wanting this story to get done.... mainly because the character development just was not good enough.
June 22, 2020
A fine addition
This novel gives a perspective mostly from the viewpoint of the Spanish colonists living in the Spanish North American territory named Nuevo Mexico, from which the modern US state of New Mexico takes its name. What are the honest colonists to do when the corrupt Governor General and his allies precipitate a revolt by the local First People after grossly misinterpreting information sent from Grantville about the history of their colony? This novel explores the idea without bogging down in excessive details that do not move the plot forward. Recommended for all fans of stories set in the 1632 collective universe.
This novel gives a perspective mostly from the viewpoint of the Spanish colonists living in the Spanish North American territory named Nuevo Mexico, from which the modern US state of New Mexico takes its name. What are the honest colonists to do when the corrupt Governor General and his allies precipitate a revolt by the local First People after grossly misinterpreting information sent from Grantville about the history of their colony? This novel explores the idea without bogging down in excessive details that do not move the plot forward. Recommended for all fans of stories set in the 1632 collective universe.
August 2, 2020
Not impressed . Authors are in love with their words . Lacks character development and depth. Paragraph after paragraph on dusty rocky terrain . BOOOOOORING ! The ONLY time I have disliked a ROF book . Had to force myself to finish in hope that it might turn around . Did. Not . Happen .
January 23, 2021
Okay not great
A couple notes. Interesting if you know New Mexico and its history, but a slow read. Inconsistent character and development of the villain (starts as one person almost becomes a different character about halfway through).
A couple notes. Interesting if you know New Mexico and its history, but a slow read. Inconsistent character and development of the villain (starts as one person almost becomes a different character about halfway through).
June 12, 2020
A good look at Spanish/American Native conflict in southwestern North America and how the ROF 'accelerates' the OTL.
August 31, 2020
Ring of fire, just the smoke
As the events in the other Ring of Fire books go on ripples of the events spread to the new world. Interesting side story here.
As the events in the other Ring of Fire books go on ripples of the events spread to the new world. Interesting side story here.
September 17, 2020
In 1634 the oppressed indios of New Mexico rebel against their Spanish overlords.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews