Eric Flint's 1632 Universe might becoming to a TV near you!

Eric Flint the co-author of Crown of Slaves, Torch of Freedom and Cauldron of Ghosts in the Honorverse as well as co authoring two novels in the 1632 universe with RFC (1633 and 1634: The Baltic War) left this little tidbit over in Baen's Bar:

Mammoth Screen is renewing their option on the 1632 series for another year. They've hired a well-known screenwriter and have the script for the first episode. They've also made a deal with ITV Studios for worldwide distribution. This is important because ITV is a big deal in the UK. We're still a long ways from an up-and-running TV series, but things are looking good.

http://bar.baen.com/index.php?t=msg&th=108541&start=0&

So besides an Honorverse movie we might also be getting something good on TV!

I am torn...on one hand, I think it is a wonderful series and should translate well to TV (and won't require quite the CG and special effects that the Honorverse will). And it does have some memorable characters, that, if they get the right actors/actresses, could cause people to fall in love with the series..

On the other hand, this is TV we're talking about (albeit British TV, which I find moderately better done), and their ability to ruin a perfectly good story is legendary.

So, on the gripping hand, I guess we'll wait..and wait...and probably wait...and see what happens.

Also, my fear is that if it is British TV doing it, the finished presentation may be nothing like my interpretation of the various novels. We are talking West Virginia hillbilly here.

In specific, how would the Brits get the West Virginia "flavors" and "attitudes" down correctly? The accents? I was born and raised in Western Virginia, actually more West.

Different world in West Virginia fur sure. Being part hillbilly myself, I think I understand the challenges ahead. Also my fear is that the Brits may go overboard with spin.

The first books were kinda left/liberal and at times, socialist preachy. But, that is just me. I am more like Admiral Simpson. Superior firepower. Kill every body then sort them out.

HB of CJ (old coot) Cm. I love this forum.

Hutch wrote:I am torn...on one hand, I think it is a wonderful series and should translate well to TV (and won't require quite the CG and special effects that the Honorverse will). And it does have some memorable characters, that, if they get the right actors/actresses, could cause people to fall in love with the series..

On the other hand, this is TV we're talking about (albeit British TV, which I find moderately better done), and their ability to ruin a perfectly good story is legendary.

So, on the gripping hand, I guess we'll wait..and wait...and probably wait...and see what happens.

Agreed. Could be awesome, but a huge risk that it goes "crash and burn".



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In specific, how would the Brits get the West Virginia "flavors" and "attitudes" down correctly? The accents? I was born and raised in Western Virginia, actually more West.

Oh goodness, that should probably be the least of your worries. British TV tend to be good at that kind of thing.

Germany and Spain can be horrible at "localisation", with USA weaving wildly between "not bad" and "too horrible to mention".

Different world in West Virginia fur sure. Being part hillbilly myself, I think I understand the challenges ahead. Also my fear is that the Brits may go overboard with spin.

The first books were kinda left/liberal and at times, socialist preachy. But, that is just me. I am more like Admiral Simpson. Superior firepower. Kill every body then sort them out.

You do realise that currently, you´re the one doing the spinning?

"left/liberal" is barely even relevant terms for the series, the societies and situations involved are simply so far beyond your concept of those words that they don´t really apply much.

But of course, Flint is also an outspoken "leftie".

And really, when he´s writing a story, he IS writing a story, not preaching politics.
(thank goodness)

Try reading the Sword of truth series. Later on it´s so horribly packed with incoherent Ayn Rand style rants that i actually dropped it, havent read the last 2 books in the series at all.

I mean, spending several pages, in the middle of battle, on nebulous political theory that isn´t even internally consistent any more than its originator was about it, it just got weird in the end, early books have much less ranting and more story.

But...if and when the series gets done and if I hear that it is done correctly, then I might just watch it. The problem is that we all have our own interpretations. Having grown up in the general area does give me some added insights.

Oh...I think the books by Mr. Flint are very slanted, liberal and practically socialist. I for one do not actually believe the Grantsville people would have stood a chance in hell. They would have been overwhelmed by violence or disease.

Also do not believe a bunch of stuff successfully done in the excellent books would have been possible. Kinda like hoisting yourself up into the air by just pulling on your boot straps. Most of what happens in the books would have been non doable.

Just me. Good story lines thought. Just that most of the events would have been dashed upon the rocks and shoals of reality. The Grantsville peoples BEST CHOICE would have been to hunker down and disappear. Even that would fail.

Disease would have run through the uptimers like poop through a goose. Clean safe water would quickly run out. Then food, then eventually the ammo. They would have lasted a couple of months...maybe a year. But..the books are good.

HB of CJ (old coot) Cm. I love this forum.

HB of CJ wrote:Disease would have run through the uptimers like poop through a goose. Clean safe water would quickly run out. Then food, then eventually the ammo. They would have lasted a couple of months...maybe a year. But..the books are good.

With modern filtering available, why would they run out of water? And seriously, water taken directly from a source "back then" is pretty certain of being quite good enough.

Example, the town where i live, while the water provider DO have filtering in place, it´s actually not needed, because the water source is essentially a place that you can drink from directly.

And, once you have the knowledge, it´s fairly easy to set up a filtering station.

Food and ammo, the former shouldn´t be a problem as long as they´re not completely "interrupted", and ammo, well they did have to be cautious about overusing. But ammo is essentially something that any good craftsman of the era could do once they knew how to do it and how to get the materials.

Doing it in massproduction, that´s another question, not gonna happen.

HB of CJ wrote:Also do not believe a bunch of stuff successfully done in the excellent books would have been possible. Kinda like hoisting yourself up into the air by just pulling on your boot straps. Most of what happens in the books would have been non doable.

The books aren´t even playing on the edges of realistic most of the time. Much of what is done is in no way difficult, just in need of a lot of work.

Why don´t you try specifying what is impossible and why.

HB of CJ wrote:They would have been overwhelmed by violence or disease.

No real reason for either to happen. They have modern medical knowledge and some amount of medicines left. And if you think disease was automatically rampaging through the countryside all the time, well that´s one more myth.

And violence, well i believe Flint choose the when and where precisely because of that.
Had they appeared in a nation with a strong state organisation and a powerful army, they would have been far more in trouble.
But "Germany" in the 30 year war? It´s such a mess that for an enemy even to get there, would be a major and complex operation(just as the books portray btw).

HB of CJ wrote:Oh...I think the books by Mr. Flint are very slanted, liberal and practically socialist.

You DO know that liberal and socialist are about as much in opposition as conservative and socialist is?

Personally, i rather prefer "liberal" to a fair degree, considering how it is the political alignment based on freedom.

Probably best to just let it all go. You live in Sweden; I live in SW Oregon, USA. Let us just end this with the understanding that we each live in different worlds very far apart for sure.

I am a retired combat US Marine, a firefighter, a paramedic and an emergency room registered nurse. Had to do a lot a nasty stuff. Did not like it. Now blessed with retirement.

Yes I own automatic weapons. Legal out here. I have been kinda a "prepper" for over 28 years and somewhat understand nature and mankind. Also somewhat a US History buff.

Also a hunter and let me tell you, deer season in our nearly perfect mountain valley town is a serious thing. We also have practically no local government or law enforcement.

What makes the "Ring Of Fire" such a great platform is that it makes ME think a bit outside the box. Somebody was a genius thinking all of this format through. Fantastic job done.

What all of this means is that my attitudes, experiences and knowledge may not be the same as most great people who frequent this excellent Forum. Now you understand a little.

Any idea when the TV series will be presented? I do have a nice LED 39 inch TV, I just do not use it. This series would be so fun to watch. HB of CJ (old coot) Cm. I love this forum.

All US Code Laws And NFA Rules Apply. That means my guns are legal where I live. Expensive and fun to shoot.

I agree with much of what you say about that excellent series, although I do believe the uptimers could have survived starting with a somewhat bigger population base. There is a fair body of opinion about how a well informed modern population is not as vulnerable to disease epidemics as may have once been thought. Better hygiene, less accommodation crowding, and much less ignorant superstition.

Regarding the politics I do enjoy reading comments from the US right as the world views are so different. The approach that Eric takes is very much mainstream for the rest of us. You see it as socialist and therefore wrong, we see it as being for the good of the community based and thus correct. Certainly I can connect with the same concept happening to a somewhat larger country town/city in Australia. Much less guns unfortunately but similar community pulling together ethos.
Like you I have little faith in TV producers getting it anywhere near right.

HB of CJ wrote:But...if and when the series gets done and if I hear that it is done correctly, then I might just watch it. The problem is that we all have our own interpretations. Having grown up in the general area does give me some added insights.

Oh...I think the books by Mr. Flint are very slanted, liberal and practically socialist. I for one do not actually believe the Grantsville people would have stood a chance in hell. They would have been overwhelmed by violence or disease.

Also do not believe a bunch of stuff successfully done in the excellent books would have been possible. Kinda like hoisting yourself up into the air by just pulling on your boot straps. Most of what happens in the books would have been non doable.

Just me. Good story lines thought. Just that most of the events would have been dashed upon the rocks and shoals of reality. The Grantsville peoples BEST CHOICE would have been to hunker down and disappear. Even that would fail.

Disease would have run through the uptimers like poop through a goose. Clean safe water would quickly run out. Then food, then eventually the ammo. They would have lasted a couple of months...maybe a year. But..the books are good.

HB of CJ (old coot) Cm. I love this forum.

Putting the politics off to one side

If the Beeb do a series based on the 1632 books it will be a side step into a genre they usually do very well

i.e. Historical drama (with a twist)

Emo Otaku wrote:Putting the politics off to one side

If the Beeb do a series based on the 1632 books it will be a side step into a genre they usually do very well

i.e. Historical drama (with a twist)

True, and at least they have a Richelieu (BBC America is currently showing "The Musketeers").