Iver P. Cooper

For millennia, ships have been used to fish, transport passengers and cargo, and bring divers to particular locations to harvest sea life or to salvage wrecks. Ships are thus places of work. Anchors must be raised or dropped; rigging adjusted; cargo brought on board, stowed, and ultimately off-loaded. The ship must be navigated and steered to its destination despite the vagaries of wind and wave. It may be necessary to communicate with other ships or with the shore. Fishing and diving gear and methods had to be devised in order to exploit underwater resources. This book examines innovations in hardware and methodology, which relate to work on (and under) the sea from both a scientific and historical perspective. With a rigorous and technical approach, this study focuses on how things work, analyzing the evolving technology and techniques of centuries of work on a ship. This thoroughly illustrated work presents a deep exploration of a dynamic history, with a grounding, technological perspective that paints a clear, scientific portrait of an ancient practice.

A cosmic catastrophe, the Ring of Fire, strands the West Virginia town of Grantville back in time in the middle of the Thirty Years War. One of its ripple effects is that Japan has pulled back from a policy of isolation and staked out its own claims on the west coast of North America. But it is not the only power interested in that part of the New World, and the native Americans have also responded, in different ways, to the unexpected colonists. And there are conflicts among the colonists themselves. In settling the fate of this part of the New World, a few remarkable individuals have an outsize role to play: Oyamada Isamu, a samurai on his first independent command; Yells-at-Bears, a young native woman of Vancouver Island; Father Blanco, a Jesuit priest and former missionary; and Iroha Data-hime, the daughter of the Grand Governor of New Nippon.

This is a reissue of the second half of A 1632 Christmas, . The first half is Special Issue 1 from November 2024. Jackie Britton Lopatin's "Grantville's Secret Santa" tells how Grantville changed one woman's once-bleak future to fulfillment. In Chuck Thompson's "The Gift," Inez Wiley convinces her down-time friends not to leave her. Mark Huston's "At Christmas Time" follows a simple letter and its impact. Sarah Hay's "No Proper Carol" follows a search for hard to find up-time music. Edith Wild's "A Christmas Stollen" tells more of Amalia's story. Leaving Grantville, John Deakin's tale "At the Schickelmans'" follows their first Christmas celebration in the New World. In "Santa's Lapp" by George Haberberger, a man tells his people what he learned of their future up-time. "Natala" by Iver Cooper sees a Christmas play in Califonia. "One Night Only" by Michael Lockwood tells of a special performance at the Magdeburg Opera House. "Sad Spectacles" by Eric Flint and Lucille Robbins shows how new ideas can blow up even the most entrenched paths. The final tale addresses one of the key questions of modern Christmas: Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Spoiler: yes, it is.

In the 16th century warships engaged at close range, sometimes with yards touching, and small arms fire and hand-to-hand combat were at least as important as the "great guns." As time went on, the big guns became more decisive and increased in destructive power, range and accuracy. This book explores how naval armament, armor, ballistics and gunnery evolved from the 16th to 20th centuries from a scientific and technological perspective. It separates out the functional aspects: the guns, their distribution on warships, the propellants, the projectiles, etc., and examines the development of each.

A ship is not just a mode of transport, it is a life support system. Ideally, it provides fresh air at a comfortable temperature and humidity, healthy food and drink, adequate lighting at night and below deck (but without setting the ship on fire or interfering with navigation), and sleeping and sanitation facilities. It must be kept dry and afloat. Provision must be made for disasters, whether that be a man overboard, or the ship itself sinking or running aground. Fires and contagious diseases must be fought if they arise. The quest to improve life at sea has progressed, albeit haltingly, on two parallel fronts. The first is analyzing the problems and finding and implementing scientific solutions. The second is by changes in laws and regulations so as to require healthier practices. This book, with a unique problem-solution format, examines the problems of life at sea and how they have been ameliorated.

VENTURE TO SAVE AN EMPIREThe newly formed United States of Europe sends an embassy to the Chinese Empire to open trade talks for all-important, critical resources. Granted, they are ones no one has ever needed before, but that was before the town of Grantville, West Virginia, showed up from 300 years in the future.There’s even an ally to gain along the way: Zheng Zhilong is a former pirate, now an admiral for the Ming navy, and the head of a wealthy and powerful Fujian province trading family. More impressively, he has read the Grantville history books given to him by his Jesuit missionary connections. He knows the Ming dynasty is about to be hit with famine, bandit armies, and barbarian invaders. He is determined that his family will survive.It may be too late. Official China is famously suspicious of foreigners. Can the up-timers and their friends persuade the mandarins to establish trade and diplomatic relations with the young United States of Europe? Their greatest asset is also their greatest curse: knowledge that China is due for decades of mass suffering and civil war. Changes must come, but changes also bring their own deadly consequences! About 1636: The China Venture:"An entertaining read."—The Galveston County Daily NewsAbout 1636: Seas of Fortune by Iver P. Cooper:". . . expand[s] the Ring of Fire universe into new or previously limited geography and culture. 'Stretching Out' includes seven excellent entries mostly in South America and the Caribbean built on real events but with a nice Grantville twist. 'Rising Sun' contains five terrific tales . . . also built on real events enhanced by historical speculation but with a nice Grantville twist."—Alternate WorldsAbout 1635: A Parcel of Rogues:"The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles."—Library JournalAbout 1634: The Galileo Affair:"A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."—David Drake"Gripping . . . depicted with power!"—Publishers WeeklyAbout Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series:“This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . . ”—Booklist“[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist“ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly

The newly formed United States of Europe, created by an alliance between the time-displaced Americans from the town of Grantville and the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, decides to send an embassy to the Chinese empire. One of the main purposes of the embassy is to establish trade in order to gain access to critical resources. The mission is a gamble—some might say, a long shot. The Ming dynasty is on the verge of collapse and China’s rulers are suspicious of foreigners. The mission experiences one setback after another, but presses on. And they gain an important ally along the way: Zheng Zhilong, a former pirate now an admiral for the Ming navy and the head of an extremely wealthy Fujian province trading family. He knows through his Jesuit missionary connections that according to Grantville's history books, the Ming dynasty is in danger, from famines, bandit armies and barbarian invaders. And he is determined that, one way or another, he and his family will survive and even prosper. The embassy is joined as well by a young scholar, who helps them make inroads into China’s complex and often dangerous society. Can the up-timers and their friends persuade the imperial dynasty and its mandarins to establish trade and diplomatic relations with the USE? They have one great asset: their knowledge may be the key to saving China from decades of mass suffering and civil war. About 1636: Seas of Fortune by Iver Cooper: ". . . expand[s] the Ring of Fire universe into new or previously limited geography and culture. 'Stretching Out' includes seven excellent entries mostly in South America and the Caribbean built on real events but with a nice Grantville twist. 'Rising Sun' contains five terrific tales ... also built on real events enhanced by historical speculation but with a nice Grantville twist."—Alternate Worlds About 1635: A Parcel of Rogues: "The 20th volume in this popular, fast-paced alternative history series follows close on the heels of the events in The Baltic War, picking up with the protagonists in London, including sharpshooter Julie Sims. This time the 20th-century transplants are determined to prevent the rise of Oliver Cromwell and even have the support of King Charles."—Library Journal About 1634: The Galileo Affair: "A rich, complex alternate history with great characters and vivid action. A great read and an excellent book."—David Drake "Gripping . . . depicted with power!"—Publishers Weekly About Eric Flint's Ring of Fire series: “This alternate history series is . . . a landmark…”—Booklist “[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist “ . . . reads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly