After carving a place for itself among the struggling powers of 17th century Western Europe, the "out-of-time" modern town of Grantville, West Virginia must fight for its life against Dark Age domination. Alternate history master Eric Flint returns in top form with an epic addition to the multiple New York Times best selling Ring of Fire series. A cosmic accident sets the modern town of Grantville, West Virginia, down in war-torn seventeenth century Europe and a new nation is forged. Now when United States of Europe ally King Gustavas of Sweden invades Poland, the U.S. of E. is dragged into a full-scale European war against ruthless opponents. Meanwhile Mike Stearns, wily and courageous leader of the up-time West Virginians, has been turned out of office in an election. But, like Churchill (before and after him) Stearns is not done yet. He's determined to stoke the fires of democratic rebellion in Saxony near the main front, and thus keep the young nation he founded, and once led, out of the hands of medieval tyrants-tyrants who would like nothing better than to wipe those troublesome upstarts from the future off the timeline and go back to the bad old days of oppression and serfdom.