Kim Mackey

Slow starting but an excellent finish. Lots of hooks for follow-on books. Characters flat to start but did start evolving nicely. One egregious error: the Mormons started in 1830 and were not even a gleam in Joseph Smith's family antecedents at this time. Not to worry though this era was rich in religious alternatives

Refugees from Tilly's invasion of their country end up in Grantville just as the Ring of Fire occurs. A math prodigy meets a chess master to form a business and personal partnership. By injecting up time knowledge into the nascent iron making business; they trigger a steel revolution. Pleasant characters and a good storyline make this short novel a worthwhile addition to this series.