1636: The China Venture — Eric Flint; Iver Cooper

The Ring of Fire Series Continues! The United States of Europe finds itself embroiled in international intrigue, as the uptimers attempt to establish an embassy in Ming Dynasty era China.

VENTURE TO SAVE AN EMPIRE

The newly formed United States of Europe sends an embassy to the Chinese Empire to open up 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!