Assiti Shards effect

The Assiti Shards sequence is a set of worlds created by Eric Flint. Originally conceived as a series of alternate history novels exploring historical and political themes through juxtaposition of societies and figures, the series became an experiment in massive collaborative authorship as the concepts encouraged historical research and additional creative works by fans of the first novel, 1632.

The basic premise of the series is a series of space-time juxtapositions in multiple universes, by-products of the alien Assiti race's favorite art form: convolutions of the space-time continuum. These juxtapositions take the form of a transition of "heatless flame" that transposes two sphere-sized spaces from various times and places. In 1632, for instance, the space-times transposed (from two different parallel worlds) are those of Grantville, West Virginia, on the afternoon of May 31, 2000, and an uninhabited valley in the Thuringenwald a few miles southwest of Saalfeld, Thuringia, Holy Roman Empire, on the afternoon of May 31, 1631.

The novel caused a small community centered on the website of Baen Books to arise, based on working out the implications of the novel's scenario. These speculations were encouraged by the author, as they reinforced the main theme of the novel: the resourcefulness and idealism of the average 21st century small-town American. Although sequels to 1632 were not originally planned, enthusiasm eventually caused Eric Flint (with David Weber) to produce 1633, a novel incorporating ideas and characters developed by his fans. Continuing in this vain, no fewer than three novels set in 1634 are planned, with one published (1634: The Galileo Affair). In addition, Flint now edits The Grantville Gazette, an authorized series of fan-written works set in the "1632verse". Although not part of the original plan, these volumes are also considered Assiti shard works.

The Assiti shard sequence has thus become an experiment in massive collaborative authorship. Although Flint maintains overall creative control, many details of his setting have now been parceled to first-time authors. The small society has developed its own institutions, such as its own "slush pile" for beta-testing stories and "grid" for keeping track of characters.

Several other volumes are planned containing entirely different premises: 1781, with George Washington and Frederick the Great transposed to ancient Rome's Crisis of the 3rd century, By Any Other Name, a transposition of the Assiti into Elizabethan England, and Time Spike, a transposition of various populations into the late Cretaceous.