History Literature / SpecialCircumstances

* NayTheist: The head of the US and Europe branch of Special Circumstances, Augustus Germaine, is well aware of the existence of gods and demons -- they are, after all, the very reason for the existence of Special Circumstances -- but doesn't follow any of them. In an organization composed of followers of many different belief systems, he is usually moderates disputes between different faiths, as a neutral party.

* TheCameo: ''Queen Of Wands'' has a scene featuring Claudia and Artie from ''Series/{{Warehouse 13}}'', in reply to a copy of Ringo's ''[[PosleenWarSeries Eye of the Storm]]'' being seen in a background bookcase in the series.

* EldritchAbomination: The second part of ''Queen of Wands'' involves one of the lesser known Old Ones and its spawned servants. Looking even at just some cellular material left behind on the ground by the passage of one of the servants is shown to induce SanitySlippage in the observer, and even SC members have trouble with keeping their wits about them when looking onto it.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: As with most other Ringo works, fans from the [[Creator/BaenBooks Baen's Bar]] forum "Ringo's Tavern" get featured here and there, particularly at the convention in the second story of ''Princess'', and again in [[spoiler:the metaphorical [=DragonCon=]]] ''Queen of Wands''.

Ringo's primary motivation in this series is the defense of mainstream Christianity; Barbara is a pious-as-all-get-out churchgoer, a devoted StayInTheKitchen housewife... and more than experienced in multiple methods of asskicking, lovingly learned from her father, a veteran US Air Force pilot who later transferred into a job that had him and his family traveling all over the world. She regularly visits the soapbox to state that the negatives that many have come to associate with religion are the domain of fanatics; fire-breathing preachers are jerks, nosy judgmental tattlers are jerks, etc. She doesn't fuss over her children and husband because she's an empty-headed slave, she does it because she loves them, warts and all (even her somewhat slovenly husband who'd rather host football with his buddies than indulge in his healthy lingerie-clad wife).

* ClothingDamage: In ''Queen of Wands'', [[spoiler:Janea]] does this to her own costume during a sword dance for a competition, albeit intentionally.

* KatanasAreJustBetter: Barbara's weapon against the demon in the middle section of ''Princess of Wands'', later seen (but not used) in the last part of the book. The sword gets more screentime in the sequel, used against {{Eldrich Abomination}}s and occult {{Stepford Smiler}}s.

* KatanasAreJustBetter: Barbara's weapon against the demon in the middle section of ''Princess of Wands'', later seen (but not used) in the last part of the book.

* EldritchAbomination: The second part of ''Queen of Wands'' involves one of the lesser known Old Ones and its spawned servants. Looking even at just some cellular material left behind on the ground induces SanitySlippage, and even SC members have trouble with keeping their wits about them when looking onto it.

Ringo's primary motivation in this series is the defense of mainstream Christianity; Barbara is a pious-as-all-get-out churchgoer, a devoted StayInTheKitchen housewife... and more than experienced in multiple methods of asskicking, lovingly learned from her father, a veteran special forces operative (who was every bit as pious). She regularly visits the soapbox to state that the negatives that many have come to associate with religion are the domain of fanatics; fire-breathing preachers are jerks, nosy judgmental tattlers are jerks, etc. She doesn't fuss over her children and husband because she's an empty-headed slave, she does it because she loves them, warts and all(even her somewhat slovenly husband who'd rather host football with his buddies than indulge in his healthy lingerie-clad wife).

* ActionMom: The titular ''Princess of Wands''.

** Not the Devil, but [[spoiler:David Krake]] does make a deal with a demon for the purpose of [[spoiler:becoming a famous, good selling author]].

* StrawmanPolitical: You did see "John Ringo" mentioned above, yes? In particular, the rival publishing house at the con, in the second part of ''Princess''.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: As with most other Ringo works, fans from the [[Creator/BaenBooks Baen's Bar]] forum "Ringo's Tavern" get featured here and there, particularly at the convention in the second story of ''Princess'', and again in [[spoiler:the metaphorical [=DragonCon=]]] ''Queen''.
* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Invoked in ''Queen of Wands'' by Hjalmar

* AllMythsAreTrue: The Special Circumstances members are from a wide range of religious or otherwise spiritual belief systems, and they all imbue their respective warriors with supernatural powers to help them fight the forces of Evil.

* YouAllMeetAtAnInn: Invoked in ''Queen of Wands'' by Hjalmar

* WriteWhoYouKnow: As with most other Ringo works, fans from the [[Creator/BaenBooks Baen's Bar]] forum "Ringo's Tavern" get featured here and there, particularly at the convention in the second story.

* TheCameo: ''Queen Of Wands'' has a scene featuring Claudia and Artie from ''Series/WarehouseThirteen'', in reply to a copy of Ringo's ''[[PosleenWarSeries Eye of the Storm]]'' being seen in a background bookcase in the series.

* DealWithTheDevil: Not the Devil, but [[spoiler:David Krake]] does make a deal with a demon for the purpose of [[spoiler:becoming a famous, good selling author]].

** ''Queen Of Wands'' also mentions Series/WarehouseThirteen, repaying a copy of Ringo's ''[[PosleenWarSeries Eye of the Storm]]'' being seen in a background bookcase.

Currently only the one book, ''Princess of Wands'', but a sequel, titled ''Queen of Wands'' ,is due out in August 2012 (The eARC is out [[http://www.baenebooks.com/p-1661-queen-of-wands-earc.aspx now]]).

* ShoutOut[=/=]TakeThat: Quite a few in the sci-fi con story.
* StrawmanPolitical: You did see "John Ringo" mentioned above, yes? In particular, the rival publishing house at the con, in the second part.

* NayTheist: The head of the US and Europe branch of Special Circumstances, Augustus Germaine, is well aware of the existence of gods and demons -- they are, after all, the very reason for the existence of Special Circumstances -- but doesn't follow any of them. In an organization composed of many different belief systems, he is usually moderates disputes between different faiths, as a neutral party.

* WriteWhoYouKnow: As with most other Ringo works, fans from the [[BaenBooks Baen's Bar]] forum "Ringo's Tavern" get featured here and there, particularly at the convention in the second story.

UrbanFantasy focusing on a Christian housewife and mother, Barbara Everette, forced into dealing with supernatural villains, written by JohnRingo. The Special Circumstances refers to an "under the radar" organization within the [[AmericanLawEnforcement FBI]] specifically tasked with investigating supernatural crimes that more conventional, "mundane" methods are ill-prepared to handle.

* StrawmanPolitical: You did see "JohnRingo" mentioned above, yes? In particular, the rival publishing house at the con, in the second part.

Currently only the one book, ''Princess of Wands'', but a sequel, titled ''Queen of Wands'', is due out in August 2012.

Currently only the one book, ''Princess of Wands'', but a sequel is in the works, tentatively titled ''Queen of Wands''.

* {{Stereotype}}: If you've been around Pagans, you see religious stereotypes everywhere in this book. All Wiccan characters are middle-aged hippies, all Asatruar act like they just got off a Viking ship, and you apparently cannot worship a fertility goddess without dressing/acting like a porn star 24/7.

* Stereotype: If you've been around Pagans, you see them everywhere in this book. All Wiccan characters are middle-aged hippies, all Asatruar act like they just got off a Viking ship, and you apparently cannot worship a fertility goddess without dressing/acting like a porn star 24/7.

* GodsNeedPrayerBadly: Subverted. The more people who worship a deity (even by proxy), the stronger their mortal servants are.