Cheryl R. (Spuddie) -
Helpful Score: 5
First in the fantasy/time travel/sci-fi series featuring The Company, this book tells the story of Botanist Mendoza, one of the immortals sent back in time to England during the reign of Bloody Mary. A nobleman in Kent has a small garden where he collects rare plants--plants which will eventually become extinct, and which The Company wishes Mendoza to collect samples from and replicate so that sometime in the future they can be reintroduced to nature. This is what The Company does. What they do not count on is nineteen-year-old Mendoza falling in love with the assistant at the gardens. This is her first assignment and while she's been assured that it's fine to have sex with mortals, getting really involved with them can be messy. Which it assuredly turns out to be in this case. This book smashes genre classification--it's wonderful historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, time travel with a little romance, too--and the romance was well-done, else I'd not have tolerated it. LOL What a totally bizarre and interesting premise for a series! Well-written, interesting characters, an appealing writing style and very difficult to put down. Will definitely be looking for more in the series.
Helpful Score: 3
This was my first book by Kage Baker, (and, the first in her 'Company' series)
It reminded me quite a bit of OS Card's Pastwatch, which is one of those books I'm always recommending to everyone! ;-)
It postulates a 24th-century company, that in an effort to save lost species and works of art, trains technologically-enhanced specialists to live as undercover agents throughout history...
Like most time travel stories, there are some logistical issues... but the book focuses on the emotional ramifications rather than the tech details, telling the story of Mendoza, a girl rescued(?) from the Spanish Inquisition and sent to Elizabethan England to rescue rare plants from a country manor's garden, where she falls in love with a religious zealot.
It reminded me quite a bit of OS Card's Pastwatch, which is one of those books I'm always recommending to everyone! ;-)
It postulates a 24th-century company, that in an effort to save lost species and works of art, trains technologically-enhanced specialists to live as undercover agents throughout history...
Like most time travel stories, there are some logistical issues... but the book focuses on the emotional ramifications rather than the tech details, telling the story of Mendoza, a girl rescued(?) from the Spanish Inquisition and sent to Elizabethan England to rescue rare plants from a country manor's garden, where she falls in love with a religious zealot.
Helpful Score: 2
An interesting time travel book, first in a series. Would be good for those who liked Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog.
Helpful Score: 1
First of the fascinating and addictive series by Kage Baker about Dr. Zeus, the Company that mines the past for profit. Kage Baker's fist published novel, and a stunner.
In 16th-century Spain, everybody expects the Spanish Inquisition, as they have a well-known tendency to cart people off to their dungeons on trumped-up charges. What 5-year-old Mendoza, on the brink of being tortured as a Jew, is totally unprepared for is to be rescued by the Company--the ultimate bureaucracy of the 24th century--and made immortal. In return, all she has to do is travel through time on a series of assignments for the Company and collect endangered botanical specimens. The wisecracking, mildly misanthropic Mendoza wants nothing to do with historical humans, but her first assignment is to travel to England in 1553--uncomfortably close to those damn Inquisitors--with Joseph and Nefer, two other Company operatives. Their intent is to gather herb samples from the garden of Sir Walter Iden, a foolish though generous country squire.
Pretty good sci-fi with a little too much "love" plot for my tastes. I'm told it gets better later in the series.
Time Travel - a botanist collecting specimens from the gardens of Bloody Mary
Fun time travel adventure, first in a series
I didn't like this. The beginning was so boring and technical I couldn't even get through the first few chapters
A wonderful introduction to an amazing series of books. I recommend anything by Kage Baker, but her Company series is brilliant, thought-provoking, and funny.
This was a better than average time travel novel which almost drifted into the realms of a romance novel, but thankfully not too far.
Although hard sci-fi buffs may have a tough time suspending their disbelief that reverse time-travel is easier than forward time travel in this novel, does it set up some interesting possibilities.
Kage Baker does a great job in capturing in her main character/narrator, Mendoza, the voice of dry world-weary cynical wit, that I associate with many European nationalities including the Spanish.
Although hard sci-fi buffs may have a tough time suspending their disbelief that reverse time-travel is easier than forward time travel in this novel, does it set up some interesting possibilities.
Kage Baker does a great job in capturing in her main character/narrator, Mendoza, the voice of dry world-weary cynical wit, that I associate with many European nationalities including the Spanish.
This was a very good read. From the inquisition to the reign of Blood Mary. Five stars!
