Oh dear. I thought the entire book is incredibly slow-moving. I might even use the word boring. There's no real plot to speak of; Michael's disappearance is solved about halfway through, and it's only too obvious how Shel's death is going to play out. It's just one random bit of history after another. Did you know Winston Churchill got hit by a car in New York 1931? Huh.
McDevitt's time-travel rules means he can't introduce his characters into vital historical records, so I see why he picked insignificant moments where they can interact with famous people. But again, I found it very dull. There's little tension or forward momentum. Dave's got some emotional baggage about Shel's girlfriend, but nothing happens there either. And I will not get started on the flaws in how they're moving about so easily in these wildly different societies. I did like the trip they took to Selma, that had the most emotional impact and drama in the whole book.
It could be an interesting novel for someone who likes a bit of classical Greek history or Renaissance Italy. Of all the things that have happened in history, McDevitt has his characters spend an inordinate amount of time in Greece with almost everything else as snippets.
McDevitt has flaws as a writer - his characters are all so flat - but I usually like him as his ideas are pretty cool. I thought his brand of time-travel physics had potential, but sadly I was just bored. I can't recommend this one.
McDevitt's time-travel rules means he can't introduce his characters into vital historical records, so I see why he picked insignificant moments where they can interact with famous people. But again, I found it very dull. There's little tension or forward momentum. Dave's got some emotional baggage about Shel's girlfriend, but nothing happens there either. And I will not get started on the flaws in how they're moving about so easily in these wildly different societies. I did like the trip they took to Selma, that had the most emotional impact and drama in the whole book.
It could be an interesting novel for someone who likes a bit of classical Greek history or Renaissance Italy. Of all the things that have happened in history, McDevitt has his characters spend an inordinate amount of time in Greece with almost everything else as snippets.
McDevitt has flaws as a writer - his characters are all so flat - but I usually like him as his ideas are pretty cool. I thought his brand of time-travel physics had potential, but sadly I was just bored. I can't recommend this one.
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