Ralph F. Brady

Thanks to First Edition Design Publishing for the ARC received for review via NetGalley.

This is a highly entertaining blend of historical and science fiction with a strong premise. Its execution is also fairly successful, with the sci-fi elements explained in just enough detail to get that out of the way in order to proceed with the plot.
The time period in which Richard finds himself is not only very well researched, but also fairly convincingly written. We get far more than just a glimpse of life in Greenport and New York at the turn of the century - the people and places described seem realistic and palpable, aglow with life and activity.
Another significant redeeming quality is the fact that the plot taken in itself follows the formula of an adventure/sci-fi story: the protagonist risks his life on a delicate mission that involves time-travel and has far-reaching consequences. What makes it all even more exciting is that the close third person narration provides us with insight into every stage of the mission and a doorway into the protagonist's thoughts and feelings. I remember that certain episodes were particularly suspenseful, and there was a satisfying balance between moments of doubt and self-reflection and jumping back into the thick of the action.
And now, my main point of interest. Without giving away too much, I'll just say that the kind of ending this book had is likely to divide readers into two groups - those who find it a delightful, in-your-face scream into the void, an ode to the absurd, and those who feel slightly cheated and are bothered by the arguably paradoxical nature of this kind of messing with the wibbly-wobbly-timey-wimey stuff. Me? My first instinct was to follow the latter school of thought, but the more I think about it, the more rapidly I tend to ricochet in between, which is the reason why I took my sweet time writing a review.
What is certain is that the book truly offers a lot of discussion material.… (plus d'informations)