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Timeline |  | Author: Michael Crichton
Publisher: Arrow Books Ltd
Category: Book
List Price: £7.99
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Seller: betterworldbooksltd
Rating:  150 reviews
Sales Rank: 75330
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Edition: New edition
Pages: 512
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.3
ISBN: 0099244721
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780099244721
ASIN: 0099244721
Publication Date: August 4, 2000
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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Amazon.co.uk Review
When you step into a time machine, fax yourself through a "quantum foam wormhole" and step out in feudal France circa 1357, be very, very afraid. If you aren't strapped back in precisely 37 hours after your visit begins, you'll miss the quantum bus back to 1999 and be stranded in a civil war, caught between crafty abbots, mad lords and peasant bandits all eager to cut your throat. You'll also have to dodge catapults that hurl sizzling pitch over castle battlements. On the social front, you should avoid provoking "the butcher of Crecy" or Sir Oliver may lop your head off with a swoosh of his broadsword or cage and immerse you in "Milady's Bath", a brackish dungeon pit into which live rats are tossed now and then for prisoners to eat.pThis is the plight of the heroes of ITimeline/I, Michael Crichton's thriller. They're historians in 1999 employed by a tech billionaire-genius with more than a few of Bill Gates' most unlovable quirks. Like the entrepreneur in Crichton's IJurassic Park/I, Doniger plans a theme park featuring artefacts from a lost world revived via cutting-edge science. When the project's chief historian sends a distress call to 1999 from 1357, the boss man doesn't tell the younger historians the risks they'll face trying to save him. At first, the interplay between eras is clever but Timeline swiftly becomes a swashbuckling old-fashioned adventure, with just a dash of science and time paradox in the mix. Most of the cool facts are about the Middle Ages and Crichton marvellously brings the past to life without ever letting the pulse-pounding action slow down. At one point, a time-tripper tries to enter the Chapel of Green Death. Unfortunately, its custodian, a crazed giant with terrible teeth and a bad case of lice, soon has her head on a block. "She saw a shadow move across the grass as he raised his axe into the air." Try not to turn the page! pThrough the narrative can be glimpsed the glowing bones of the movie that may be made from ITimeline/I and the high tech computer game that should hit the market in 2000. Expect many clashing swords and chase scenes through secret castle passages. But the book stands alone, tall and scary as a knight in armour shining with blood. --ITim Appelo/I
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 150
 DAZZLING...IMAGINATIVE...RIVETING... January 20, 2003
Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is an absolute page turner. It opens with one of the most absorbing first chapters I have ever read. An elderly man is found wandering in the desert, speaking in rhyme. There is something not quite right about him. The hospital to which he is taken discovers that the anomalies do not end with just his speech. Something is very wrong with him. pHighly inventive and compelling, the reader is reeled in hook, line, and sinker, right from the get go. A wholly plot driven book, make no mistake about it, the story revolves around a highly secretive, technological corporation, ITC, headed up by a megalomaniacal, young genius, who is tooling around with quantum physics in a way that has never before been done. Our genius is spearheading a project that is truly cutting edge. Of course, he is not doing this for the betterment of mankind. He is doing it simply because it will ultimately result in mega bucks for him, if all goes according to plan. Alas, the best-laid plans often go awry.pCut to a group of dedicated historians who are involved in an archaeological dig, located along the Dordogne River in France. Their project, the ultimate restoration of a fourteenth century, feudal town, is very generously funded by ITC. Now why would a technological giant such as ITC be funding such a project?pThis is the basic premise of the book. The use of quantum physics is applied in such a way as to access the past. Here, a group of historians find themselves with the chance of a lifetime. They can actually enter fourteenth century, feudal France and experience it themselves. There is quite an adventure in store for them.pTheir reason for doing so, however, is not research. They are actually on a mission to rescue their chief historian who had ventured into fourteenth century, feudal France, using ITC's technological application of quantum physics. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, however, he found himself mired in the fourteenth century and unable to return to the present, as originally planned.pWhat happens to these intrepid historians will captivate the reader. Well written and thoroughly researched, those who, like me, love science fiction, as well as historical fiction, will, most likely, enjoy this book. As a devotee of medieval history, I was entranced by the historical detail contained within the novel. I also found the book somewhat reminiscent of the sci-fi television series called "Sliders", in which the concept of quantum physics is utilized in order to slide into parallel universes.pAll in all, this well-written novel makes for riveting, escapist entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found that I simply could not put it down!
A DAZZLING, HIGHLY IMAGINATIVE, AND ABSORBING BOOK... January 9, 2003
Lawyeraau (Balmoral Castle)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This book is an absolute page-turner. It opens with one of the most absorbing first chapters I have ever read. An elderly man is found wandering in the desert, speaking in rhyme. There is something not quite right about him. The hospital to which he is taken discovers that the anomalies do not end with just his speech. Something is very wrong with him. pHighly inventive and compelling, the reader is reeled in hook, line, and sinker, right from the get go. A wholly plot driven book, make no mistake about it, the story revolves around a highly secretive, technological corporation, ITC, headed up by a megalomaniacal, young genius, who is tooling around with quantum physics in a way that has never before been done. Our genius is spearheading a project that is truly cutting edge. Of course, he is not doing this for the betterment of mankind. He is doing it simply because it will ultimately result in mega bucks for him, if all goes according to plan. Alas, the best-laid plans often go awry.pCut to a group of dedicated historians who are involved in an archaeological dig, located along the Dordogne River in France. Their project, the ultimate restoration of a fourteenth century, feudal town, is very generously funded by ITC. Now why would a technological giant such as ITC be funding such a project?pThis is the basic premise of the book. The use of quantum physics is applied in such a way as to access the past. Here, a group of historians find themselves with the chance of a lifetime. They can actually enter fourteenth century, feudal France and experience it themselves. There is quite an adventure in store for them.pTheir reason for doing so, however, is not research. They are actually on a mission to rescue their chief historian who had ventured into fourteenth century, feudal France, using ITC's technological application of quantum physics. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, however, he found himself mired in the fourteenth century and unable to return to the present, as originally planned.pWhat happens to these intrepid historians will captivate the reader. Well written and thoroughly researched, those who, like me, love science fiction, as well as historical fiction, will, most likely, enjoy this book. As a devotee of medieval history, I was entranced by the historical detail contained within the novel. I also found the book somewhat reminiscent of the sci-fi television series called "Sliders", in which the concept of quantum physics is utilized in order to slide into parallel universes.pAll in all, this well-written, plot driven novel makes for riveting, escapist entertainment. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found that I simply could not put it down!
A Science Fiction Time Travel Historical Thriller November 23, 2002
Imperial Topaz (Marrakesh, Morocco)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My title says just how I would characterize this book. I really enjoy historical novels. This one was combined with the urgency of a thriller, and a plausible-enough senario for time travel that the reader can accept. This book was a bit different from Crichton's other books, but still an excellent page-turner. If you have enjoyed Crichton's other books, or if you enjoy historical novels, you should enjoy this one too.
There's no place like home, no place like home! November 6, 2004
J (Liverpool, UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is very often an extremely dense and technical novel, but also...wonderfully entertaining. The jargon is not just specialised, it's another language in itself, but this never detracts from the story. Instead it actually builds on the atmosphere and hightens the tension- your mind might boggle, but you'll always keep reading.pThis will sound cliche, but the author thoroughly succeeds in transporting not just his characters, but also his readers into medievil Europe and to an extent that I'm still recovering from. I can only imagine that reincarnation must be something like this, because after reading this book I for one was wondering if maybe I'd just recalled a past life, as amazing as that sounds. But be warned...if you ever idealised history, you'll never be able to do so again- life was brutal in them olden days!pAfter the set-up has been dealt with and the vocabulary for this story has been laid out, you're subjected to two such brutal incidents (involving a band of diverse scientists) that you won't recover until you've finished the book and perhaps not even then. And these events (that I won't spoil for you by going into here) begin what can only be described as a rollercoaster of-a-ride!pThe premise of time-travel may not be knew, but everything else definitely is and there will be times when you'll be breathless with horror and wonder, and certainly a great admiration for such a talented author as Crichton. The best and worst reason I can think of for you to read this book- it makes you feel like you're in it!
Buy it and read it, it's great January 12, 2000
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Michael Crichton has produced some great books in his time. I read Jurassic Park in 2.5 days - I literally could not put it down. If you like those experiences and perhaps have had them with the odd Crichton book, then drop everything and order Timeline right now. Quantum computers, a bit of the future, a load of history, a compelling story. And maybe a bit of timetravel. Away and read it. I thought it was great - I read it in 3 days.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 150
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