Jack McDevitt is best known for his science fiction with an archeological basis like his award-winning Seeker. Now, McDevitt tackles time-travel in Time Travelers Never Die. A son and his linguist friend chase his Nobel-Prize winning father through time. Yes, meeting famous people from the past on nearly every page gets to be a bit much, and the book is a tad too long for the story it’s trying to tell, but I enjoyed the adventure. If you’re a fan of time travel novels, you’ll enjoy Time Travelers Never Die. GRADE: B
I love the title!
TIME TRAVELERS NEVER DIE is expanded from a short story, Jeff. But, at 341 pages, it’s a little too long for the story it’s telling.
I like Somewhere in Time and The Third Level by Finney. I think those are about the only ones I’ve read though.
Surely you’ve read THE TIME MACHINE by H. G. Wells, Patti! Or seen the movie.
Patti, agree on the Finney. Have you read the sequel – FROM TIME TO TIME?
I also liked THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE.
Diane really liked THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, Jeff. It was one of the choices of her Book Club.
Oh, of course. THE TIME MACHINE. And probably more if I think about it. Not sure about the sequel, Jeff. Off to check it out.
Connie Willis has written some very good time travel novels, Patti. DOOMSDAY BOOK may be the best, but Willis has two more time travel books coming out in 2010, BLACK-OUT and ALL CLEAR. It was just one big novel, but the publisher is bringing it out in two parts.
Oh, and my favorite kids book: Tom’s Midnight Garden.
Diane really likes TOM’S MIDNIGHT GARDEN, Patti.
Sounds sort of like a SF version of Philip Jose Farmer’s RIVERWORLD series. But wait, perhaps that was SF. The McDevitt novels I’ve read, THE ENGINES OF GOD and DEEPSIX, were only so-so, meaning I probably won’t try this one. Still, it’s good to see SF back on the blog, George.
As for time travel books, I’ll vote for Poul Anderson’s TIME PATROL novels and short stories.
You’re missing a great book if you ignore McDevitt’s SEEKER, Rick. And how about Leiber’s Change War series?