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Summary: Imagery and Complexity
Review: Michael Crichton's novel Timeline is written with superior use of imagery and complexity. Crichton uses all five senses when dealing with each character as their dangerous adventure back in time turns into a struggle to survive. Crichton's complexity towards each character's situation portrays a tone filled with suspense, thrill and danger. Crichton's use of imagery helps detail his setting and plot structure accurately. His descriptions to characters using each of their senses helps the reader feel as if they were beside the character during the dilemma. For example: "a spear pierced into the horse's chest and as the blood spilled onto Chris, he squealed in agony, not in pain, but in shock by the high temperature of the horse's inner-fluid", (243). Crichton's use of complexity allows the reader to know every detail in/of the situation, as well as the conflicts' characters have both: separated from each other in the past, and the helplessness of the characters in the present to help the others in the past. Crichton's complexity allows the suspense of a dangerous act continue for many chapters as he depicts other conflicts during/set at other places (time: past and present). Crichton's use of imagery and complexity allows the reader to know and experience all situations in this novel. This book is highly recommended to those who enjoy tales of struggle (for life), honor, lust and knowledge of science (technology and anthropology).
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Summary: absolutely fantastic
Review: This book was the first Michael Chrichton book I have read. It was absolutely great. I read it for a book report and it is well above my reading level. My sister read it as a senior in highschool and I read it in 8th grade. It is absolutely fantastic for the science-fiction reader! Since I have read AIRFRAME and I am going to be getting another couple of Michael Chrichton books soon!!! My advice to you. . . read the book!!!
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Summary: Crichton is good.
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I like Crichton and I like history and the two blended well together. The plot keeps you interested and there are so many funny instances. For instance, the "English" is not American English so they have to adapt to that, then the women have to dress and act like men because they are not treated well as females. It has humor and a little history lesson. It's very entertaining.
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Summary: Timeline By Michael Crichton
Review: Timeline by Michael Crichton is the best novel I have ever read. Michael Crichton is one of the best authors that ever live. In this novel Michael, Chris, and Kate go to a mysterious corporation to find another sceintist. This company invented a machine that is able to transport someone to the Middle Ages. Once they get back to the Middle Ages, their guide dies and they are left alone. No matter what, they are going to find their freind and every time they seem to get closer sometimes else happens. It began as a rescue mision and after a while it became a fight to survive. As time runs down, will they find their freind? If they do, will they get back? this book is packed with adventure and suspense and Michael Crichton makes you want to read it. After I read this book, I had to read Michael Crichton's other books. This is a must read.
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Summary: dude, this book rocks
Review: ok, i may only be a 14 year old freshman in high school but this book just rocks. i love the way crichton intertwines all the history, science and everything else in an exciting plot. i've read other techno-thriller type books by clancy and other authors and this book trumps them ALL. i'm not gonna spoil the ending for you but its not as "predictable" as the other dude put it (me being a teen may play some part in it :0 ) i had to read it all in one night 'cuz i just did not want to put it down and i had to know what happened next. as a reference, i think its alot better than most of his other books. go read this book now. i'd give it 10 stars if i could.
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Summary: Jurassic Park meets medieval time period via timetravel
Review: I just finished reading this book and I have to say it's a real page turner. I have only read 2 other Micheal Crichton books so far: Jurassic Park and The Lost World. This book is as good as Jurassic Park. I've always been interested in quantum physics so I picked this book up. if your expecting alot on quantum physics forget it. Crichton gives just enough to explain how his "Time Machine" could work. After that your well on your way to edge of your seat excitement in the middle ages. I know this sounds cliche but you really do keep turning pages to find out what's next. The strength of this book is really in the research that Crichton has done on the middle ages, and how he mixes that with his ability to deliver excitement. Ironically, the only critism I could find for this book is the same reason that makes it so enjoyable, and that is he's kind of fallen into a trap with some of his work. In Jurassic Park and Lost World it's dinosaurs and amusement parks. With the movie "Westworld" it was the old west and amusement parks, and in timeline it's using a time machine to experience history as amusement. Do you see a pattern here? Anyways without disecting this book too deeply I can say I really enjoyed it and would highly recommend anyone picking it up. If you want an exciting story of intelligent people trapped in a bad situation, that delivers thrills pick this up. isn't that the whole point of Crichton's books anyway?
Rating: 
Summary: Not too great
Review: I can't usually put down Michael Crichton books. Jurassic Park, Sphere, Congo are all brilliant. I'm always amazed at the way in which he can make any subject interesting - see Airframe for a gripping story about aircraft wings. But this is a massive disappointment, mainly I think because Crichton isn't very good at doing this with history. Other people have written that they found this gripping stuff; I respect their opinion but honestly can't see it. His historical world seems to be more a ploy for the contemporary one than an era in its own right. Admittedly there are some memorable bits, mostly on the physical differences between the medieval and modern world. But the medieval characters seem either shallow or anachronistic, and I didn't get any sense of a real medieval world. The plot wore thin after a while; every segment seemed to end with them turning and running away. And it was a bit ironic to me that the (admirable) moral seemed to be that history is not a marketable product, when the book itself doesn't display much respect at all for the medieval world.
The two stars I've given Timeline are for the beginning of the book. Roughly the first third is as enthralling as any other Crichton book, as he lays the basis of the plot. When it comes to science, no one does it better. He can make the most obscure concepts exciting - in this novel it's quantum computers, a phrase which has always before caused me to tune out. But I think he should stick to science and the contemporary world. Bottom line - I think this book is a neither a good Crichton novel nor a good historical novel. For the former see Jurassic Park or Sphere, for the latter see The Name of the Rose or An Instance of the Fingerpost. But I recommend not bothering too much about this.
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Summary: Buy the book, then see the movie!
Review: I haven't yet seen the movie, but I can tell from the commercials that it is quite different from the book. Considering how long the book is, I was amazed to hear that it was going to become a movie. However, the commercials indicate far more than abbreviation - they indicate major plot changes. This is why I recommend you read it first. I am not generally a big fan of long novels, but this is an exception. _Timeline_ is one of those books that is nearly impossible to put down once you being reading. Written in the typical Crichton style with believeable characters (despite his typical extra-fictional storyline), this is one of those books you get caught up in, as if you are a part of it yourself. I hope the movie doesn't destroy the story.
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Summary: It's Crichton so it can't be bad...
Review: Timeline is an adventure story through and through. There is no deep philosophical plot, no super mystery to solve, just straight forward action/adventure for the most part. This is both good and bad for the book. Like all Crichton novels (especially his sci-fi) novels, a good portion of the book is spent educating you on the way things work. Fortunately, he's such a skillful writer that you don't mind. In fact, he'll keep you turning pages almost as fast as during the action. In this book, Crichton a unique spin on the whole time-travel idea that successfully removes the problem all other stories of this type have; the paradox. Unfortunately for some, the book isn't so much about time travel nor the actual time the characters end up going to, though Crichton devotes plenty of time about both. It all really ends up being a backdrop for the characters to have an adventure. But fortunately for the reader, it's an exciting one if a bit shallow. One can't help but notice how the book seems to have been written with the intent on being transfered to a screenplay. The structure is extremely cinematic, and hopefully that will mean the upcoming film will be more faithful than most Crichton adaptations especially since this story is so similar to Crichton's most famous work; Jurassic Park (with knights instead of dinosaurs). All in all, I enjoyed the book and it kept me turning pages quickly. The end is less climactic than you may have come to expect from a Crichton novel, but about on par with any good action flick (ie Die Hard, etc..)
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Summary: A History lesson inside a wonderful novel
Review: In one word, Wonderful. I was attached from page one until the very last page. I am a Medieval studies major in college and found that Crichton was able to give a very good history lesson in this book, right down to the Old/Middle english spoken by the characters of the time.
The book starts with a group of college students excavating a medieval church when their professer dissappears. After a few days of him gone a note is found deep in the ancient church with the words "Help Me". The writing is in their teachers handwriting. This is just the beginning. Soon these college kids and Medieval lovers get plunged into a world the think they know about but find that they are way off. Dont pass this book up. I recommend it for anyone that is even remotly interested in the Middle Ages time period.
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