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Summary: Great page turner
Review: I bought Timeline as I waited for a flight out of New Orleans. I was all on my own, with no one to talk to, and the small selection of books in the Airport's departure lounge was nothing to write home about. Timeline was the only book that stood out on the shelf amongst the others, so I bought it. I'm glad I did.From the moment I started reading the story on the plane, I was hooked. I could not put it down. Michael Crichton has the enviable ability of taking a complex subject (quantum physics), and making it accessible - especially to those of us who are still trying to figure out what all the buttons on the microwave are for. In typical Michael Crichton style, the beginning of the story - a kind of prologue to the main story, introduces the reader to the effects of time travel - even though this does not become clear till later on in the story. The main characters are not deep or complicated. There isn't enough time for you to get into their psyche. You'll be too busy reading about what is happening to them, to be worried about what emotional baggage they are carrying. Besides, this is not that kind of book. If you like clear, concise writing, that is easily understood and takes you on an exciting journey without being pretentious or too clever, then this is the story for you. After reading Timeline, you will see why Michael Crichton has become one of the world's best selling novelists.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a bad read, but somewhat incoherent
Review: Crichton couldn't seem to make up his mind whether he was writing a parallel universe story or a time-travel story. In a parallel universe story, which this starts out to be, events in one universe don't affect the other. Here, a message left in a 14th- century universe seems to travel to the 20th-century universe inhabited by the characters at the novel's start. And when one of them travels to that medieval universe and stays there, his life and death show up in the historical record of the 20th-century universe. After investing a lot in historical research and at least a little in becoming familiar with quantum physics, it's a shame that Crichton couldn't get the novel's overall conception entirely straight.
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Summary: Crichton Clasico, Deja volar tu imaginación
Review: Una muy buena historia, con una gran cantidad de detalles tecnicos del presente, pasado (agradable sorpresa) y futuro de la ciencia, al ser un relato contado con tecnología al borde de ser descubierta corre algunos riesgos, ya que algunos de sus conceptos menores(como la espuma quantica), han sido ya desechados en el mundo cientifico, de cualquier manera como todos los libros de Crichton (Jurassic Park y Congo son los mejores, 100% mas y mejor historia y escenas que las peliculas) la acción se desenvuelve a un gran ritmo y mantiene el interes en nosotros los lectores. Las 4 estrellas son debido a que es un poco previsible al inicio y a que en general el motivo que desencadena toda la historia es un poco debil.
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Summary: AUDIO CD REVIEW: Great Reader, Great Battles, Great Listen
Review: This is an outstanding Audio CD. It has a great plot and an excellent narrator, making it one of the better Audio CDs currently available. Fiction audiodiscs can be very hit or miss, and on the whole I would not normally purchase one. This being Michael Crichton, I figured ‘what the heck’ and was very well rewarded. Gas was at... a gallon and I still found myself doing extra errands so that I could finish listening to this book while in the car, where my CD player is. The plot has the same kind of modern day usage of extraordinary technology that is common to other of Mr. Crichton’s novels, such as Jurassic Park, Sphere, Andromeda Strain and The Terminal Man. Here we encounter modern day time travel. We are soon set about two intertwining plots, as the author does in his typical outstanding fashion. The first involves several historians / archaeologists sent back to medieval France, the second the efforts of a team of scientists working frantically in the American Southwest to bring them back. There are some familiar Crichton-esque characters, an evil owner of the technology who only looks for profit (who seems pulled from the newspaper pages about evil start-up bosses), two young scientists who become romantically involved despite their tremendous differences, and a protagonist whose eagerness to experience that which he has always studied blinds him to the potential dangers. That being said, even a typical ‘more of the same’ Michael Crichton novel is better than the drivel that many other authors put together. The scenes from the 14th century are fascinating, the research that the author put into his subject matter is obvious, and the complexity of the plot rewarding. This is a very good book, despite the fact that many of its elements are not new to Mr. Crichton’s writing. The reader does a very good job of keeping the voices of the different characters succinct, and the abridgment really kept the pace moving quickly, while not letting the listener get confused. This really was an outstanding Audio CD, and I would very much recommend it to anyone.
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Summary: Edge-of-your-seat reading
Review: This is the third or fourth Crichton book I've read, and by far the most thought-provoking and cranial-crunching. I actually asked my father at one point while reading the book if the stuff Crichton wrote was legit! He puts an incredible amount of research and detail into the book and makes it very believable. Beyond that, the plot was very fast-moving and engaging. In fact, I couldn't put the book down -- I read it one one fell swoop. And I spent days afterwards contemplating the book's ending and the situation in which one of the characters is left (sorry, can't give anything away to those who haven't read it!). I admit to being a fan (although not a scholar) of both history and science and this book delivers quite well on both accounts for us layman-types. Lots of detail, beautiful imagery, and enough logic behind the science for us non-scholars to question the reality of it all. If you're looking for an exciting read with a fantastic mix of high science and detailed history, pick up this book!
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Summary: A White-Knuckle Ride Through Medieval France
Review: This is a novel that stands head and shoulders above many others, both classical and contemporary, predominantly because of its masterful plot. "Timeline" has a carefully constructed plot-line that rivals Sherezade's capacity to keep us interested. Above all, the author demonstrates in this novel how important narrative pacing is; the reader is virtually compelled to read the book from cover to cover! (Anyone considering writing a novel, should read this one, and observe the gripping narrative pace.) If Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations or Wilkie Collins's "the Woman in White" are accepted as having the greatest plots in classical English literature, then Michael Crichton's "Timeline" can justifiably assume that distinction in modern fiction. Readers interested in the Medieval Era will be delighted by this novel. The brave band of four 20th century researchers cast into the war-torn 14th century of cut-throats and black knights, draws us into a 37-hour ordeal where heads are dashed, and castle walls are scaled with amazing stealth.
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Summary: Historical and Science Fiction meet
Review: This book will delight both historical and science fiction fans as it combines theoretical quantum physics with medieval history. A group of historians researching a site in France find out that the quantum research company that funds them knows more than them about the area than they do. The company has discovered a way to send someone to a different point in time; however, the professor of the historians has been trapped back during the Hundred Years' War in the area they are researching. They go through time to try to save him, but they find themselves trapped in the middle of a conflict during the Hundred Years' War. Because I really like history and nearly fanciful science, I really enjoyed this book. It moved quickly and I found myself unable to put it down until I finished. The characterization was excellent - the characters were likeable and not too stereotypical. I especially liked the main character Marek who tried to emerse himself completely in the medieval era by learning martial arts like sword fighting and jousting because he reminds me of my fascination with medieval history. I only disliked that some portions of the novel seemed abruptly and overly violent and had too many gory details for my taste. However, overall I really liked the book. It provided a more accurate image of the Middle Ages, showing them in a more positive fashion than they are usually viewed. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Middle Ages or anyone who wants a fast-paced and interesting book.
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Summary: In the Interest of Quantum Science
Review: When the nineteenth century came to a close, many scientists believed that nothing more could be accomplished in science. If you told them of all the discoveries they would make, many claims would seem unbelievable and would be dismissed. But many more things were invented since then. X-Rays were possible, moving images would be transmitted from satellites, bombs of unthinkable measure would wipe out entire cities at once, and vaccines would be created for viruses but the disease would fight back. But here we are once again, at the end of the 20th century, the scientists may still believe that there isn't much more to discover but they no longer say so. But a company called ITC discovered new breakthroughs in quantum technology. The company has been trying to keep this technology a secret, and so far it has been. ITC has been able to transfer a person from one universe to another. There are an infinite number of universes (according to the book) and they were able to transfer objects (including people) into different universes and in different time periods. If this technological development gets released to the public, then people will try to put an end to the company. This story has a group of four people that must rescue a missing professor, but apparently some details are being kept from them. The team of four has 37 hours to retrieve the professor, and along the way they encounter squires and knights. It sounds simple enough, until 10 minutes later, and the team ends up stranded. Now, they can no longer call back their transport machines, they don't know where the professor is, and a band of knights are after the team. Meanwhile, the professor has a reputation as some kind of a wizard. The mission is more complex now...and the clock is ticking. I like this book because it deals with universe hopping, but universe hopping is almost like time traveling. I like the way this book deals with advanced computers, with knights from medieval times, and how the people of today find recognizable items from today that belong in the current time period, but they can be dated back to the 1300's.
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Summary: Readers looking for cheap thrills beware...
Review: I am a fifteen year old...and I absolutely love Crichton's work. Tilmline is not his best piece but I still loved it. His attention to detail is astounding, and the time he spends researching is quite amazing. Do not read this if you do not have time to ponder over the amazing detail he brings to life in this book. I feel whenever I read one of his books that I learn somthing. He is very up to date in all of his books, the theories and questions that are brought up is his stories are well thought out and researched. Read this book!
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Summary: A Time Travel Masterpiece!
Review: Michael Crichton's writing was foreign to me until 'Timeline.' He kept me on the edge of my seat whether it was at home, in a cab or while I was flying...I could not wait to get to the next page of this adventure set centuries ago in France. He wraps it up with an ending that gives the reader closure with contentment. I have given this book as a gift in the recent past, I recommend it that much. Looking for a great adventure in time travel? You found it with "Timeline."
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