Rating: 
Summary: Exciting and interesting
Review: I haven't read a MC book since Jurassic Park. I tried Congo and couldn't get into it, so I was a little wary of this one. I'm really glad I read it, though. It's definately a page-turner, and even with my busy schedule I finished it very quickly. It is full of history and fascinating new science, but the latter on a level that I could understand. The characters were, for the most part, great, but there could have been a little more development. I think a little character depth fell by the wayside for the sake of action and adventure. But that's really what the story is for, right? All and all, a great escape.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun ride, but no 'Jurassic Park'
Review: Many people had suggested I read this book, and my anticipation level was high. And why not? I mean, I love a good time-travel tale. Nothing in sci-fi beats the time honoured motif of the ironic paradoxes one usually pulls off going back in time. Look at 'Terminator', or even 'Back to the Future's. Of course, I expected far more than these cartoonish stories had to offer. Crichton has always delivered great stories, big adventures partnered with heavy science. And although 'Timeline' isn't a bad book, for me it's not what I was expecting.I was looking forward to all the quasi-realistic scientific jargon that Crichton always flavours his books with. The talk of actual cloning theories in 'Jurassic Park' really seasoned the otherwise fantastical elements with a tangebility, a feeling of "wow, this could be really happening!" In 'Timeline', all the time-travel theories are nothing more than a vehicle for getting the characters where the action happens. This altogether isn't a bad thing, but it all seemed kind of laboured. There is the requisite Crichton scene where the really intelligent character briefs the dumb main characters about the theories that'll be major plot-devices later in the story. Then it's off to the past on a wild medieval romp that reminded me more of 'Army of Darkness' then it did 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. The theories presented just didn't feel that credible. The debates about them in the book didn't argue a good point regarding their findings on time-travel. It's not that I let something like that bother me, but with Crichton I kind of expected more. Another problem was that not only is the book a time-travel adventure into the past, but a very typical time-travel adventure. Crichton's take on medieval culture isn't very novel. It's all very basic and stale. And the characters are one-dimensional cutouts, given their special talents early in the book (which of course conveniently serve them well on their trip) and are sent on their way. Of course, if you can look past these criticisms, 'Timeline' is a good, fun read. Lot's of jousting hi-jinks and cliff-hangers to interest the reader who is looking for nothing more than a brainless Saturday afternoon read. In this respect, it is far more closer to the 'Jurassic Park' of film than it is to the novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Timeline
Review: I have read Jurassic Park and The Lost World and Timeline is better than both of them. Timeline is easy to follow and and explains the quantam mechanics theory very well. It didn't take too long to read, but it was a very good book. If you have interest in the Medieval times you would love this book. It has great desrciptions of catsles, knights, and medieval towns. The characters are very well described, and the setting is very well imagined.
Rating:
Summary: NIN
Review: this was an all out good book, although i don't think that there was nearly enough sword fighting. The best character is Donager, although what happens to him really pisses me off. Caslegard is exactly what i've always imagined a castle to look like. Professor Johnson seems like a prick to me though.
Rating: 
Summary: Time Lost
Review: I have to admit I have never read any works by Michael Crichton, so my opinion of his writing rests solely in this less than appealing novel. Rarely are you within 100 pages of completing a book and feel utterly frustrated with the author, the characters, the plot, and the hollywood direction the story is taking. This book did just that. Time after time, the characters are narrowly escaping grim death. Time after time, the characters are reunited only to be separated again. This was like watching a terrible movie.
Rating:
Summary: An AWESOME Book.....
Review: I bought this book after it was highly recommended to me by at least five different people. Because I had heard so many great things about Timeline, I assumed there was no way the book could live up to all the hype, and was totally prepared to be disappointed....I didn't care much for some of Chricton's other work to begin with. However, Timeline not only lived up the hype, I think it completely surpassed it! This was one of the best books I have read in a long time; it was suspenseful, exciting, and even a tear-jerker! The begining is a little complex, but after the story gets going it really takes off. Read this book, it is absolutely wonderful!!!
Rating:
Summary: Nice easy read
Review: By this time, Michael Crichton is more of a screenwriter than a novelist - his books have odd lapses in character and plot that in any other novel would be fatal. As you read his books, however, they can really come alive because of the cinematic quality that his writing has. I expected all this when I picked up Timeline. What I didn't expect was how quickly I would get sucked into it - the premise was crafted very well, and the initial conflict gets you hooked right away. You like the characters and are rooting for them (even if htey are a little two-dimensional.) While the ending is a little rushed (and too pat, to boot) it's not a huge disappointment, and you problably didn't notice since you were casting the movie in your head. Definitely an easy, entertaining read, with plenty of imagination-stirring detail.
Rating:
Summary: Whoa...only JP tops this form Crichton!
Review: Very good read. Very fast paced and easy to follow, I finished the book in 2 weeks and thought it was one of his best works ever. If you like Crichton, read this book! If you have never read a book from Crichton then read Jurrasic Park. But this is a great book, a page-turner from start to finish
Rating:
Summary: A good read after all. Looking forward to the movie.
Review: Michael Chrichton certainly has a talent for making the impossible come true. In Jurassic Park he expanded a bit on current gene technology and out came living breathing dinosaurs. In Timeline quantum mechanics is stretched a little bit and out comes timetravel. His opening remarks are especially clever: "..at the dawn of the nineteen century psysicists thought they knew the overall laws of the universe. Only details needed to be filled out". How naive they were,we think. And by thinking that we enter a world were everything is possible in the future. We end up agreeing with Crichton that it will be possible to make a person disapear from our universe and reappear in another part of the multiverse (that looks very much like our own) were the clock says France, 1375. In the book it is stated as: ITC Corp. has invented a way, using Quantum Physics, to journey to 14th century France. It's not really a time machine since instead of going back to our past, the characters are actually going back to a past that exists in a parallel universe. What saves the day for Crichton is his grasp of (selfevident) details (like obvisously: "it is very quiet in 1375 as there are no machines to make noises"). The details surprises you and fills the cracks in the wall for you. Without the details an d Crichtons story telling skills you would otherwise have protested that this was to far fetched. And as usual I am looking forward to the inevitable movie. In the meantime, I enjoyed the book very much. And certainly I agree with the tone of the whole thing - in the future everything is possible.
Rating:
Summary: Don't listen to the other low-rate bozos who gave this <5
Review: Michael Crichton truly delivers in Timeline. Meshing past, present, and future perfectly. The storyline and the whole angle at which he approaches the novel is truly unique. Action is spectacular, and above all, it is a amazingly interesting read. Buy it today, especially if you like Physics or history. I started to read this for Physics extra credit. I was truly surprised when I found that it was an extremely good novel, and now The Pelican Brief by Grisham -- which I am reading simultaneously -- is fighting for the top spot.
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