Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: As an avid science fiction writer, 'suspension of disbelief' is not an uncommon trait needed for many books such as this. However, Crichton takes this to new heights by glossing over major portions of the technical plotline, without even a cursory attempt to explain to the characters (or the listener/reader) what is going on. A very disappointing effort--not recommended
Rating: 
Summary: Heavy on the Thrills, Hold the Brains
Review: Crichton can often weld adventure and ideas together in effective and exciting ways. This is not one of those books. Mostly this is an excuse to mount a medieval adventure tale. SF elements are fairly minimal, and much of this we've seen before (a money grubbing corporate guy who wants to use science to set up a lucrative entertainment event--gee, sounds familiar). The medieval adventure is finely detailed although every other page one of the protagonists is separated from the others, in mortal peril, etc etc etc. Pacing is relentless and unmoderated. Sometimes Crichton can graft in ideas to give the work depth (chaos theory in Jurassic Park, dangers of technology in Congo) but there really aren't any ideas in this book other than the middle ages didn't suck as much as we've been told, but they were still plenty brutal. So, not as good as Jurassic Park, but better than the execrable sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: my review
Review: This book is about a group of scientists who have "found" they can do "time transportation" using a new technology: quantum. They mess up, so they have to call on a group of archaeologists to save them. Even though the story does sound "out of this world", the plot does hold until the end. The author has made use of his incredibly gift for storytelling and makes this an entertaining subject. If you love history, all the better! The characters are alive, the scenery is well described and as a whole, the book is very entertaining, as long as you realize this is total fiction. Good and interesting read.
Rating: 
Summary: Not typical Crichton, but exceptional!
Review: I think that since so much has already been written on the plot of this novel that instead I will focus on why you will like the book despite it being out of the ordinary for Crichton. The author has moved outside the box to write this exciting piece of science fiction which involves time travel from the present American Southwest to 1360s Dordogne River Valley in France. Suffice it to say that the plot moves extremely quickly given that a handful of modern scientists are challenged by situations for which they haven't been trained. While the characters may not be 10's on a scale of 1-10 in how fleshed out they are, they are believable and we do care about what happens to them. The tome, while looking imposing, moves along at a rapid rate, making you wish the book were even longer. This one is in my top five for the year. Kudos to Crichton for trying something daring and different!
Rating:
Summary: Very good read
Review: Crichton has once again produce a spectacular work of fiction based on cutting edge technology. This time it involves time travel, but not in the way we're used to. The protagonists are actually sent to a parallel dimension where it is actually the 14th century. They are trapped there and have to avoid many of the hazards of Medieval live before returning to the present. The novel is wonderfully written and keeps you wanting more all the time. Definitely the kind of book you could read during a blizzard or just when you don't want to leave the house! Magnificent!
Rating: 
Summary: Promising Start with No Follow-Thru
Review: The book begins well enough by following a medieval archeologist and his team in the field, introducing the characters and the area in Southern France where the novel will take place. The book also introduces a mystery - a hi-tech company is buying up land around old historic sites and a company employee has been discovered in the middle of the desert with strange anatomical problems. Unfortunately, it's not much of a mystery that time travel is involved here as this is hinted even from the cover of the book and the name on the spine, if not outright given away by the back of the book. The author does a wonderful job of slowly revealing the incredible truth that a corporation has gained the ability to travel thru time - but this is no mystery to the reader, and it becomes agonizing waiting for the archeologist team to catch up with the reader in solving this riddle. Because there is no mystery, this first part of the book only sets the stage. If this novel is going to be successful, it has to keep the reader's interest once the characters in the novel make their time-leap. Unfortunately, after some initial promises, this is precisely where the novel falls flat on its face. When the archeologist team does arrive in the 14th century, it's finally the author's chance to really "wow" the reader. What is it really like? What customs do people have? How are people different? This is where the book failed for me. I was expecting a travelogue to the 14th century, but instead I got a pulp-action story. After some initial discussion about how quiet it is (which we are reminded of again and again), the author quickly looses interest in discussing the medieval times and what they might be like and instead focuses on a series of captures, escapes, and recaptures of the archeologists, that made me long for Mr. Evil's teenage son to grab a gun and end their silly lives. Why don't the villains just kill them? It makes no sense. Add to this the obvious contradictions in the story that Crichton takes no steps to resolve. In the beginning of the archeologists trip to the 14th century, the author is clear that the archeologists have at best cursory knowledge of sword fighting but no first hand experience with it and cannot hold their own against natives of the medieval period. By the end of the book (2 days later), the wimpy archeologist Chriss is mowing down waves of swordsman. It makes no sense! On and on the plot goes, killing many trees, but alas sparing the main characters. The final straw for me is the acknowledgements at the end of the book, where Crichton writes that "the conception of a brutal medieval was an invention of the Renaissance." Perhaps! But Crichton's story of medieval time-travel, with its endless sword-fights and narrow escapes seems to suggest a not only brutal, but extremely dull "Dark Ages."
Rating:
Summary: Really deserves two-and-a-half stars
Review: Since I'm not allowed to give half a star, I decided to give the author the benefit of three stars (mainly because of his past writing efforts). Although I haven't 'reviewed' his other works here on Amazon.com, I have read other Crichton books. My problem that I am having is that Mr. Crichton is falling into the 'hollywood trap' as I like to call it. He has written screenplays in the past and here is where the trap door has opened for him. This book reads like a screenplay. When I finished reading it I asked myself, "so when is the movie gunna come out?" Undoubtedly Mr. Crichton has already written a template for the screenplay, as this book shows. But enough about the negative aspects of the book. Let me tell you what I DID like. The science was good....not great....but good. The foam, the development of the machine for time travel, all were good working forms of things that didn't suspend belief (too much). The characters were believable but some of the situations they were put in, were not (fighting a master swordsman in France during this century would have definitely ended in the death of the 20th century traveler...no matter how much training you THINK you have.). Try older Crichton books for some real fun with reading (reading without looking toward the movies).
Rating:
Summary: TYPICAL CRICHTON - GREAT POSSIBILITIES-GREAT IDEA, BUT...
Review: MICHAEL CRICHTON has great ideas....His story lines continue to be original, exciting and certainly different.....I don't love his writing style....This story started off slowly, picked up and then went off a little too much.....although I loved the ending....A good quck read....
Rating:
Summary: A message to Mr. Crichton
Review: I have your fan until now. But this is your second really bad book on the trot after "the lost world'. Well Mr.Crichton you have permanently lost a reader. I'm sure you don't care as this one is going to make gazillions on the movie revenues..... so maybe you should just write screenplays from now on.
Rating:
Summary: sci-fi entertainment
Review: A very entertaining book for sci-fi fans, however, if you're a Chriton fan, you may not like his latest foray into the world of sci-fi. Chriton does a good job of trying to explain the "science and technology" behind the story. The book is entertaining and quick reading with a good amount of action. Not knowing much of Medieval history makes it easier to swallow the storyline. Nice twist at the end....
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