Rating: 
Summary: Much better than AIRFRAME or THE LOST WORLD
Review: i thoroughtly enjoyed TIMELINE as it contained some crichton elements missing in his last couple books - that perfect mix of research, education, and adventure that leave you thrilled and more informed. PLus the 'clock ticking' angle keeps the book suspenseful.
Rating:
Summary: Four stars, and a few criticisms
Review: Personally, I have yet to read a BAD Crichton novel. I think this man is an extremely gifted author, and he demonstrates this talent once again in TIMELINE. Perhaps my expectations were a bit too high, though. As a fan of both science fiction and Arthurian literature, I thought TIMELINE had the formula to be the best book I'd ever read. While I was heartily entertained, I think that purists (like myself) will unfortunately find flaws in this tale. I kept second-guessing Crichton's logic regarding the whole time travel concept. I found it easier to suspend disbelief in his earlier works including "Jurassic Park", "Sphere", and "Congo". I also found that, like many of Crichton's novels, TIMELINE tends to build very slowly toward its climax. There are more than a few "yawns" in the first half of the book. However, it is literally impossible to put the book down during the last 100 pages (again, typical of Crichton's work). For first-time readers of Crichton, realize that the attention to detail is one of his trademarks. He does go into lengthy explanations regarding the theory and structure of the time travel mechanism. If you have no scientific background, or dislike technical writing, you may find this frustrating. Overall, most people will find this to be a very good book. It is not Crichton's BEST work, in my opinion, but it is very good nonetheless.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Story- Well Researched
Review: This book was very well done. The content allowed the reader to expand his/her knowledge on up to the minute science and 14th century France. It makes you wonder what technological discoveries are being made that no one knows about. It also forces you to question if the past really occurred as we think it did. The story flowed, as well. P.S. To Pike (12/28/99), if you care so much about editing the book, please be advised that the scientist you were referring to is named Doniger, not Donigen.
Rating:
Summary: awesome!!!
Review: i don't care what any body says about Timeline, this book was freakin awesome. one of the best for Chrichton i think even though it's the only one i have read from him. the story line is very cool, and you have to read over about how they time travel cuz it confused the heck out of me. it is very accurate with the dark ages and they way Chrichton describes every thing is way cool. but mainly there is not a slow part in this whole book and i love how they get even with the boss and the end. if you like time travel, quantum physics, sword fighting, shooting arrows, beheadings, horses, castles, and knights u will love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Timeline
Review: This book is so good! I could not let it down for three days. It was like I was there ! And I got Micheal Crichton to sign it when he was here in Iceland. And thet made the book alot better!
Rating: 
Summary: Time travel aside, it's still not credible
Review: This was an engaging enough story to keep me going to the end, but it is still a bit ridiculous. The time-travel aspect is the most believable part. We have inexperienced and physically weak graduate students winning sword fights with armored knights. There are so many narrow escapes that it becomes tiresome, and the characters seem to only grow stronger each time they are nearly mortally injured. Even super-hero comic books and James Bond movies often do not go as far in stretching the bounds of incredulity. This is not one of Crichton's better efforts. The reading is well done, with distinguishable and entertaining voices for each character. I did find Andre a bit much, though -- he sounds just like Arnold Schwartzenegger. A good tape to borrow -- not buy.
Rating: 
Summary: Made for Movies plot
Review: Michael Crichton has given us readers cause for excitement whenever his latest novel appears - they tend to be well worth the wait. 'Timeline' then, must be the exception to the rule. It's really a movie script disguised as a novel. The pace, the detail, the characters, the plot all seem to have come straight from a big-budget Hollywood movie rather than from a book from one of the more gifted and imaginative writers of our times.
Rating:
Summary: Here we go again...
Review: Does the world need another over-blown Crichton epic? Obviously not, but here it is anyway. And yes, zillions of people like myself plunk down some hard earned cash and partake of a little harmless mind-candy. Such is life. This probably wouldn't have been a bad novel had Crichton been able to pick one time travel theory and stick with it. Instead, he seems to remain confused (and thus, so does the reader) on whether or not his charcters have actually journeyed back to the Middle Ages or have merely entered a parallel universe resembling that time period. And not content with writing only bad science this time around, Crichton also gives us bad history as well, with a depiction of life in the Middle Ages about as accurate as what you might have seen in an episode of "The Smurfs." If you're looking for a simple beach-read, by all means pick this up. You'll likely have a good time. But for more accurate and engrossing version of time travel to the Middle Ages, try "The Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis.
Rating:
Summary: Architectural Intrigue...
Review: I heard about this book from my Architecture History professor. The way it combined architectural elements with the historical and then added modern science to it intrigued me. As an architecture student I was absolutely fascinated by the book. On top of that, it had a plot that kept twisting and turning leaving me to wonder what could possibly happen next. I have read a lot of Crichton books, and this was definitely another great one!
Rating:
Summary: Chalk one more up for the "it's a good book" side
Review: It may be beach reading. It may have characters that get lost. There may even be missing elements, but that doesn't stop this from being a fun, suspenseful, page-turning read. Those that only buy Crichton for futuristic techno-thrilling will be disappointed, maybe. But I was just as fascinated with 14th [1380s are 14th century, not 12th] century and the characters "lost" there as with the technology available today [something I always love about the way he writes]. Nice to see the past having an impact on the present instead of the present having an effect on the future. Tho there's a place for that, too. If you don't want to pay hardback prices, borrow it or wait for paperback. But it's a good book, and the best of his I've seen in awhile.
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