Rating: Summary: Strong out of the gate Review: As you may have gathered from other reviews, the book comes on strong right away. I found myself fascinated by the science behind the story (as I did with Jurrasic Park). This lasted about 1/3rd the way through the book. The "nick of time" plot will surely make the book more "movie ready," but is totally unnecessary for the story itself. The characters were quirky, but not terribly unrealistic. I found their relentless luck a little unnerving, the type of luck that you see in a Jackie Chan movie! This book is still a great read, don't get me wrong - it starts out FANTASTIC and then just dwindles down to above average... worth picking up if you like the writing style.
Rating: Summary: GREAT BOOK Review: I was very entertained by this book. I know a lot of the other reviewrs have been dissapointed by this but I just could not put it down. It shows us a facinating look at medevil life and you really feel like you have been there. The plot is great and well paced and the technical data that Chriton fans love is there. Check it out.
Rating: Summary: What happened to the thrill? Review: Timeline is definitely not one of Crichton's best works, but it isn't horrible either. I give brownie points to the author for trying to create a 'thriller' out of theoretical quantum mechanics, but he tried too hard to make such a complex theory accessible to any Joe on the street . I realize that is what bestselling authors are supposed to do to entertain the audience, but it lowered the rank of this book considerably in my mind. While the medeival scenes were often engaging and enjoyable to read, the characters of the students (Kate, Andre, and Chris) were quite annoying and unconvincing. Their adventures were beyond far-fetched and unlikely, and most of their exploits smacked of your typical Saturday morning cartoon where the good guys always end up winning by some miraculous intervention. So, although Crichton is one of my favorite authors, his attempt at quantum time travel in this novel was fairly feeble and unpersuasive.
Rating: Summary: Thank God for Screenwriters Review: First Crichton book I've read and if his others are like this then I'm sure he will be ever grateful to Hollywood screenwriters. The topic was promising and the first third was a good read but then quickly turned to dribble. Wait for the movie.
Rating: Summary: Rápida lectura [Spanish only] Review: Si bien Timeline es un libro muy intenso y que se lee rápidamente, la verdad es que deja bastante que desear en cuanto a la profundidad de los personajes, no son mas que la excusa para plantear dos cosas 1. Tecnologia futuristica de ultima generacion, con miles de millones de dolares por detras 2. Una retrovision de la etapa medieval, con la pretension de hacer una revision historica y de alguna manera, modelar la forma de vida "real" de aquella epoca. Pero el conjunto del libro queda en un monton de escenas apenas interconectadas, PERFECTAS para hacer una película (la intención no tan oculta supongo del autor) Rapido para leer, buenas ideas, pero no demasiado explotadas.
Rating: Summary: Lost Opportunity Review: Its obvious that the amount of research for this book must have been immense. While the book delivers some interesting moments, the author must have just gotten tired of writing at the end, and contrived the ending you would expect, after reading the previous chapters. No surprises, no weird twists. Still an interesting and entertaining book, but, it's a formula book, and he's plainly writing to interest Hollywood in the screenplay version. Creighton's a brilliant man, and his books often display the real depth to his mind. This one could have had much more depth to it.
Rating: Summary: Timeline Review: This excellently written novel will keep you flipping pages as quickly as you can just to keep up with the action. I can't wait to read it again!
Rating: Summary: Come on Crighton - This is the same as Jurasic Park Review: I do like most of Crighton's other work but found that this book's plot was so similar to Jurasic Park it was extremly annoying. I think this book was written with movie and computer game paychecks in mind.
Rating: Summary: Fun read, but a bit like fast food Review: This book has so many elements that make it a compelling read, that I almost hate to mention things like shallow characterization and predictability of plot and just-too-convenient situations. So let me dwell on what I DID like: Crichton's typically well-reseached and imaginitive premise. A tasty combination of not-too-deep science and not-too-complicated SciFi, wrapped in a historically accurate and educational package. Action that moves at a rapid pace. Settings and situations that are just BEGGING to be made into a movie. (I just saw "Gladiator" this weekend, and I can imagine what the Hollywood special effects people could do to create the medieval world of this book!). So, the bottom line is READ IT, but don't expect anything more than a fun time that will leave you ever so slightly unsatisfied when you finish.
Rating: Summary: We expect better from Crichton Review: I think of Crichton as a master of "science versimilitude" as well as a superior craftsman of the straight out thriller. Well, not this time. The science here is a weak and inconsistent hodge-podge to explain the time travel ( and Crichton himself says so in his Acknowledgements ). The characters here are the usual interchangeably forgettable group of every Crichton novel. Only the action scenes and cliffhangers are above average and , at that, will work better as a movie than a book. So, overall, this one rates an OK, but we have come to expect better from this seaoned writer.
|