Somewhere In Time

Rating:
Summary: A Tragic, True Romance
Review: This book was one of the most romantic love stories ever told. When the movie came out in 1980 I was immediately enthralled by the subject matter, as well as the fact that Christopher Reeve was more than just Superman (I was only 8 years old at the time). But the time travel has captivated my interest ever since. I own the movie and watch it at least once a year. It took me another 20 years to actually seek out the book and read what I knew would be a more detailed, beautifully written story. I was right. I must write the ever-popular cliche, "The book was better than the movie." The setting was more vivid and I felt we were let into the heart and mind of Richard Collier, as well as Elise McKenna. The book makes me want to run to the Hotel del Coronado again and see it through the eyes of the author. I will give a very high recommendation for this book and encourage anyone interested in time travel or romance to run and read this treasure.

Rating:
Summary: my all-time favorite book - of any classification
Review: I first read the paperback version of "Bid Time Return" in the mid to late 70's when I was sick in bed with a fever, which may have affected my delusion that this was an actual biography - not a novel. Mr. Matheson had me completely enthralled, and wanting to believe that this story had really happened. Disappointed to learn that this was merely fiction, my next goal was to perpetuate this wonderful dream by actually visiting Hotel Del Coronado, which I did - several times. Being there only added to the wonderful atmosphere established by the book. I was thrilled when I learned that it would be made into a movie, but disappointed when I actually saw it. The main problem was that it was set in Michigan, not Coronado Island. And though the hotel was beautiful, it was just not the same. After all, Hotel del Coronado was obviously well loved and researched by Mr. Matheson and was perhaps a distant third in importance after the two main characters, Richard and Elise. Also the movie was set roughly 10 years after the novel's time period. I did love the musical score, but felt Mahler's compositions should have been included, as detailed in the book. After this book, I wanted to learn all I could about Richard Matheson, and later bought "What Dreams May Come", and liked it too, but nothing could match "Bid Time Return". I never read "The Shrinking Man", but understand that in this case the movie did live up to the book. (I remember seeing that and being deeply impressed by it back in the '50's when I was a teenager.) While searching the internet, I see there are many fans of "Somewhere in Time" and can't help but wonder how many of them read the original book. I'm interested in reading "Memories of Elise", as I would naturally want to know what happened to her after Richard disappeared before her eyes. (He touched on it when he saw her as an old woman at a small party when he was in college.) But again, since it was patterned after the movie, and not the book, I'm not sure what my response would be. I agree with Mr. Matheson, there couldn't ever be a sequel, as much as his readers would long to keep the story going somehow.

Rating:
Summary: A Timeless Wonder
Review: Time travel is possible. You too will think that after reading this book. Matheson does an excellent job of making you believe that you are indeed back in 1896. Just as the author portrays character Richard Collier as a man in love with a picture, and obcessed with reaching back through time to meet Elise, you too will find yourself drawn to the mystic of this story. The motion picture (Somewhere In Time) somewhat follows the plot of this book and will capture your imagination much as the picture of Elise did Richard Collier. But you have to read the book. It goes much deeper and into more detail than the motion picture. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. It's very good reading. Get the book. Read it and you will find that you, yourself, Bid Time Return to Somewhere in Time.

Rating:
Summary: Possibly the greatest romantic tragedy the ever written.
Review: It's 1971, and 36 year-old Richard Collier, dying of a brain tumor, decides to spend his final days traveling the country. On the flip of a coin, he travels toward San Diego, and happens upon an old hotel. There he finds the captivating photograph of a young actress, Elise McKenna, who performed at the hotel in 1896. "... the most gloriously lovely face I have ever seen in my life. I've fallen in love with her." He decides to research everything he can about her, and the more he learns, the more deeply he falls in love with her, and the more deeply convinced he is that; he has been to her time, and that he has had a relationship with her. The 1980 movie, Somewhere In Time, starring Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer, was based upon this 1975 novel by Richard Matheson. Though the dates and locations have been changed in the screenplay, also written by Matheson, the movie pretty much follows the book. The novel's pulls on the heartstrings, however, is even more intense, and the ending to the novel is much more tragic. For those who like romantic tragedy, this could possibly be the greatest ever written.

Rating:
Summary: Tiresome
Review: This was a short story padded to the gills to make it book length. That much becomes obvious midway through the book, when Matheson constantly repeats the same tired thoughts of the love-sick protagonist -- namely, that he loves and needs the actress Elise. Over and over again we are reminded of this, until I wanted to hurl the book across the room and shout, "Yes! I KNOW IT!" The love story aspect required way too much suspension of disbelief, and was far too cloying. I was practically choking on the endless dialogue and thoughts of the two lovers expressing their undying love for one another -- this after meeting approximately 12 hours earlier.

If there was a redeeming factor, it came at the end, which was touching, and maybe even explains some of the unrealistic behavior throughout the book. But I don't think two nicely written pages at the end of the book justifies two-hundred-and-seventy pages of tiresome story. It would have made a much better short story; it would have been tighter, less tedious.

Rating:
Summary: book was better
Review: Really enjoyed this book. From I AM Legend to Somewhere In Time. Matheson is an all around excellent writer. Enjoyed the book far more then the movie as well.

Rating:
Summary: See The Movie: It's Better
Review: If you can rent the movie, starring Christopher Reeve, then do so, rather than read the book. I foound the book rather slow moving -- but then, I had seen the movie and knew what was going to happen.

Rating:
Summary: For those who did it backwards . . . .
Review: I know that the movie "Somewhere in Time" became a cult favorite a long time ago. I remember tuning in to HBO years ago and catching the tail end of the movie. I thought it was bizarre and dismissed it. My grandmother later convinced me to give it another try. I did, and I have been hooked ever since. The movie's credits list "Bid Time Return" as the basis for the movie. I spent years trying to find it in my local libraries, only to be disappointed time after time. Finally, Amazon came to the rescue one day. I read the book, and not only did I love the book, I gained a new appreciation for the movie. Yes, some of the details in the book were rejected for the movie, but not the truly important ones. Richard's deep and infinite love for Elise translated beautifully to the big screen. The longing for each other, the supreme happiness of finding each other, the devastating loss of each other and subsequent reunion are the truly significant details. So, if you have only seen the movie, go ahead and fulfill your backward destiny as I did by reading this book. I can't imagine that you could ever be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I thought Somewhere in Time was a great book. The beginning was a little confusing, but it moved quickly. It was an incredible love story that illustrated that love had no bounds. I could not put the book down.

Rating:
Summary: Bid Time Return
Review: I just love the book. It is a fantasy that will haunt you because we all know that everyone always dream of finding that special someone in time. But this book goes beyond time itself, Richard Matheson wrote such a touching and beautiful story that ever since I saw the movie and I just had to read this book. I just got done reading this book and the setting is a little different from the movie but the story is still there in more details. I would recommend this book to anyone, because to me it is one of the best book I've ever read before. :)