Rating: 
Summary: Another excellent story by Stirling
Review: This book is on a par with Island In The Sea Of Time A five star rating is too low
Rating:
Summary: The Engaging Sequal
Review: Against the Tide of Years is sequal to Island in the Sea of Time. It continues the story of the Republic of Nantucket. Walker takes over Greece and the "Americans" become allies of Babylon, with a show down at Troy.Your money couldn't be better spent than on this series.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed, but still devoted
Review: Stirling's sequel to the wonderful Island in the Sea of Time left me flat. With a great start, re-introducing my favorite characters, it all too soon had me skimming past new characters and situations. And there are quite a few new main characters, too many for me! I found it difficult to keep track of who was who, who was where, and why I should care. I should mention I'm very much a "character" reader, not a military or history enthusiast. Stirling grabbed me in the first book with his wonderful characters. They evolved from disbelief in their situation to uneasy command, both good and evil. But I found little to no character growth or insight through the 400 plus page sequel. The best part, Marion and Swindapa were as delightful as they were in the first book. I did wonder though if 'dapa started out as a recruit or was brought in as a Lt. Commander? For the few pages they appeared, Jared seemed an old fuddy duddy, with Martha reduced to keeping him on a financial leash. If Doreen whispers in Ian's ear one more time, I'll scream. I was hoping for greater development of the children and their parents. Heather, Lucy, David, and little Marion turned out not to be much more but background noise. Sandy and Doc Coleman, Hiller, Hendriksson, and even Toffler. Where were they, what happened that they left the Guard or even the Island? The new characters didn't grab me at all. Pete Girenas didn't interest me. I didn't understand the focus of this sub-plot. It wasn't wrapped up, so I expect it will carry into book 3. And I will most likely skim past it too. The Holland's, though they appeared very, very briefly (one page as I recall) in Island, have been promoted to main characters in Against. As the Islanders move in-land, this does create the need for additional military leadership, new characters. Interesting that the Commodore, his boss, makes Holland nervous. I guess Marion doesn't have her staff dinners anymore. I wasn't pulled into Kash and Kat's relationship. One page she thinks it's fun to have him to campaign with, three pages later she's dragging him into bed, and the next chapter, maybe 20 pages later with countless covering of other characters, she's been offered co-ruler. Too much, too soon, and suggests lust, not love, not respect, no evolution of understanding between two very different cultures and beings, especially on Kash's part. Within a span of 20 or so pages he's willing to forego his upbringing, everything he ever thought about the role of women. I can only imagine what part of his body he's thinking with. And there's certainly no reason to respect Kat either. Unfortunately, it was boring and I ended up skimming over these two also. Kenneth and Raupasha were slightly more fun to read. There were other new characters too, but I skimmed them. Overall, too many to keep track of, and too many for Stirling to do justice. In Island, the characters came together as family and broke away from family. They had a relationship to each other. I don't get the same sense of relation and devotion to each other in this book. Regardless, I am, and always will be a devoted Stirling fan!
Rating:
Summary: Stirling does it again!!!
Review: "Against the Tide of Years" is S.M. Stirling's sequel to "Island in the Sea of Time"... and unlike so many sequels, this book is every bit as compelling as the first one. I may as get the bad part out the way first...I wasn't all that choked up by the cover...<g> other than that though..the book is first class in every way. The time is 8 years after the "Event" that propelled the island of Nantucket into the Bronze Age, and the islanders have adjusted as well as possible. Some of the characters from the first book who were major figures then are more or less minor in this one... Chief Jared Cofflin..now the "chief" of the Republic of Nantucket is only visible now and again..but other charcters are developing to replace this. The plotting is excellent..the battle scenes realistic...and the renagade Coast Guard officer, William Walker, is still a very capable and ruthless villian.(It is very refreshing to see a villian who is as intelligent as those who oppose them..)Some historical people from the Trojan War are around, as are some ancient (to us in the 20th century that is) empires that figure largely in the story. Once caution though... if you have NOT read "Island..." i strongly reccomend you do, as it will add much to your enjoyment of this book. But I also strongly suggest you don't miss either book.
Rating:
Summary: S.M. Stirling surpasses himself!
Review: I had felt that Island in the Sea of Time was the best time travel/alternate history book that I had read, but I now find that it has been nudged into second place by Mr. Stirling's brilliant sequel. Quite simply, these two books are the best, they cannot be recommended too highly. More Mr. Stirling, more!
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: I was only able to read the first 10 chapters, available online, but so far so good. Stirling'a done great work developing this world and avioded narrowly focusing on just one or two areas. Its nice to see some of the characters from the first book playing a major part in this one, but the new characters (some of whom were minor characters in the firstbook) are great too. I especially like Odikweos, or Oddysseus for you Homer fans out there.
Rating:
Summary: The Island saga continues...I await the third eagerly!
Review: In the second book of Stirling's projected trilogy, the struggle between the Islanders and their enemies, both of their own time and of the time they're now in, continues. Starting several years after the end of the first book, we find that the chief villain is not only still alive, but up to more mischief than ever before. Meanwhile, the Islanders are exploring their new world, with some unexpected consequences (Moas do NOT necessarily make good domesticated fowl!) and making alliances against the oncoming onslaught. Buy it! Read it! Buy twenty copies and give them to all your friends!
Rating: 
Summary: "Against The Tide of Years" -- Americans cast away in Time.
Review: I've always loved time-travel stories, and particularly those about castaways in time, modern people stranded in the past. The idea for the saga of the Islanders came to me on a moonlit beach on Nantucket. What if _this_ island were cast back in time to the remote past -- to 1250 BC? How would the people here, modern Americans like us, survive? How would they affect that distant, alien time and how would it affect them? My wife and I honeymooned on Nantucket, and we vacation there every spring on our anniversary. But _that_ visit I spent pinned to my laptop, scrambling to get the scenes and characters down. After that came the most enjoyable writing and research of my career. The result was ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME, and now the sequel, AGAINST THE TIDE OF YEARS. They were very different from my previous work, and it was a struggle to find them a 'home'. Finally, ROC Books decided that the readers weren't going to be frightened off by something a little out of the ordinary in the way of adventure, and even gave me good covers! The reader response has been a delight, and born out our hopes. (One has even set up a webpage devoted to the series, carrying sample chapters of AGAINST THE TIDE OF YEARS) I hope you all enjoy exploring the world of the "Event" as much as I do, and the chronicle of Jared Cofflin, Marian Alston, and their friends... and enemies.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun to read--loses in the details, though.
Review: Despite the fact that he seems very knowledgable about Indo-European linguistics in general, Mr. Stirling makes grave errors whenever he tries to use Latin or make references to Archaeology; "Troy VVI" for example--this isn't even a number, though I knew what he *wanted* was Troy VII. Simple mistake, seemingly, but one that an Editor should have verified. Same with his Latin quotes; these should be researched. This would lead me to my second criticism--who edits this book? Whomever it was needs to find a new line of work, as I found error upon error, both in homonyms and in spelling (especially of foreign words--'hectacomb' is not a word; 'hecatomb' is). This may seem a minor point, but seeing them time and again really jars one from the book's setting. That said, this is about as filled with action as one could want; half a naval novel, half military, and the other half an up-close look at the Bronze-Age Near East (I do indeed realize that that's 3/2) as it comes in contact with the 20th century technology and techniques of the Nantucketers. Pick it up, read it, enjoy--and by all means investigate the *real* history in conjunction with this!
Rating:
Summary: The Middle Child
Review: This was entertaining, the research was extensive, the antagonists were exhausting and the protagonists were ethical to a fault (can ethics be a fault?). Like all second children this one had issues. There were lots of loose ends to be resolved in the next book, a "filler" feel to some of it as story lines were beefed up for the climax and that wonderful middle book introspection by the main characters as some of them got to take a breathe and consider their future. That said, there were some great battles, some exciting new plot lines and bunches and bunches of reasons to grab the next book and see what happens. My only suggestion... PROVIDE A MAP. Holy cow, we're all over the world here and I get confused easily.
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