Rating: 
Summary: WAY too long
Review: This would have made a nice, interesting 180 page book. Instead, Baxter wrote about 3 times that much, and boy is it dull. He must have been paid based on the number of words. At times, he goes on and on and ON about absolutely nothing. Then he seems suddenly to wake up and start trying to crank out some plot again. Agonizing. Manifold Space and Manifold Time are much better efforts.
Rating: 
Summary: It HAD to be written.
Review: Like many people, I see H.G. Wells' The Time Machine as being a classic save for one major flaw. It is too short. While it was mastefully written, much more could have been accomplished within the confines of the story. So a century later, Stephen Baxter took it upon himself to write the sequel to what can only be described as possibly the most important science fiction work of all time.The story picks up directly after The Time Machine left off when the Time Traveler and his Machine left his workshop. The guilt-ridden Traveler attempts to rescue his beloved Weena from the fiery predicament he left her in when he traveled to 802,701 A.D. Instead, he winds up about 150,000 years short and on an Earth populated only by Morlocks. The Traveler is taken to the sphere (which not only encases the sun, but has a surface area 300 million times greater than that of Earth) where he is observed by Morlock scientist Nebogipfel. The Time Traveler learns that these Morlocks are not of the flesh-eating variety, yet he feels this distant future has no place for him. So he concocts a plan to return to 1891. He succeeds in taking back his Machine, with Nebogipfel riding shotgun. Without giving away too many plot details, The Traveler and Nebogipfel visit several time periods. First, they visit a younger version of the Time Traveler in the 1870s. Secondly, they end up in a 1938 in which England and Germany have been at war for 24 years, with no end in sight. Their third visit is 50 million years into past, where (or should I say when) the Traveler and Nebogipfel aren't alone for long. Finally, they arrive in an 1891 in which not only the remnants of the human race do not resemble anything human, they also do not resemble anything that can be cosidered Life. Their visits not only change the course of human history, they also change the very fabric of the universe. Baxter, whose work I'm largely unfamiliar with, is one of the leaders of the Hard SF vanguard. When someone says "Hard SF", it's easy to think of an overly technical writer who writes material that is unreadable. Baxter proves here to be extremely readable. The only real flaw, which is minor at worst, is that he tends to oscillate between 19th and 20th Century narrative styles. Still, he does a commendable job continuing a story that finished far too early. Overall rating: 4.5 stars.
Rating: 
Summary: The Time Ships
Review: When I read this sequel to 'The Time Machine', I found it to be very long but it makes for a good continuation from the original novel. It is far beyond what I expected, and I was blown away by the storylines within. The eras on the time traveller's visits through time include the world of over 600,000 years away where he meets a highly intelligent and talking Morlock, 1873 where he meets his younger self, an alternate 1938 where a war has already occurred for many years, the world of 50 million years ago, a completely alternate 1891 and the year 802, 701 AD where he has the opportunity to find Weena and hopefully rescue her. The sequel makes a good continuation from the original story. What makes it so intriguing are the modern day theories of time travel and of the space-time continuum being included such as the meeting of one's self, the alteration of future events and the idea of many possible future outcomes. These are all new to the time traveller who is originally from 1891. The man-made sphere in our distant future, the advancement of civilisation extending from the human colony of 50 million years ago and machines ruling the world remind me of where we might be heading if we survive as a human race. All these made the story both fascinating and frightening when it came to showing the different possibilities in our past, present and future. I have read other sequels to 'The Time Machine' and 'The Time Ships' is by far the best sequel I have ever read. I recommend this novel to anyone who has read and enjoyed 'The Time Machine'.
Rating:
Summary: Richer and more complex than you could possibly imagine
Review: This authorised sequel to H.G.Wells' The Time Machine is spectacturally silly in places, deadly serious in others, has been praised by Arthur C. Clarke as 'better than the original' (although he 'knows this is blasphemy') and has the slightly more dubious honour of being the first book on time travel i've read that actually made me stop and think. Baxter does an excellent job of explaining just how a 19th century tinkerer might construct a working time-machine. I won't explain how, but needless to say it involves a causality loop, that most confusing of plot devices which seem to occur relatively regularly in his fiction. For those who are wondering whether this is a really serious book on time travel, i can confirm that yes, the time traveller does go back in time to meet his former self, and his former self does indeed die by the time traveller's actions. How is the paradox resolved? You will have to read the book... Not once stumpling on or avoiding a paradox where there is one to explain, the book bounds along from one period in time to another, before slamming to a stop after some 600 pages, pretty much in the general vicinity of the world of the Eloi and Morlocks of the original short story. Along the way Baxter gets to create a credible alternative history of the early half of the twentieth century, and explain how not only is there an infinite Multiplicity of alternative futures, but also perhaps an multiplicity of Multiplicities. The book is bleak yet hopeful, and together with the mind twisting involved to really understand every little detail, is probably the best thing you can read to really help you appreciate the impact Wells's original story must have had when it was first published over a hundred years ago.
Rating:
Summary: fun, thoughtful and intelligent
Review: I made the mistake of reading this book by Stephen Baxter first and most of his other books after. This is by far his best work. His other novels I would give 1/2 out of five.
So why does this work and the others don't? Easy, this has characters, a comprehensible and interesting plot, is well written with some great descriptions and ideas.
It reminds me of a comic book in many ways (this is a good thing not an insult btw) in terms of the vivid images it gives of the Dome in London, of the Morlock's 'prison' and enormous places, of the Time Machine way back in the past.
Read this book and you will have fun, feel sad, weary and exhausted at the journey the character goes through. Read this Baxter book only and you will rate him highly. Read his other works and my opinion of him rapidly made me stop reading him any further which is a shame since this work was so enjoyable
Rating:
Summary: an awsome time travel odessey
Review: What a great story,a great mix of science fiction as well as science fact. Stephen baxter poses some great theories on time travel including alternate universe theories. Did i mention that this book is a continuation of the sci fi classic the time machine. so its great for fans of H.G, wells as well as baxter fans. If you enjoy reading real hardcore sci fi not just star wars/star trek fluff than this is the book for you, enjoy
Rating:
Summary: Excellent read
Review: This is simply an excellent book, I like the way Baxter has striven to mold his story in the way HG Wells would have gone about it, with the benefit of modern views on the universe added in. I especially admire the alternate view of the 20th century wars with a single war lasting 30 or so years... this is not so far from the truth in our version of history. The end bit is a bit weird but I liked it, anyway.
Rating:
Summary: Why did you bother Stephen?
Review: This is my third SB novel, after 'Ring' and 'Titan' and I'm
truly sorry, but I don't know what all the fuss is about. SB is heralded by New Scientist and no less than Arthur C Clarke
as the next new talent, but I'm at a loss to see why. 'Ring' was completely flat character-wise, 'Titan' a depressing
derge full of more science, descriptive dialog and little else,
and while 'The Time ships' may have been a valiant effort at a
tribute to H.G. why make a novel out of it? The original story has it's place in SF history, and should be left there.
I don't see how anyone could possibly bring those old cardboard
characters and speculations about time-travel into the modern
era, and make a success of it. SB certainly didn't. And ACC's quote...."The Time Ships is the most outstanding work of
imaginative fiction since Stapledon's 'Last and First Men'....."
(taken out of context) is just a complete joke !! Probably the reason why SB gets such rave reviews from New Scientist,
is because he really knows his science, but that alone does not a novel make.
Rating: 
Summary: A Tight Story
Review: It appears to me by reading this 535page novel... Baxter's whole intention was to close other minds to his philosophy of thinking... For instance, anyone who is an H.G. Wells, fan of THE TIME MACHINE... has always asked: "Where is the Time Traveller?" Baxter does give a clear cut account as to what happened. Many parts of this story tend to focus in on famous or just plain places of London... Descriptive locations in my opinion are not truly needed to tell a good story. Another annoying thing was the way he opens and closes this novel... He opens it in a way which I felt closes the door for sequels on the original Time Machine Novel. I must say he was Clever. The major turn off was the building of the story... Causality loops are good sci-fi yes... but to drag out such a loop for 535 pages... in clear description gave me a headache. The whole intent of this novel in my opinion was to make it so that others who want to write about THE TIME MACHINE can't... because he tried to cover as many plot lines as possible with the Time Traveller. I am not saying Baxter is like Bill Gates... but to try to create a monopoly on H.G. Wells, original fiction is in my opinion bad taste. The book starts out where Baxter himself... places himself in the novel briefly in the Author's note... He goes to a bookstore and his handed a few manuscripts of old writing. The Prologue starts right where Wells, novel ended with the young man watching the Time Traveller off. The Time Traveller's soul intent was to save Weena... Well he goes forward and notices that something is wrong... I won't give away much more other than... This... Look forward to intelligent Morlocks... Dyson Sphere... the years Moses... (Not Charlton Heston Moses...) Filby... Weena... Bond... (Not James Bond..) Ice planet... Pre-historic earth... War... 1938-1944... Future... a new race of beings called the Watchers... I give this all a 2... only because of the lockout tone that Baxter tried to pull with this novel... I also didn't like the fact that it took 535 pages... just for him to state a point about causality loops. If you're a TIME MACHINE, fan read this book... but take note... the intentions are well but Baxter in my opinion meant to make it very clear that he wanted his book to be the final and only sequel... to a classic which... Wells, in my opinion left open to the worlds of imagination and creativity... Baxter stops this with his closing.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent time travel story!
Review: I read this book in no time at all. It flowed together perfectly. The way Baxter writes, it makes you want to see what happens next. All the different time periods the traveler sees are described in great detail, through his 19th century point of view, like airplanes being described as "flying machines". My only complaint is near the end, when the traveler is at the end of time, it is somewhat hard to follow, although I believe Baxter did his best in using metaphors to describe such an abstract place. A must read for anyone interested in time travel!
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