Timegods' World: Timediver's Dawn ; The Timegod

Rating:
Summary: The Time Thieves
Review: Timegods' World is an omnibus edition of a duology, containing Timediver's Dawn and The Timegod. The latter novel was originally published in a significantly shorter version as The Fires of Paratime. Another novel, Hammer of Darkness, is based on a similar theme, but has an unrelated storyline. In all these novels, the characters have an inherent ability to move back and forth in time and space.

In Timediver's Dawn, Sammis Arloff Olon is born as gentry on Query, with a father who is a middle level government official and a mother who is exceptionally well-educated and well-connected. In early adolescence, however, he is orphaned by the Frost Giants and struggles just to survive in a changed world where gentry is hated and stability is provided only by military might. He finds that his ability to timedive is still feared and despised as witchcraft by the common folk, but now is finally appreciated by his superiors.

In The Timegod, a million or more years later, Loki is born into the world that Sammis has helped create. The population is composed of immortals, most of whom can timedive to some extent. The Temporal Guard is continuing to supply the population with high tech bought or stolen from other societies, but fewer of the Guard personnel are able to maintain this equipment. Despite the efforts of his parents to make him aware of its deficiencies, Loki follows in his grandfather's footsteps and joins the Temporal Guard. There he gains mentors, one of whom is Sammis himself. Gradually Loki begins to comprehend the defects and injustices within the system.

These novels depict the rise and fall of a culture that basically becomes parasitic on other societies within reach of its timedivers. Unlike Piper's Paratime culture, the Queryans are not traders, but scavengers. These novels provide examples of other such parasitic cultures for comparision, including the Frost Giants and the Hunters of Faffnir. Unlike those cultures, the Queryans seldom intentionally perform mass killings, but miscalculations occasionally happened.

As with his other writings, the author explores the ethical issues faced by a society in crisis; for example, these novels have much in common with the Parafaith duology. The basis of all ethics must be survival, but the devil is in the details. When is the cost for survival too high?

Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of young people struggling to understand their society and do the right thing while attempting to survive a series of crises.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: The Time Thieves
Review: Timegods' World is an omnibus edition of a duology, containing Timediver's Dawn and The Timegod. The latter novel was originally published in a significantly shorter version as The Fires of Paratime. Another novel, Hammer of Darkness, is based on a similar theme, but has an unrelated storyline. In all these novels, the characters have an inherent ability to move back and forth in time and space.

In Timediver's Dawn, Sammis Arloff Olon is born as gentry on Query, with a father who is a middle level government official and a mother who is exceptionally well-educated and well-connected. In early adolescence, however, he is orphaned by the Frost Giants and struggles just to survive in a changed world where gentry is hated and stability is provided only by military might. He finds that his ability to timedive is still feared and despised as witchcraft by the common folk, but now is finally appreciated by his superiors.

In The Timegod, a million or more years later, Loki is born into the world that Sammis has helped create. The population is composed of immortals, most of whom can timedive to some extent. The Temporal Guard is continuing to supply the population with high tech bought or stolen from other societies, but fewer of the Guard personnel are able to maintain this equipment. Despite the efforts of his parents to make him aware of its deficiencies, Loki follows in his grandfather's footsteps and joins the Temporal Guard. There he gains mentors, one of whom is Sammis himself. Gradually Loki begins to comprehend the defects and injustices within the system.

These novels depict the rise and fall of a culture that basically becomes parasitic on other societies within reach of its timedivers. Unlike Piper's Paratime culture, the Queryans are not traders, but scavengers. These novels provide examples of other such parasitic cultures for comparision, including the Frost Giants and the Hunters of Faffnir. Unlike those cultures, the Queryans seldom intentionally perform mass killings, but miscalculations occasionally happened.

As with his other writings, the author explores the ethical issues faced by a society in crisis; for example, these novels have much in common with the Parafaith duology. The basis of all ethics must be survival, but the devil is in the details. When is the cost for survival too high?

Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of young people struggling to understand their society and do the right thing while attempting to survive a series of crises.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Rating:
Summary: Two out of print Modesitt novels return together
Review: Timegods' World unites two early 90's novels by Modesitt, Timediver's Dawn, and the Timegod. These novels chronicle the adventures of time travelers and time manipulators, set against a panoply of environments and milieus ranging from the primitive to the far-future.

The novels make extensive literary use of Norse names, as you will discover names like Odin-Thor, Hemidall, and of course the central character Loki. Plenty of other amusing references await you, such as the "Witches of Eastron."

While I prefer Modesitt's fantasy novels, this compliation was a good and pleasurable read.

Rating:
Summary: Two out of print Modesitt novels return together
Review: Timegods' World unites two early 90's novels by Modesitt, Timediver's Dawn, and the Timegod. These novels chronicle the adventures of time travelers and time manipulators, set against a panoply of environments and milieus ranging from the primitive to the far-future.

The novels make extensive literary use of Norse names, as you will discover names like Odin-Thor, Hemidall, and of course the central character Loki. Plenty of other amusing references await you, such as the "Witches of Eastron."

While I prefer Modesitt's fantasy novels, this compliation was a good and pleasurable read.