Rating: 
Summary: The ultimate outsiders
Review: This is a *really* wonderful book--funny, profound, imaginative. The writing alternates gracefully between the luminous, the ironic, and the philosophical, and the story combines original science fiction with very real characters and emotions, a great depth of knowledge of the Elizabethan period, and a wry eye towards human folly. The story involves the Company, run by the mysterious Dr. Zeus in 2355--the ultimate multinational corporation. Because folks in 2355 find the past too "boring and icky," they scoop up humans from different eras of the past and transform them into cyborg-engineered immortals so the cyborgs can stay in the past to take care of the icky stuff. Fully cognizant of what the future holds and future culture, these very human immortals live a strangely dual existence, having wise-cracking, contemporary attitudes about the things they encounter, making references and sly comparisons to 20th century pop culture, yet still part of past ages. There are grand plots and schemes to either save what has been lost in the past, or to loot it for profit, depending on how you look at it, but all that is just very rich and enthralling window dressing. The story is really about people, and the heart of this novel is a poignant love story between a mortal and an immortal--the best love story I've read in a really long time--that is human, real, wise and tender, yet isn't goopy. This relationship embodies the real conflict between the missions of the immortals and the brief lives of the mortals they interact with, and points to the larger philosophical questions of what it means to be really human, and the sometimes terrible cost of trying to live by your ideals. Kage Baker never backs away from the emotional implications of her story. She has the courage to follow it to its logical conclusion, and took me on a journey I didn't really want to end. Which is part of why I devoured the other books in the series as soon as I could lay hands on them!
Rating: 
Summary: Lacks Historical Presence and Punch
Review: This novel is interesting in its own way but it doesn't have the sweeping epic grandeur of Poul Anderson's Time Patrol series, nor the emotional pull of Orson Scott Card's Pastwatch Redemption, both time travel stories with similar plotlines. In this first book of the Company series, our heroine Mendoza is a 16th century Spanish peasant, rescued by scientists of the 24th century. Mendoza becomes immortal, and a botanist. (Zzzz!) The Company, an all powerful bureaucratic entity that controls all the fruits of time travel excursions, sends her to England in 1553 where Bloody Mary and Phillip of Spain are bent on turning a Protestant country back to Catholicism. What happened? It started off well and then fizzled. The plot is a resurrected one, and obviously the interesting developments about the Company itself are saved for future books in the series. There is a love story, which initially delighted me as a romantic, but became puzzling on closer examination as the monkey-hating Mendoza falls in love. The only saving grace is the research. The author has done her homework. There are references to philosophy and literature from the period and before, and any colloquial slips I can always attribute to her modern training. And yet, even with the details, little of the ambiance of 1553 came through, perhaps because of the constant 24th century commentary. This definitely lacked historical presence and punch. Look to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series for those. In the Garden of Iden rates a disappointing 2 out of 5.
Rating: 
Summary: Great idea, lacking in implementation
Review: Garden of Iden is such a truly excellent idea for a book -- but something just isn't quite right. It seems to be completely missing a plot. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the characters and all of the details about the Spanish Inquisition and 16th century England and this future company Dr. Zeus, but I kept finding myself wondering what we were moving towards as I read through it. The book just felt lacking and when I'd finished it, I couldn't quite feel satisfied -- something was just missing.But the premise behind it is just so great! In fact, I liked the idea so much that I wasn't ready to give up on it and I went ahead and read the second book (Sky Coyote) as well - although I have to admit that it left me with the same feeling. So, I leave this as an indecisive review. The potential is really there, she just needs a little more. If you're looking for a quick, mindless read - I think you'll enjoy it. If you're looking for a REALLY good sci fi time travel book - check out _Doomsday Book_ by Connie Willis (perhaps Willis has just spoiled me for any other books in this genre??).
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting idea
Review: It started off as an interesting idea - physically enhanced humans travelling though time. However, once the characters were introduced, it quickly shifted from a science fiction novel to a romance novel and spend over two thirds of the book in the love relationship of the two main characters. Unfortunately, none of the characters were very well developed and so I couldn't even make sense of what they were doing. As a sci-fi book goes, this is a big dissapointment. It might serve better to be classified as a romance novel.
Rating:
Summary: Great storyline!
Review: I didn't know if I'd like this book - but I did. It was really good. I couldn't put it down. I just love the whole concept of this book. You really felt for Mendoza and her situation. I wish there was more info about the Company and the immortals inner-workings - but the book was just fine without this. I wasn't going to get another one of these books but I changed my mind. I have to read more of this!
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Start to a Great Series
Review: I found this book interesting and compelling, with lasting images that left me thinking for weeks after the read. This book is not for hardcore sci-fi fans, or those that do not have at least a tertiary interest in historic novels. I fell in love with Mendoza as a character, and wanted to see more of her adventures, although sometimes she seemed esoteric and, to put it quite frankly, stupid. The theme of time travel is not foremost in this book, the characters are from and of the time, and no one has been displaced or arrives "from the future" - a thing I found misleading in the marketing of this novel. If you want to read any of Baker's novels of "the Company", you should certainly start with this one. It provides you with necessary information and background, and is also a delightful and, at times, heartrending story.
Rating:
Summary: Sharply Written and Engaging
Review: From the first page Baker's writing style grabbed me. While I certainly wouldn't describe it as lyrical, the sharp wit and cynical perspective of the main character, Mendoza, strongly appeals to me. Watching the evolution of the character throughout the book was pure pleasure and guarantees I'll pick up the other books in the series. While I'm not a history buff and can't speak to the accuracy of the period as depicted in the book it seems plausible. Having some knowledge of the Catholic/Protestant conflicts in England during that time what's depicted here rings true. The science is a bit of a hand wave but the book's not about that, it's about the people. Read it, read it, read it!
Rating:
Summary: absorbing
Review: Excellent storytelling. The combination of high-tech futuristic sci-fi and historical period fiction grabbed me. Halfway through the book I realized that the sci-fi had mostly given way to the historical part (though the sci-fi premise is integral) and in fact for several chapters nothing much happened... and yet for some reason I remained absorbed in the book. It reminds me of reading Agatha Christies, where the storytelling engages you and what differs from book to book is just the setting.
Rating:
Summary: Great Idea - Story could have been better
Review: The author has come up with an interesting time travel premise for the book which can easily be translated into an unending series. I kept waiting for the book to become more interesting. But it never did.
Rating:
Summary: A masterful first novel.
Review: Kage Baker brings a number of strengths to the genre with her first in what could be a very promising series of time travel/ historical/ futuristic science fiction and fantasy. The premise is no more flawed than any other time travel fantasy, and the application offers many opportunities for storytelling.
In this first story, Baker really brings it all together: the characters are compelling, the situations believable, the scenes tautly drawn, the drama is high, the narrative is relentless. Once I started this book I could not put it down.
Perhaps best of all, the picture of the dark before the dawn of the Elizabethan era is exquisitely drawn. Baker has excellent command of the language (both contemporary and Elizabethan), and her take on the events at that time in history is fascinating.
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