Rating: 
Summary: One of the most deeply moving works of sci-fi that I've read
Review: Having given up on science fiction years ago, I ventured into the field once again after seeing an ad for "Days of Cain" in the New Yorker. I was extremely impressed with this novel. Although it was not an easy read (the detailed descriptions of the atrocities brought upon these women who were in Auschwitz is not at all pleasant). The concept, however, is fabulous, and the ultimate outcome is without question one of the most moving in any science fiction (or any general fiction) novel that I have read. Some of the "science fiction" details can get a bit tedious, but overall a wonderful read.
Rating: 
Summary: Dunn offends: abuses the Holocaust with Christian theology
Review: I was quite thoroughly impressed by _Days of Cain_. Author Dunn has brought a hard-edged but thoughtful sensibility to the old, old SF concept of time-travel. He doesn't flinch away from the essentially tragic nature of history, especially a history that cannot be allowed to change. I was reminded of Poul Anderson's old "Time Patrol" stories, but updated and, frankly, improved. The ending is appropriate and satisfying -- kudos to Dunn for realizing that a truly ultimate intelligence would have to find an answer to the metaphysical problems of pain, injustice, and evil. I have a few minor quibbles -- readers who are no old SF hands may have some trouble recognizing concepts like "tweaking" and "shorting" -- but overall I found this to be one of the most mature and satisfying SF reads in a long time. N.B. The concentration camp scenes are not for the squeamish.
Rating:
Summary: A harrowing SF novel for grownups
Review: I was quite thoroughly impressed by _Days of Cain_. Author Dunn has brought a hard-edged but thoughtful sensibility to the old, old SF concept of time-travel. He doesn't flinch away from the essentially tragic nature of history, especially a history that cannot be allowed to change. I was reminded of Poul Anderson's old "Time Patrol" stories, but updated and, frankly, improved. The ending is appropriate and satisfying -- kudos to Dunn for realizing that a truly ultimate intelligence would have to find an answer to the metaphysical problems of pain, injustice, and evil. I have a few minor quibbles -- readers who are no old SF hands may have some trouble recognizing concepts like "tweaking" and "shorting" -- but overall I found this to be one of the most mature and satisfying SF reads in a long time. N.B. The concentration camp scenes are not for the squeamish.
Rating: 
Summary: Worth dipping into.
Review: Like Poul Anderson's science fiction (although as retold by Günter Grass), this well-researched novel about the Holocaust depicts the moral torments that an agent of the future faces as he derails a group of altruistic time travellers. The groups' plan is to alter history by attacking Nazi death camps and freeing the inmates. Although the brutal contrast of life in Auchwitz retains an intensity far beyond the high-tech milieu of the pursuing time police, it's to the writer's credit that the book's most vivid elements are based in history
Rating: 
Summary: Good History; Boring Science Fiction
Review: Mr. Dunn ties the dilemma of time travel decisions to the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. Both of these are mature themes, i.e. they have been dealt with repeatedly in novels. The author's task is to present them to us with a fresh perspective. I feel that he was only modestly successful. First he deals with the subject of changing history. What is his view? It's a no no. Anything new here, then? Not really. Literally hundreds of books, both fiction and non fiction have dealt with the concentration camps. Dunn paints a good picture of its life and its horrors. He develops both courageous and evil characters. This is the successful part of the book. The weakest parts of the book are the interruptions to bring us up to date on the folks involved in the time travel mission. We are presented with a pile of names attached to some hazy, vague characters that I sometimes wished would be sent off to their own concentration camp somewhere out of the story. I really wish the protagonists could have been limited to James, the "enforcer", and Alma, the "rescuer." Dunn was obviously intrigued by the concept of time travel throughout all history, presumably from the big bang to the end of time. This is an interesting concept to deal with, but he didn't really develop it satisfactorily. In summary, the camp scenes were excellent; the rest was boring.
Rating:
Summary: Good History; Boring Science Fiction
Review: Mr. Dunn ties the dilemma of time travel decisions to the horrors of Nazi concentration camps. Both of these are mature themes, i.e. they have been dealt with repeatedly in novels. The author's task is to present them to us with a fresh perspective. I feel that he was only modestly successful. First he deals with the subject of changing history. What is his view? It's a no no. Anything new here, then? Not really. Literally hundreds of books, both fiction and non fiction have dealt with the concentration camps. Dunn paints a good picture of its life and its horrors. He develops both courageous and evil characters. This is the successful part of the book. The weakest parts of the book are the interruptions to bring us up to date on the folks involved in the time travel mission. We are presented with a pile of names attached to some hazy, vague characters that I sometimes wished would be sent off to their own concentration camp somewhere out of the story. I really wish the protagonists could have been limited to James, the "enforcer", and Alma, the "rescuer." Dunn was obviously intrigued by the concept of time travel throughout all history, presumably from the big bang to the end of time. This is an interesting concept to deal with, but he didn't really develop it satisfactorily. In summary, the camp scenes were excellent; the rest was boring.
Rating:
Summary: Dunn creates a vivid universe, but what happens?
Review: The universe Dunn creates in _Days of Cain_ is wonderfully rendered and its denizens well crafted, but the novel is anti-climatic. James Gaspar, Moiety agent, must travel back in time to prevent a renegade time traveler and his former student, Alma Lewin, from liberating inmates of Auschwitz. Dunn's training as a military historian shows as he gives the reader slices of time from the Roman sack of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 to the far future. He peoples those eras with finely-crafted characters, from Gaspar and Lewin, to Rebekah, a Jewish inmate, and Reber, a Nazi clerk at Auschwitz. Unfortunately, these characters don't seem to do much in Dunn's settings. He seems more concerend with the morality of the Moiety's operatives than with action. He certainly puts the ideas in what is a genre of ideas, but considering an unaswerable question is difficult for an author of even Dunn's obvious talent, and the novel's philosphical considerations overshadow, unfortunately, a wonderful premise. _Days of Cain_ is good read, and it both entertains and enlightens, but its conclusion remains unsatisfying.
Rating:
Summary: A great novel.
Review: There aren't many writers who possess the talent to seamlessly and effectively combine two seemingly incongruous topics as time travel and the Holocaust, yet J.R. Dunn is such a writer. In what has to be one of the most resonant novels I've read in a long time, Days of Cain poses a powerful question: Is the preservation of history's integrity worth the suffering of even one human being. As J.R. Dunn's protagonist discovers, the path to either answer exacts a great toll. It is a novel of high drama and emotion, yet Dunn commendably avoids mawkishness, wisely letting his brevity of prose enhance the narrative's power. Days of Cain does indeed transcend the genre. A great novel.
Rating:
Summary: Stuck in a rut
Review: This book covers no new ground in science fiction and beyond that, presents us with a mess of characters that are difficult to follow. Dunn's writing style is confusing to begin with, but with all the added eccentricities of time travel, the book loses itself in its own tangled web.
Rating:
Summary: A good book, but it doesn't skimp on the truth...
Review: This book was a great read. However, as I said above, it doesn't skimp on the truth, and it's set in the Holocaust. I literally could not eat anything after reading it for at least 2 hours. I disagree with the review below that says this is an excellent book for ADULTS, because I am a 14 year old and still enjoyed the read. But, I don't recommend this for anyone who doesn't think they want to come face-to-face with the horrific events that occured during the Holocaust. People my age who are interested in the subject matter might find it enjoyable. I loaned it to a friend who absolutely hates sci-fi, and now she has her own copy. So, once again, it was a good book, but not a very happy one. Don't read it unless you're sure you can stomach the facts.
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