Rating: 
Summary: Intimate Adventure with Test To Destruction Plotting
Review: At 445 pages, with fairly large print, this novel is "styled" as hard sf, with many plot-threads happening at the same time or intertwined, and almost all the conflict external. The novel would film better than it reads -- somewhat like the film, ALIEN -- BUT -- if you like hard action/sf (a specialty of the Aspect SF imprint at Time-Warner) you won't find the style a put-off. And it is exceptionally well-done of its kind. TIME FUTURE has a plot that qualifies as Intimate Adventure Genre - email me for a link to the definition - because the resolution of the problem requires soul-baring emotional honesty, and not just at the moment when the Hero confronts her ex-husband who is trying to con her (maybe). As with many aired Classic Star Trek episodes, and even more Star Trek fanzine stories, this novel tests the female hero to near destruction. Since it's told in the first person, you get a "Sam Spade" or "Anita Blake" effect from the narrative, and it becomes easier to ask yourself if you could be this tough in similar circumstances. I found it a page-turner and a very good read, but I suspect it may have been trimmed, condensed and cut to the bare bones because the pacing is so fast there's very little room for character-development nevermind anything as complex as Relationship. All the key Relationships in this novel are already estabished and functioning, and they don't grow and change (much) during the novel's events. So you don't get a dynamic Relationship driven story narrative. If the Situation of defending a cut-off outpost space-station from aliens, both inside and out of the station, doesn't "grab you" all by itself, you won't find much to be interested in. The author didn't have space to develop answers to the question, "Why does this space station matter to me(the reader)?" I suspect there is room for a sequel where that question will be answered in detail, and Relationships will start to mature, so watch for this author's name. Live Long and Prosper, Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Rating:
Summary: Intimate Adventure with Test To Destruction Plotting
Review: At 445 pages, with fairly large print, this novel is "styled" as hard sf, with many plot-threads happening at the same time or intertwined, and almost all the conflict external. The novel would film better than it reads -- somewhat like the film, ALIEN -- BUT -- if you like hard action/sf (a specialty of the Aspect SF imprint at Time-Warner) you won't find the style a put-off. And it is exceptionally well-done of its kind. TIME FUTURE has a plot that qualifies as Intimate Adventure Genre - email me for a link to the definition - because the resolution of the problem requires soul-baring emotional honesty, and not just at the moment when the Hero confronts her ex-husband who is trying to con her (maybe). As with many aired Classic Star Trek episodes, and even more Star Trek fanzine stories, this novel tests the female hero to near destruction. Since it's told in the first person, you get a "Sam Spade" or "Anita Blake" effect from the narrative, and it becomes easier to ask yourself if you could be this tough in similar circumstances. I found it a page-turner and a very good read, but I suspect it may have been trimmed, condensed and cut to the bare bones because the pacing is so fast there's very little room for character-development nevermind anything as complex as Relationship. All the key Relationships in this novel are already estabished and functioning, and they don't grow and change (much) during the novel's events. So you don't get a dynamic Relationship driven story narrative. If the Situation of defending a cut-off outpost space-station from aliens, both inside and out of the station, doesn't "grab you" all by itself, you won't find much to be interested in. The author didn't have space to develop answers to the question, "Why does this space station matter to me(the reader)?" I suspect there is room for a sequel where that question will be answered in detail, and Relationships will start to mature, so watch for this author's name. Live Long and Prosper, Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting science fiction
Review: I have just spent my Sunday reading Time Future and Time Past. Suffice to say, as soon as I finished the first, I went straight onto the second. Both books are unputdownable. The writing style is sufficiently skilled so that you don't notice what she's up to. I was thoroughly sucked in at the outset, and spat out at the end! Basically Time Future is set on a space station in the near future, narrated by an extremely sympathetic character. The story is set around a series of mysteries, the unravelling of which progress the plot, and lead to more rivetting questions. McAurthur offers us a great plot, great characterisation (of main and minor characters), well thought out aliens, technology, and speculative ideas - both scientific and socio/political. Some people turn up from 100 years in the past, just after alien intervention, so there is a nice juxtaposition of the views of the contemporary narrator and the time travellors, who come from a time in our near future. This is further juxtaposed with the view of the reader of 2002 so in reading it we re-experience our own views of our place in the world, and contemporary issues such as poverty, the environment, refugees, and political instability and State responsibility. It is all so delightfully and subtly done that the experience is part of the pleasure of these books, not an impediment. This is superior stuff. I wish she'd hurry up and write another one. Those who like early Heinlein, Bujold, Julian May, Nancy Kress and the like will love this.
Rating:
Summary: Don't start one if you have to get up early the next day
Review: I have just spent my Sunday reading Time Future and Time Past. Suffice to say, as soon as I finished the first, I went straight onto the second. Both books are unputdownable. The writing style is sufficiently skilled so that you don't notice what she's up to. I was thoroughly sucked in at the outset, and spat out at the end! Basically Time Future is set on a space station in the near future, narrated by an extremely sympathetic character. The story is set around a series of mysteries, the unravelling of which progress the plot, and lead to more rivetting questions. McAurthur offers us a great plot, great characterisation (of main and minor characters), well thought out aliens, technology, and speculative ideas - both scientific and socio/political. Some people turn up from 100 years in the past, just after alien intervention, so there is a nice juxtaposition of the views of the contemporary narrator and the time travellors, who come from a time in our near future. This is further juxtaposed with the view of the reader of 2002 so in reading it we re-experience our own views of our place in the world, and contemporary issues such as poverty, the environment, refugees, and political instability and State responsibility. It is all so delightfully and subtly done that the experience is part of the pleasure of these books, not an impediment. This is superior stuff. I wish she'd hurry up and write another one. Those who like early Heinlein, Bujold, Julian May, Nancy Kress and the like will love this.
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't finish it
Review: I wanted to like this book, because the premise seemed so interesting. But after forcing myself through 100 pages or so, I finally had to give up. I found Ms. McArthur's style too disjointed to entertain or engage the imagination. She describes bulkheads and electronic consules better than she describes the action of the story. Dialogue is stilted, with everyone talking in choppy, uninformative sentence fragments. It's amazing they communicated anything at all. My interest in the mystery waned with every chapter I read, until I decided it wasn't worth the effort. Sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't finish it
Review: I wanted to like this book, because the premise seemed so interesting. But after forcing myself through 100 pages or so, I finally had to give up. I found Ms. McArthur's style too disjointed to entertain or engage the imagination. She describes bulkheads and electronic consules better than she describes the action of the story. Dialogue is stilted, with everyone talking in choppy, uninformative sentence fragments. It's amazing they communicated anything at all. My interest in the mystery waned with every chapter I read, until I decided it wasn't worth the effort. Sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: Time Past just sets the stage
Review: If you are looking for a rip-snorting action-packed adventure, this isn't it. I found it a bit slow and tiring to read but still worth the effort. The space station is cut off from outside support by hostile alien ships which have damaged the station and killed several in the process. The station is overloaded with refugees plus an assortment of enigmatic and haughty aliens. They can't escape, they can't yell for help. They can only survive. Now toss in the arrival of a mystery ship with sleepers from 100 years past. Add in the station commander's divorced husband who is into deep intrigues (nor is he the only one!) and, for good measure, let's have an invincible biological killing construct. Our intrepid station commander stumbles thru it all constantly in need of sleep. I wouldn't say the book was exceptionally well done but there's a lot of stuff going on. A picture was painted. Maybe not vividly, but I feel like I know these people and I can practically see parts of the station. I found some new (to me) ideas and treatments of things and it all kept me going. It will never be my favorite book, but I'll buy the next one, Time Past, when it comes out.
Rating:
Summary: Time Past just sets the stage
Review: If you are looking for a rip-snorting action-packed adventure, this isn't it. I found it a bit slow and tiring to read but still worth the effort. The space station is cut off from outside support by hostile alien ships which have damaged the station and killed several in the process. The station is overloaded with refugees plus an assortment of enigmatic and haughty aliens. They can't escape, they can't yell for help. They can only survive. Now toss in the arrival of a mystery ship with sleepers from 100 years past. Add in the station commander's divorced husband who is into deep intrigues (nor is he the only one!) and, for good measure, let's have an invincible biological killing construct. Our intrepid station commander stumbles thru it all constantly in need of sleep. I wouldn't say the book was exceptionally well done but there's a lot of stuff going on. A picture was painted. Maybe not vividly, but I feel like I know these people and I can practically see parts of the station. I found some new (to me) ideas and treatments of things and it all kept me going. It will never be my favorite book, but I'll buy the next one, Time Past, when it comes out.
Rating: 
Summary: This debut novel deseves a prize
Review: In 2023 the technologically and mentally superior Invidi species comes to earth and gives that planet tools to clean up the earth. When the people ended the petty wars that srung up all the time, the Confederacy of Allied Worlds admits Earth as a junior member. Eight other planets own junior membership while the four senior worlds divvy out crumbs to them. The Confederacy weighs heavily on the mind of Commander Halley of the Deep Space Station Jocasta, which is currently under siege by the Securas. The blockade leaves the space station residents in deep trouble and near surrender with the last hope being Confederacy intervention and that seems slimmer by the minute. While juggling solutions to other problems that could destroy Jocasta, Halley must find a way to remove the Securas from its orbit. Maxine McArthur's debut novel is an exciting space opera that will remind readers of Deep Space Nine. The various species seem real and their actions and motives genuine and understandable though not entirely by human values. TIME FUTURE is an engrossing work that will keep readers up till the moon wanes in the early morning sky. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Classic science fiction, pacey plot and strong female lead
Review: It's no wonder that Maxine McArthur won the George Turner Award with this novel. It is well crafted, immaculately written and a great read. The plot keeps dragging you in and her well defined future space station, filled with dripping aliens, strange creatures and distant and aloof superaliens lends itself to an epic. The depth of prose excites the emotions and you can almost feel yourself going on Halley's journey and experience her isolation. The problems faced by Jocasta are compelling and the twist and turns almost make one dizzy. Great stuff and a great read.
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