Outlanders: Tomb of Time

Rating:
Summary: Outlanders the way its supposed to be!
Review: "Tomb of Time" is Outlanders back the way it's supposed to be­­colorful settings, science-fiction, a larger than life villain, great characters and fabulous imagnation!

The mystery of who time-trawled Domi in "Tigers of Heaven" is revealed at last and an old enemy who I'd been hoping would come back for two years makes a return appearance. He's as nasty and entertaining as ever, but this time he has a new and pretty frightening henchman in tow. The action was fast and furious which is just the way an Outlanders adventure should be.

From the introduction of the faceless Furies in Chicago who mete out judgement on sinners to the Operation Chronos facility on Thunder Isle, the pace never lets up and leads to an explosive ending--literally!

One of the things which makes Outlanders so superior to most other series of this ilk is that it isn't full of cardboard cut-out characters. The heroes are very real who suffer but don't always have their pain resolved at the end of the book, so by the next book it's like nothing happened. The growth of the characters and the continuity in this series is greatly appreciated.

I was a little worried that the quality of the series was slipping after the last two books, particularly after "Sargasso Plunder" but "Tomb of Time" laid my fears to rest and once again I can hardly wait for the next installment.

Rating:
Summary: One Could Get Spoiled With This Series
Review: Another Outlanders science ficion / pulp masterpiece, with cracking dialogue, cool dinosaur rides, and action, action, action. Makes one wonder why the current Deathlands suck out loud ...oh, wait, different writer under the "James Axler" pen name. Amazing how the man behind the curtain makes a project sing, or, unfortunately, hit a series of bum notes. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: An explination, and yet more un-answered questions
Review: As usual, the author was able to spin science and mythology into a seamless plotline worthy of the Outlander series.
The Cerberus warriors were sent to Chicago to investigate the use of a redoubt located there, and while there they encounter a very strange cult lead by an old woman who claims that she's a 'fury' from Greek mythology who are there to dole out punishment for sins committed by man or woman.

It turns out that the Furies were brought to the Outlands by a small laughing god. And anyone who has followed the series from the earliest novels will be able to figure out who that is.

The novel also reveals who was responsible for saving Domi's life, as described in Purgatory road, although the reasons for the act remain vague, and of course, the reader wanting more.

A new character has been introduced as well, a man named Oakshott. Anyone familiar with English history from the late 1800's early 1900's will quickly realize who he is, thus explaining another myth that has eluded the authorities for many decades.

Thunder Isle, introduced in Tigers of Heaven is explored more fully as well, and the Samurai warrior Shizuka is brought back into the series as well. There is a whole new world of possibilities opened up by the return to this island and hopefully they will be fully explored in upcoming novels.

The only complaint I have, and it's a small one, is the fact that the novel ended too abruptly. Too many possibilities were not explored, but can quite easily be touched on in future novels.

Rating:
Summary: Back Ontrack
Review: OL's back to its interesting stories, larger than life characters and science fiction atmosphere. When I first picked this book up I was hesitant, afraid it would have been like the last one, but alas, my fears were for nothing.

For the people that tried Deathlands and didn't like it, they have yet to try OL, which they will surely enjoy. The charismatic characters, the explosive plot, and everyone's favorite villain is back for the third time with yet another power-crazed idea.

The author of this series sure knows his science, he puts the Sci in Sci Fi at the same time educating as he entertains. Not many authors have that quality. I've browsed around Gold Eagle books before and if they were smart, they would roll a carpet out for this guy when he drops his work off at the editing house and send him some champagne for Christmas because he's the best they got.

I give this book a 10, this series gets a 10 also, this is the best fiction I read, actually, its the only fiction I read.

Rating:
Summary: Five very enthusiastic stars! Wish it could be 10!
Review: Quite simply, "Tomb of Time" is one of the most gripping novels in the series to date! Congratulations to "James Axler!"

I've always loved stories that deal in time travel, and though nobody really takes a jaunt through time in this, the whole concept is presented as very believable. I think the characterization in this bok is particuarly strong. One of the characters who suddenly took on new life for me (in more ways than one) is the villain. He seems more truly malovent in this novel than his previous appearences.

The scenes set on "Thunder Isle" were fantastic, particularly those that had Kane being pursued by a prehistoric cave bear and a tyrannosuar.

If the prior book in the series "Sargasso Plunder" seemed like a rewritten Deathlands adventure, "Tomb of Time" proves once and for all that Outlanders is completely different.

Keep up the great work!!!

Rating:
Summary: Outlanders - Tomb of Time By James Axler
Review: The latest Outlanders offering by Mark Ellis has as usual been an action packed roller coaster ride from the opening sentence to the very last sentence. The return of one of my favorite Outlanders villians made this excellent novel that much more enjoyable. Coming on the heels of Sargasso Plunder, which did not pack the same kind of punch that Tomb of Time did, had this novel returning the loyal reader to the Outlanders universe that we left behind at the close of Purgatory Road. The mystery of thunder island and the question of who or what saved Domi from what would have been certain death is answered here. But as always and in true outlanders fashion more questions were raised in this novel then were answered. My hat goes off to Mr. Ellis who has done it again, proving again why Outlanders is far above your average Sci-fi action series. Anyone who loves the Outlanders series will not be disappointed by this novel.

Rating:
Summary: A fast-moving and entertaining tale
Review: This latest book in the Outlanders saga is a great piece of fast-moving entertainment. As always, it's rich in drama, action, atmosphere and characters. Recommended highly.

Rating:
Summary: TOMB OF TIME IS A "TIMELESS READ"!
Review: This latest novel of the Outlanders saga is by far one of the best to date. Mark Ellis is back with a vengeance! The book starts off where PURGATORY ROAD left off, our charismatic characters Kane, Grant, Baptiste, and Domi are back in what was once Chicago looking for further evidence on just what happened on that fateful day when Domi was supposedly imploded and dissappeared. Their searching of course is interrupted by a severe chem storm and a strange supply of characters with arcane powers. The small group are split up and vulnerable to the strange denizens of the doomed metropolis and a mad mother nature. If die-hard fans of Deathlands will remember, this was the only place that held a chron-jumping facility and the story deals with this and a diabolical character comes back stronger than ever - and die-hard fans of this series will remember him! The ideas behind this storyline are many and great, I always loved the concept of time travel. The background 'feel' of this particular novel really enhanced the story along with the new breed of bad guys that are introduced here. I find it hard to review a book and not give anything away for the readers to enjoy, so I won't ever do that, but for all you newcomers and avid fans alike - this one's for you! As always, it leaves you wanting more and more. I hope that time travel is delved ever deeper in this series that can take it to a whole new level. Will our small band of heroes get trapped in time? Read this latest novel and find out.

Rating:
Summary: TOMB OF TIME IS A "TIMELESS READ"!
Review: This latest novel of the Outlanders saga is by far one of the best to date. Mark Ellis is back with a vengeance! The book starts off where PURGATORY ROAD left off, our charismatic characters Kane, Grant, Baptiste, and Domi are back in what was once Chicago looking for further evidence on just what happened on that fateful day when Domi was supposedly imploded and dissappeared. Their searching of course is interrupted by a severe chem storm and a strange supply of characters with arcane powers. The small group are split up and vulnerable to the strange denizens of the doomed metropolis and a mad mother nature. If die-hard fans of Deathlands will remember, this was the only place that held a chron-jumping facility and the story deals with this and a diabolical character comes back stronger than ever - and die-hard fans of this series will remember him! The ideas behind this storyline are many and great, I always loved the concept of time travel. The background 'feel' of this particular novel really enhanced the story along with the new breed of bad guys that are introduced here. I find it hard to review a book and not give anything away for the readers to enjoy, so I won't ever do that, but for all you newcomers and avid fans alike - this one's for you! As always, it leaves you wanting more and more. I hope that time travel is delved ever deeper in this series that can take it to a whole new level. Will our small band of heroes get trapped in time? Read this latest novel and find out.

Rating:
Summary: A terrific read!
Review: Tomb of Time is a terrific read, a return to the glory days after the somewhat disappointing Purgatory Road and the travesty of Sargasso Plunder. All of the heroes are back with their personalities, IQs and sense of humor intact and once again they're facing an old enemy who has an awesome power at his command.

This novel almost seems like it was written to make up for the lapses of the previous pair. The scenes set in the ruins of Chicago are vividly written and spooky, made more so by the introduction of the fanatical Megera and her Furies. Once Brigid, Kane, and Grant get to Thunder Isle, the mystery of Domi's apparent death and resurrection is solved while another one is dumped in their laps. And of course it wouldn't be an Outlanders novel without plenty of action and mayhem!

I can't think of any single book in any series I have every read that featured a deadly weapon that carbonizes people, faceless fanatics haunting bombed out ruins, a time-trawled serial killer from 19th century England, a machine that might make people immortal, a Pacific island populated with prehistoric cave bears and Tyrannosaurs, a charismatic master villain, a female samurai--and a whole lot of swashbucking derring-do. In some scenes, I could almost hear the John Williams score.

And though I like action as much as anybody, what made this book sing for me was the interaction between the heroes and the villain. Those were the best parts of teh book. They flew off the page. The dialogue was sharp, witty and downright hialarious in places. One thing about Tomb of Time comes through loud and clear--the surefire way to kill the Outlanders series is to condemn it to the revolving door system of writers that plagues most of Gold Eagle's other series.That policy pretty much ruined Deathlands for me since I never knew the quality or consistency of the book I was getting. It could be good, bad (mostly bad) or terrible so I stopped buying them.

Outlanders is far more complex than Deathlands, much more cutting-edge and up to date in its sensibilities so it's hard to picture another writer coming in with the same feel for the characters, much less the imagination and skill of the main writer. Sargasso Plunder pretty much proved how hard that is.

If readers were put off by that book don't give up on Outlanders. Tomb of Time more than makes up for it!