Rating: 
Summary: "Why Can't I Get Back to the War and have Some Peace?!"
Review: "A Tale of Time City" is a little different from Diana Wynne Jones's usual fare - it is not fantasy but science-fiction, though apart from that distinction there is the same wry humour, complicated storylines, quirky characters and original invention.
Time City is a place existing outside of space and time where the progress of time is watched over by the inhabitants, to make sure it progresses normally. But Time City is slowly running down, (helped along with the tampering of rouge time-travellers) and the legendary founder Faber John is the only being that is able to renew it. It is told that four caskets of Gold, Silver, Iron and Lead may save the city, but only the mysterious Time Lady can awaken Faber John.
Jonathon and Sam, two sons of important families within the City have decided to take matters into their own hands. After seeing a "time-ghost" (a visual imprint of an important moment) they travel through a time-lock into History for an adventure of their own that they haven't even begun to sort out. There, Jonathon grabs Vivian Smith, the girl that they are certain is the Time Lady.
Vivian Smith however, is soon to correct them - she's just a normal girl who was being evacuated with hundreds of other children from World War II. Now with no way back, and the concept of Time itself in jeopardy, Vivian agrees to help the boys uncover the mystery of Faber John (and keep them out of trouble while she's doing it). Racing through time to collect the four caskets before their enemies, the trio have to dodge androids, teachers, time-ghosts and antagonistic locals in order to save Time City.
Though I enjoyed "A Tale of Time City", it is not my favourite Diana Wynne Jones book; perhaps because I'm not a big sci-fi fan, perhaps because time-travelling stories utterly confuse me. I'm never sure what happened when, or what the true chronological order of the events are. But as usual, there is a lot in this DWJ book to recommend it, and it is packed full of creativity and enjoyment - such as the "butter-pies", cold on the outside and warm on the inside. Likewise, she gives us some future events to look forward to, such as the Mind Wars, the Forth World War and the Depopulation of Earth.
Time City itself is a great idea, (complete with architecture, social customs, and low opinions of those that live in 'history') and is vividly brought to life, but this is not really a book for younger readers, as the plot is quite twisty and complicated, and the ending a little bittersweet. But for a DWJ book that is a bit different, or a science-fiction book that is truly unique within the genre, then give this one a try.
Rating: 
Summary: A Matter of Time
Review: "Time city-built eons from now on a patch of space outside time-was designed especially to oversee history, but now its very foundations are crumbling from age. Two boys are convinced that Time City's impending doom can be averted by a Twenty Century girl named Vivian Smith. They also know that no one will take the wild schemes of children seriously, so they violate nearly every law in the book by traveling" into history "to pluck her from a British railway station at the start of WWII in 1939,. By the time the boys learn Vivian's just an ordinary girl, they realize it's too late to return her safely-unless, with her help they can somehow manage to get Time City's foundations back on track." (This is from the paperback edition with a few accuratcy changes)
Rating: 
Summary: A Tale of Time City
Review: A Tale of Time City
By Diana Wynne Jones, Published by HarperTrophy (January 22, 2002). Vivian Smith was being evacuated along with all of the other children in London to "the Country" because World War II had just broken out. When she got off the train she was pulled into the greatest adventure of her life. When she got off the train she was kidnapped by an older boy named Jonathan Lee Walker, who claims to be her long lost cousin. In a space outside of time, there is a city. Placed there by a mythical man named Faber John, it has the overwhelming task overseeing the history of the earth and mankind all the way from the stone age to the depopulation of earth. This place is called Time City. Brought through a silver portal Vivian is taken to Time City. There's only one problem with Time City, its falling apart. Mistaken for another person called the Time Lady (Faber Johns mysterious wife), Vivian is swept away in the struggle to keep time city alive. This is one wonderful science fiction/adventure/action/fantasy book, I never really liked sci fi but I made an exception for this book and I was greatly rewarded. The main characters are Vivian, a normal 18th century girl, who as I explained was kidnapped off a train. Vivian seems like anyone else, she just wants to go home. Jonathan Lee Walker, who Vivian always describes as a very "lordly" boy is the one who with the help of his best friend Sam kidnapped Vivian off the train during their mid year break. He and Sam at first only took it as an adventure but after they found out that Vivian was the wrong person it turned serious. Sam is another Lee (the Lees are the oldest family in Time City) he is only 8 but he is the closest in age to Jonathan for along distance ( There aren't many children in Time City). Sam is a butterpie addict (butterpies are a form of futuristic food) and it really shows. It is said that Faber John built the city with the help of his wife, the Time Lady, but when they were deciding how to govern the city they had an argument.
This is one of those books you can never put down,
if you are ever going to start this than make sure you have a long time to read. You just can't stop. Oh just one more page, just to the end of this chapter, I'm going to quit now, well maybe a little bit longer. I spent many late nights reading this book. I became part of this book as I read it, I felt as though I was really in Time City and I couldn't get enough! This is one book that I know I'm going to read over and over again, I can't wait to find more books like this. It's one of the books you can't figure out until the last page. This book is a treat that will satisfy almost anyone (unless you have a thing against fiction). I would recommend that every one at least give it a try.
Rating:
Summary: A Tale of Time City
Review: A Tale of Time City
By Diana Wynne Jones, Published by HarperTrophy (January 22, 2002). Vivian Smith was being evacuated along with all of the other children in London to "the Country" because World War II had just broken out. When she got off the train she was pulled into the greatest adventure of her life. When she got off the train she was kidnapped by an older boy named Jonathan Lee Walker, who claims to be her long lost cousin. In a space outside of time, there is a city. Placed there by a mythical man named Faber John, it has the overwhelming task overseeing the history of the earth and mankind all the way from the stone age to the depopulation of earth. This place is called Time City. Brought through a silver portal Vivian is taken to Time City. There's only one problem with Time City, its falling apart. Mistaken for another person called the Time Lady (Faber Johns mysterious wife), Vivian is swept away in the struggle to keep time city alive. This is one wonderful science fiction/adventure/action/fantasy book, I never really liked sci fi but I made an exception for this book and I was greatly rewarded. The main characters are Vivian, a normal 18th century girl, who as I explained was kidnapped off a train. Vivian seems like anyone else, she just wants to go home. Jonathan Lee Walker, who Vivian always describes as a very "lordly" boy is the one who with the help of his best friend Sam kidnapped Vivian off the train during their mid year break. He and Sam at first only took it as an adventure but after they found out that Vivian was the wrong person it turned serious. Sam is another Lee (the Lees are the oldest family in Time City) he is only 8 but he is the closest in age to Jonathan for along distance ( There aren't many children in Time City). Sam is a butterpie addict (butterpies are a form of futuristic food) and it really shows. It is said that Faber John built the city with the help of his wife, the Time Lady, but when they were deciding how to govern the city they had an argument.
This is one of those books you can never put down,
if you are ever going to start this than make sure you have a long time to read. You just can't stop. Oh just one more page, just to the end of this chapter, I'm going to quit now, well maybe a little bit longer. I spent many late nights reading this book. I became part of this book as I read it, I felt as though I was really in Time City and I couldn't get enough! This is one book that I know I'm going to read over and over again, I can't wait to find more books like this. It's one of the books you can't figure out until the last page. This book is a treat that will satisfy almost anyone (unless you have a thing against fiction). I would recommend that every one at least give it a try.
Rating:
Summary: An uncommon masterpiece
Review: Based on the fact that I rarely see this book in bookstores or libraries (and that almost nobody I know has read it) I don't think "A Tale of Time City" receives quite the recognition it deserves. My only copy was purchased several years ago and by now, from multiple re-readings and age, it's beginning to fall apart. (I've noticed that the Chrestomanci books are beginning to be reprinted; maybe they'll get around to "A Tale of Time City" sometime soon.) This book is classic Diana Wynne Jones: convoluted plot, multiple and fascinating characters, a setting that is at once completely outrageous and very real, and all of it tied together with a wonderfully descriptive style of writing. The story begins during World War II when Vivian Smith, a young girl going to stay with her cousin because of the bombings in London, is snatched from a railway station by two boys from Time City (a patch of space-time outside of the normal course of history, designed to make sure that history runs properly and paradoxes are avoided) who believe that she can avert the city's impending destruction. Unfortunately for Vivian, Jonathan, and Sam (and fortunately for the reader, who gets to enjoy their adventure) it's not quite that simple. Time City's well-being seems to have been bound up in four mysterious "polarities" created by Faber John, the almost mythical founder of the city, each of which has been hidden in a different age. Not to mention the fact that somebody, whom Jonathan and Sam suspect is the Time Lady, Faber John's vengeful wife, seems to be trying to destroy Time City. All in all, there's enough adventure to keep a reader turning pages at blinding speed until the end. On the lighter side, of course, there are also butter-pies (if only they existed!) and Jonathan's father, Sempitern Walker, who is dry, boring, and runs around screaming in his underwear for a half hour before every major ceremony. What can I say? This book is delightful. It deserves all the recognition it can get. If more people read Diana Wynne Jones, this world would be a better place.
Rating:
Summary: An uncommon masterpiece
Review: Based on the fact that I rarely see this book in bookstores or libraries (and that almost nobody I know has read it) I don't think "A Tale of Time City" receives quite the recognition it deserves. My only copy was purchased several years ago and by now, from multiple re-readings and age, it's beginning to fall apart. (I've noticed that the Chrestomanci books are beginning to be reprinted; maybe they'll get around to "A Tale of Time City" sometime soon.) This book is classic Diana Wynne Jones: convoluted plot, multiple and fascinating characters, a setting that is at once completely outrageous and very real, and all of it tied together with a wonderfully descriptive style of writing. The story begins during World War II when Vivian Smith, a young girl going to stay with her cousin because of the bombings in London, is snatched from a railway station by two boys from Time City (a patch of space-time outside of the normal course of history, designed to make sure that history runs properly and paradoxes are avoided) who believe that she can avert the city's impending destruction. Unfortunately for Vivian, Jonathan, and Sam (and fortunately for the reader, who gets to enjoy their adventure) it's not quite that simple. Time City's well-being seems to have been bound up in four mysterious "polarities" created by Faber John, the almost mythical founder of the city, each of which has been hidden in a different age. Not to mention the fact that somebody, whom Jonathan and Sam suspect is the Time Lady, Faber John's vengeful wife, seems to be trying to destroy Time City. All in all, there's enough adventure to keep a reader turning pages at blinding speed until the end. On the lighter side, of course, there are also butter-pies (if only they existed!) and Jonathan's father, Sempitern Walker, who is dry, boring, and runs around screaming in his underwear for a half hour before every major ceremony. What can I say? This book is delightful. It deserves all the recognition it can get. If more people read Diana Wynne Jones, this world would be a better place.
Rating:
Summary: Wow.
Review: By the time I finished reading A Tale of Time City, I wondered if Diana Wynne Jones had ever been here before. She was from an Unstable Era, though. How rude of Vivian to call Time City clothes pajamas! And I loved the way the time ghosts were so accurately described. The author is a genius. In fact, I loved it so much I passed it on to my friends at Duration, and they said that they agreed with this non-fiction book too. But how could an author from an Unstable Era know so much . . .
Rating:
Summary: This is my favorite book of all time!!
Review: I absoultutely LOVE this book! How could it be out of print? Stupid publishers!!!!! I've been trying to get this book for a really long time now and no wonder I can't find it!!! How could they no longer print such a great book?!!!? If you haven't read it, read it!!! You won't be wasting your time!
Rating:
Summary: Wicked
Review: I first read this book when I was 14 years and I still enjoy reading today, 5 years later whenever I can get my hands on a copy. This well written novel is a challenge for the imagination and has a storyline that is not quickly forgotten. The plot of this book is well thought out and, just when you think that there is going to be disaster things manage to sort themselves out and the world is begun to be put to rights. This story really does make you wonder if our history is really the only history we have ever had or if history really has been changing without us knowing. This is a really good book for making you think! Even now so long after first reading this book, I find myself longing for a taste of butter pies to see just how delicious they are!
Rating:
Summary: typical Jones... sort of
Review: I just finished this book a couple of days ago. I did enjoy it. Some of the characters were a lot of fun (Elio and Sempitern Walker), though I thought Sam's repeated whining about butter-pies was a bit overdone. I had to keep reminding myself that he was only eight years old. (Jonathon at one point says that Sam is the only person close to his age in Time City, which seems rather improbable. I know Vivian finds out that there aren't many kids there, but there are some.) Going after the four polarities, guessing where they were going to be and what was going to happen, was a good use of the quest-for-multiple-magical-objects form (like in "The Dark is Rising," though this book didn't spend quite so much time on it). Since this was a time-travel story, and since it's Diana Wynne Jones, I kept expecting certain revelations about the identity of Faber John and the Time Lady which never happened (think "Archer's Goon" here). I still have to wonder if she meant to imply it. I know someone named Vivian Smith, so that part was kind of fun!
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