Rating: 
Summary: AN HONEST DEPENDABLE REVIEW
Review: I found the book engaging and didn't want to put it down until "I just finish this next chapter". However I also found it slightly lacking in certain aspects. I LOVE Sci-Fi as Crighton does it! He makes everything seem so possible and attainable. The scientific explanations were incredible. I felt like I actually knew how to split an atom after reading this! However, the characters & actual plot were somewhat neglected due to this emphasis. Its extremely hard to find that balance. Just WHERE are you going to put your emphasis, and WHEN do you do it, and HOW MUCH. Crighton is still a great story teller. The other aspect was the history involved. Even if you hate Sci-Fi, its STILL a great book if you LOVE the 14th century and all that goes with it. The knights, the castles, the fights, the language! But even in this area it was not "all it could be". Again, how much description can he give? How much detail is enough when youre trying to encapsulate this broad story? Some things should be forgiven...let it flow as they say. After all, its only entertainment! So my breakdown is this: Scientifically...OUTSTANDING. Historically...PLEASINGLY EDUCATIONAL. Plot/characters...SLIGHTLY OVERLOOKED DUE TO FOCUS ON 1st TWO ASPECTS, YET FORGIVEABLE. This book is a GREAT READ! Unless you are counting the hours you have left in this life why not pick it up & add it to your library and to your head. I read it in under a week at a leisurely pace. It has given me a lot of food for thought, and had added another fractal to the dimention that is my mind.
Rating: 
Summary: Still in a rut.
Review: I thought Crichton might finally step out of his string of low quality books he has been writing (Airframe and The Lost World) and step back to the genius displayed in his early works (Andromeda Strain, Jurassic Park and Sphere). Alas, I was disappointed with Timeline. The book starts off interestingly, presenting a good premise, but it dissolves into a mess of pointless action scenes that do not hold the book together. Characters are shallow and the plot is terribly predictable. I keep giving Crichton a chance to wow me again... unfortunately this did not do it.
Rating:
Summary: Fun story for weekend read
Review: I enjoyed the book well enough, but probably won't go see the movie when it comes out. The beginning took me in easily and story unfolded smoothly. Have to say I found myself thinking that the plot was somewhat similar to Jurassic Park. Nevertheless, Crichton is an excellent author and always enjoyable to read.
Rating:
Summary: Screenplay posing as a novel
Review: It's obvious that Crichton had his eye on a movie deal as he was writing this story. The characters are not developed, the setting in France is described in depth(with an overview from a helicopter)and the story reads like a screenplay not a novel. The only good writing is in the introduction.Too many Crichton novels have been made into movies. Instead of developing the characters and story himself, he has only provided the rough outline from which he envisions a director and actors fleshing out the story.Save your time and wait for the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Where's The Old Michael Crichton?
Review: Do you believe I actually thought this story was going somewhere? Next thing I knew I was in one of those gothic romance novels with the knights and the good king and the bad king and the damsel who's as strong and as daring as most men, but she'll swoon at the touch of her man. Give me a break. I'm disappointed with his recent work. I guess it's time to remove Mr. Crichton from my Favorite Authors list. Peace and love, Breezee
Rating: 
Summary: Clichéd Formula
Review: If you are a big fan of Michael Crichton because of his ability to take the bleeding edge of science and make it plausible, you will like the first 30 pages of this book. The wonderful quantum physics explanation is the only redeeming quality of this novel. The action and characters are geared towards their reproduction on the silver screen rather, not in the human mind. The plot is unimaginative , following again the formula of "create chaos by containment", trapping the characters in an environment they can't leave (recall Jurassic Park, Sphere). Frankly, the action is completely predictable and boring. I put the book down several times and almost didn't pick it up again. It's a shame about the plot because the science behind this story is fascinating.After reading Jurassic Park, I read "Chaos" by Yorke and found Mr. Crichton's research uncannily insightful. After reading "Timeline", I read "Nanosystems" by Drexler and found gaping holes in Mr. Crichton's explanations of parallel universes. Things just didn't add up. The research effort for this novel seems more minimal than what I would expect from Mr. Crichton based on his previous works. Perhaps my expectations are too high. If you are a Crichton fan for the science, I wouldn't recommend Timeline because you will be disappointed. Historical fans may delight in the details and archeology, but I would recommend "The Eight" by Neville instead.
Rating:
Summary: Crichton's worst
Review: I have read several of Crichton's books, and this is his worst by far. The story just repeats itself over and over. Week plot. Could have been much better. I normally like all of Crichton's work, but not this time. If I had to read one more fight scene - I think I would gag.
Rating: 
Summary: A TechnoThriller and a Swashbuckler all in one!
Review: The future and the past come alive in Michael Crichton's new book. Knights in shining blood stained armor, damsels in distress, castles, monks, moats, drawbridges are all part of the wild suspense filled tale. Crichton must have spent the last two or three years locked away in a library doing research on quantum physics and medieval France, but the final product, Timeline, was well worth the wait.
Rating:
Summary: Tired Formula
Review: The plot and characters of this book, which is just Crichton's standard formula, are derived, contrived and absolutely predictable. The cast, for there is no doubt that this will be a movie, consists solely of cartoon characters, and the plot line is nothing more than unrelated "Perils of Pauline" type skits which are strung together in a flacid attempt to build tension and suspense leading to the contrived life or death deadline. This book would be good reading for ages 10 to 14.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining as usual
Review: To all of the harsh critics out there I say: Relax! It's Michael Crichton, not Tolstoy! As usual, Crichton has given us an entertaining story along with some interesting passages about an underlying topic (in this case, quantum mechanics and the middle ages). I had a blast with this book. I can't wait for the movie, which I am sure will follow.
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