Rating: 
Summary: Time For An Action Novel? Then TIMELINE Is For You
Review: Michael Crichton's recent midieval novel, TIMELINE, proved to be a far more interesting and engaging story than I had expected from reading the inside cover. Crichton has cleverly mixed modern quantom theory with a little imagination and a lot of interesting facts from a time and place most of us know little about and produced an action thriller I found I could not put down!While the ending was somewhat predictable and the motivation for the story to occur in the first place was somewhat questionable you will quickly find yourself caught up and carried along by this clever story of modern man meeting some rather tough folks from a long time ago. Treatr yourself to some enjoyable, recreational reading and go for TIMELINE.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun Read
Review: After months of tedious work, and mind numbing report writing, I wanted to find a book to just kick back with, and found just the thing in "Timeline". It wasn't difficult to follow, was at times creative, and was basically fun to read. It made for a pleasant two day vacation from the present world.
Rating: 
Summary: An extremely compelling book
Review: After being hooked on Jurassic Park and its sequel the Lost World, I was quite disappointed with Airframe, Crichton's 1997 effort. Timeline has the exciting plot that I felt Airframe sadly lacked, and from start to finish it grips you incessantly. The quantum theory relating to travel in the 'multiverse' grabs your attention early on and forces you to engage your brain in a critical but also receptive manner. The setting is suberb - the Dordogne in the south of France is a beautiful area rich in medieval history. Also, the constant switching between the 14th and the 20th centuries is very effective. At times you can imagine how easily the scenes could be transformed into film, but this is no bad thing - a well-made screen version of this story would be a great experience. Hopefully Crichton will not, however, feel compelled to write a third instalment of the Jurassic Park story. I personally thought the events should have been concluded with the first book, but the Lost World (novel) was still far superior to the film version. An extension to the story, potentially involving dinosaurs running amock on the mainland (in a similar vein to the ludicrous scenes at the end of the second film) would be very difficult to stomach. However, a prequel to the first book would be far more palatable...
Rating: 
Summary: Medieval Times in Jurrasic Park
Review: I love Chrighton's ability to write action packed fiction to a technical geek like me. Timeline was thrilling, and included a brilliant vision of not-too-distant future technologies (insightful si-fi) as well as life in the 1300's (historical fiction). I couldn't put it down and can't wait for the movie which will undoubtedly follow). After I finished I reflected that Timeline is a direct copy of the Jurrasic Park formula: - an early tease of technical problems - a group of unsuspecting youths - a misunderstood, ancient world - numerous violent threats - a technical genius with his incredible computing power - a plan to make a fortune while ignoring obvious moral dilemas. Which book am I refering to? Both.
Rating:
Summary: Makes History Meaningful and Pure Entertainment
Review: Needless to say I enjoyed this book. While it gave some informative historical perspectives, it also entertained. No doubt a movie is on the "event" horizon for this one. There are some aspects that defy logical reasoning and, yes, their could be some character development. However, who cares? This was a fun 7 hour read. I look forward to the 3 hour movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Huge Disappointment
Review: One of very few books that I just couldn't get invloved in. The ending is fairly predictable and the book is a chore to read. I think Chrichton is trying to sell movies rather than write good books. Airframe was the last book I really enjoyed from him.
Rating:
Summary: One of his best
Review: Critchon's gift for weaving physics, quantum theory, and history into a riveting story is unparalleled. I've read all his books, and this one ranks as one of his best. I finished this book in two days, I did not want to put the book down. I also enjoyed the character development of "Chris," from a relative weak character who seemed to be the slowest to adjust to the main characters' situations, to a strong, more self confident person. I recommend to everyone who enjoys reading.
Rating: 
Summary: A great premise...and not much else.
Review: Very disappointing. A promising idea but... shallow characters, far too many predictable close calls/narrow escapes without tension, and loose threads, made this a big yawn. About 1/3 of the way through, I started to skip-read to get through the drivel. Some early potential plot directions were later abruptly dismissed in a couple of sentences for no apparent reason. It feels like Mr. Crichton wrote this on a single plane trip (N.Y. to L.A.?). Perhaps on his way to sell the movie rights?
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointment
Review: As a fan of both Crichton and historical fiction, I found this book very disappointing. That's not to say that I didn't enjoy it. Timeline is fast-paced and contains plenty of made-for-Hollywood and/or computer games violence and scenarios. The character development is minimal, however, and will require the assistance of some very talented actors to make Crichton's two-dimensional figures come to life. The historical reconstruction is equally shallow, with all events taking place in a theme-park medieval France devoid of all but bloodthirsty knights, fair (but appropriately feminist) maidens, and pious monks. Crichton's previous attempts at historical reconstruction (Eaters of the Dead, The Great Train Robbery) were more successful. His failure here results in a book that kept me turning the pages as much out of mirth as from suspense. I can't wait for the movie!
Rating:
Summary: One big bloody chase scene; one big bloody disappointment
Review: As I read Crichton's latest novel, I couldn't help but have a sense of deja vu. Hmmm...where have I heard this story before? I know! In a CHILDREN'S BOOK! Ever read "How I Faced the Hampshire Mauler" from Max and Me and the Time Machine by Gery Greer and Bob Ruddick? Well, the jousting tournament,the knight dressed in black and even the sensations felt by the characters while being transported are strikingly similar. I looked forward to Timeline with great anticipation, but was truly disappointed that Crichton saw fit to develop nothing more than a brutal, disgusting, head-lopping chase scene instead of his characters. Crummy plot and shallow characters...just the right ingredients for a mainstream cinema hit. Crichton really seems to have opted in favor of writing fodder for Hollywood; too bad any quality is nonexistent.
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