Timeline (Unabridged)

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Summary: A hyperrealistic historical novel of the near future
Review: Any reader who fails to appreciate what Michael Chrichton has accomplished in Timelines need only pick up virtually any other book written on time travel for education. Unlike 99.9% of active science fiction writers, Crichton actually provides a plausible, real world basis for his speculations. Having said that, there is no doubt that the book possesses serious flaws. The competing medieval warlords are both crude and scowling characitures of evil, even though one consistently reported fact about charismatic leaders of virtually every ilk is the capacity for personal charm when it suits their purpose. Further, it was amusing to observe how the historian / time travellers dealt with appallingly stressful circumstances with the grit and ingenuity of Navy Seals - deep panic attacks would be a far more plausible response. The character of "Merrick" (not sure of the spelling - I listened to the audio tape) was particularly absurd - we are asked to believe that an academic with no combat experience whatsoever, much less in medieval warfare, becomes instantly upon export to the past a superknight , able to slaughter an entire squadron of battlehardened soldiers in close quarter combat. And I agree totally that the disposition of Donneger at the end was both incredible and immoral - after all, the man's only real crime was rudeness. Nevertheless, the careful establishment of a plausible basis for time travel, and the loving attention given to the creation of the medieval world the characters are launched into still place this book in a category entirely of its own, that of historical fiction of the near future, with little but other Crichton novels such as The Andromena Strain or Jurassic Park for company.

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Summary: Quantum Theory as Entertainment
Review: Spent most of my day reading Crichton's new novel 'Timeline' - a well paced, well constructed narrative that is highly entertaining. I was looking forward to this new tale because I've observed Crichton's career over the last twenty years and have been impressed with its development. His 'tried and true' formula for telling a good story improves with every book he writes. This particular novel is a fine-tuned machine that addresses the theory of quantum physics in relation to time travel. The story concerns a group of post graduates who travel back in time to the 12th century in an effort to rescue their teacher and mentor who, because of reasons that cannot be discussed, is trapped in medieval France. The story booms along from there at a riveting tempo. What I love about Crichton's novels is that the reader in most cases will learn something: his books have a distictive pedagogical motivation. For example, mind control and psychiatric surgery in 'Terminal Man'; the aviation industry in 'Airframe'; genetics in 'Jurasic Park'; and finally, quantum physics and a new approach to academic history in 'Timeline'. However, don't let the word 'Quantum' physics put you off reading the novel: Crichton manages to explain the theory at a level where any Year 10 student can easily understand. 'Timeline' is Crichton at his best! (I read the book in one sitting!) Read it, learn and enjoy. Craig Middleton.

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Summary: Should Have Been in the Movie Section
Review: I have to sympathize with a few of the other reviewers on this one. I was excited to read Crichton's new book thinking that the plot line would be an exciting one. However, midway through I felt as though I was reading a screenplay and not a book. This has too often been the calling sign of the Crichton of late. Yes he can still dazzle us with his unbelievble descriptiveness of that which most people don't understand, but he too has become commercialized. I wish he would just go back to being a great writer, like the days of Andromeda Strain. Now that was a work of art.

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Summary: timeline
Review: Would make a soso plot for the old twilight zone TV series

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Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I thought this book was excellent! Although it focused on quantum physics technology it was not written so that a lay person could not understand it. What an adventure! I was angry when I finished it. I wanted more! Good reading!

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Summary: Timeline: A double-genred piece
Review: In what is one of Crichton's most engaging works, the reader is offered a hypnotizing swirl of cutting-edge futurist theory and an equally sophisticated view of medieval Europe. Crichton's resourcefulness in the world of theoretical science is emphasized more strongly than ever while he makes a fine debut in the field of historically-based literature. The story may prove to be especially intriguing to those who have previously defined the medieval period in terms of Monty Python and/or Period Role-playing games(I speak from experience.) My advice for the reader is to avoid the frustration that may come if you read this novel expecting only sci-fi or knights in shining armor and open yourself up to both angles of this story.

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Summary: An action packed trip to the past
Review: I found Michael Crichton's "Timeline", to be an action packed trip to the past. He has strong character build and desribes every scene in detail which I found very helpful to one's imagination. Yes, the novel reads like a screen-play and a movie deal may be just around the corner, but if you love entertainment, action, added with a little computer lingo then, Michael Crichton's, "Timeline", is a book for you.

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Summary: Not His Best, but a Valiant Effort
Review: Well, I did enjoy the brief lectures of Quantum physics, however it seems he left too many holes to truly explain the plot. For example, if this is a "split" dimension of time, how could anything they do affect the future? Why the concern if what they did did not matter, considering it was not our time specifically they travelled back to? I agree with most of these reviews, the characters were stiff and simply basic. I have seen better development in ten page short stories. One of the book's somewhat few strong points, however, is the accuracy in depicting the past. This accuracy, unfortunately, is ruined over and over by the seemingly endless good fortune of the characters as they escape one disaster after another. I like a good suspense as much as anyone, but when you keep building suspense without consequence (when you just keep letting everyone get away scratch free) you're no longer writing a book, you're drawing a cartoon.

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Summary: I expected more
Review: Crichton is my favorite living author, and The Great Train Robbery is my favorite book of his. Temper my review with that. I really hoped this would warrant a second reading, but it was un-Crichton-like to have such muddled explanations, even if qmech was the topic. I liked the story and I have no idea where he could have possible gotten the idea. It was interesting and somewhat suspenseful the whole way through. And beyond it being his book, it didn't really get much push, advertising-wise, so I liked it. Good enough as it is.

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Summary: Creighton's error
Review: I've loved his books from Andromeda Strain on. This book, although beginning in a great Creighton fashion, quickly deterioriates into pure convoluted garbage of unlikely events that will challenge the credulity of even a third grade student. Anyone who cares enough about what will happen, to read on to the end, has my admiration.