Rating: 
Summary: Good, quick read - not his best work.
Review: Well if you are expecting Andromeda Strain or Jurrasic Park (or even Sphere) you will probably be dissapointed. The science in Timeline is weak at best, and you never really buy the "alternate universe to the past" bit (not to mention how they explain the way the team gets reconstituted on the other end). The history is a little better and the story is rather exciting from an action standpoint. I kept thinking about "Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis as a much better rendition of an amazingly similar theme and plot line (i.e. history researcher going back in time to the middle ages, having technical problems, having to use their history knowledge to survive, etc.). If you read Timeline, read Doomsday Book as well for a nice comparison.
Rating: 
Summary: disappointing
Review: The book started out promising, with a realistic approach to "time-travel", but travels downhill from there. There is no character development in the time travel sequence--people come and go arbitrarily, the reader never is clear on who the characters are, or why they are after the time travelers. It seems Mr. Crichton wrote this book with Hollywood looking over his shoulder, just waiting to grab it out of his hands and turn it into a screen play
Rating: 
Summary: Timeline: Perils of Pauline Revisited
Review: Ever since the Andromeda Strain, I've been impressed with Michael Crichton's ability to hook the reader very early with a tremendously creative plot line. Timeline is certainly no exception. Even though time travel tends to be an overdone theme in science fiction, Crichton's initial plot setup is intriguing. His pseudo-scientific explanations of how quantum theory makes time travel possible is ingenious, and his well-researched portrayal of everyday life in feudal Europe is full of fascinating details. But I found my interest waning as his time-traveling trio battled armies of knights, monks and various thugs; crossed and re-crossed a river several times, swung from ropes and rafters, and generally performed superhuman feats and countless narrow escapes, all within a 37-hour period. Frankly, I became disoriented and disinterested as the escapades became more and more preposterous, especially by his lead character (Here I come to save the day. . .) Andre Marek. A good read but be prepared to swallow a large grain of salt in the process.
Rating:
Summary: Straight to Screenplay
Review: I really disliked this book, but finished it anyway, hoping it would payoff. It would make a blockbuster movie, a la Jurassic Park. Lots of detailed physical action, zero character development. Definitely my least favorite Crichton book.
Rating:
Summary: Still better than other science-based fiction
Review: But not as good as I'd expect from Crichton. However, that may have a lot to do with my not being very interested in Medeival history. IMHO, there was too much action and not enough science involved in the plot. I'd put this at the bottom of a ranking of Crichton's novels, but still worth reading for entertainment.
Rating: 
Summary: Great adventure book! Mixes sci-fi and history
Review: I thought this book was very exciting. I finished the entire book in one day. It is a swashbuckling tale that is combined with small amounts of science fiction. The author uses the sci-fi to transport his characters to a time of knights and damsels. It is a very enjoyable adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting read!
Review: Some people have given this book a bad review below, but I'm afraid they've missed the point by a very long shot. This isn't meant to have character depth and a fancy plot, like say, the very good Robert Goddard. It's escapism, pure and simple. The plot is breathless, as the characters go from one problem to the next, and it makes for a thrilling, enjoyable read. Kind of the equivalent of watching a great Hollywood movie. And it has the usual Crichton hallmarks of teaching you about this and that. Highly recommended for when you just want something that's damn exciting and, cliched as the phrase might be, a true Page Turner.
Rating:
Summary: See the movie instead
Review: I felt like I was reading a screen play
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This book is not as tight as some of Crichton's other accomplishments. The story was never very believable. There was suspense, but it was almost cliched. What he did do well was cause me to pause and reconsider what we really know about how people lived back in time.
Rating:
Summary: Imaginative and exciting, but flawed novel.
Review: Michael Crichton does his research. In "Timeline," he thoroughly researches a time period in the 1300's, and to make sure that we know this, Crichton includes an extensive bibliography at the end of the book. He also goes into some esoteric jargon concerning quantum physics, which I admit I barely understood. "Timeline" is about an eccentric genius who comes up with an idea that enables his scientists to "fax" people to another time period. Most of the book takes place in the 1300's in France. Since I like history, I enjoyed the esoteric details about life in the Middle Ages. However, Crichton pays little attention to character and plot development in this novel. "Timeline" has several serious flaws. The characters are one-dimensional. The plot makes little sense. It is like an "Indiana Jones" or "Perils of Pauline" escapade, in which our heroes are in constant danger, but somehow just manage to stay alive (unbelievably). The villains are completely nasty, with no gray areas. However, since Crichton does have some storytelling skills, I did want to see how it would all turn out in the end. In the future, Crichton should pay more attention to character and plotting. The best research doesn't make up for a novel without the basic elements of interesting and well-developed characters and a carefully constructed plot.
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