Rating: 
Summary: Typical Crichton. Good idea, predictable execution.
Review: For a much better--and entirely different--story of travel in a virtual world (which is really what this is about), why not read Tangherlini's leo@fergusrules.com?
Rating:
Summary: Haven't I read this before?
Review: I enjoyed Timeline, but I wasn't a hundred pages in when I began to have deja vu. "The Doomsday Book" by Connie Willis, written several years ago, and winner of both the Nebula and Hugo is the superior telling of virtually the same story. Crichton, as usual writes a book you can't put down, but I am beginning to wonder where he gets his story ideas from.
Rating: 
Summary: Time travel deserves better
Review: I was bitterly disappointed with this attempt at an addition to genre of time travel novels. I started reading the book expecting a well thought out, plausible time travel novel on the order of "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. After over 100 pages of very detailed information providing the set up to the time travel itself, in less than a page, Crichton kills off the only experienced people on the time travel mission and makes it impossible for the other travelers to return to the present. It was such a let down to find that he stooped to the fastest and least plausible way to set up the scene so his "heros" would have to fend for themselves back in the 14th century. I literally threw the book across the room in disgust after reading that page. And to think I wasted my money on the hardback version of this poorly written drivel. If you are a diehard M. Crichton fan borrow a copy from your library, otherwise read some of the wonderfully written time travel books that are there on the shelves.
Rating: 
Summary: Nearly Unreadable
Review: This is not a great book. The science and the history are speculative; the characters are wooden and undeveloped; and too often the story depends on fortunate circumstance to keep it alive. The amount of blood and gore tells us Chricton has spent too much time in the ER.Timeline reads as if it were writen by a committee. Clearly Crichton has a lot on his plate; perhaps too much if this is the result.
Rating:
Summary: Movie will be better than the book
Review: Timeline was not terribly engaging. It would make a better comic book than it did a novel. There were so many cliffhangers and near disasters that suspension of belief began to wear thin. The action was swift and furious, without question, but I expected a different level of depth in character and plot development for a 400 page novel. Not Crichton's best, but I'm sure it'll make a blockbuster movie some day.
Rating:
Summary: Not up to author's standards
Review: I found this book to be well below the standards I expect from this author. He does much better with biology than mathmatics for the science in scienc fiction. Also to expect the reader to believe that modern men with little or no training could defeat midevil warriors who have been training their whole life is just too unbelievable. A premise like time travel deserves much better.
Rating: 
Summary: A GOOD BOOK
Review: I thought this was a good book, but it didn't come up to the top notch reviews I had read, either. I read it slowly, but it was not one that I couldn't wait to finish. If you want to another read a book that goes straight to your heart, read Stolen Moments by Barbara Jeanne Fisher. . .It is a beautiful story of unrequited love. . .for certain the love story of the nineties. I intended to give the book a quick read, but I got so caught up in the story that I couldn't put the book down. From the very beginning, I was fully caught up in the heart-wrenching account of Julie Hunter's battle with lupus and her growing love for Don Lipton. This love, in the face of Julie's impending death, makes for a story that covers the range of human emotions. The touches of humor are great, too, they add some nice contrast and lighten things a bit when emotions are running high. I've never read a book more deserving of being published. It has rare depth. Julie's story will remind your readers that life and love are precious and not to be taken for granted. It has had an impact on me, and for that I'm grateful. Stolen Moments is written with so much sensitivity that it made me want to cry. It is a spellbinder. What terrific writing. Barbara does have an exceptional gift! This book was edited by Lupus specialist Dr. Matt Morrow too, and has the latest information on that disease. ..A perfect gift for someone who started college late in life, fell in love too late in life, is living with any illness, or trying to understand a loved one who is. . .A gift to be cherished forever.
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful novel!
Review: I measure the beauty of the novel by the time I spend reading it. And to tell you the truth, Timeline (449 pages) took me 11 hours only! The novel is full of new ideas, information, science and physics theories, and best of all, it is full of advanture. I really liked this novel, and it is one of the best novels of Michael Crichton. I recommend it. Thanks!
Rating:
Summary: 100% Crichton
Review: What is with the swift endings to Crichton novels? Has anyone else noticed this? In all of the Crichton novels I have read, it never ceases to amaze me how he draws the reader to the edge of their seat for the climax and suddenly it's over. Bam. Case closed. Airframe is a good example of this. It was a great mystery-type of thriller (like Disclosure) and then when the truth is finally explained, it comes in a very dry, boring manner. .. and suddenly one finds oneself on the last page. Timeline does the same thing. Once the climax is reached, he dedicated two lazy pages to debriefing and we're done. Like Airframe, I was highly disappointed with the ending, and that's why I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5. The weak ending notwithstanding, the plot and characters are brilliant, The level of detail is stunning. I read the book in two days. It captivated me. It dared me to think outside of the box. It compelled me to dream and fantasize. It educated me as much as any history book I have read in my life. Other than the ending, this is a phenomenally creative work of art and I applaude MC for the terrific research and time that went into this book. I still recommend it highly for someone who loves geeky, technical stuff, a penchant for history, has the patience to comprehend the depth of the writing in many parts.
Rating:
Summary: Same story, New book
Review: I liked this book. But I like all of Mr. Crichton's books. Same type plot
| 
