Review by Nithilah Ayyappan -- Wasting Time by Mike Murphey

[Nithilah Ayyappan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Wasting Time" by Mike Murphey.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Being a fan of both science fiction and romance, the books I look for usually have an inner theme of science while also portraying a vivid love story. So when I found the novel Wasting Time by Mike Murphey, I believed I had found my next favorite book.

The novel starts with Sheila, a veteran traveler forcefully sent back to the past beyond her birth. Now Marta and Marshall must hold up the conspiracy of how Sheila really died while dealing with the arising demise of the GRC and uncover murder ploys made by a distinctive parallel universe. All while holding up their own love life. Through research, time travel, and battles with political meddlers, Marta must establish peace in all universes, get comfortable with her role as administrator of time travel, and face the truths of her relationship with Marshall.

This book had its pros and cons. I really liked that the characters all had their own feelings and thoughts, and each had their own problems and demons they had to face. This made reading the book a lot more interesting since I could dive deep into how certain events affected each character. I also liked how well thought out the science aspect of the book was, being not too complicated to understand but also fairly complex. The ending was also well put together and resolved all the issues while creating a sense of closure.

However, there were many aspects of the book I did not enjoy. First, the plot moved very slowly, without much excitement throughout. Reading the book became a tedious effort when the events were not adding substance to the plot and merely felt like filler words. Also, although the characters are well developed, their relationships with other characters are not strong. For example, although Marta and Marshall are the main characters, the only thing they do when they are together is engage in sexual activities. Furthermore, some characters are only introduced for one chapter, then disappear for the next. This made the book and the flow of events seem choppy, without proper transitions.

Another thing I found odd about the plot was the sudden introduction of a character dying off. This had not been in the slightest bit hinted throughout the story, but popped up all of a sudden in the middle. I found this to be very confusing because in one chapter that character was fine, but the next everyone was worried they would die. Also, Marta is portrayed as a young woman who fears intimate relationships with others, so it is understandable she would be suspicious of people in her life. But in the story, she has a suspicion that another main character isn’t who he says he is. But this suspicion isn’t rooted in any substantial evidence, and the starting reason for this feeling is never introduced to the reader. Therefore, I was very confused every time this subject came up in the book, as I was never told why Marta felt this way.

Based on this analysis, I would rate this novel 2 out of 4 stars. This book is not apt for 3 or 4 stars because the plot wasn’t enticing for me to read, and there were many aspects of the plot that could’ve been better explained or altogether taken out. But I would not give this book 1 star because the characters were still well thought out, and the writing style was clear and easy to read.

For anyone looking for an interesting plot with strong romance, I would not recommend this book. This book also contains a good amount of sexual discourse, although it is not described in detail nor in excess, so this book is not recommended for young readers. However, I would recommend this book to avid science fiction readers interested in time travel and its realistic complications.

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Wasting Time
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[Mercy119]

Such a detailed review! Looks like the text needs thorough editing to iron out the issues presented above, which will elevate its readability.

[Nithilah Ayyappan]

Such a detailed review! Looks like the text needs thorough editing to iron out the issues presented above, which will elevate its readability.

Yes, I agree, the text does need some editing to resolve these issues. Thanks for the comment!

[DANAWEB]

It is unfortunate that the novel did not live up to your expectation. Your rating is justified based on your review! Thanks for the detailed review!

[Nithilah Ayyappan]

It is unfortunate that the novel did not live up to your expectation. Your rating is justified based on your review! Thanks for the detailed review!

Yes, the book did have some qualities that did not meet my expectations when I started reading, but the plot is still well thought out. Thanks for your comment!

[markodim721]

It is a pity that the well-designed characters are not set in a faster plot and better used.