3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
A Reunion in Time is an interesting science fiction novel written by Russell F. Moran.
The year is 2021. Three individuals in their thirties: Rick, an FBI agent in charge of New York Counterterrorism Task Force; Ellen, an architect and a partner in a big New York architectural firm; and Jack, an author and journalist writing an article for the Washington Times, disappear in a construction site on the way to Holy Cross High School within hours of each other. They show up in their teenage bodies in the year 2001, a few days before the attack on the World Trade Center in September 11. Apparently, they travel twenty years back in time.
Though Rick, his wife Ellen, and Jack do not come within the same day, they share the same experience of walking through a construction site, stepping on a grate and appearing in a different year in their younger bodies. They also offer the same warning about an attack on the World Trade Center in their attempt to stop the horrible event from happening. Naturally, no one believes them.
While trying to figure out a way back to 2021 with the help of Brother Francis, the Dean of Men of Holy Cross High School and Dr. Max Thorndike, a leading expert on time travel, the three seemingly young people visit Ellen’s uncle, a novelist who writes about time travel and who introduces them to another time traveler who knows about something he calls a ‘doomsday material’.
Told in alternating perspectives between first-person points of view of Rick and Ellen and third-person point of view, the book begins with a fast pace that eventually slows down as the plot unravels. A great part of the story explains time travel and the possibility of such phenomenon. In view of that, words such as wormhole, time portal, and time-space-continuum are mentioned and so are Einstein-Rosen Bridge and Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity.
The author does a great job in presenting the plot in installment of surprises. It makes the story suspenseful though not in a thrilling but rather in an intriguing kind of way. Settings and events are described in details and characters are easily distinguished from one another. Among the characters, I like Jack the most. He has the ability to make light of whatever situation they are in.
While the most important part of the book, for me, is the question regarding the appropriateness of using knowledge of the future for personal benefit no matter how necessary, the part I like most is the explanation of the ‘slit in the fabric of time.’ I find it convincing.
Admittedly, I enjoyed this book a lot. However, other readers may find the alternating perspectives confusing. Moreover, I find some inconsistencies in the story and the ending a little anticlimactic. Finally, there are several noticeable errors within the entire book which are mostly typo errors.
I, therefore, rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is very interesting and I recommend it to science fiction fans especially those who enjoy time travel stories.
******
A Reunion in Time
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like kimmyschemy06's review? Post a comment saying so!
