3 out of 4 stars
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Redemption in Time by William Clark is a science fiction novel that explores the idea of time travel. The characters that travel back in time find themselves in the late 1800’s in the western part of the U.S.
Bruce Taylor has discovered how to travel in time. In fact, he has made several trips back to Montana. In particular, he has revisited the battle of the Little Big Horn. On one of these trips he left something behind. Greg Gander is an archeologist. On one of his digs in Montana, he finds a strange artifact and circumstances lead him to seek out Mr. Taylor to help him identify it. These two become friends and initiate a series of events that affect not only their only lives but all of history.
William Clark has created a mind-blowing story about the possibilities of time travel. He introduces several characters that eventually find themselves in a different period. Will they be able to return or will they remain in the past? Another main character is the government. Government agents want to get their hands on the time travel technology. What are their intentions? Who will control the time travel machine?
Being a book that deals with time travel, there are two different settings. The modern time setting is the year 2013. This setting is familiar to us as the characters are using cell phones, internet and modern appliances. The characters that travel back in time find themselves in different western states, from Oregon to Texas, in the 1800’s. Here they must relearn basic survival skills. Food, clothing, shelter, and personal protection become priorities.
The author’s description of the Battle of the Little Big Horn was very well done. His interest in this time period is seen in the vivid descriptions and accuracy of the battles and names of those involved. He creates a mood of suspense and mystery as we follow the different characters in the different time periods. Written from the third person point of view, we share the experiences of the characters as they try to survive without modern technology. Those who return from the past must evade government officials.
The one thing I did not like about the book was the constant use of acronyms. I counted up to 25 acronyms, most of which are not explained. Some are fairly common, such as DOD and CIA. Many others are unfamiliar for people not connected to government bureaus, such as JOTC and PNM.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The writing and the plot were excellent. I would happily give this book more than a four because of the excellent writing. One drawback was the long list of unexplained acronyms. There are also grammar and formatting problems throughout the book.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy science fiction, especially stories that venture into the theme of time travel.
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Redemption in time
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