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A Time Odyssey #1
Time's Eye
In an instant, Earth is carved up and reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly the planet and every living thing on it no longer exist in a single timeline. Instead, the world becomes a patchwork of eras, from prehistory to 2037, each with its own indigenous inhabitants.
Scattered across the planet are floating silver orbs impervious to all weapons and impossible to communicate with. Are these technologically advanced devices responsible for creating and sustaining the rifts in time? Are they cameras through which inscrutable alien eyes are watching? Or are they something stranger and more terrifying still?
The answer may lie in the ancient city of Babylon, where two groups of refugees from 2037: three cosmonauts returning to Earth from the International Space Station, and three United Nations peacekeepers on a mission in Afghanistan have detected radio signals: the only such signals on the planet, apart from their own. The peacekeepers find allies in nineteenth-century British troops and in the armies of Alexander the Great. The astronauts, crash-landed in the steppes of Asia, join forces with the Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. The two sides set out for Babylon, each determined to win the race for knowledge . . . and the power that lies within.
Yet the real power is beyond human control, perhaps even human understanding. As two great armies face off before the gates of Babylon, it watches, waiting. . . .
Scattered across the planet are floating silver orbs impervious to all weapons and impossible to communicate with. Are these technologically advanced devices responsible for creating and sustaining the rifts in time? Are they cameras through which inscrutable alien eyes are watching? Or are they something stranger and more terrifying still?
The answer may lie in the ancient city of Babylon, where two groups of refugees from 2037: three cosmonauts returning to Earth from the International Space Station, and three United Nations peacekeepers on a mission in Afghanistan have detected radio signals: the only such signals on the planet, apart from their own. The peacekeepers find allies in nineteenth-century British troops and in the armies of Alexander the Great. The astronauts, crash-landed in the steppes of Asia, join forces with the Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. The two sides set out for Babylon, each determined to win the race for knowledge . . . and the power that lies within.
Yet the real power is beyond human control, perhaps even human understanding. As two great armies face off before the gates of Babylon, it watches, waiting. . . .
379 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 2003
297 people are currently reading
5,008 people want to read
About the author
Arthur C. Clarke
1,579books11.2kfollowersStories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include
2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968).
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 481 reviews
December 4, 2014
Dear Sir Arthur C. Clarke,
As a Poul Anderson fan, I enjoyed your collaborative novel Time’s Eye with Stephen Baxter. Not that Anderson has a monopoly on time travel / alternate history books and ideas, but some of his strongest works are in this sub-genre. This one reminded me of Anderson’s , and it was also reminiscent of Philip Jose Farmer’s , with the eclectic blend of historic folks from divergent times. I also enjoyed the references to your wonderful books and . There were also mysterious elements of your award winning work .
Bravo!
You are a literary icon, a legend in your genre, one of the “Big Three� with Asimov and Heinlein. You’re a Knight and I’m just a little dude in the relative backwater of Tennessee.
But I have a question, Sir Arthur:
Who can I blame?
Was it you, great though you are, getting a little long in the tooth, maybe slipping a little, and who could blame you? You were 90 when you passed on, still working, still contributing creatively and being productive! Wow!
Bravo!
But really, who can I throw this rock at, you or Baxter? If it was him, just say, maybe just a shrug, quick nod, I’ll understand.
Who was responsible for the raging discontinuity, the loose ends, and the unfulfilled promise of a great idea?
My thought about this “collaboration� was that Baxter did all the heavy lifting and you chimed in from Sri Lanka, directing the excavation and supervised the project. Can we blame Baxter or did you the aging Jedi lead your Padawan astray?
This could have been great, might have been, perhaps should have been, but over here in the States we play a game called baseball, and when you’re calling balls and strikes you call ‘em like you see ‘em, and this was not great, it was just OK.
Still like you a lot, and I’m sure on any other project Mr. Baxter is a damn fine writer and collaborator. No hard feelings.
Love,
Lyn
As a Poul Anderson fan, I enjoyed your collaborative novel Time’s Eye with Stephen Baxter. Not that Anderson has a monopoly on time travel / alternate history books and ideas, but some of his strongest works are in this sub-genre. This one reminded me of Anderson’s , and it was also reminiscent of Philip Jose Farmer’s , with the eclectic blend of historic folks from divergent times. I also enjoyed the references to your wonderful books and . There were also mysterious elements of your award winning work .
Bravo!
You are a literary icon, a legend in your genre, one of the “Big Three� with Asimov and Heinlein. You’re a Knight and I’m just a little dude in the relative backwater of Tennessee.
But I have a question, Sir Arthur:
Who can I blame?
Was it you, great though you are, getting a little long in the tooth, maybe slipping a little, and who could blame you? You were 90 when you passed on, still working, still contributing creatively and being productive! Wow!
Bravo!
But really, who can I throw this rock at, you or Baxter? If it was him, just say, maybe just a shrug, quick nod, I’ll understand.
Who was responsible for the raging discontinuity, the loose ends, and the unfulfilled promise of a great idea?
My thought about this “collaboration� was that Baxter did all the heavy lifting and you chimed in from Sri Lanka, directing the excavation and supervised the project. Can we blame Baxter or did you the aging Jedi lead your Padawan astray?
This could have been great, might have been, perhaps should have been, but over here in the States we play a game called baseball, and when you’re calling balls and strikes you call ‘em like you see ‘em, and this was not great, it was just OK.
Still like you a lot, and I’m sure on any other project Mr. Baxter is a damn fine writer and collaborator. No hard feelings.
Love,
Lyn
December 9, 2019
This is a vastly entertaining trip into history. A few modern-day people are swept into an alternate world. People from vastly different ages in history find themselves in the same time period. What would happen if the Mongol Horde, led by Genghis Khan, were to confront the disciplined army of Alexander the Great? You will find the answer in this novel!
Throughout the story, it is a mystery how these people from different ages got swept together into the same time period. It has to do with the sudden appearance of a large number of spherical eyes that have popped up everywhere. It is not at all clear what these eyes are, and what they are doing.
This novel is actually a collaboration between wonderful science fiction authors Arthur C. Clarke () and Stephen Baxter. I recommend this book to all fans of science fiction.
Throughout the story, it is a mystery how these people from different ages got swept together into the same time period. It has to do with the sudden appearance of a large number of spherical eyes that have popped up everywhere. It is not at all clear what these eyes are, and what they are doing.
This novel is actually a collaboration between wonderful science fiction authors Arthur C. Clarke () and Stephen Baxter. I recommend this book to all fans of science fiction.
August 15, 2020
Not too much memorable around this surprisingly boring story. 3 of 10 stars
June 27, 2018
What can I expect from a title like that with hard-hitting authors like this?
A little bit of the strengths of both and a few of their weaknesses, of course. Most of the characters feel like Clarke's inventions, but some of the odder characters kinda felt like Baxter.
The real strength of this novel is the slicings of time and location, jaunting whole segments of the Earth's populace into mish-mashes quite like Riverworld.
How do the armies of Genghis Kahn and Alexander the Great sound, clashing in an epic end? Good?
WELCOME TO THIS NOVEL. :)
Astronauts, AI phones, ravening hoards, gentlemen Greek explorers (HA), and modern Afganistan warriors and, for good measure, the missing link species for humanity. The mix is quite fun and the promise is there.
Strong start, fun middle... but what happened to the end?
Oh, wait, book one. Let's see where this goes. :)
A little bit of the strengths of both and a few of their weaknesses, of course. Most of the characters feel like Clarke's inventions, but some of the odder characters kinda felt like Baxter.
The real strength of this novel is the slicings of time and location, jaunting whole segments of the Earth's populace into mish-mashes quite like Riverworld.
How do the armies of Genghis Kahn and Alexander the Great sound, clashing in an epic end? Good?
WELCOME TO THIS NOVEL. :)
Astronauts, AI phones, ravening hoards, gentlemen Greek explorers (HA), and modern Afganistan warriors and, for good measure, the missing link species for humanity. The mix is quite fun and the promise is there.
Strong start, fun middle... but what happened to the end?
Oh, wait, book one. Let's see where this goes. :)
February 12, 2010
I thoroughly enjoyed Time’s Eye - it's got action, science, and solidly developed characters. It's also got an ancient history battle royale between Alexander the Great and his army vs. Genghis Khan and his Mongolian hoard.
Time's Eye is the first in Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke's Time Odyssey series which takes place in the same universe as Clarke's 2001 stories. Inexplicably (at least initially), Earth is sliced up and stitched back together creating a mish-mash of timeframes. This scenario creates the opportunity for Baxter and Clarke to position a Genghis-Alexander battle for control over the new Earth (dubbed "Mir" by the remnant individuals from the 21st century). The story is broad in scope, with multiple story lines intersecting, connecting and culminating in a satisfying conclusion. While the ending isn’t quite a cliff-hanger, it certainly sets up book 2 nicely.
Time's Eye has the requisite amount of hard science and pseudo-scientific - and sometimes atheistic - philosophical musings. These are the elements that Baxter and Clarke fans anticipate in their works. The philosophical vignettes are tightly written, and rarely feel forced or out of context with the rest of the story. I was thankful that there wasn’t too much rumination on the structure and specifics of time-travel.
The characters are solidly drawn and the authors were able to make the “real� characters like Alexander the Great, some of Alexander’s cohorts, and Rudyard Kipling (who gets caught in the time shifts), believable and relatively cliché-free.
In addition to the science fiction standbys of time travel and “those-that-watch-us-from-above�, the book contains solid historical fiction elements, specifically when dealing with Alexander and the Mongols. The authors take time to detail their histories, battle strategy and tactics of each set of warriors. There are also shades of Baxter’s Evolution while writing on the early hominids that get caught up in the time shifts.
Overall, I strongly recommend this sci-fi / alternative historical fiction from two of the best in the business.
Time's Eye is the first in Stephen Baxter and Arthur C. Clarke's Time Odyssey series which takes place in the same universe as Clarke's 2001 stories. Inexplicably (at least initially), Earth is sliced up and stitched back together creating a mish-mash of timeframes. This scenario creates the opportunity for Baxter and Clarke to position a Genghis-Alexander battle for control over the new Earth (dubbed "Mir" by the remnant individuals from the 21st century). The story is broad in scope, with multiple story lines intersecting, connecting and culminating in a satisfying conclusion. While the ending isn’t quite a cliff-hanger, it certainly sets up book 2 nicely.
Time's Eye has the requisite amount of hard science and pseudo-scientific - and sometimes atheistic - philosophical musings. These are the elements that Baxter and Clarke fans anticipate in their works. The philosophical vignettes are tightly written, and rarely feel forced or out of context with the rest of the story. I was thankful that there wasn’t too much rumination on the structure and specifics of time-travel.
The characters are solidly drawn and the authors were able to make the “real� characters like Alexander the Great, some of Alexander’s cohorts, and Rudyard Kipling (who gets caught in the time shifts), believable and relatively cliché-free.
In addition to the science fiction standbys of time travel and “those-that-watch-us-from-above�, the book contains solid historical fiction elements, specifically when dealing with Alexander and the Mongols. The authors take time to detail their histories, battle strategy and tactics of each set of warriors. There are also shades of Baxter’s Evolution while writing on the early hominids that get caught up in the time shifts.
Overall, I strongly recommend this sci-fi / alternative historical fiction from two of the best in the business.
February 19, 2022
This novel, the first of the A Time Odyssey trilogy was written by two of my favorite science fiction authors, just four years before the death of ACC. I'm guessing ACC came up with the basic ideas used as the framework and Baxter filled in the plot details. That's what it felt like while I was reading it. It felt like a Stephen Baxter novel.
In Time's Eye several groups of featured characters from different eras of humanity find themselves pulled out of time and put together in a sort of patchwork prehistoric earth. There are some prehistoric humans, some folks from Alexander the Great's time, Genghis Kahn's time, the late 19th century, current times (who just happen to be orbiting the earth in a Soyuz), and some from the near future. The cosmonauts in the Soyuz eventually realize what's going on as they see the earth change first hand, and are able to take photos of the "new" earth prior to landing. They also observe other less advanced groups from space during their orbits. The cosmonauts land in Asia, as planned, and eventually rendezvous with other groups in the area stuck in time. With different groups meeting each other with varied knowledge, numbers, friendliness, and weaponry or lack thereof, drama and conflict ensue.
How did this all happen? Who or what was behind this? All the earthbound people know is that it coincided with the appearance of the "eyes" spherical balls which float in certain areas here and there, and appear to be inert. Some answers are revealed in Time's Eye but it appears that the mystery will be revealed in the second book Sunstorm.
I really enjoyed this novel as I thought I would considering who was behind it. I grabbed Sunstorm on Audible and will be starting that next.
In Time's Eye several groups of featured characters from different eras of humanity find themselves pulled out of time and put together in a sort of patchwork prehistoric earth. There are some prehistoric humans, some folks from Alexander the Great's time, Genghis Kahn's time, the late 19th century, current times (who just happen to be orbiting the earth in a Soyuz), and some from the near future. The cosmonauts in the Soyuz eventually realize what's going on as they see the earth change first hand, and are able to take photos of the "new" earth prior to landing. They also observe other less advanced groups from space during their orbits. The cosmonauts land in Asia, as planned, and eventually rendezvous with other groups in the area stuck in time. With different groups meeting each other with varied knowledge, numbers, friendliness, and weaponry or lack thereof, drama and conflict ensue.
How did this all happen? Who or what was behind this? All the earthbound people know is that it coincided with the appearance of the "eyes" spherical balls which float in certain areas here and there, and appear to be inert. Some answers are revealed in Time's Eye but it appears that the mystery will be revealed in the second book Sunstorm.
I really enjoyed this novel as I thought I would considering who was behind it. I grabbed Sunstorm on Audible and will be starting that next.
July 5, 2013
First, let me just say that I have really enjoyed the works of Sir Arthur C. Clarke up until this point. I devoured 2001: A Space Odyssey with an abandon that I have not previously brought to a straight-up piece of Science Fiction. So, when I came across this one at a used book store, it was really the name that got me interested, even though the premise itself seemed interesting enough.
However, I was sadly disappointed. The plot itself was a great idea, but the execution was rather piss-poor. I was alternately bored or frustrated with certain plot twists and characterizations.
While I am completely unfamiliar with the works of Stephen Baxter, I was very disappointed with Clarke. Still, I'm considering reading the next book, just to see how the series ends. But, that's more out of curiosity for how the story continues, and not because I'm really invested in the characters or situation. A disappointment. Would not recommend.
However, I was sadly disappointed. The plot itself was a great idea, but the execution was rather piss-poor. I was alternately bored or frustrated with certain plot twists and characterizations.
While I am completely unfamiliar with the works of Stephen Baxter, I was very disappointed with Clarke. Still, I'm considering reading the next book, just to see how the series ends. But, that's more out of curiosity for how the story continues, and not because I'm really invested in the characters or situation. A disappointment. Would not recommend.
February 4, 2023
Great plot
RTC!
RTC!
June 1, 2021
second read - 19 May 2021 � ***. The concept is that at one moment, the Earth is carved up and reassembled with patches from different periods drawn from 2 million years of human history. Many of those patches were actually unpopulated by humans at the time, but are thrown together with accurately-described environmental systems. Those with humans, as statistically expectable, are mostly drawn from pre-history and early human civilizations, and even some early hominids. The most modern representatives are three UN Peacekeepers in Afghanistan, and three orbiting cosmonauts who happened to be passing immediately over the them in 2037. There is also an outpost of northwest British India, an army of Alexander the Great, and a Mongol army led by Genghis Khan.
The mystery of the new world’s existence is overshadowed by immediate struggles, during which the diverse groups of humans aggregate. The primary characters are not immune to death, and the military conflicts and power intrigues are intricately described. Culmination occurs when the groups formed by an alignment of Peacekeepers plus British plus Alexander the Great oppose Genghis Khan and his captured cosmonauts converge in Babylon. But that is not the end of the story, as the humans finally begin to confront the mystery of the floating "eyes" that are involved somehow with those responsible for the creation of this new world. Very little of that is actually explained in the unsatisfying ending of this volume, leading to a need to read the next. The novel is entertaining, but I wish the limited exposition of the SFnal mysteries was written in parallel with the intellectually interesting conflicts between disparate cultures.
I listened to an audio version of Time’s Eye, read by John Lee - whose mild English accent is appropriate for this work, even if his impressions of American accents are laughably inaccurate. This is a 9-disc 11-hour presentation of the complete novel. I chose it because I needed to make a multi-day cross-country drive, and this was one of the few science fiction audiobooks at my local library.
first read - 02 October 2008 � ***. This is set in a universe with concepts from Arthur C. Clarke's , but a lot of the writing seems more like Stephen Baxter's to me. And there is more plot tension than I am used to from either of these writers. I read the book in about two days.
The premise is that at one moment, the Earth is carved up and reassembled with patches from different times of human history. The most modern representatives are three UN Peacekeepers and three cosmonauts from 2037, and there is also an outpost of British India, the army of Alexander the Great, and a Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. These groups converge on Babylon and confront the mystery of the floating "eyes" that may be involved with those responsible for the creation of this new world.
Be prepared for that mystery to remain unresolved, at least in this first volume of a series. I've started reading a library copy of the sequel, - and it seems to be going in a completely tangential direction.
The mystery of the new world’s existence is overshadowed by immediate struggles, during which the diverse groups of humans aggregate. The primary characters are not immune to death, and the military conflicts and power intrigues are intricately described. Culmination occurs when the groups formed by an alignment of Peacekeepers plus British plus Alexander the Great oppose Genghis Khan and his captured cosmonauts converge in Babylon. But that is not the end of the story, as the humans finally begin to confront the mystery of the floating "eyes" that are involved somehow with those responsible for the creation of this new world. Very little of that is actually explained in the unsatisfying ending of this volume, leading to a need to read the next. The novel is entertaining, but I wish the limited exposition of the SFnal mysteries was written in parallel with the intellectually interesting conflicts between disparate cultures.
I listened to an audio version of Time’s Eye, read by John Lee - whose mild English accent is appropriate for this work, even if his impressions of American accents are laughably inaccurate. This is a 9-disc 11-hour presentation of the complete novel. I chose it because I needed to make a multi-day cross-country drive, and this was one of the few science fiction audiobooks at my local library.
first read - 02 October 2008 � ***. This is set in a universe with concepts from Arthur C. Clarke's , but a lot of the writing seems more like Stephen Baxter's to me. And there is more plot tension than I am used to from either of these writers. I read the book in about two days.
The premise is that at one moment, the Earth is carved up and reassembled with patches from different times of human history. The most modern representatives are three UN Peacekeepers and three cosmonauts from 2037, and there is also an outpost of British India, the army of Alexander the Great, and a Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. These groups converge on Babylon and confront the mystery of the floating "eyes" that may be involved with those responsible for the creation of this new world.
Be prepared for that mystery to remain unresolved, at least in this first volume of a series. I've started reading a library copy of the sequel, - and it seems to be going in a completely tangential direction.
February 1, 2020
مزخرف بود!!!
ایده نسبتا خوبی داشت. شاید این ایده برای یه سریال چند فصلی خیلی بهتر بود تا کتاب. با کمی جلوهها� تصویری خیلی جذاب میشد. ولی نویسندگان محترم به نحوی کتاب رو از بین برده بودند.
داستان به این شکل بود که طی یک اتفاق عجیب، توسط یک عده که به نخستزادگا� معروف شدند، قسمتهای� از کره زمین در دورانها� زمانی متفاوت جدا شده و مثل یک توپ چهل تیکه به هم چسبیده بودند. به این ترتیب آدمه� دورانه� مختلف هم کنار هم روی یک زمین حاضر شدند. اسکندر و سپاهش، چنگیز و لشکرش، یک هنگ از ارتش بریتانیای قرن نوزدم، چند تا سرباز حافظ صلح قرن بیست و یکم، چند تا فضانورد قرن بیست و یکم، انسانها� نخستین و کلی جیوانات منقرض شده زمین که نقش چندانی در داستان نداشتند.
اینکه چرا نویسنده این گروهه� رو انتخاب کرده بود، در حالی که میتونست گروهها� دیگری هم انتخاب کنه، به خودش مربوطه. ولی نحوه تعامل این افراد متفاوت به من خواننده هم مربوط میشه که به نظرم اصلاً واقعی نبود. آدمهای دوران اسکندر، یعنی قبل از میلاد مسیح و لشکر چنگیز، یعنی قرن سیزدهم میلادی، خیلی راحت با آدمها� قرن نوزده و بیست و یک با تکنولوژی جادوییشون کنار اومدند و راحت اونها رو پذیرفتند.... این اصلاً معقول به نظر نمیاد.
یکی از مشکلات اصلی من این بود که این قرن بیست و یکمی ها چطوری برق مورد نیاز وسایلشون رو به مدت چند سال تامین کردند!؟ موبایل یکی از شخصیته� حدود پنج سال یا بیشتر کار کرد تا بالاخره به حالت استندبای رفت. تازه توی این مدت هم حسابی کار کرد.
مشکل تکنولوژیکی دیگه هم این بود که قاعدتاً موبایلها� هوشمند برای اطلاعات به اینترنت متکی هستند و توی حافظه خودشون چیزی از دانش ذخیره نمیکنند� ولی همون موبایل مذکور، کلی اطلاعات داشت. نکته دیگه اینکه فقط یک نفر از انسانها� قرن بیست و یکم موبایل داشت.
ترجمه کتاب هم چندان دلچسب نبود. گویش همه این آدمهای متفاوت یک جور و همه به لحن زبان مردم قرن نوزدهم بود. خیلی گزارشگون� ترجمه شده بود و آدم رو خسته میکرد.
کلاً بعید میدونم قسمتها� بعدی رو بخونمم.
ایده نسبتا خوبی داشت. شاید این ایده برای یه سریال چند فصلی خیلی بهتر بود تا کتاب. با کمی جلوهها� تصویری خیلی جذاب میشد. ولی نویسندگان محترم به نحوی کتاب رو از بین برده بودند.
داستان به این شکل بود که طی یک اتفاق عجیب، توسط یک عده که به نخستزادگا� معروف شدند، قسمتهای� از کره زمین در دورانها� زمانی متفاوت جدا شده و مثل یک توپ چهل تیکه به هم چسبیده بودند. به این ترتیب آدمه� دورانه� مختلف هم کنار هم روی یک زمین حاضر شدند. اسکندر و سپاهش، چنگیز و لشکرش، یک هنگ از ارتش بریتانیای قرن نوزدم، چند تا سرباز حافظ صلح قرن بیست و یکم، چند تا فضانورد قرن بیست و یکم، انسانها� نخستین و کلی جیوانات منقرض شده زمین که نقش چندانی در داستان نداشتند.
اینکه چرا نویسنده این گروهه� رو انتخاب کرده بود، در حالی که میتونست گروهها� دیگری هم انتخاب کنه، به خودش مربوطه. ولی نحوه تعامل این افراد متفاوت به من خواننده هم مربوط میشه که به نظرم اصلاً واقعی نبود. آدمهای دوران اسکندر، یعنی قبل از میلاد مسیح و لشکر چنگیز، یعنی قرن سیزدهم میلادی، خیلی راحت با آدمها� قرن نوزده و بیست و یک با تکنولوژی جادوییشون کنار اومدند و راحت اونها رو پذیرفتند.... این اصلاً معقول به نظر نمیاد.
یکی از مشکلات اصلی من این بود که این قرن بیست و یکمی ها چطوری برق مورد نیاز وسایلشون رو به مدت چند سال تامین کردند!؟ موبایل یکی از شخصیته� حدود پنج سال یا بیشتر کار کرد تا بالاخره به حالت استندبای رفت. تازه توی این مدت هم حسابی کار کرد.
مشکل تکنولوژیکی دیگه هم این بود که قاعدتاً موبایلها� هوشمند برای اطلاعات به اینترنت متکی هستند و توی حافظه خودشون چیزی از دانش ذخیره نمیکنند� ولی همون موبایل مذکور، کلی اطلاعات داشت. نکته دیگه اینکه فقط یک نفر از انسانها� قرن بیست و یکم موبایل داشت.
ترجمه کتاب هم چندان دلچسب نبود. گویش همه این آدمهای متفاوت یک جور و همه به لحن زبان مردم قرن نوزدهم بود. خیلی گزارشگون� ترجمه شده بود و آدم رو خسته میکرد.
کلاً بعید میدونم قسمتها� بعدی رو بخونمم.
January 21, 2016
I forgot how much I loved sci-fi, and then I read Time 19s Eye. Arthur C. Clarke is a master and was way ahead of his time. I read his Space Odyssey series and loved it, so I thought I 19d give his Time Odyssey series a go. I am glad I did. Book 1, Time 19s Eye, had everything I love in a book. It had aspects of science, science fiction, and historical fiction all wrapped up in one.
When the Firstborn take random slices of Earth from random time periods and put them all together, what do you get? Astronauts from the future teaming up with Alexander the Great to do battle against Genghis Khan in a strange landscape populated by prehistoric plants, animals, and hominids. What could be better?!
This book was fantastic and could have been a stand alone. We are left wondering what plans the Firstborn have for human kind and what will happen to the people on this 1Cnew 1D Earth. The other books in the series I 19m sure will answer these questions, but I could be content to leave them unanswered as well. I strongly recommend this book, whether you want to read the entire trilogy or just Time 19s Eye on its own, it is a wild and fun read.
When the Firstborn take random slices of Earth from random time periods and put them all together, what do you get? Astronauts from the future teaming up with Alexander the Great to do battle against Genghis Khan in a strange landscape populated by prehistoric plants, animals, and hominids. What could be better?!
This book was fantastic and could have been a stand alone. We are left wondering what plans the Firstborn have for human kind and what will happen to the people on this 1Cnew 1D Earth. The other books in the series I 19m sure will answer these questions, but I could be content to leave them unanswered as well. I strongly recommend this book, whether you want to read the entire trilogy or just Time 19s Eye on its own, it is a wild and fun read.
February 23, 2025
اسکندر گفت: "لیکن ما از این روز تا پایان جهان در یادها میمانیم؛ ما اندک مردمان، ما اندک مردمان شاد، ما برادران... زیرا آن کس که امروز در کنار من خونش بریزد برادرم است..."
اروپاییان و سپاهیه� هلهله کشیدند؛ صدایشان به اندازه� تمام مقدونیان دیگر بلند بود. کیسی اوتیک نعره زد: "شنیدم! پذیرفتم! فهمیدم!"
Heard; Acknowledged; Understood
4*
اینبار یکم متفاوت مینویسم.
کتاب علمی-تخیلی ادیسه زمان، از یک اتفاق ناگهانی روی زمین شروع میشه که بعدها بهش "گسستگی" میگن.
زمینی رو در نظر بگیرین که مثل یک توپ چهل تکه، تکه و پاره و مجدد بهم وصل شده. این تکهه� رو شما از سال 2037 تا دو میلیون سال قبل خواهید دید.
عصر یخ؟ بله
اسکندر مقدونی؟ بله
چنگیزخان؟ بله
فضانورد؟ بله
و کلی موارد خاص از اکوسیستم...
در جای جای زمینِ تقریبا خالی از سکنه شده، یکسری گوی دیده میشه که در فواصل تقریبا نزدیک به سطح زمین شناورند. گویهای� آسیب ناپذیر و منفعل. حسی که شاید ناظرن و شاید کسی درونشون هست و شاید دروازه هستن و... ازشون گرفته میشه.
تکهها� زمان مثل عضوهایی پیوند خورده به بدنی هستن که اون بدن میخواد پس بزنشون و به همین دلیل شرایط اقلیمی بعضا قمر در عقرب میشه.
دو گروه از افراد 2037 در این واقعه هستن، گروهی که برای صلح در افغانستان با هلیکوپتر سقوط میکنن و به سربازان دوران ویکتوریای قرن 19 برمیخورن و گروه فضانوردان که در ایستگاه فضایی گیر میکنن و هنگام فرود، "گسستگی" رخ میده و ارتباطشون با کل زمین قطع میشه. فضانوردان بدنبال رابط برای فرود بر زمین هستن.
اسکندر (300سال پیش از میلاد مسیح) و چنگیزخان (1200سال پس از میلاد مسیح) هم به داستان خیلی هیجان میدن. این دو مرد استوار و خونخوا� وجه مشترک زیادی دارن ولی در داستان تفاوتها� جالبی ازشون دیده میشه.
سفری جالب در دنیا برای یافتن منشا "گسستگی"، چطور میشه رهایی یافت؟
اگر دنبال جنگای تخیلی هستین، این کتاب شما نیست، بجاش نبرد با شمشیرو و... دارین.
این کتاب روند آرومی داره و محیط و شرایط رو به خوبی و دقت شرح میده (اگر دنبال سرعت بالا هستین طرفش نرید، که کاری بس اشتباهه)
این کتاب پایان بسته نداره و جوریکه فهمیدم باید هر سه جلد رو خوند تا به نتیجه رسید، گرچه پایان جلد یک بدجوری آدمو به فکر فرو میبره.
اروپاییان و سپاهیه� هلهله کشیدند؛ صدایشان به اندازه� تمام مقدونیان دیگر بلند بود. کیسی اوتیک نعره زد: "شنیدم! پذیرفتم! فهمیدم!"
Heard; Acknowledged; Understood
4*
اینبار یکم متفاوت مینویسم.
کتاب علمی-تخیلی ادیسه زمان، از یک اتفاق ناگهانی روی زمین شروع میشه که بعدها بهش "گسستگی" میگن.
زمینی رو در نظر بگیرین که مثل یک توپ چهل تکه، تکه و پاره و مجدد بهم وصل شده. این تکهه� رو شما از سال 2037 تا دو میلیون سال قبل خواهید دید.
عصر یخ؟ بله
اسکندر مقدونی؟ بله
چنگیزخان؟ بله
فضانورد؟ بله
و کلی موارد خاص از اکوسیستم...
در جای جای زمینِ تقریبا خالی از سکنه شده، یکسری گوی دیده میشه که در فواصل تقریبا نزدیک به سطح زمین شناورند. گویهای� آسیب ناپذیر و منفعل. حسی که شاید ناظرن و شاید کسی درونشون هست و شاید دروازه هستن و... ازشون گرفته میشه.
تکهها� زمان مثل عضوهایی پیوند خورده به بدنی هستن که اون بدن میخواد پس بزنشون و به همین دلیل شرایط اقلیمی بعضا قمر در عقرب میشه.
دو گروه از افراد 2037 در این واقعه هستن، گروهی که برای صلح در افغانستان با هلیکوپتر سقوط میکنن و به سربازان دوران ویکتوریای قرن 19 برمیخورن و گروه فضانوردان که در ایستگاه فضایی گیر میکنن و هنگام فرود، "گسستگی" رخ میده و ارتباطشون با کل زمین قطع میشه. فضانوردان بدنبال رابط برای فرود بر زمین هستن.
اسکندر (300سال پیش از میلاد مسیح) و چنگیزخان (1200سال پس از میلاد مسیح) هم به داستان خیلی هیجان میدن. این دو مرد استوار و خونخوا� وجه مشترک زیادی دارن ولی در داستان تفاوتها� جالبی ازشون دیده میشه.
سفری جالب در دنیا برای یافتن منشا "گسستگی"، چطور میشه رهایی یافت؟
اگر دنبال جنگای تخیلی هستین، این کتاب شما نیست، بجاش نبرد با شمشیرو و... دارین.
این کتاب روند آرومی داره و محیط و شرایط رو به خوبی و دقت شرح میده (اگر دنبال سرعت بالا هستین طرفش نرید، که کاری بس اشتباهه)
این کتاب پایان بسته نداره و جوریکه فهمیدم باید هر سه جلد رو خوند تا به نتیجه رسید، گرچه پایان جلد یک بدجوری آدمو به فکر فرو میبره.
February 27, 2023
has a lot of potential in the idea, but executed it in a bit of a goofy way. still a fun book to read and if i come across the sequels ill read em. if this is supposed to be a 'time odyssey' (as opposed to the classic space odyssey) it falls a bit short.
March 21, 2013
I’m usually not enthusiastic about alternate history type books - I did not finish Dies the Fire by SM Sterling, but I did greatly enjoy To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis. I won’t read Blackout/All Clear however. Absolutely, totally, utterly no interest.
Time’s Eye, however, pulled me in from page one. I think the initial interest was because I recently watched the History of India (PBS special) and the significance of the Khyber Pass between India, Afghanistan and Pakistan was explained from a historical perspective. And partly because I’m already fascinated with this corner of the world and some of the great accomplishments that came out of various periods of history.
What was different about Time’s Eye was that it really wasn’t an alternate history � it was more a speculative look at what would happen if you took some of the greatest armies in mankind’s history, caused a massive worldwide Time Discontinuity, and pitted those armies against one another. Add in a couple of modern people (but not too futuristic!) on each side just to level the playing field and put the battlefield in the ancient city of Babylon.
Yup, a historians wet dream and where I began to loose interest.
It was like the authors had this great Discontinuity idea to account for the backdrop but when story started moving into implausibility with one subplot - with our Mongolians and our female character who managed to get into the good graces of Genghis Khan - I was kicked out of the story. Given the historical parameters the author set up, it seemed too farfetched to even be remotely plausible. The author acknowledges the lack of hygiene, people getting sick from dysentery, poor eating habits (spitting gristle back into the common stew pot) and here we have a 21st Century woman who allows herself to get banged by a aged Mongolian and then becomes one of his advisers. Right.
But it wasn't just that. There was a time span from the beginning of the Discontinuity to about 6 years toward the end of the story. Most of the electronics from the modern's helicopter that crashed continued to work despite being left in the acid rain. One characters 'smartphone' batteries lasted 6 years. The British kept a pre-human alive in simple netted cage for 6 years. Food seemed rather easy to come by. I could go on, but there were so many of these little and not so little 'hiccups' that left me shaking my head in disbelief. If I can't believe in the parameters of the story, I can't believe the story itself.
So the book started with promise and ended flat.
Time’s Eye, however, pulled me in from page one. I think the initial interest was because I recently watched the History of India (PBS special) and the significance of the Khyber Pass between India, Afghanistan and Pakistan was explained from a historical perspective. And partly because I’m already fascinated with this corner of the world and some of the great accomplishments that came out of various periods of history.
What was different about Time’s Eye was that it really wasn’t an alternate history � it was more a speculative look at what would happen if you took some of the greatest armies in mankind’s history, caused a massive worldwide Time Discontinuity, and pitted those armies against one another. Add in a couple of modern people (but not too futuristic!) on each side just to level the playing field and put the battlefield in the ancient city of Babylon.
Yup, a historians wet dream and where I began to loose interest.
It was like the authors had this great Discontinuity idea to account for the backdrop but when story started moving into implausibility with one subplot - with our Mongolians and our female character who managed to get into the good graces of Genghis Khan - I was kicked out of the story. Given the historical parameters the author set up, it seemed too farfetched to even be remotely plausible. The author acknowledges the lack of hygiene, people getting sick from dysentery, poor eating habits (spitting gristle back into the common stew pot) and here we have a 21st Century woman who allows herself to get banged by a aged Mongolian and then becomes one of his advisers. Right.
But it wasn't just that. There was a time span from the beginning of the Discontinuity to about 6 years toward the end of the story. Most of the electronics from the modern's helicopter that crashed continued to work despite being left in the acid rain. One characters 'smartphone' batteries lasted 6 years. The British kept a pre-human alive in simple netted cage for 6 years. Food seemed rather easy to come by. I could go on, but there were so many of these little and not so little 'hiccups' that left me shaking my head in disbelief. If I can't believe in the parameters of the story, I can't believe the story itself.
So the book started with promise and ended flat.
May 24, 2010
It is not an accident that I am only now getting to this trilogy. Though I enjoyed
, that collaboration felt primarily like a sexed up re-exploration of themes Arthur C. Clarke explored more poignantly in his masterpiece
. Then I recently enjoyed a short story Baxter authored using Clarke's ideas. Realizing I liked Baxter’s writing style on its own merits, I decided to give the Time Odyssey trilogy a go.
The mixing of different historical periods is fascinating. Mystery builds as the ensemble hypothesizes about the possible reasons why space and time have been rearranged in Rubik’s Cube fashion. Also, there is a richness to this book’s narrative that I grant is often lacking in Clarke’s writing. However, Baxter’s copious insertion of historical research periodically bogs down the story. And here I think this novel could have benefited from some of the leanness of Clarke’s style.
Easily making up for the above criticism is the authors� clever exploration of how ancient cultures might view modern people and technology. I’ll simply say that when Russian cosmonauts come in contact with Genghis Kahn’s Mongol warriors, the latter are not universally wowed by space-age technology. In general, I enjoy Mr. Baxter’s ability to take Arthur C. Clarke’s decades-old scientific notions and revamp them via the best and most tantalizing research of the early 21st century. This is not a parasitic spin-off (as I feared it might be).
Lastly, I enjoyed many instances of homage to , especially late in the book. For me, there is a sense of home in Clarke’s far-reaching themes regarding time, space and mind. These themes are at once both sobering and inspiring. While Time's Eye seems unquestionably Baxter’s work, and it is very good, his greatest accomplishment is adeptly weaving his style with the core ideas and values of Clarke’s Space Odyssey series. I am looking forward to continuing on to part two of this trilogy.
The mixing of different historical periods is fascinating. Mystery builds as the ensemble hypothesizes about the possible reasons why space and time have been rearranged in Rubik’s Cube fashion. Also, there is a richness to this book’s narrative that I grant is often lacking in Clarke’s writing. However, Baxter’s copious insertion of historical research periodically bogs down the story. And here I think this novel could have benefited from some of the leanness of Clarke’s style.
Easily making up for the above criticism is the authors� clever exploration of how ancient cultures might view modern people and technology. I’ll simply say that when Russian cosmonauts come in contact with Genghis Kahn’s Mongol warriors, the latter are not universally wowed by space-age technology. In general, I enjoy Mr. Baxter’s ability to take Arthur C. Clarke’s decades-old scientific notions and revamp them via the best and most tantalizing research of the early 21st century. This is not a parasitic spin-off (as I feared it might be).
Lastly, I enjoyed many instances of homage to , especially late in the book. For me, there is a sense of home in Clarke’s far-reaching themes regarding time, space and mind. These themes are at once both sobering and inspiring. While Time's Eye seems unquestionably Baxter’s work, and it is very good, his greatest accomplishment is adeptly weaving his style with the core ideas and values of Clarke’s Space Odyssey series. I am looking forward to continuing on to part two of this trilogy.
March 23, 2021
This is the second Clarke-Baxter collab, and it's a good one, if not quite up to "Light of Other Days". Here they reprise the hardy "bad aliens screw humanity" perennial, with noteworthy twists -- the best being a mosaic of time-slices from the past 2,000,000 years, but it's a little heavy-handed. Worth reading: "B+" or 3.5 stars. Read circa 2004.
The reliable and amazingly well-read Paul di Filippo said, circa 2004:
"With Baxter's solid characterization and penchant for steady action, this book rollicks along enjoyably... Surprising twists and turns insure that the reader will fail to outguess the sly authors."
[no longer online]
The reliable and amazingly well-read Paul di Filippo said, circa 2004:
"With Baxter's solid characterization and penchant for steady action, this book rollicks along enjoyably... Surprising twists and turns insure that the reader will fail to outguess the sly authors."
[no longer online]
December 4, 2020
Excellent. A beautiful, thought-provoking story. I need to read the rest of the series.
January 27, 2013
All of a sudden the world changes. It becomes a patchwork of history, with humans and animals from all across time appearing next to each other. A helicopter crew from 2037 crash land in British Empire India where they meet Rudyard Kipling and together they all meet the army of Alexander the Great. A crew also from 2037 in the International Space Station are heading back to Earth and eventually end up meeting Genghis Khan and his Mongol tribe.
It eventually leads to a battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, with some help from the few people from the 21st Century. This is a great concept and works brilliantly, but then we are left with the last section being much weaker and giving some idea of the alien race behind it all, but without really giving it away. I was loving the book until that point and felt a bit let down.
It's a great concept and the two sci-fi greats pull it off, even if they do ruin the ending. I suppose it sets up for the next book but in doing so it limits this one. Still, largely very enjoyable.
It eventually leads to a battle between the armies of Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, with some help from the few people from the 21st Century. This is a great concept and works brilliantly, but then we are left with the last section being much weaker and giving some idea of the alien race behind it all, but without really giving it away. I was loving the book until that point and felt a bit let down.
It's a great concept and the two sci-fi greats pull it off, even if they do ruin the ending. I suppose it sets up for the next book but in doing so it limits this one. Still, largely very enjoyable.
December 3, 2014
I read to be entertained and Time’s Eye certainly did that! The concept that the Earth has been carved up into a jigsaw puzzle of different times was original and fascinating. The characters include Rudyard Kipling, Russian cosmonauts, British soldiers from the 1880’s, and US Air and Space Force officers from 2037. And while I hate military-style sci-fi with battles, the confrontation between Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan made for great reading.
There were several things that were never explained � exactly why the Discontinuity occurred and who caused it. And what were the small golden orbs that appeared all over the planet?
Since this is a trilogy, I am hoping there are explanations in the next book. The fact that I want to read the next book says a lot about how interesting this series is.
There were several things that were never explained � exactly why the Discontinuity occurred and who caused it. And what were the small golden orbs that appeared all over the planet?
Since this is a trilogy, I am hoping there are explanations in the next book. The fact that I want to read the next book says a lot about how interesting this series is.
November 25, 2014
nije mi baš sjelo.
jednostavno ne događa se ništa, da dogodio se Diskontinuitet, golema područja na Zemlji su ispremiješana kroz stoljeća i imaju neke čudne kugle posvuda.
dobio sam publicističku lekciju o "crvenim mundirima", životu,okrutnosti, smradu, jelu i seksu Mongola. Neko nabadanje od Alexi Velikom i o tome što makedonci jedu, nose sa sobom i koliko oni smrde.
jedan superpametni telefon koji se boji otići u stand-by pa se pita "hoće li sanjati" - eh, ajmo pogoditi odakle je ovo
onda su se neki pokefali na zadnjih 20 stranica.
sve skupa se lako čita no u iščekivanju "ajde više Clarke!" (ili Baxter, vjerojatno je on povukao lavovski dio)
nategnuta dvojka samo zato što, u nadi, o ovome mislim kao uvodnom poglavlju (malo duljem) u slijedeći nastavak.
sad mi je jasno zašto je čamila 10 godina na polici - "sjećanje na budućnost" (© Clarke)
jednostavno ne događa se ništa, da dogodio se Diskontinuitet, golema područja na Zemlji su ispremiješana kroz stoljeća i imaju neke čudne kugle posvuda.
dobio sam publicističku lekciju o "crvenim mundirima", životu,okrutnosti, smradu, jelu i seksu Mongola. Neko nabadanje od Alexi Velikom i o tome što makedonci jedu, nose sa sobom i koliko oni smrde.
jedan superpametni telefon koji se boji otići u stand-by pa se pita "hoće li sanjati" - eh, ajmo pogoditi odakle je ovo
onda su se neki pokefali na zadnjih 20 stranica.
sve skupa se lako čita no u iščekivanju "ajde više Clarke!" (ili Baxter, vjerojatno je on povukao lavovski dio)
nategnuta dvojka samo zato što, u nadi, o ovome mislim kao uvodnom poglavlju (malo duljem) u slijedeći nastavak.
sad mi je jasno zašto je čamila 10 godina na polici - "sjećanje na budućnost" (© Clarke)
October 15, 2021
the world is sliced apart by floating shiny timeballs so that millions of years of time are mashed together on one planet, including alexander the great and genghis khan!
wow, kinda crazy premise! what happens?
oh you know, people walk by things and sail by things and see things as they walk and sail and nothing happens with or to any of the things they see or sail by or walk by!@# also there are timeballs floating all over. :|
EPIC! ONE STAR!
wow, kinda crazy premise! what happens?
oh you know, people walk by things and sail by things and see things as they walk and sail and nothing happens with or to any of the things they see or sail by or walk by!@# also there are timeballs floating all over. :|
EPIC! ONE STAR!
January 1, 2022
Not the most popular book on ŷ, but I picked it up because it was free on Audible and because I like Artur C. Clarke. Lesson learned: don't judge the book by bad reviews. I mean yeah, I do agree, that the characters were not that strong and the most important action scenes were a bit bland. But the whole story, oh the story! It was so interesting! I will definitely go for part 2.
December 20, 2021
"Grove was inclined to allow the request. “I can’t see how we can be harmed by allowing the destruction of what I don’t understand anyhow,� he said dryly. “And besides—you say it is your duty, Warrant Officer. I respect that. Time and space may flow like toffee, but duty endures.�
March 21, 2011
An eloquent work of speculative fiction. The book is more fantasy than Science Fiction in its jigsaw reconfiguration of time and space on Earth, but as Clarke wrote of long ago, "Any sufficiently developed technology is indistinguishable from magic." Clarke brings his deep philosophy to the forefront, and Baxter's writing is smooth, vibrant and rich as a patchwork quilt cut from velvet. The prose is aggressive and the characters sharply drawn. The opening scene with the walking apes is a nod to 2001--A Space Odyssey, and firmly places us in the heads of the pre-homo sapiens' minds and thought-language. The shifts to India under British Imperialism, the Mongol dominion of Genghis Khan, ancient Babylon and other time-spaces of human history are seamless, and a tremendous accomplishment with vivid, carefully researched reconstruction of historical place. The novel with all its science, history and philosophy, never bogs down--it pulses with vitality and tension that pulls the reader kicking and screaming (not to mention filled with awe) toward the mystery of the alien Firstborn. I have read a few reviews bitching this is a rip-off of Riverworld and/or the Rama series, but it isn’t really. It stands alone as Clarks(probably) vision of time displacement and history soup. It is not profound, but it is interesting and above all� fun. I started the second book immediately.
October 14, 2022
I'm giving this three stars for the idea of a world that's sliced up by time. As for the rest, this entire book just seemed like an excuse to put in the same book, so they could fight each other.
I enjoyed plenty of Arthur C. Clarke books, and I really liked the Clarke / Baxter collab The Light of Other Days. But Time's Eye was a disappointment. Three stars even seems like I'm giving too much credit.
Also, I need to say how much I really do not like the redesign of the book pages on the good reads site. I complained about it several times since the Beta version started. But now, there is no alternative, no way to get out of this terrible design. The Beta is over, this is the way goodreads looks now. It's not a good look. Between that and the inability to download our reviews anymore? Well, it makes me not really want to use this site. I've been an active user, community member, and librarian on goodreads for 14 years now, and it's sad to me that it doesn't feel like the same place.
I enjoyed plenty of Arthur C. Clarke books, and I really liked the Clarke / Baxter collab The Light of Other Days. But Time's Eye was a disappointment. Three stars even seems like I'm giving too much credit.
Also, I need to say how much I really do not like the redesign of the book pages on the good reads site. I complained about it several times since the Beta version started. But now, there is no alternative, no way to get out of this terrible design. The Beta is over, this is the way goodreads looks now. It's not a good look. Between that and the inability to download our reviews anymore? Well, it makes me not really want to use this site. I've been an active user, community member, and librarian on goodreads for 14 years now, and it's sad to me that it doesn't feel like the same place.
December 19, 2019
Not a fan of this. Arthur C. Clarke's works rank as some of my favourite sci-fi but this leans away from his strengths. It's less hard sci-fi as much an adventure in a fantasy time displaced world. The characters lack development and the central mystery to the story is underdeveloped, revealed only at the end in a perspective switch to the first ones.
This was a slow read, the book pushed me away and it felt like a slog to get through. Not much to recommend here, other than some depictions of Iron Age and Mongol life that felt very well researched.
This was a slow read, the book pushed me away and it felt like a slog to get through. Not much to recommend here, other than some depictions of Iron Age and Mongol life that felt very well researched.
December 13, 2020
This book can be enjoyed by lovers of history as it so interestingly manages to mash together fascinating time periods.
April 10, 2021
Here’s the thing. I absolute love Clarke’s works, I’ve read many things by him and they are usually a solid 4 star. I’ve also read Baxter in collaboration with Pratchett and that was also a very good series.
So what happened here?
I was truly expecting something amazing considering the authors, and I’m not going to deny the premise is actually amazing... but this took forever to make sense. We can have a disjointed Earth, but that doesn’t mean the plot also has to be disjointed, and it felt like it.
The beginning is amazing, you get the setup for three different times of human history and not long after there’s an even that fragments Earth and pieces it back together with parts from different times. So you have a planet made up of all possible time frames going back from the Neanderthals and going as far as 2037. Climate is going crazy, geography is a mess, and this apocalyptic event did wipe out most of the inhabitants, there’s very little people around.
But then... it’s 200 hundreds pages of seeing our 2037 crew, the 1850s soldiers and the army of Alexander the Great marching through a desolate Eurasia. And on the other side our Soyuz crew marching with violent Mongols, who all they do is kill anything they find.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
It’s not until the last 100 pages that most of the action takes place, I thought the plot might be building up to something great but reality is a war happens and it ends very abruptly, and then we have a huge jump in time out of nowhere, we have more explorations, more emptiness, and very little of what is actually going on until you reach the last 50 pages.
I know that as a part of a trilogy I’m not supposed to have explanations on book one, but I wanted to see more of the emotional toll this shift in time takes on people. We only get tons of explanations on how cities seem abandoned, and how the weather is affecting plants and animals, and sometimes on how Alexander wants to build a new empire. But I wanted to see more how others reacted, other settlements, for them to approach the people they found along the way. It felt lacking on something, and it took me forever to read because I could never get invested in the story. There was never something pulling me to read.
The end however was good and confusing, we get a glimpse of this alien race, and I definitely want to know what happens, but I do have to say this is not a particularly strong opening to a trilogy.
So what happened here?
I was truly expecting something amazing considering the authors, and I’m not going to deny the premise is actually amazing... but this took forever to make sense. We can have a disjointed Earth, but that doesn’t mean the plot also has to be disjointed, and it felt like it.
The beginning is amazing, you get the setup for three different times of human history and not long after there’s an even that fragments Earth and pieces it back together with parts from different times. So you have a planet made up of all possible time frames going back from the Neanderthals and going as far as 2037. Climate is going crazy, geography is a mess, and this apocalyptic event did wipe out most of the inhabitants, there’s very little people around.
But then... it’s 200 hundreds pages of seeing our 2037 crew, the 1850s soldiers and the army of Alexander the Great marching through a desolate Eurasia. And on the other side our Soyuz crew marching with violent Mongols, who all they do is kill anything they find.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
It’s not until the last 100 pages that most of the action takes place, I thought the plot might be building up to something great but reality is a war happens and it ends very abruptly, and then we have a huge jump in time out of nowhere, we have more explorations, more emptiness, and very little of what is actually going on until you reach the last 50 pages.
I know that as a part of a trilogy I’m not supposed to have explanations on book one, but I wanted to see more of the emotional toll this shift in time takes on people. We only get tons of explanations on how cities seem abandoned, and how the weather is affecting plants and animals, and sometimes on how Alexander wants to build a new empire. But I wanted to see more how others reacted, other settlements, for them to approach the people they found along the way. It felt lacking on something, and it took me forever to read because I could never get invested in the story. There was never something pulling me to read.
The end however was good and confusing, we get a glimpse of this alien race, and I definitely want to know what happens, but I do have to say this is not a particularly strong opening to a trilogy.
April 9, 2019
I say it up front: I loved this book. So much, in fact, I moved to read the second book in A Time Odyssey series. This book has that 50-70's sci-fi feeling I love. It is about science, discovery, wonderment, and human nature. And Arthur C. Clarke is one of my favorite sci-fi authors. There is that.
This book is about a time shift and how present, past, and future people stranded on this strangeness cope. I don't care for time shifts or time travel as those things frustrate me, because the characters always go back home and none of it had meant anything and had an impact. I know my dislike is weird, but I have it nevertheless. But Time's Eye was different. The story is great. At first, I wasn't happy about the explanation for the shift and the ending, but it grew on me. The characters are versatile and diverse. That usually is with sci-fi or that is the case with the sci-fi I read.
The pondering about time, death, entropy, and science, and what those things mean to humans was excellent. The portray of violence in the twisted historical war scenes were inspirational. They spoke to me. Are we a violent species? Is it in our nature so it is forever unavoidable? There are times I say yes as did the writers, but there are times I let hope guide me. Without hope, there is no future. If we think something is permanent and inevitable, then it is like thinking there is a pre-defined path and we cannot do but to watch and go through the motions. As much as current scientist argue that we don't have free will, I like to disagree. Otherwise, what is the point?
Anyway, I would highly recommend Time's Eye. Old time sci-fi is my jam despite this being published in the 21st century. Okay to some 16 years ago is a lifetime away.
This book is about a time shift and how present, past, and future people stranded on this strangeness cope. I don't care for time shifts or time travel as those things frustrate me, because the characters always go back home and none of it had meant anything and had an impact. I know my dislike is weird, but I have it nevertheless. But Time's Eye was different. The story is great. At first, I wasn't happy about the explanation for the shift and the ending, but it grew on me. The characters are versatile and diverse. That usually is with sci-fi or that is the case with the sci-fi I read.
The pondering about time, death, entropy, and science, and what those things mean to humans was excellent. The portray of violence in the twisted historical war scenes were inspirational. They spoke to me. Are we a violent species? Is it in our nature so it is forever unavoidable? There are times I say yes as did the writers, but there are times I let hope guide me. Without hope, there is no future. If we think something is permanent and inevitable, then it is like thinking there is a pre-defined path and we cannot do but to watch and go through the motions. As much as current scientist argue that we don't have free will, I like to disagree. Otherwise, what is the point?
Anyway, I would highly recommend Time's Eye. Old time sci-fi is my jam despite this being published in the 21st century. Okay to some 16 years ago is a lifetime away.
September 16, 2019
Considering the names that are attached to this, I was expecting something a little better. The same is true when it comes to the plot, which includes an epic battle between Ghengis Khan and Alexander the Great with Rudyard Kipling casually looking on. With stuff like that, you’d expect something pretty spectacular. And this book just fails to deliver on that.
It’s a shame, because there are a few good ideas scattered here and there throughout it, but it’s just not enough to rescue the book and to make it anything above average. The two most remarkable things about it are the names attached to it as authors and the fact that the blurb sounds so good. Then you start reading it and discover all sorts of pacing issues and other little niggles that just don’t make it much fun to read.
I picked this one up going cheap in a charity shop, and that’s honestly the only reason why I can imagine myself recommending it. I actually planned to read all of Stephen Baxter’s work after being impressed with The Long Earth books that he wrote with Terry Pratchett, but this left me feeling unsure about whether that’s such a good idea.
Still, I’ll crack on with more of Baxter’s stuff, and I’m sure I’ll also get to more of Clarke’s. I just won’t be prioritising this series, and I don’t think you should either. Sure, it’s fine for what it is, but no more than that, and if you’re looking for something that’s going to blow your mind or make you rethink everything you thought you knew about sci-fi, this isn’t the one.
Overall then, this was something of a disappointment, but I am at least glad that I was able to tick it off my list. Now I’m already looking forward to my next one, which I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it a little more. I guess we’ll see!
It’s a shame, because there are a few good ideas scattered here and there throughout it, but it’s just not enough to rescue the book and to make it anything above average. The two most remarkable things about it are the names attached to it as authors and the fact that the blurb sounds so good. Then you start reading it and discover all sorts of pacing issues and other little niggles that just don’t make it much fun to read.
I picked this one up going cheap in a charity shop, and that’s honestly the only reason why I can imagine myself recommending it. I actually planned to read all of Stephen Baxter’s work after being impressed with The Long Earth books that he wrote with Terry Pratchett, but this left me feeling unsure about whether that’s such a good idea.
Still, I’ll crack on with more of Baxter’s stuff, and I’m sure I’ll also get to more of Clarke’s. I just won’t be prioritising this series, and I don’t think you should either. Sure, it’s fine for what it is, but no more than that, and if you’re looking for something that’s going to blow your mind or make you rethink everything you thought you knew about sci-fi, this isn’t the one.
Overall then, this was something of a disappointment, but I am at least glad that I was able to tick it off my list. Now I’m already looking forward to my next one, which I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it a little more. I guess we’ll see!
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