A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time, Book 3)

by Madeleine L'Engle

book data

7047 ratings, 4.09 average rating, 246 reviews (more data...)

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5		36%
4		40%
3		19%
2		3%
1		0%

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published

1999 (first published 1979) by Tandem Library

binding

School & Library Binding, 278 pages

characters

Charles Wallace Murry, Meg Murry, Mrs. O'Keefe, Mad Dog Branzillo, Gaudior, Echthroi, Harcels, Madoc Gywnedd, Brandon Llawcae, Matthew Maddox, Chuck Maddox

isbn

0881037400 (isbn13: 9780881037401)

description

The Murry and O’Keefe families enlist the help of the unicorn, Gaudior, to save the world from imminent nuclear war.

Fifteen-year-old Charles Wa...more

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Qt rated it:

(review of isbn 0606138315)

11/24/07

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in November, 2007

The fourth book in the "Wrinkle in Time" quartet contains, as the others do, a wonderful and unusual mixture of ideas. It has spirituality and religion (without being overbearing), fantasy, time and space travel, and philosophy, and nearly every page seems to celebrate life. While all the books in the quartet are very good, I think I liked this one and "Wrinkle in Time" the best. "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" was suspenseful, well-written, and beautifully done.

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5 comments

Morgan rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

03/27/08

bookshelves: magical-fiction

Read in March, 2008

recommended to Morgan by: Jenn
recommends it for: everyone

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

At Tara in this fateful hour,
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness,
All these I place by God's almightly help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness!

This book was absolute...more At Tara in this fateful hour,
I place all Heaven with its power,
And the sun with its brightness,
And the snow with its whiteness,
And the fire with all the strength it hath,
And the lightning with its rapid wrath,
And the winds with their swiftness along their path,
And the sea with its deepness,
And the rocks with their steepness,
And the earth with its starkness,
All these I place by God's almightly help and grace
Between myself and the powers of darkness!

This book was absolutely amazing, and an instant classic in my mind. I now understand why everyone raved about these books. It was all because of this story here.

As the book begins, we find ourselves in the future. Charles Wallace is 15, the twins are finishing up grad school, and Meg and Calvin are not only married, but expecting their first child. It's Thanksgiving and the whole family, including Calvin's mom, Mrs. O'Keefe are gathered together to celebrate. But it's not long before trouble starts. Mr. Murry receives an urgent call from the President stating that we are on the verge of nuclear war with a small country, Vespugia, and their angry leader. As the family sits around the table discussing scenaries, quiet, distrusting Mrs. O'Keefe begins to recite this ancient rune. As she leaves, she turns to Charles Wallace and demands, "It's all up to Chuck. You have to save us all."

Each chapter is named after a line from the rune, and follows the general concept of what is presented there. So, in Chapter 2 "I place all Heaven with it's power", Charles Wallace receives his help from heaven, a Unicorn. On this Unicorn he travels through time to years and years past in an attempt to change the future.

This book really drew me in, and reminded me of a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys Mystery. It's done really intelligently, with wonderful back stories, and lovely characters. And that rune! Oh! It's my new favorite quote. Ever. And that same power is avaliable to us today (well, probably not a Unicorn, but you know what I mean). What an awesome God we serve, one that uses people in such wonderful ways, i.e. that by writing a children's novel, we discover a prayer for our spiritual battle! Amazing! ...less

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Michael rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

08/15/08

Read in August, 2008

This one is pretty weak. The name thing is especially stupid. It takes literally 150 pages (out of 278) for them to figure out "with a startled flash of comprehension" that there's - gosh! - a connection between various people named Madoc, Madog, Maddok, Maddox, Mad Dog, Branwen, Brandon, Bran, Zyll, Zylle, Zillo, Zillah, Zillie, Beezie (B.Z.), Branzillo. And then it's on p.195 that we get "Certainly the name Zillie must have some connection with Madoc's Zyll, and Ritchie Llawcae'...more

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Christopher rated it:

(review of isbn 0312368569)

03/25/08

bookshelves: to-read

Read in March, 2008

recommends it for: People with infinite patience.

I hate to admit it, but getting through this book has been a bit of a chore. I'm not altogether certain if I want to finish this chapter of the "Wrinkle in Time" series, though I'm sure I'll press on because I bought the entire series and I want to get through it at least once. What is interesting about this book is that it introduces us to an adult (and very pregnant) Meg, and a teenaged Charles Wallace, who is the center of this book. After getting to know these two characters so wel...more

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Banzai rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

12/15/07

Read in November, 2007

Though L'Engle's storytelling improves after the dull previous outing of "A Wind in the Door", "Swiftly" fails in other more serious ways.

The biggest problem is her somewhat silly reliance on hereditary family names from generation to generation--names that endure for hundreds of years and somehow continue to intersect.

Madoc, Madog, Maddux, and Mad Dog; Gwydder, Gedder, and Gwen; Zyllie, Zyllah, Zylle; two Branwens and a Charles and a Chuck round out the cast. I think...more

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3 comments

Emory rated it:

(review of isbn 0440901588)

06/26/07

bookshelves: fantasy

Read in June, 2007

A wonderful additon to A Wrinkle in Time (book 1), A Wind in the Door (Book 2). The journey to save the U.S. from being nuked that is taken by Charles Wallace into the past to chance the course of Might-Have-Beens. The intorduction of another character Gaudior, a unicorn, that the reader falls in love with.

This book's lesson lies in the journey of Chalrles Wallace and the things he learns. It teaches that the slightest change in history or the slighest brush with someobody can change the c...more

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Patrick rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

06/10/08

Read in January, 1957

As a kid, I friggin' loved this whole series. Now I know why: "...in 2004, the poet Cynthia Zarin wrote that A Wrinkle in Time can be read as 'science fiction, a warm tale of family life, a response to the cold war, a book about a search for a father, a feminist tract, a religious fable, a coming-of-age novel, a work of Satanism.'" But especially the last one, obviously. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news...

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D rated it:

09/26/07

bookshelves: childrenslit, scifi

Read in January, 1985

recommends it for: hard-core fans of L'Engle

L'Engle's Time Quartet diminishes in cohesion with each installment. Whether from the author's own under-writing or her publishing house's imprudent hands-off editing after the wild success of A Wrinkle in Time, this book is a disappointment. L'Engle has shown herself capable of visionary writing, and the Wallace family is undeniably charming, so why such a half-baked result?

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Heather rated it:

(review of isbn 0374373620)

03/28/07

Read in January, 1991

recommends it for: sci-fi fans, kids everywhere

This book is probably (aside from Pride and Prejudice) the one I have re-read the most. It's a fantastic ride. I love the charaters (the same ones from A Wrinkle in Time) and the way the way the various stories weave together to one shattering conclusion. Parts of it still make me cry, even though I know what's going to happen. If you've got a smart kid in your life, give them this book.

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Betsy rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

02/20/08

Read in February, 2008

Kind of disturbing how everyone is inter-related, and has very similar names. And the genetics of the blue eyes is just... wrong.

Also the poem, kinda is dull compared to the creativity present in other books. Especially since they hold such mystical magic.

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Steve rated it:

(review of isbn 0440901588)

11/22/08

A Swiftly Tilting Planet: A Swiftly Tilting Planet, by Madeline L'Engle is a highly recommended book (by me). This book is Science-Fiction. It is about a family named the Murrys. The family is very close to the president of the U.S.(mostly the father). The leader of another country, 'Mad Dog Branzillo' threatens everyone in the world that he is going to go, and take the whole world with him. It is up to a 15 year old boy, Charles Wallace has special powers, and has to use them a lot in the next ...more

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Charles rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

06/17/08

Read in June, 2008

Just stick with A Wrinkle in Time.

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Kate rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

10/25/08

bookshelves: sci-fi

A Wrinkle in Time, if memory serves, was the very first sci fi/fantasy novel I ever read. I was in the sixth grade at the time and it began a life long love affair with the genre. L’Engle however does not translate well into adult reading. She tends to be simplistic, overly moralistic with characters that are flat and a plot line that is convoluted and contrived.
This book is a later one in the series about Meg and Charles Wallace. It begins with the President asking for Mr. Murry’s ad...more

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Margie rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

11/01/08

Read in October, 2008

recommended to Margie by: self
recommends it for: Quantum Leap fans

This is my least favorite of the time-series. Charles Wallace is now 15. The family has gathered at the Murray house for Thanksgiving. Meg has married Calvin and there's a baby on the way. The twins have gone through medical school and become doctors.

Calvin is away at a conference, but the Murray's have invited his mother, Mrs. O'Keefe, to dinner. Normally she would say no, but for some reason, this year she decides to attend. She keeps calling Charles Wallace "Chuck" which h...more

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Chak rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

08/07/08

bookshelves: kid

Read in August, 2008

This book is probably appropriate for ages 10 or above. I say probably because my son is only 5, so I am not that familiar with what an 10 year old could be reading/understanding. I might have suggested a younger reading level, but there is one part of the plot where there is some violence within a family and it could be too scary for a younger child, I think.

I enjoyed this book, even though I am quite a bit older than 10. I will read anything with a time travel story and pretty much love...more This book is probably appropriate for ages 10 or above. I say probably because my son is only 5, so I am not that familiar with what an 10 year old could be reading/understanding. I might have suggested a younger reading level, but there is one part of the plot where there is some violence within a family and it could be too scary for a younger child, I think.

I enjoyed this book, even though I am quite a bit older than 10. I will read anything with a time travel story and pretty much love it. "A Swiftly Tilting Planet" features time travel via telepathically inhabiting someone from the past in order to change history (sound familiar Quantum Leap fans), so it is light on the sci-fi elements (no technology necessary in this story) and heavy on the moral and interconnectedness themes.

If you are familiar with the Murry family saga (The Time Quartet - starding with "A Wrinkle in Time"), you'll see that this book's theme is familiar. Someone in the Murry family has to save the world, and this time it's the youngest child, Charles Wallace, who is 15 years old in the book. His older sister Meg, is only present in the plot via "kything" (telephathic communication established in "A Wind in the Door" the second Time Quartet book) with Charles Wallace during his travels through time to change history.

The book gets very confusing because Charles Wallace visits many branches of a family through time and it is difficult to manage so many characters with similar names and situations. It would have really helped to see a comprehensive family tree of the family in question. There is a family tree in the beginning of the book, but it has nothing to do with this plot -- it reflects the different main characters in all Madeline L'Engle books and is not at all relevant to this story.

I don't know if there is a comprehensive family tree available, but I would think it would be worth buying the edition/boxed set that has it, because it would be useful not only for this book, but for "Many Waters" as well (though they would be entirely different family trees, I think).

...less

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Paula rated it:

(review of isbn 0312368569)

04/09/08

Read in April, 2008

A little bit long (and I think the religious "undertones" from the other books were made into "overtones" in this book in the series), but I was captivated by the complicated story involving the Welsh brothers and how over and over again, generation after generation, they still were fighting each other. Also, the environmental themes and threats of nuclear war are incredibly relevant to what's going on in the world (and especially in America) today.

My one quibble is the v...more

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furies rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

06/08/07

bookshelves: childhood-favorites, young-adult

Read in January, 1991

interestingly, i think, i've heard from most people that this is their favorite of the time quartet. (the first quartet, i don't include An Acceptable Time in this series.) and it was my least favorite. which isn't to say i didn't like the story, but.

perhaps it's because i never loved charles wallace the way other people seemed to. i love/d meg, and always will, more than anyone. i wanted to know more about her, and i hate that...more

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Anne rated it:

11/10/08

bookshelves: 2008, own, pre-2007

Read in February, 2008

recommends it for: everyone

The book is clever, often to the point of confusion, as it uses the idea that one little incident can change the outcome of the world. It reminds me of something (I can't remember whether it's a story, movie, or something else) where a time-traveler struggles to keep himself from changing the present while in the past; after accidently stepping on a butterfly and thinking that it can do no harm, he returns to his own time and see the world in flames and chaos. This book showed that even small ev...more

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Lindsey rated it:

(review of isbn 0440401585)

11/26/08

I still think the first book is my favorite, but I loved the idea and theme of this book. To think that one thing could change the world. It made me think about moving forward and decisions that I make that could affect others. It is easy to think about the past...but really made me focus on what could happen in the future.

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Karen rated it:

06/24/08

bookshelves: childrens, fiction

Mixed feelings about this one. In some ways, it is my favorite of the three L'Engle books I have read. I loved the title, and I absolutely, utterly loved Gaudior (and the especially good cover illustration of him). As I recall, Gaudior could easily travel through time, but it was difficult for him to travel in space (from one place to another). This stuck with me, and I've pondered it every once in a while, just as a novel idea, a "what if."

However, I remember the book placing a lot ...more

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In the young adult novel A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L'Engle, which person teaches Meg the ancient rune (or poem) that she uses to help Charles Wallace?
a. her father Mr. Murry
b. her husband Calvin
c. Her mother-in-law Mrs. O'Keefe
d. Her brother Sandy
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A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time, Book 3)

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A Swiftly Tilting Planet (Time, Book 3)

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