Island in the Sea of Time (Nantucket, Book 1)

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Island in the Sea of Time (Nantucket series #1)

by S.M. Stirling

3.96 · rating details · 1,517 ratings · 140 reviews

It's spring on Nantucket and everything is perfectly normal, until a sudden storm blankets the entire island. When the weather clears, the island's inhabitants find that they are no longer in the late 20th century, but have been transported instead to the Bronze Age. Now they must learn to survive with suspicious, warlike peoples they can barely understand and deal with im...more

Paperback, 608 pages

Published March 1st 1998 by Roc (first published 1998)

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Sep 20, 2007

Annette rated it

Recommends it for: Fantasy or History lovers

Shelves: fantasy

I loved this book, and the two that followed in the trilogy.

Quick synopsis - the island of Nantucket (and a wooden Coast Guard ship) are mysteriously whisked back in time several thousand years.

The only reason I didn't give this one five stars is that Stirling gets a bit carried away with some of the more ... unsavory sexual behavior of some of his characters. This seems to be a consistent trend of his in most of his books. He can't seem to write plain old vanilla s...more

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Oct 08, 2010

Ron rated it

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, connecticut_yankee

3.5 stars. Excellent, if you like Swiss Family Robinson and Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court-type stories. Well-researched and told.

But it was all too quick and too easy. Yeah, there was a big conflict of sorts, but everything worked too well for even the renegade "Islanders." But isn't that the style of these back-to-the-past stories?

Fun read. Not great literature. Hardly even credible, despite all the research Stirling apparently did.

Heav...more

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Jan 29, 2008

John rated it

Despite having the same rating and similar a premise, I actually liked this book more than 1632 by Eric Flint.

I liked the fact that Nantucket stayed in the same geographical location. Moving West Virginia to Germany to put them in the middle of the action was a plot device that annoyed me.

All in all, this feels like a more realistic take on the idea of a town moving back in time. Relatively speaking, I mean. And its missing a lot of that overzealous American patriotism ...more

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Aug 06, 2011

Hikachi rated it

Shelves: adventure

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When a friend suggested this book to me, I have to admit that I sort of attracted by the idea. Yes, I haven't read much stories about time travel. Stranded, maybe, but time travel and stranded. This was my first time.

The first few chapters were engaging, for me. The plot was built in a superbly easy to understand way. A whole Nantucket Island was transported to the 1200 BC. Along with a ship and her crew that was (unfortunately) around the same area.

So they had to survive...moreWhen a friend suggested this book to me, I have to admit that I sort of attracted by the idea. Yes, I haven't read much stories about time travel. Stranded, maybe, but time travel and stranded. This was my first time.

The first few chapters were engaging, for me. The plot was built in a superbly easy to understand way. A whole Nantucket Island was transported to the 1200 BC. Along with a ship and her crew that was (unfortunately) around the same area.

So they had to survive, okay, and also work on their knowledge about the era, understandable, do adapt, well yeah... Occasional sex out of convenience... Huh what? At first, the sex scene was already made me twitch with uncertainty if I should continue read this book or put it in my half-read list with no definite date when I'll continue it. Anyhow, the first sex scene I encountered was kind of okay, it wasn't explicit or took a whole chapter describing the whole action. But after a few pages, there's another sex scene. And another one, and another one, and another one. Those weren't explicit, yes, but they're really annoying cause it happened without any significant meaning for the story.

Another thing that irked me was the characterization. Bland, black and white much, cardboard-like. The characters were as bad as those written/created by Stephenie Meyer and Cassandra Clare. There's no inner conflict, and the external conflict was kept to minimum. I guess it's because the idea of "how to survive" could be pretty overwhelming for one, and too good to be the main conflict.
The villain was simply pure evil who boasted his evilness, while the good guys are goody two shoes much. Hello?! True to the word "fiction", I believe.

I gave this book 1.7 actually, but since goodreads has no decimals, I had to give it two stars. The only good thing is the idea of time travel and some history research. And also how the author seemed to have done a profound research about bronze age. Otherwise, I don't really recommend it.(less)

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Jan 03, 2011

Chak rated it

Recommended to Chak by: Claire

Shelves: fiction, sci-fi-and-fantasy

I was completely hooked by the plot, but the writing and character development brought the rating down a few points. The Island of Nantucket (with all of the people, buildings, ships and technology within a certain radius) was mysteriously sent back in time to the year 1200 B.C. The most interesting parts of the book for me were the efforts to form a government and society and provide continued sustenance and safety of the people. Stirling reasoned through all of this very well, and when he s...moreI was completely hooked by the plot, but the writing and character development brought the rating down a few points. The Island of Nantucket (with all of the people, buildings, ships and technology within a certain radius) was mysteriously sent back in time to the year 1200 B.C. The most interesting parts of the book for me were the efforts to form a government and society and provide continued sustenance and safety of the people. Stirling reasoned through all of this very well, and when he stuck to logistics, he was brilliant. Also, I loved the character of Marion Alston, a formidable woman who goes from being a stoic, modern leader to a righteous and nearly invulnerable warrior. As a protagonist, she's easy to root for and clearly likable, though her stoic nature keeps her from dwelling on too much of her inner conflict, which is a bit regrettable since she could have been even more complex. The antagonist William Walker is one-dimensional and falls flat even next to the subdued dimensionality of Alston. Compare the simplicity of Walker to an almost perfectly complex villain such as (the reimagined) Battlestar Galactica's Gaius Baltar and the difference is clear. Waging war on a relatively effective (plot-wise) but otherwise shallow villain (and his ridiculously cliche sidekick Alice Hong) actually degrades the protagonist and she deserved a better literary experience.

Also, the characters and plot are subordinate to writer's conceit in that over-exposition and frivolous outpouring of unnecessary details are used in place of development (see ship-rigging, metal working, how much a human "voids" when he/she dies, etc.). Don't get me wrong, the details would have been fine if they were used in addition to development, instead of in place of it. Along those same lines, the sexual violence is a simple shortcut to outrage and procuring emotional investment instead of courting it with depth of character and good writing.

The "event" of going back in time is never explained or even really considered much by the characters in the book, which was odd, to say the least. This book is the first in a three-book series that follows the exploits of these characters and is loosely tied to a much larger series by the same author that starts with "Dies the Fire" and basically tells the story of the people who were not on the Island of Nantucket and who therefore did not go back in time. I believe it's in the sixth book in that series that the reader finds out what caused the "event." I read a spoiler and thought the explanation was a cop-out, so I decided to cut my losses here and not read further, as the explanation of the "event" was the only thing I was really curious about after being so disappointed by other facets of the story. (less)

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Dec 21, 2010

Alexandrea rated it

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Oct 26, 2009

Jamie rated it

Recommends it for: time travel fans not easily offended by sexual depravity

Shelves: fantasy, military, sci-fi, time-travel

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Although this book held my interest (fun concept; characters that you cared about; well thought-out and detailed descriptions of the potential problems that we take for granted), I can't really recommend it because there was a lot that I found objectionable, offensive, and even disturbing.

Sometimes, there are sex scenes in sci-fi novels - what you do not expect are scenes of the following: rape, lesbianism, S&M, bestiality/rape. These scenes could easily have been removed or at leas...more

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Apr 17, 2009

Annette rated it

Shelves: post-apocalyptic, sci-fi, worth-re-reading

Another excellent offering from S.M. Stirling. "Island" is technically in the "Change" novels universe, but the stories are entirely separate because the premise goes that just before our world was thrown back into the dark ages by a sudden change in the laws of physics, the island of Nantucket was actually physically transported back in time to about 1250 BC. (This is alluded to in the second "Change" trilogy when an expedition finds pre-Columbian Indians living ...moreAnother excellent offering from S.M. Stirling. "Island" is technically in the "Change" novels universe, but the stories are entirely separate because the premise goes that just before our world was thrown back into the dark ages by a sudden change in the laws of physics, the island of Nantucket was actually physically transported back in time to about 1250 BC. (This is alluded to in the second "Change" trilogy when an expedition finds pre-Columbian Indians living on Nantucket somewhere around 2020 - apparently they changed places.) So, we've got the 20th century Nantucketers with their cars, boats, planes, and insufficient crop land suddenly faced with a survival crisis as they try to figure out how to not starve without daily deliveries from the mainland. (Wasn't it nice of whomever engineered this event to place it in March, when there was still time for spring planting if they worked fast enough?)

Yes, it's a ridiculous premise, just like nearly all of Stirling's. But it's a very fun read with good characters you genuinely like - or don't, in the case of his anti-heroes. And it is fun to think through how a modern society would survive, or not, with most of their technology stripped away, without the ability to talk to the locals, and etc.

My husband did level a charge of "authorial affirmative action" in the character of Alston, the black, female, and oh by the way lesbian, Coast Guard captain who also just happens to be a post-black belt martial artist. Yeah, maybe, but what fun is it to read about ordinary people? ;) Cofflin, unwilling boss of the Nantucketers, is certainly a more realistic character, if stereotyped laconic "Yankee," complete with "Ayups." And maybe Alston is just there to balance the vegetarian, bleeding heart, environmentalist whack-o's who decide to "help" a nearby group of Indians with guns and other modern tech. Now There's a set of characters I almost believe! :)

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and am looking forward to the other two books in the series. (less)

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Jun 29, 2010

Benjamin Newland rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads

OK, I think I've got it figured out. The last book I read (The Sunrise Lands) is the first book in the second trilogy in the second series of "The Change" novels. This book is the first of the first of the first. It's confusing, and a more detailed list of books by series inside the front cover would have been appreciated, publisher!

Anyways, I liked this one, but didn't love it. The premise is very interesting, the characters good, the actions/battle scenes particularly wel...more

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Oct 17, 2011

Jody Mena rated it

A really original story! This book really took the ordinary and made it extraordinary. The characters were interesting, realistic but still heroic. The plot was fantastical, but remained realistic within the fantasy. The setting was enchanting, even though it remained rather common place. I was fascinated by the interaction of modern people with ancient cultures, with the struggle to survive and with the magical view of everyday things from the perspective of more primitive peoples. I also ...more

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Jul 05, 2009

Brownbetty rated it

This book is technically fairly well executed, but politically leaves me cross-eyed. Warning for sexual violence, weird race issues, and general ookiness. In order to discuss it, first, an overview of the plot:

One spring night, the island of Nantucket (with several miles of coastal waters) is inexplicably transported into the bronze age. Luckily for the islanders, the coastal waters include a Coast Guard ship, the Eagle, and her captain, Black lesbian Marian Alston, who is ple...moreThis book is technically fairly well executed, but politically leaves me cross-eyed. Warning for sexual violence, weird race issues, and general ookiness. In order to discuss it, first, an overview of the plot:

One spring night, the island of Nantucket (with several miles of coastal waters) is inexplicably transported into the bronze age. Luckily for the islanders, the coastal waters include a Coast Guard ship, the Eagle, and her captain, Black lesbian Marian Alston, who is plenty competent to organize the transportation needs of the island (which, given the island is not agriculturally self-sufficient, are legion.)

The book covers Nantucket's efforts at self-preservation and adaptation to their new reality. This includes making contact and political agreements with the peoples around them, as well as their scramble to adapt their silicon-age technology to the bronze-age resources available to them.

The book is both a gleeful Swiss Family Robinson style pipe-dream of how one might adapt modern knowledge to stone-age resources, and an imperialist fantasy in a slightly self-consciously progressive language. It occasionally does very well at not being fucking offensive, only to make it extra obvious when it falls off the wagon.

The one thing it does well at is not condescending to the Bronze Age inhabitants or their technology. Stirling acknowledges that their technology represents real and situation-appropriate innovation, and when they encounter the industrial technology of the islanders, quickly grasp its use and usefulness. A good part of the Nantucket islanders' technological advantage comes not from their modern technology, but from their libraries which allow them access to all the societies of history, and to pick and choose from their solutions to common problems.

On the other hand... Oh dear god, where to start. The islanders manifestly need a staple, and the island being too small for their agriculture to support their population, their only option is trade, and they decide to contact the tribal civilizations they expect to find in England, in order to do this. In the book, their reasoning is that an islander who speaks Lithuanian is expected to be able to quickly learn the language spoken there, but this surely is the author rather than probability; I would have rated odds of finding someone who spoke Classical Greek higher than someone who spoke Lithuanian, and both agriculture and trade ought to be more, rather than less advanced in the Mediterranean.

What about the near-by inhabitants of what, in the history they left, would have come to be called 'the Americas'? Wikipedia tells me the Olmecs had maize and sweet potatoes. In Stirling's books, however, the first contact with the the peoples of the mainland leads to unleashing the common cold on them, and devastating a tribe. The second is when a delusional hippie, attempting to give the Olmec some protection against what she regards as the inevitable incursion of and devastation by arming them. She is captured, and ceremonially raped by a jaguar as a precursor to being used as a human sacrifice. Later, we learn that the Olmec have been infected with mumps and will likely be wiped out.

On what-would-be British Isles, the islanders come upon a conflict between the earlier inhabitants and the recent invaders (I think from what-would-be France, based on their names end with -ix, and Asterix) and find themselves sympathizing with the embattled locals, but trading with the victorious invaders, believing themselves to have no choice in order to survive. The invading people give the Islanders various treaty-gifts, included a captured slave-girl.

Which is where the lesbian pirate-queen romance takes off, awesome! (Not really pirates, but good enough!) Marion Alston is likeable, and her romance with young Swindapa, awkward, sweet, and the epitome of cross-cultural, is fun. But Alston as a character is occasionally jarring when she seems to be speaking for the author, as when she encourages another young Black cadet to stop thinking of themselves as Black, since in a few generations their skin differences will disappear into the island population like a drop of coffee in a glass of milk. She also tells him that their decision to trade in England rather than Africa is necessary, since in the Egyptian courts, she and he would be treated as just as sub-human as their ancestors had been Confederate America. What about West Africa, though? It's closer than Egypt, and agriculturally established. I would have bought someone speaking Swahili as easily as I bought someone speaking Lithuanian, and wikipedia confirms my memory of a western Bantu culture in the relevant time culture. I don't actually think contacting the people of the contingently-British-Isles is unlikely, but I don't think it's something that can be defended as a purely disinterested and logical choice.

The villains of the piece are also kind of icky, beyond mere villainy; Walker, a sailor, decides to take his knowledge of technology and use it to set himself up as an emperor in the Mediterranean. He takes with him a small party of like-minded people, including Alice Hong, a nurse who has been "Black-listed from every kink club on the East Coast", a sado-masochist who Walker dominates and who enjoys dominating the prisoners (slaves) Walker uses to build his civilization. It seems utterly gratuitous, a sort of dog-kicking to demonstrate villainy, and it doesn't help at all that she's the second most visible non-white character.

Actually, written like this, it seems far more clearly problematic than it did to me while reading. While reading, it was mostly a vague discomfort, which I attributed to raised mindfulness as a result of mammothfail.(less)

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Jul 30, 2011

Jeff rated it

Shelves: alternate-history

Comparing Stirling's first venture into the alternate history subgenre to the grandmaster Harry Turtledove might not be altogether fair, except Stirling stands up quite favorably.

Not as many characters, nor as much of a swing between the intimate details of the characters and the broad picture of history as with Turtledove, but you really come to care for the handful of
main characters and despise the bad guys Walker and Hong.

Thankfully, Stirling has continued the s...more

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May 26, 2010

Matt rated it

I gave this book an easy 5 stars. I've read a few of S.M. Stirling's other works, Dies the Fire and The Protector's War specifically, and enjoyed them - but I think I'm going to enjoy the Nantucket series more.

Some of the other reviews here may lead you to think that this book is chock-full of anti-Christian vitriol and rampant lesbianism - not so at all. Early on, some of the more evangelical types are portrayed in a negative light, but I feel this is due to the nature of any type...more

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Jan 27, 2012

J. Darien rated it

Actually started reading this in the middle of last year, but got bogged down and let it go. I decided to finish it off in audiobook, and that was the right choice. Stirling's writing prior to this focused too much on battle scenes and alternate history, without engaging enough of characters to really draw me in. This, however, does much better in that regard.

Like much alternate-history work, the first third features coincidence after lucky break after contrivance, and I confess to rol...more

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May 12, 2010

Geoff rated it

This is the first book I read by S.M.Stirling, and it's one of my favorite books. It's a character driven story about a small group of people thrown back in time to a historical period that isn't usually written about. The ideas were new and fresh to me, and the characters very believable. Stirling drew me into his world and even though I read this book a couple of years ago I still have vivid memories of it.

If you like this book, then you'll find that Mr. Stirling has a long list o...more

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Sep 08, 2011

Books-treasureortrash rated it

Shelves: science-fiction, reviewed

Book Review: 3 Treasure Boxes

Imagine how different our world would be if the knowledge and technology of the 21th century was introduced to the people of the Bronze Age? Island in the Sea of Time brings up this concept when Nantucket is inexplicably thrown into the past.

This is the first of three books in the Nantucket series, and it is considered both science fiction and alternative history. Mr. Stirling has written numerous books and series in the science fiction, fantasy...more

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Jul 28, 2011

Lisa rated it

Just finished it. It was a definite page turner. As per usual Stirling has a non-mainstream character as a main character. In Dies the Fire it was a pagan/wicca style priestess who led her people to safety. That was totally fine. Quite enjoyable really. In this book one of the main characters is a lesbian. Fine, no problem, she likeable enough...but then he insisted on including unnecessary sex scenes. Fortunately they were few but still they nearly ruin an excellent book.

I found it fa...more

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Aug 15, 2011

Kat Hooper rated it

· review of another edition

After a strange electrical storm, the residents of Nantucket discover that their entire island and its surrounding waters have been sent back to 1300 B.C. Now this society, which is mostly based on a tourist economy, must figure out how to establish a new identity in prehistory. This includes clearing and farming land, building ships, finding new sources of fuel, salt, and other necessities, and most difficult of all, developing a constitution and befriending native trading partners.

Fo...moreAfter a strange electrical storm, the residents of Nantucket discover that their entire island and its surrounding waters have been sent back to 1300 B.C. Now this society, which is mostly based on a tourist economy, must figure out how to establish a new identity in prehistory. This includes clearing and farming land, building ships, finding new sources of fuel, salt, and other necessities, and most difficult of all, developing a constitution and befriending native trading partners.

Fortunately, Nantucket has some citizens with valuable knowledge and skills who find themselves naturally rising to leadership positions: a brave and competent Baptist police chief, a widely-read and level-headed librarian, a black lesbian ship captain, a history professor, an astronomy student, the manager of the local grocery store, and a Catholic priest.

But of course there are also some citizens who cause problems: the church whose pastor teaches that sending Nantucket back in time was Satan’s plan to prevent the birth of Christ, and the “flake-and-nut contingent” who want to arm the natives so they’ll never be oppressed by future Americans. Then there’s the biggest threat of all — the ambitious Coast Guard Lieutenant William Walker who sees all this confusion as an opportunity to set up his very own kingdom.

I have a thing for time-travel novels — especially the Survivor-style stories in which modern people are forced to live in more uncivilized and unsophisticated times. Island in the Sea of Time has the added fun of actually having modern conveniences but not having the power or fuel to run them. Thus, the people of Nantucket must disassemble their cars for sheet metal while raiding their museums for whaling and milling antiques.

There’s more to this story than survival and industrial revolution, though. Island in the Sea of Time is full of characters who feel like real people — people you might actually know. For the most part their relationships and romances are believable and understandable as former strangers work together to create a new society. The villains, however, are over-the-top. It’s hard to believe in the doctor’s sadism, William Walker’s vast knowledge and foresight, and the granola crowds’ naiveté (their leader is shocked that the natives are “sexist,” “patriarchal,” and “abusive of animals” and that they don’t immediately trust the Americans).

At times, Island in the Sea of Time becomes a bit teachy as characters discuss token economies, division of labor, ship building, linguistics, farming techniques, iron casting, steam engines, canning, the production of gunpowder, the use and care of firearms, etc. And it gets a little preachy as they discuss the creation of a new constitution. But generally I thought S.M. Stirling did a good job with this aspect of the book.

I read the audio version of Island in the Sea of Time, narrated by Todd McLaren and produced by Tantor Audio. The best thing I can say about it is that I mostly forgot I was listening to an audiobook — McLaren’s voices and cadences were so natural that they never called attention to themselves. The only time I was brought out of the story was when McLaren used his “Boston” voice for the U. Mass astronomy intern. But that’s not McLaren’s fault...

Island in the Sea of Time comes to a satisfactory end, but most readers will be eager to continue the islanders’ advances and adventures in the next book in S.M. Stirling’s Nantucket series: Against the Tide of Years. (less)

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Jul 18, 2011

Neil rated it

This is the best example I've encountered yet of the civilization lost in time theme. It's much better than 1632, which seems to have found a wider readership.

The story is easy to synopsize: Nantucket, along with a large Coast Guard sailing ship is thrown back to 1200 B.C. Some points off for an ending that clearly requires you to go along to the next book, for a division between heroes and villains that's too cut-and-dried, and a few too many convenient solutions for the Nantucketer...more

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Oct 27, 2011

Tracey rated it

Shelves: alternate-history, alternate-universe, historical, action-adventure, time-travelling

Honestly, I HATED this book. Everything was great right up until about the end of it and I kinda went... "wow. Um, didn't expect that (and not in a good way)" and I ended up hating the author's idea of butterfly effect for the following spin-off series.

The characters are... alright. The plot, pretty good actually.

But the execution of both together? Things kinda got out of hand at the end of the novel with the 'battle' and the tribes in our modern-day Britain. Th...more

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Nov 26, 2010

Scott Hermann rated it

Shelves: science-fiction

Strong opener to what promised to be a fun alternative history series featuring moderns cast back to the Bronze Age. Had me excited about the next two volumes, but those proved slightly disappointing: baddies became more two-dimensionally evil and the heroes more invincible; addition of a Lewis & Clarkian side plot to, I'm guessing, feature other locales that doesn't really feature any other locales of consequence to the main plot; obvious and increasing lack of editorial / copy-editing; repeate...more

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Jan 29, 2008

Sheena rated it

Recommends it for: Stephanie, Patrick

Recommended to Sheena by: Stephanie

Shelves: fantasy

This is the absolutely perfect counterpoint to the "Dies the Fire" series. Realistic, gritty, but also steeped in a certain sense of pageantry. Alternate historians will love it!

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Nov 15, 2011

Andreas rated it

This alternate history series consists of:

Island in the Sea of Time
Against the Tide of Years
On the Oceans of Eternity

The island of Nantucket and the Coast Guard barque Eagle are mysteriously sent back in time to around 1000 BC. Being too small a society for self-sufficience, the inhabitants (including many seasonal visitors) must go out in the world and survive using technology and cunning. Epic adventure, well researched and well written.

...more

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Oct 28, 2009

Suzanne rated it

Shelves: sci-fi

Disappointing. I loved the premise of this book (modern Americans sent back in time, need to cope and rebuild society) but the sex and race stuff was just ick, and the violence was unappealing. I found the rape scenes really disturbing and wish they had not been included. While Stirling is great at thinking through the hows of this situation, some of his characters and scenes are so hard to take that I ended up skimming whole sections. I appreciate that the leads were not all straight white ...more

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Mar 19, 2011

Savannah rated it

Shelves: alternate-history, fiction, friendship, history, librarybook, politics, romance, scifi, timetravel, series

A group of people mysteriously moved back in time to the Bronze Age sounds like a nice jumping-off place for a plot, but not nearly so much so when the deck is so stacked for them with a tall ship and every sort of knowledge needed to recreate a technological society. It all plays out so smoothly that there's no real plot tension: more a retelling of a successful expedition than any real drama as to whether or how they will survive. I think it will be enjoyable enough for those who like a story,...more

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Jan 07, 2009

Bill rated it

Shelves: alternate-history, fantasy, fiction, post-apocalypse, science-fiction

My first exposure to Stirling. His eye for detail is amazing, if a little overdone. But, I found myself so engrossed in the story, I paid full retail for the next two books - couldn't wait for half-price sales. The story: An unexplained event on Nantucket Island propels it into the distant past - the time of the early Greek city states. 20th-century Nantucket still exists, intact, but the rest of the world is living in the 2nd century - BC. Because of vastly superior technology, the island of Na...more

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May 05, 2009

Deb rated it

Jaime was reading Dies The Fire by Stirling and suggested it. However, when I read about the author on Wikipedia, I found he was doing a sort of saga of these "events." So I started at the beginning, Island in the Sea of Time, and it is a VERY interesting read.

It revolves around people transported back in time (to 1250 BC) by an "event" with limited 20th century resource but LOADS of ingeniuity. The characters are well developed, as is their storylines, and keeps...more

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Jul 19, 2009

Julie at All Ears rated it

Shelves: audiobooks, science-fiction

This book is the first in Stirling's Nantucket series and is a speculative fiction piece that revolves around what would happen if the island of Nantucket and all of its inhabitants were tranported to the Bronze Age. The book is filled with many fun 'What if' scenarios. What if modern man ran into Mayan cannibals in South America? Who would win and who would be dinner? The book is a large scale Survivor game and you find yourself cheering for Team Nantucket. The narration is well done with just ...more

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Apr 28, 2010

Mark rated it

I am a sucker for time travel stories. This is a good one. Meticulous in the detail of how a small modern society transported to the bronze age might go about surviving. Detailed story and plot, with betrayal when a renegade group revolts. Great battle and action scenes in mezo America and England. Odd plot techniques such as having the main military hero be an African American gay female, but this sets the stage for her having to win credibilty through competence. I'm still reading it and...more

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Feb 18, 2010

Daniel rated it

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy-fiction

I really liked this book. I'd give it a 4.5 stars rating, but unfortunately you can't do that here and I'm reserving 5 for books that I consider all time favorites.

This is a lengthy, involved read but well worth the time it takes. The basic idea is that an "event" happens, which may be scientific or even mystic in nature - at any rate, the 21st century island of Nantucket and surrounding waters is suddenly thrust back into the 1200s.

The inhabitants adjust to t...more

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About S.M. Stirling

Full name is Stephen Michael Stirling, currently residing in New Mexico.

Stephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99702.Island_in_the_Sea_of_Time?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171451865m/99702.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/99702.Island_in_the_Sea_of_Time?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling[/url]

Island in the Sea of Time (Nantucket series #1)

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