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Time Future #1
Time Future
In the universe of enigmatic aliens & complex politics, one woman must entangle interlocking mysteries in a race against time. Halley must solve the mystery of a locked room in closed space, before Jocasta erupts in an explosion of terror & death.
445 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 29, 2020
This is one of the (many) books on my personal shelves, as it is one I have read before and as I enjoyed it I kept it to read again. I think this may be about the 3rd time I've read this Australian author's excellent science fiction drama.
It begins with the main character Commander Halley trying to keep both her blockaded space station, and herself, from falling apart, and then things get worse. Important parts of the station are sabotaged, a friend is murdered by an unbeatable killer, and then her ex-husband turns up.
The whole novel has a very claustrophobic feel, from the space station itself, the exhaustion of the main characters, and the timeframe of the story which takes place over only a few days. However, this feel fits very well with the story and always makes me want to keep reading to find out what happens.
And though I have read it before, I had no idea how they managed to break the blockade and win free. I found it a very satisfying ending once again and put it back on my shelves this morning in the expectation that in a few years I will read it yet again with pleasure. :)
It begins with the main character Commander Halley trying to keep both her blockaded space station, and herself, from falling apart, and then things get worse. Important parts of the station are sabotaged, a friend is murdered by an unbeatable killer, and then her ex-husband turns up.
The whole novel has a very claustrophobic feel, from the space station itself, the exhaustion of the main characters, and the timeframe of the story which takes place over only a few days. However, this feel fits very well with the story and always makes me want to keep reading to find out what happens.
And though I have read it before, I had no idea how they managed to break the blockade and win free. I found it a very satisfying ending once again and put it back on my shelves this morning in the expectation that in a few years I will read it yet again with pleasure. :)
January 5, 2020
Wavering between 4 - 5 stars.
The story itself is not that intricate, but has a lot of unnecessary information bogging it down. The author drops information about the different species of aliens here and there, mostly when they're mentioned, partly in completely unrelated parts.
There is a subplot about a star-shaped implant that Cmdr Halley has above her collarbone giving her dreams and visions to talk to the Seouras but ultimately it doesn't do anything except make her look more tired. She hardly eats or sleeps but never passes out once in the book lol.
All the alien names sound like the author mashed her keyboard. H'digh, K'Cher, Q'chn, even the name of the station is all a collection of letters arbitrarily assigned. Additionally it wasn't until the end of the book before I really retained what the major alien species look like.
I spent all morning reading the remaining parts of this book. Cmdr Halley is the head of the Jalypso station orbiting an abandoned/uninhabited planet light years away from earth. One day, in the midst of strained, resouce-scarce life on the station due to the occupation by the Seouras, a mine explodes destroying the tail end of a human ship that is carrying cryogenically frozen humans from 100 years ago.
Navigating the politics between the station's various alien races and trying to uncover the mystery of the ship, Halley has to help the residents, contact the council to assist, and communicate with the Seouras.
By the end of the book it's all quite well wrapped up and the plot elements are layered quite well, I was impressed
This is my first Australian author book for the year; I wholly recommend reading this book if you have a chance for some good 90s science fiction.
The story itself is not that intricate, but has a lot of unnecessary information bogging it down. The author drops information about the different species of aliens here and there, mostly when they're mentioned, partly in completely unrelated parts.
There is a subplot about a star-shaped implant that Cmdr Halley has above her collarbone giving her dreams and visions to talk to the Seouras but ultimately it doesn't do anything except make her look more tired. She hardly eats or sleeps but never passes out once in the book lol.
All the alien names sound like the author mashed her keyboard. H'digh, K'Cher, Q'chn, even the name of the station is all a collection of letters arbitrarily assigned. Additionally it wasn't until the end of the book before I really retained what the major alien species look like.
I spent all morning reading the remaining parts of this book. Cmdr Halley is the head of the Jalypso station orbiting an abandoned/uninhabited planet light years away from earth. One day, in the midst of strained, resouce-scarce life on the station due to the occupation by the Seouras, a mine explodes destroying the tail end of a human ship that is carrying cryogenically frozen humans from 100 years ago.
Navigating the politics between the station's various alien races and trying to uncover the mystery of the ship, Halley has to help the residents, contact the council to assist, and communicate with the Seouras.
By the end of the book it's all quite well wrapped up and the plot elements are layered quite well, I was impressed
This is my first Australian author book for the year; I wholly recommend reading this book if you have a chance for some good 90s science fiction.
June 2, 2018
This is probably one of my all-time favourite reads so far from the science fiction genre. McArthur understands the importance of the characters as well as the setting. While taking us to this future universe where four superior alien races dominate and the rest (including humans) jockey for relevance and control of their environment, she doesn't shy away from exploring motivation (even alien motivation), relationships (across species) and interplanetary politics. The story is complex with many plot twists and strong female characters, this is very enjoyable summer (or cosy winter) reading. I've ordered the next book "Time Past" and can't wait to read it.
December 26, 2022
Commander Halley is in charge of an orbital space station many light years from Earth. Some one hundred years ago, Earth made First Contact with the Invidi, an alien race with superior technology. When Earth was invited to join a Confederacy of planets they were only allowed limited access to advanced alien technology along with limited voting rights. Four worlds control the balance of power while Earth and eight other worlds play second fiddle. This restriction has led to conflict and disharmony between the haves and have-nots.
Halley's station has been caught in a hostile blockade for the past 6 months and the Confederacy seems either unwilling or unable to offer assistance. When a damaged ship enters the system and is able to somehow avoid the blockade, Halley thinks it might offer a solution to her problems.
This is McArthur's debut novel and it won her the George Turner prize (an Australian award). Filled with aliens, monsters, treachery and a struggle against overwhelming odds, this is a great book with which to make a debut. I never knew exactly what was going to happen from one plot twist to the next. The story is set over a two-day period and by the end of it you feel the exhaustion of Commander Halley.
Halley's station has been caught in a hostile blockade for the past 6 months and the Confederacy seems either unwilling or unable to offer assistance. When a damaged ship enters the system and is able to somehow avoid the blockade, Halley thinks it might offer a solution to her problems.
This is McArthur's debut novel and it won her the George Turner prize (an Australian award). Filled with aliens, monsters, treachery and a struggle against overwhelming odds, this is a great book with which to make a debut. I never knew exactly what was going to happen from one plot twist to the next. The story is set over a two-day period and by the end of it you feel the exhaustion of Commander Halley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2021
My daughter picked this up at a used book store in Collingwood in the summer. Desperate for something to read I started reading it and was pleasantly surprised. Now looking to source the follow-up books....
April 24, 2020
A burnt-out female space station commander must quell internal rebellion, cope with a blockade, and catch an alien serial killer.
July 17, 2021
The protagonist is somewhat compelling. The array of alien species and the heirarchy is also interesting. Unfortunately the pace of the novel is slow and the plot fails to sustain my interest.
January 26, 2025
There are no good words to describe how bad this book is. It is a jumbled mess. If this is the future, them leave me out.
June 10, 2024
Babylon 5 and Deep Space Nine Fans, READ THIS BOOK.
A great story regarding a blockaded space station with a ship from Earths past suddenly appearing.
Mainly the novel is a mystery regarding the strange ship, and what it’s implications are for the galaxy at large. I really don’t want to spoil anything, if you like Sci Fi mysteries you’ll definitely enjoy this.
The world building is excellent. Truly alien aliens and sympathetic human characters. The author includes just enough glimpses into the history and background of the setting to ignite the imagination.
The book isn’t going to be remembered as an undisputed classic but it delivers everything sci fi should.
A great story regarding a blockaded space station with a ship from Earths past suddenly appearing.
Mainly the novel is a mystery regarding the strange ship, and what it’s implications are for the galaxy at large. I really don’t want to spoil anything, if you like Sci Fi mysteries you’ll definitely enjoy this.
The world building is excellent. Truly alien aliens and sympathetic human characters. The author includes just enough glimpses into the history and background of the setting to ignite the imagination.
The book isn’t going to be remembered as an undisputed classic but it delivers everything sci fi should.
August 9, 2017
New author McArthur is off to a fast start in this classy CJ Cherryh-style
space opera, which opens in media res and never lets up.
Earth is a very junior member of the Confederacy of Allied Worlds, a
David Brin-esque organization where the senior Four Races control the
high-tech goodies and call the shots. Jocasta is a war-surplus Station in
a ruined system, given to Earth as a political sop, but Station
Commander Halley is making lemonade from this lemon -- until the
mysterious Seouras blockade the station. And no one can figure out
what this fleetload of well-armed and (literally) slimy aliens really
wants...
There are some first-novel rough spots here, but the characters are
exceptionally well-drawn, even minor ones -- here's Helen Sasaki,
deputy Security chief: "She is tall, shy, brusque, tenacious and
inventive..." And small, rich details abound -- Halley is speaking:
"I once went for three years without seeing another human... It was
very... stressful. You have to constantly think... There's no autopilot.
You can't trust your common sense, because you have nothing in
common with anyone else."
There are loose threads dangling at book's end, but a sequel, Time Past,
was published in 2002, to mixed reviews. I haven't read it.
Maxine McCarthur, an Australian, won the George Turner prize for
Time Future. She has lived and worked in the Outback, New Guinea
and Japan, as well as urban Australia -- near-perfect preparation for her
tales of conflict and intrigue among an amazingly mismatched
menagerie of sentients.
My 2001 review, with links, many dead:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfict...
space opera, which opens in media res and never lets up.
Earth is a very junior member of the Confederacy of Allied Worlds, a
David Brin-esque organization where the senior Four Races control the
high-tech goodies and call the shots. Jocasta is a war-surplus Station in
a ruined system, given to Earth as a political sop, but Station
Commander Halley is making lemonade from this lemon -- until the
mysterious Seouras blockade the station. And no one can figure out
what this fleetload of well-armed and (literally) slimy aliens really
wants...
There are some first-novel rough spots here, but the characters are
exceptionally well-drawn, even minor ones -- here's Helen Sasaki,
deputy Security chief: "She is tall, shy, brusque, tenacious and
inventive..." And small, rich details abound -- Halley is speaking:
"I once went for three years without seeing another human... It was
very... stressful. You have to constantly think... There's no autopilot.
You can't trust your common sense, because you have nothing in
common with anyone else."
There are loose threads dangling at book's end, but a sequel, Time Past,
was published in 2002, to mixed reviews. I haven't read it.
Maxine McCarthur, an Australian, won the George Turner prize for
Time Future. She has lived and worked in the Outback, New Guinea
and Japan, as well as urban Australia -- near-perfect preparation for her
tales of conflict and intrigue among an amazingly mismatched
menagerie of sentients.
My 2001 review, with links, many dead:
http://www.infinityplus.co.uk/nonfict...
April 1, 2015
I read this, and kept thinking, I've read this before. The whole women in charge remembering her family history of activism and strong women. The slime filled alien ship. I know I've read that somewhere before in a Sci Fi book. Anyway, about half way through, I thought, maybe I haven't read this before. An interesting plot, but not enough relationship detail. This woman is in charge of an entire space station, and yet seems incredibly isolated. Mostly, those around her seem indifferent to her leadership. That just didn't ring true. Seemed like a lot of beginnings to plot directions that never went anywhere. Some of the station details reminded me of Babylon 5.
April 3, 2010
Too bad we don't have intermediate steps in the rating system. I'd give this a 3+. The book is a cut above a lot of sci-fi in the quality of its writing. It has an interesting protagonist and a well-crafted, intricate plot. While the world/time the author has created is richly imagined, she spends a little more energy than I would like on inter-species politics and not enough on story. That's really my only criticism.
September 16, 2015
As per my decision to go back in time and read some SF of the 80s and the 90s I overlooked before, I plowed determinedly through this novel. At least now it's done and I feel virtuous. I'm not even sure why it was such a hard slog. The aliens are not too anthropomorphic; the mystery is not too obvious; the main character is not entirely obnoxious...I guess the reason lies in all these negations. It is not too bad - but not particularly good either.
July 29, 2011
Mildly entertaining novels about a space station under siege in the boondocks of space. Narrated in the first person and somewhat confusing in their plots (or lack of plots), I nevertheless found them a decent read because the main character is so well portrayed.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=940
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=940
June 12, 2011
This is one of Maxine's space station time travel books. A good read, lovely writing style.
October 12, 2012
Read for Locus, #484 May 2001,
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews