In LIEU

by Barry Dean

Welcome to the time travelling world of L.I.E.U. A future world where nothing is quite as it seems.

A world where a young girl is saved from certain death when an enormous library building suddenly appears in her back yard. A world where the chocolatiers of Bruges halve the world’s population without spilling a drop of blood. A world where a 3D printed rogue and his girlfriend help to steal some of the world’s most valuable books, and an ageing rock star attempts to breaks the rule about being in two places at once.

A world where it is possible to die a two thousand years before you are born, ageing can be suspended, and where artificial intelligence supplants that of humans.

A place where sometimes, not even those concerned can tell the difference between being a librarian, thief, or time-cop — particularly when time-travel is involved, and things happen in order, out of order, and simultaneously at different times.

Genres: Time Travel

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2019

About the author

BARRY Dean is a mid-century relic. A fossilised remnant of a young boy born in 1949 in Lithgow.

From his early days as a long-haired muso with attitude, Barry worked as a techncian, construction inspector, engineer and engineering consultant before a stint as an expert witness for barristers sparked an interest in writing fiction.

Inspired by the likes of Douglas Adams, Roald Dahl and Terry Pratchett, writing fiction that sits just to the left of reality appeals to Barry’s quirkier tendencies.

In his writing, Barry has created a world of his own making, inspired by the music of life, global travel, a love of history and old ruins, and observation. In fact, his first novel The Garden of Emily Washburn (Hague Publishing, 2012) was inspired by watching the Cannes Film Festival and the incongruous sight of a beautiful woman on the arm of a man “with a head like a Picasso painting”.

Barry splits his time between the home he shares with wife Theresa on the shores of the River Tamar and indulging a love of travel. At any given time, you can find him immersed in fiction writing, photography, curating a vintage guitar collection, or jamming with other ancient musos.

For more information visit http://barrydean42.com

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fun find this was. Absolutely random Read Now selection on Netgalley with an irresistibly intriguing premise. Definitely enough to override any initial trepidation about trying new authors…and about time traveling stories. I admit they do my brain in. Only seldom does a time traveling story actually comes across as perfectly logical, Blake Crouch’s Recursion is best and most recent instance. But ok, back to this…In L.I.E.U., an abbreviation that can be interpreted in a variety of entertaining ways, is essentially an agency that deals with fictional characters as if they were real and does so utilizing a time machine. So think…time cop librarians. And this fun bunch gets to travel from era to era settling situations without directly interfering with the past, because that, of course, would be most inappropriate, not to mention dangerous for the continuum. The book has lovely characters and they are fun to time travel with, but all of their adventures can get to be too much. There is an undeniable convoluted logic to the L.I.E.U. methods and techniques, but it does get confusing at times. It doesn’t help that the book is very…busy, I suppose. Just completely crammed with all sorts of things…clever and pleasantly idiosyncratic things, mind you, like quirky characters and artificial intelligence, but still…it’s a lot. And obviously with a more nonlinear mind, I'd probably appreciate this so much more. Nevertheless, though, the overwhelming general impression here is one of charm, it’s a charming story, it entertains, delights even. Despite its frantically busy execution, the book mostly works and nicely, the ideas are lovely and original and it makes for an interesting fun read. The book is geared up for a sequel, but for me personally it perfectly sufficed as a standalone. Too much time traveling can be…too much. But for a short while, and this is a pretty quick read, nice trip indeed. Time travel fans and humorous science fiction devotees should enjoy this one. Thanks Netgalley.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you prepared to have your mind twisted like a pretzel with time paradoxes, events happening out of order, effects preceding causes? If so, then set yourself right down and read In L.I.E.U. and have your fears unconfirmed. Supposedly the tale of Holly Penworthy, it is more the tale of Cameliel Cameron, commonly known as Cam, who helps recruit Holly as the Librarian in 1960. but that occurs after Holly has recruited him as Assistant Librarian in 2019. And time keeps getting twisted for poor Cam and his cartooning with trips to the future, the past and into Romance with Holly's granddaughter Petra. This is a fun ride that ends with enough plot hints that another adventure for some of the characters may issue out of the Time-Continuum in our future. I for one will be on the lookout for such an occurrence.

Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this title!

[BonLivre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. The premise of the novel - librarians, stolen manuscripts, time travel - was an easy hook for me, and I was more than open to exploring the Sci-Fi and Fantasy blended genre. However, the plot just got too confusing and towards the end I could no longer seem to follow each character’s arch. I did greatly respect the author’s creativity though, which certainly shined through each character’s name.

[Ileana Renfroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In L.I.E.U. is the first book I have read from this author. It was an interesting read. It's about a librarian, thief, or time-cop? Sometimes, not even those concerned can tell the difference — particularly when time-travel is involved, and things happen in order, out of order, and simultaneously at different times.

Welcome to the time-travelling world of L.I.E.U. A future world where nothing is quite as it seems. If you enjoy reading fantasy novels then you must read this book.

[Karsyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received from NetGalley
Completed 1/26/19
236 page ebook

I rather enjoyed this mind bending time travel book. It was well done and quite unique. As someone who reads a LOT of time travel, that's saying something.

This book takes you on a wild ride. From the start you are sent on a journey and are never sure when or where our MCs are. Some of the parts of the book are quick and precise, while other parts are more drawn out and detailed. The book revolves around two MCs, Holly and Cam as they go on their own journey through time.

Holly is recruited to be a librarian of some special books, but I say what they are, because that is part of the plot. They are very special books, very unique ones, none Holly has heard of before, yet is very important to her life. Holly and her assistants travel through time to get or do what is needed.

Time moves back and forth through this book. One minute is the past and one minute it's the future. In addition to the MCs there's a rather interesting fellow along for most of the journey. He's inception is rather cool and a lovely touch to the book.

It's hard to say too much about the book without giving too much away. It's just something that should be read without any preconceived notions going in. If you are a fan of of time travel, I do recommend this book. It's different and unique, unlike many other time travel books out there. The characters are lovable and quirky, not without some flaws. They make the book feel genuine. Go read it when it's released, you won't regret it!


Setting = A
Plot = A+
Conflict = A
Characters = A+
Theme = A

[McKinzie Payton]

I received an ARC in return for honest feedback.

In L.I.E.U. is about a secret society of time travelers, known as librarians. At 18% of the way through the book, that's pretty much all I can say about the plot. Cam summed up my feelings toward this book quite nicely:

“Yes. As a librarian you know, better than most, authors give characters life. Readers get involved in what happens to the characters in novels. Fact is, if you don’t get involved you won’t finish the book.”

I gave up and DNF at 18% (Location 517, chapter "Engagement"). While the premise was intriguing, I have no interest in finding out what happens to either Holly or Cam. Holly lacks any sense of agency in joining L.I.E.U., essentially getting kidnapped and told to join or else. Cam, on the other hand, gets seduced into seeking out future-Holly, who then illustrates the inevitability of joining L.I.E.U. to him. While I realize this is a story of time travel and confused causality, I still want to see the cast making decisions for better or worse, and from the five chapters I read, I don't get the feeling that will be realized throughout the rest of the book.

And while this may not be a deal breaker for other readers, the tone of the narration was not to my taste. The book is written in the style of Douglas Adams: jaunty, joking, and not especially well-matched to the characters' voices for the sake of differentiating their points of view. The narration also vacillates between exceedingly dry and contextually inappropriate melodrama (Holly screamed, as she pointed at the tablet. "What is this?").

This book may appeal to readers of Douglas Adams, Terry Pratchett, and other classic SFF humorists, as long as you go in looking for a meticulously-planned time travel plot and not deeply-drawn characters. If you're interested in the ramifications of time travel and how moving in and out of the timeline might affect a person, I doubt you'll find it here.

[Vigasia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I was conflicted how to rate this book, but I decided 3 stars would be enough. It's not a bad novel, it's quite interesting with time travel concept and some doctor who references. But there was somehow too much opportunities coming from time travel without any explanation. I mean, there is time travel, and there are workers for time travel organization called L.I.E.U and they can tell you anything about your past and future, but of course they don't intervene in you choices, because all your choices were already made. There was also a concept of fictional characters being bring to life and it was cool, except nothing in this book was explained. I agree that in Dr Whoo time is this wooblyy bobbly thing, and here it's somehow the same, but... I don't know, Dr Who is classic and about people's nature and doing good despite everything and in this book I could do with some scientific fact how it all works..

But the story in itself is really nice, characters are good and pretty likeable, so I think time travel lovers will like it.