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To Trust in What We Cannot See
To Trust in What We Cannot See is the first book in Dennis Mansfield's series of time-traveling, historical thrillers. The story builds a genre-bending, thought provoking plot around a little known historical fact: During the month of January 1913, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Josip Tito all lived in Vienna, Austria, near each other, and all regularly frequented the same coffee shop, Cafe Central. At the time, these five young men did not know one another-although some of them may have faced off in games of chess. This historical science fiction epic travels across space-time dimensions in an effort to prevent past horrors-in particular, the rise of the Nazi party and the Holocaust. Yet, a calculated act of murder to change the past winds up having an earth-shattering impact on the future.
228 pages, Paperback
Published April 21, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 10, 2026
As a graduate student with a science degree, I don’t think I was the target audience for this book. Moreover, I think this book is misleading in many ways.
Let’s start with the title. Well, maybe like three chapters actually go into the actual history of the figures from the title. He tries to compare Hitler to other evil figures, and instead of mentioning other leaders who have killed millions of people like king Leopold II, responsible for killing 10 million people, the author starts speaking about the devil. Lmao??? It’s insane because of how religious this book gets…
"You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting "Vanity," thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure,” is what comes to mind when I saw how the author writes women.
The only female character is immediately a love interest and has a bird brain. She is a postgrad physicist who didn’t think about her way back? And went to the future and was almost stuck there because she wanted to “see what she would look like?” There really wasn’t any other reason to bring her there? Why is she the only one obsessed with vanity?? And don’t get me started on doc’s creepy comments.
Thirdly, the research is juvenile and surface level at best. At worst it’s blatantly inaccurate. Issac Newton is pretty much the god here. Every major discovery is attached to him which is absolutely false. The author says Newton’s second law of thermodynamics??? lol what? Second law of thermodynamics and Newton’s second law are two very different things.
Or that newton discovered calculus. He later mentions that it is differential calculus. Yea, so newton made major contributions to differential calculus which was also independently discovered by his scientific rival Leibniz. Newton spent a lot of his life trying to erase his scientific rivals from history and grew to become a man with a lot of power.
The author then uses the inaccurate facts about Newton to justify his manic beliefs in god. Well, the issue is that the guy was pumped with mercury and lead. If the author checked credibility of his sources and dug a bit deeper, he would maybe have more nuance. Stephen Hawkins would have been a much better source.
Both PhD physicists sound juvenile and simple minded. They seem like the authors projections and wants- not true individual characters with their own quirks.
And then again religious stuff throughout the book was kind of insane since this book doesn’t advertise itself as any of those things.
Halfway through this book I really wanted to put it down but ended up finishing just to write this review.
There are a lot of books that can give you whatever you are looking to get from this topic bc you won’t be getting it here
Let’s start with the title. Well, maybe like three chapters actually go into the actual history of the figures from the title. He tries to compare Hitler to other evil figures, and instead of mentioning other leaders who have killed millions of people like king Leopold II, responsible for killing 10 million people, the author starts speaking about the devil. Lmao??? It’s insane because of how religious this book gets…
"You painted a naked woman because you enjoyed looking at her, put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting "Vanity," thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for you own pleasure,” is what comes to mind when I saw how the author writes women.
The only female character is immediately a love interest and has a bird brain. She is a postgrad physicist who didn’t think about her way back? And went to the future and was almost stuck there because she wanted to “see what she would look like?” There really wasn’t any other reason to bring her there? Why is she the only one obsessed with vanity?? And don’t get me started on doc’s creepy comments.
Thirdly, the research is juvenile and surface level at best. At worst it’s blatantly inaccurate. Issac Newton is pretty much the god here. Every major discovery is attached to him which is absolutely false. The author says Newton’s second law of thermodynamics??? lol what? Second law of thermodynamics and Newton’s second law are two very different things.
Or that newton discovered calculus. He later mentions that it is differential calculus. Yea, so newton made major contributions to differential calculus which was also independently discovered by his scientific rival Leibniz. Newton spent a lot of his life trying to erase his scientific rivals from history and grew to become a man with a lot of power.
The author then uses the inaccurate facts about Newton to justify his manic beliefs in god. Well, the issue is that the guy was pumped with mercury and lead. If the author checked credibility of his sources and dug a bit deeper, he would maybe have more nuance. Stephen Hawkins would have been a much better source.
Both PhD physicists sound juvenile and simple minded. They seem like the authors projections and wants- not true individual characters with their own quirks.
And then again religious stuff throughout the book was kind of insane since this book doesn’t advertise itself as any of those things.
Halfway through this book I really wanted to put it down but ended up finishing just to write this review.
There are a lot of books that can give you whatever you are looking to get from this topic bc you won’t be getting it here
June 5, 2020
was really hoping there would be other reviews before I posted mine so I could possibly gain some insight into some of my issues. SPOILER First, I do indeed like time travel type of books so this was a logical one for me to pick up. However there were a lot of issues for me with this story. I felt the Doc's explanation of how he time traveled was almost too in depth and very confusing and hard to understand. It also seems that he takes chances with his time travel - has things in his apartment that would be hard to explain if someone from the current era would find them. Some things did not add up: Lou goes to 1948 to see her future self, however at the same time back at the apartment in 1913 she is pouring coke for the group. You arent' made aware of exactly what changes history for the goup of tyrants to all be killed int he end. And why is Lafayette there.
A lot of unanswered questions for me HOWEVER, having said that, I will indeed read the second book in the hopes that some will be answered and just because I have to find out how history has changed and what happens!!!
A lot of unanswered questions for me HOWEVER, having said that, I will indeed read the second book in the hopes that some will be answered and just because I have to find out how history has changed and what happens!!!
June 16, 2020
To Trust in What We Cannot See was a pretty good read. It was interesting to getting a glimpse of what could have been if history was hanged. I do have to admit there were a few scenes that I found to be confusing. Once I caught on, I was able to keep reading and not want to put it down.
I am giving To Trust in What We Cannot See four stars. I would be interested reading more by Dennis Mansfield in the future. Readers who enjoy historical and science fiction.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I am giving To Trust in What We Cannot See four stars. I would be interested reading more by Dennis Mansfield in the future. Readers who enjoy historical and science fiction.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
April 21, 2020
I received a complimentary copy.
Definitely a new way to think about some of the worst humans life created. Would you be able to think of these humans in a different light? It is a really good book very thought out.
Definitely a new way to think about some of the worst humans life created. Would you be able to think of these humans in a different light? It is a really good book very thought out.
January 30, 2022
this was an ok read.
November 3, 2023
It was a very interesting novel. A bit different than most time travel tropes. With the extensive endnotes, it was obvious a lot of research and facts anchored the rapid fire time and space jumps. It got a bit confusing at times, but that did not detract from the basic premise, nor the fun - in spite of the various villains. I'm glad I read it - and am looking forward to reading more of Dennis' books - this being the second for me.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews