Red, White, and the Blues

Chronos Origins #2

by Rysa Walker

The United States’ past is hijacked in a time-warping adventure of future interdimensional, high-risk games by the bestselling author of the CHRONOS series.

History is turned inside out when off-world travelers challenge Tyson Reyes and Madi Grace to a real-life game of Temporal Dilemma. Three rounds from the opponents and Hitler takes Europe, Pearl Harbor never happens, a fascist cloud hangs over the postwar United States, and CHRONOS itself is erased from existence.

Now Tyson, Madi, and a team of seasoned players must make their moves—in 1930s New York. Jazz and the blues waft from Village clubs. The World’s Fair draws assassins. Madison Square Garden hosts Nazis. And the Manhattan Project never gets off the ground.

Tyson and Madi have only three days to undo the strategy that changed the tides of war and the fate of the world. A surprise survivor from CHRONOS could be their best hope for flipping the timeline. If he’s on their side. But can they risk trusting him when the past, the future, and the lives of millions hang in the balance?

Genres: Time Travel, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Fantasy

566 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 19, 2021

About the author

RYSA WALKER is the author of the bestselling CHRONOS Files series. Timebound, the first book in the series, was the Young Adult and Grand Prize winner in the 2013 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. The CHRONOS Files has sold nearly half a million copies since 2013 and has been translated into fourteen languages.

In addition to speculative fiction, she occasionally writes mysteries as C. Rysa Walker.

Rysa currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two youngest sons, and a hyperactive golden retriever. When not working on the next installment in her CHRONOS Files universe, she watches shows where travelers boldly go to galaxies far away, or reads about magical creatures and superheroes from alternate timelines. She has neither the time nor the patience for reality TV.

If you see her on social media, please tell her to get back into the writing cave.

For updates, check her website: www.rysa.com.

Reviews

[Tani]

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to preface this with the statement that:
1) I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review,
2) The entire CHRONOS Files saga is fairly nostalgic for me. I binged the first trilogy and I have very fond memories of the entire experience,
And 3) I also need to say that this series would probably be fairly confusing to people who haven't read the first series.

I loved the characters and the concept and the world so incredibly much. Even still, when I reread the first book earlier this year to remind myself of some things that happened in the original trilogy, it wasn't QUITE as good as I remembered. But this isnt a review of the first trilogy.

All of that was to say, the first book in this spin-off series, Now, Then, and Every When, hit me with the same feelings as the first time I read that trilogy. Though I had a slower time getting into that book, it quickly picked up and I sped through the remaining 75%. I was into the time period and new characters and the aspects of history that were being explored.

That wasn't exactly the case in this second book. While I still enjoyed it, I feel as though the entire plot of this one centered too strongly on a game that doesn't exist in our world and so was conceptually difficult (for me, anyway) to understand. I found myself wanting the rule book the characters were given so I could maybe follow along a bit easier. Time Chess, aka The Game, aka Temporal Dilemma, was so complex that I kept struggling to understand why the characters were doing what they were doing while also trying to keep up with a period of American history I'm not well versed in.

While I did enjoy reading this and getting to see some returning old faces again, I definitely enjoyed the 1st book better. For one, I feel as though the events of the second book drastically change the timeline with regards to the events of the first trilogy, and I kept getting distracted going down a "timeline" hole of attempting to figure out how the actions of these characters would affect the timeline of the previous books. This might not have bothered me so much if the entire plot of this series, and this book in particular, didn't revolve specifically around changing the timeline and reversing said changes to the timeline in order to return to the "original", ie the timeline from the previous trilogy.

*****SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST TRILOGY, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET*****

I also dislike how certain characters are portrayed in this series. Katherine was such a strong individual in the first trilogy, and while I can understand that the events of her life led her to be that way and it was not necessarily how she was in her youth, Katherine is portrayed as annoyingly naive and ignorant in this series.

Saul obviously walks all over her, insults her to her face, demeans her constantly, and all is constantly forgiven, in my opinion, in an unrealistic manner. The author attempts to explain this in the plot in a couple of different ways, and I can't tell if the reason was more that she was genetically tampered with to be more submissive as a side effect of the time period she chose to research, or if we were supposed to believe that she reasoned it all away as "relationship compromise" in which he got everything he wanted and she didn't. She reasons away the awful things he does constantly, to the point where I actually disliked her character.

All of this is to say that, while I clearly had issues with this story, I still love the concept and the characters (Madi and Tyson and Jack in particular!) and will definitely be continuing with the third book. I just had to give this 3 stars because of my issues outline above, but its entirely possible that the confusion I experienced was entirely my fault regarding the timeline issues and the game being played. Also, the politics-heavy time period of history that was chosen was just not my thing, while I know for a fact that others will be more interested in it than I was.

All in all, I do love the CHRONOS Files and CHRONOS Origins, and I'm interested to see where the third book will take all of these characters. This book was not my favorite, but I still enjoyed myself reading it for the most part!

[Ryan Horne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start off with I received this book in advance in exchange for a honest review.

I am a huge Rysa Walker and CHRONOS Files fan so I jumped at the opportunity to read this book early. It picks up immediately after Now ,Then, and Everywhen and I would say you definitely should start with that book before reading this or you would be lost though the author does a good job of filling in backstory. To fully appreciate the story as a whole you would best need to start from the original series as several characters we met before make appearances.

I am excited for where the series goes next as we meet some new characters in the Dune family tree line that definitely could have stories of their own and the story itself leads off to multiple storylines for other characters.

I would personally say this was my favorite book in the entire series and the historical storyline in this book and the research that the author complied is amazing.

I only gave the story a four due to the ending which I found a bit underwhelming. We had a huge lead up for 99% of the story but then I felt like it ended like your favorite show that got canceled mid-season.

All in all though a fantastic entry in the series and I’m excited to see where and when our travels take us next.

[Steve Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review. In her latest story in the CHRONOS Origins series- Red, White, and the Blues- Rysa Walker has undertaken nothing less than the total rewriting of our history, based on the premise of what would have happened if the U.S. hadn't entered WWII.
Well, this isn't idle speculation. A group of rogue time travellers has actually achieved that objective with alarming consequences, and it's up to our time travelling group to try to fix it while they can.
As is her norm, Rysa Walker blends well-researched history (real and speculative) with complex, interesting characters and numerous settings, both in time and place, with an unmatched descriptive flair.
With several plot twists and turns, a seemingly impossible deadline to straighten out the timeline, and the constant uncertainty of who they can trust, this is a highly anticipated sequel to Now, Then, and Everywhen.
I highly recommend this book and am pleased to add it to my collection.

[nukie19 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally fell in love with Walker and her first CHRONOS trilogy. I got very excited when this new prequel trilogy got started and I enjoyed the first in this new series a great deal. This book, however, got a little too complicated to me. Maybe I don’t remember enough details about this first trilogy (don’t even TRY to get into this without having read those) but the was this book started spinning off in a different direction left e a bit dissatisfied. The concept here is still unique and interesting but it just got a bit too complex with the addition of elements other than strictly time travel. Recommend for the most devoted followers but probably a tough read for others. It is the middle of a new trilogy, so perhaps it’s suffering a bit in that regard and the completion of this series will improve.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Stansel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, fantastic. The CRONOS world is so rich and intricate and yet I never feel confused. Read in order, as that is essential.

Full disclosure- I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Lotzastitches · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle

[Jayden Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

They may have prevented the timeline from changing once but can they do it again? Madi, Tyson, Katherine, and Richard are now playing a game of Temporal Dilemma (AKA Time Chess) against a team of time travelers from another dimension. The game is even more daunting when they recognize the names on the other team. Even if the other team is made up of people from another dimension, it isn’t a comfort knowing they are up against Saul Rand, Alyssa Campbell, Morgan Campbell, and Ester Sowa, some of the best time chess players. In this book Madi and the team are playing by the time chess rules to keep their timeline from flipping and to keep the other version of Saul and Morgan Campbell from playing games in their dimension ever again. However, the game won’t be easy, lives are at stake, and there are no guarantees.

This installment was exciting as the first even more so for people who were eager for all the characters to start working together. I found this novel easier to understand than the first. We now know about multiple dimensions and timeline diversions so readers aren't trying to orientate themselves according to the original three “Timebound” books. The more difficult aspect is wrapping your mind around the game of time chess. I felt that Walker did a good job communicating the necessities of the game as well as the strategy that was taken.

The historical parts of this book weren't the most interesting moments in history for me but I enjoyed the way that the time chess moves emphasized the way that single events and characters shape the future of a country. Such as the moves made to prevent America from entering WWII. The what ifs created by altering the timeline were creative and logical to me. The game of time chess game readers a new way to enjoy the time travel aspect of the book, instead of repeating old ideas from previous books.

I loved the drama as well as the answers we received to the questions created by the last novel. The moments between the characters were my favorite part of the book. This book is about teamwork but that also contains the issues of who is to trust and what secrets need to be kept hidden for the timeline's sake. For me that was what pushed the plot forward. As this novel answered questions about timeline, Madi's family tree, and multiple dimensions it opened new questions and new problems for the team to solve before its over. Walker doesn't leave the reader waiting. Instead of dragging the mystery along she has the characters find the answers ... and even more questions.

Although, this is the second book and a reader should know if they like these novels or not I would say that this book is best enjoyed by readers who have read Walker's "Timebound" books and readers who enjoy information heavy books that require some thinking. First there is a lot of info dumping (thanks Alex) and mind boggling time travel questions brought up in this book. Half of the problem would be solved by reading the first set of novels because it eases the reader into the world and is less complicated. Second, many events and characters are significant because of the last series and would be boring to readers who started with "Now, Then, and Everywhen". Lastly, Walker leaves clues throughout the book about what is going on and what is to come. She doesn't always clearly state in until later. So this may require some re-reading or some confusion if the reader isn't as interested in piecing together the clues.


* Please forgive spelling differences from the book. I read this as an audiobook and it is very hard to google the spellings since there isn't much online for these books.

THE REST OF THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

This paragraph is for all the readers who started with the “Timebound” trilogy. I think a lot of the excitement in the book for me was the appearance of characters from the previous books such as Saul and Cleo. As well as the mystery that lies behind Thea Randall's resemblance to Kate. Even more so the way that Walker is using the time travel. In the "Timebound' books Kate never completely fixes the timeline and this would only make sense that this would affect the future that Katherine and Saul live in. One of these differences is the Cyrists. So in the future that would change what Saul is trying to do with the Cyrists or how he does it. I think Walker created some freedom from her pre-existing characters because the Katherine and Saul we know in this book are different from the ones that Kate new because the timeline never got back onto the original tracks. Giving Walker the freedom to change and adjust things for this story. For example, the way that Saul gets his burn mark on his arm when he jumps back from 1911 Georgia.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Red, White, and the Blues is the second book in the Chronos Origins series by Rysa Walker. It picks up immediately from the twist at the ending of the first book, Now, Then, and Everywhen. I would definitely recommend reading these in order. In the first book, the main character, Madi, learns she has the genetic ability to use a Chronos key to travel through time. She is a young adult in 2136, Bethesda, when she discovers a key in the yard of her family's home. In the first book, Madi and her friends from 2136 work with historians from Chronos Headquarters of the year 2304 to repair a rift in the timeline to prevent disastrous consequences set off by alterations in the 1960s. Even though the timeline is restored, the Chronos historians return home to 2304 to find out that they are now "players" in a popular recreational time-travel game called Temporal Dilemma, a.k.a., The Game. Not only does this force them to play The Game, but Madi is also named as a member of their team. Furthermore, the challengers seem to be a team of advanced players from a different/parallel dimension. And, The Game is no longer a simulation, but it is real. The opposing team have already entered their moves which prevent the U.S. from entering WWII, causing an immense time shift with tragic outcomes. Madi, her friends, and the Chronos historians must work together to figure out which historical alterations were made by the other team and what moves in The Game they must accomplish to counteract the time shift and restore their future.

The writing is solid, character development expands from book one with several very interesting threads woven between the characters, both within and between timelines. The historical events, settings and people are described with just enough detail to feel plausible. However, throughout most of the book, the various actions, the multitude of different dates and times, and the historical news snippets are difficult to keep up with and very confusing. This makes the book a less than leisurely read because there is almost too much fractured information to follow. The last third of the book does bring everything in better focus as the story unfolds, and the by end almost everything makes sense.

I gave Red, White, and the Blues 3.5 stars because I really enjoyed the characters and much of the historical content, but it wasn't a compelling read that I couldn't put down. I thought Now, Then, and Everywhen was a bit better, primarily because it wasn't laden with the complexities of parallel dimensions which diminished the reading experience somewhat for me.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher, 47North, for providing this advanced reader copy.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cut above the usual level of writing. It has a complex plot that's nevertheless fully comprehensible and clear. It's well-researched, but the author doesn't make us drink from the exposition bucket, or throw in research facts that don't make any difference to the story just because she worked hard to obtain them. And despite the review copy I received from Netgalley billing itself as an "uncorrected proof," I noticed hardly any copy editing issues (which is vanishingly rare).

Sure, I've complained in previous reviews of the author's books that the genetic science is bunk, but I'm happy to forgive that, especially since it doesn't figure into this installment all that much. The history is solid, and it's not the usual stuff that everyone knows with the same old historical figures (though Einstein does make a brief appearance); it includes a number of now-obscure real people who were well known at the time, and who either promoted or (in a couple of cases) opposed Nazism in the US prior to the US entry into World War II.

Because this is the story of a nefarious plot to "flip" the timeline so that the US never did enter the war, and the Nazis won. Or rather, it's the story of the struggles of a number of determined, courageous people (and one complete bastard) to flip it back again.

The author seems to be fascinated by World's Fairs; a significant amount of the first series in this setting takes place at the one in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, and this one has the New York World's Fair of 1939-40 as a pivotal location. Again, though, that part of the setting is shown to us with restraint, only featuring the things that are either important or highly noticeable.

The whole story is told in first person present tense, from three different viewpoint characters. The present tense makes all kinds of sense as a way to narrate a time travel book; the first person, though, takes me to the only significant flaw I noted in what was otherwise a highly skilled piece of writing. All three narrative voices sounded exactly the same, despite their quite different backgrounds and personalities, and I often had to flip back to the start of a section to check the name so I knew whose viewpoint I was in (especially when I put it down partway through a section in the same viewpoint and picked it up again later). A writer who is as otherwise skilled as this author should be able to make the character voices much more distinct.

Apart from that one complaint, I enjoyed this very much, and will happily continue to follow the series.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rysa Walker’s forthcoming book Red, White and the Blues, releasing on January 19, 2021, is the second installment in her CHRONOS Origins series. CHRONOS Origins is a continuation of Rysa Walker’s best selling and award winning series CHRONOS.

In book one of the series, Now, Then and Everywhen, we are introduced to two time traveling historians – Madison Grace and Tyson Reyes. We find out that Madison is a descendant of Kate and Trey from the original CHRONOS series. A massive time shift occurs while Tyson is in 1965. Madison and Tyson’s paths eventually cross and they have to keep further events from occurring and changing the past they know.

Red, White and the Blues continues the narrative of the consequences from Now, Then and Everywhen. Told from several POV, after the off world team executes their three moves, Hilter takes Europe, Pearl Harbor does not happen and CHRONOS doesn’t exist! It is up to Madison, Tyson with the help of some friends to choose, research and make their 3 moves in an effort to reset history and restore the original timeline to the best of their abilities.

While this book is long, it is rich with detail of historical events. If you are a history buff or just enjoy reading about history, you should read this series! I enjoy the continued development of the characters and their story lines. While, I have read the original series, enough backstory is provided for you to follow the storyline without having read the original series.


I am an avid reader of Rysa Walker’s work and her latest novel does not disappoint. It is full of twists and turns, mystery, suspense, revisiting characters from the original series and so much more! Rysa’s story telling style pulls you in and takes you down a road where you do not want to put the book down! If you enjoy reading alternate history, time travel, science fiction and mystery, then I suggest you read the CHRONOS Origins series.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of Red, White, and the Blues from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Please note, Red, White, and the Blues is the sequel to Now, Then, and Everywhen and is the second book in the Chronos Origins series. Therefore, this review may contain spoilers for both the Chronos Files and Chronos Origins series.

Red, White, and the Blues picks up from where Now, Then, and Everywhen left off. Madi, Katherine, Richard, and Tyson had just restored the timeline from a real-life game of Temporal Dilemma (TD) where the early assassinations of MLK and John Lennon led to the U.S. staying in the Vietnam War for a longer period. Upon arriving back at CHRONOS HQ, Katherine, Richard, and Tyson are greeted by a message on the TD unit inviting them and Madi to play and advising them to wait for the opening gambit.

Shortly thereafter, the world they know shifts around them with CHRONOS HQ and everything they know disappearing around them. Their research reveals that the timeline has shifted once again and that in this version of history, the U.S. never entered World War II and Nazis won the war. So begins a time hopping adventure where Madi and her friends and the CHRONOS team have to determine what changes have been made to the timeline and find a way to flip it back and prevent any other interference.

The CHRONOS series are extremely well written, readable, and pull in real history and events to build on for the timeline shifts. If you are into time travel fiction, I highly recommend you read all of Rysa Walker's Chronos series and stories in order, I highly recommend this entire series and am always excited to see another entry in the series slated to be published. Red, White, and the Blues cannot be read as a standalone book due to it building upon previous storylines.

[F. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 continues the complexity

Rysa Walker’s second Chronos Origins novel continues to interweave not just the experiences of different fictional characters with different time periods.

The focus this time is on the 1939 New York World’s Fair and on the rise in fascism in the US, with particular emphasis on historical personages. Albert Einstein plays an important role as well, as does Dorothy Thompson, a highly popular (and highly courageous) New York Herald Tribune journalist whose columns were syndicated and picked by 170 newspapers and whose radio program reached men and women across the country.

The story emphasizes some of the negative voices of the period, including the right wing and antisemitic radio preacher, Father Coughlin and Fritz J. Kuhn, head of the pro-Nazi German-American Bund. Aviator Charles Lindbergh, another vocal antisemite and isolationist, helped lead the America First movement, which worked to keep America from entering the war against Nazi Germany or even providing arms to England.

The amount of historical research Ms. Walker puts into these novels is remarkable. The first book offered accurate history of the Civil Rights movement and the KKK in the Sixties (until the author’s characters start competing with some other users of time travel who’ve changed our history). Similarly, this book offers a well researched look at New York City in the years before we entered the war— and at the isolationist forces that wanted to keep us at best neutral, and at worst lead the United States into fascism.

There are similar isolationist voices in America today, and they’re as pernicious and dangerous as they were in 1939.

Recommended.

[Suz Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get ready for another round of Temporal Dilemma. If you haven’t read the first book in this new time travel series (Now, then and everywhen), you’ll want to read that one first.

This one features the same cast of time traveling heroes, jumping around the late 1930s, trying to fix a messed up timeline. I thought the action would revolve around the important historical events that led to World War II. Instead, we learn about a lot of obscure, but important, people whose actions and decisions played a role in the US getting into World War II. I kept finding myself going to the Internet to see if a particular character was based on a real person, and most of them were. It is inconceivable to me how the author manages to keep the different timelines and characters moving around time in a logical manner.

If you listen to audio like I do, this one is a bit difficult to follow if you’re doing something else that requires concentration. Occasionally, something was so baffling that I had to rewind and listen to it again.

There’s a nice visit from some of the main characters from Rysa Walker’s first Chronos series.

I think the overall story might have been improved by a bit of editing and tightening up. At 17 hours for the audiobook, it dragged in places.

I wish I had not jumped into this one so quickly and waited until it was closer to the release of the final book in the series later in 2021. But overall it was an enjoyable time travel book.

[Lilifane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it a little more than the last book because I cared for the characters a little more. But it still wasn't as good as the first trilogy. I love complicated plots, but this one went a little too far (unnecessarily), maybe because the payoff wasn't there for me in the end.
Also, the historical events we're focusing on here were the least interesting for me from all the books so far. But I have to admit that I learned new things about the time leading up to the USA joining in WWII, how people were opposing the involvement.

I think I like the general idea of the game, and I get that it's not a game for both side... but I still wished to follow the rules a little better. When I don't get the game and all its rules and points while comfortably reading in my bed, I don't believe team Hyena could have reacted to it in such a short time. Also, to know the rules beforehand would have helped me to appreciate what both sides accomplished. And the whole Saul story line was unnecessary, in my opinion. Well, maybe not for the entire trilogy, since we still have one last book, but it bothered me in this one and added to the overall confusion.

I like, however, to work my brain to its limits while trying to keep up with all the timelines. I mean, this is the prequel to the last series... but it's also the sequel... aaah! And I can't wait to see how this whole story actually ends. And I hope the ending doesn't ruin anything important for me...

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough review for me. It’s at 3 stars as I start it. It feels like a 3.5 star. We’ll see how charitable I’m feeling by the end.

I’ve stuck with Chronos for a long time and I believe I’ve read nearly everything published by Rysa Walker and by those who played in her universe. It’s a prime example of an author who clearly has notebook upon notebook of background material, where everything works, and you can trust the author that if you’re confused, she is not.

I’ll fully admit there’s other factors at play here. I’m listening to the Audible, and Kate Rudd is Kate to me. Here she divides herself between Katherine and Madi and I found myself losing track of who I was listening to over the course of a scene. I should read a book this size in three or four days. It took me more than ten. There was some combination of “this is taking too long” and “this is dragging” that zapped my enthusiasm.

Lastly, a good story has to be about character. First and foremost. This one, possibly from the time and place I read it, or because it hit critical mass, or maybe the writing itself, was too heavy on exposition. I trust Rysa Walker. I felt like I was reading the manual. We were knee deep into a fictional game in a fictional universe where time was being rewritten after I’d taken a break between novels with a female co-lead who wasn’t highly sympathetic for large swaths of the writing (here’s looking at you Katherine.)

I think 3 stars is fair.

[Marilouise Gilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am long past the Young Adult stage, however, I have enjoyed Rysa Walker's Chronos books since the beginning. I have to tell you, this one really had me going. There were twists and turns the vast cast of past, future and the present Chronos enhanced characters were making to sort things out and make them right again that had my head spinning at times. Then on the other hand there were a couple of LOL times that I had reading this adventure that made me put the book down till I stopped laughing. Oh dear Ms. Walker, Days of our Lives happens to be my favorite "soap opera" that I have been watching nearly as long as Jack has, and when he started talking about watching it I nearly flipped out laughing at that prospect of his putting down his "Key" to stop and watch a soap, and maybe eat his lunch. The second one was "The X Files" FBI agents in place to help stop a targeted attempt on a major 1939 character's life. Just another one of those LOL moments that I enjoyed while reading this episode. Keeping Katherine and Saul, never mind other Kate and Kerinne Dunne and family into the action was enjoyable to see them again. I can only hope for more adventures, maybe this group can truly stop Saul from his crime spree into history. Can we look for another Chronos book? I certainly hope so.

[Leah Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walker has such an insight into human nature. This is such a fascinating series. I loved this one. I adore Walker's character relationships. The way she handles romance is perfect. The love stories in her books add depth to the story without distracting from the adventure.

The pacing is perfect. The action builds to a glorious crescendo by the end of the book. It's stunning!

In terms of content, there's some strong language and some mild romantic content. Besides occasionally using the "F" word, the book stays squarely in the PG-13 range. However, this book could be triggering. I'll try to list the major triggers below but readers should be warned upfront that this book deals with racism, sexism, and domestic abuse including off-screen references to domestic violence. It's less focused on the KKK than the first book, but historical and modern oppression is very much present.

All these themes are handled carefully and respectfully, but they could be disturbing for some readers.


TW: racism, sexism, systemic racism, betrayal, domestic abuse (mostly psychological with mild descriptions of off-screen physical), mild violence, moderate blood, loss of loved ones, corrupt government, corrupt religion, betrayal, and gun violence (including gun violence in crowds).

[Anna Beste · Rating 4 out of 5]

The time tourists are back and ready to mess up the timeline again but this time the game is going to be"fair" since the last game was so rudely interrupted by the group trying to save their timeline. This time they are the other players in this round of temporal dilemma, aka team hyena (not their choice for their name). The second book in the Chronos Origins series was just as entertaining, confusing, and mind twisting with time travel, double memories, splinters, and temporal shifts. Saul continues to be a terrible person who only thinks of himself but he decides to "help" because the visitors are messing up his fun creating the timeline he wants. Of course he doesn't play by the rules, causing even more issues for the gang but also kind of helps in the end. I still have no idea how splinters work, I get how they exist by accident but how they are used on purpose is mind boggling to me. These stories are amazing but impossible for me to describe what is happening in the book because everything is connected and constantly changing. This is one of the best series that I'll never fully understand and that's ok.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free Kindle copy of this book through Goodreads' giveaway program.

This book, like every other book I've read by Rysa Walker, was another winner. I had to go back and read all the other CHRONOS novels before I read this one, but that might be a personal quirk. I love all the historical details and I had to pause reading multiple times to find out what actually happened in history. The action builds and ramps up until the books is almost impossible to put down. I had to tell myself numerous times that no, I can't read another chapter because I have to sleep before work.

The only thing I didn't like about this book and the first book in the Chronos Origins series is the shifting points of view. I would get really invested in Madi's story and then it would switch to Tyson or Katherine and I would have to switch gears and storylines.

[Musings of a Middle-aged Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sequel to the prequel series of the Chronos Books. I read and reviewed Now, Then and Every When last September, and loved the book so much that I pre-ordered the next in the Chronos Origins series. It was finally finished and delivered to my Kindle, so I just had to read it, even though it's not part of my A-Z challenge.

This book is as good as the first!

I really don't want to say too much about this book, for fear of giving away spoilers, but it is mind-bending, and incredibly well-written. If you haven't read the first book, read that first, just so you can jump right into this one without too much hesitancy. I have not yet read any of the Chronos Files series, but have added them to my wishlist, as I know once I start reading them, I won't be able to put them down.

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rysa Walker continues her tale of the origin of Chronos with its time traveling historians in the 24th century who opposed a group from an alternate time line trying to alter their present by changing the past. Then they were helped by Madi and her friends in the 22nd century who were the ones who historically invented time travel. In Red, White, and the Blues (paper from 47North) the other group has kept the US out of World War II with only three moves as part of a new game, Ms. Walker has intensively researched the American Nazi party of the late 30's and brings the horrible ideas of the German Bund and Albert Einstein at the 1939 World’s Fair. Our group of hero’s not only have to reverse the changes , but somehow convince the group of meddlers to stay out of their timeline. Fun.

[Tony Drummond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all the CHRONOS novels, this one is probably the weakest of a strong set of books.

It is not a coincidence that this is also the longest book. Some careful editing could have been done to reduce the novel's size which would have helped to keep the pace and tension high.

There is also a feeling that a lot of the narrative is very familiar. Although we have all the universe and all of history to go to, we return to the East coast of America in the early to mid 20th Century. We also have characters from the original trilogy and we have the Saul/Katherine drama again.

We are probably going to get much of the same in the concluding novel. However, if there is another trilogy on the horizon, we do need to move away from this ongoing story and location.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a rip-roaring adventure in both time travel and American history of the interwar period. Reading it in tandem with listening to Rachel Maddow's Ultra podcast series, it is clear how much research and understanding of the issues at stack Rysa brought to writing this book. Unlike many middle of a trilogy books, this novel never slackens the tension and could stand alone except for the vast well of understanding needed to follow its twists and turns than only be gotten from having read the Chronos Files trilogy and Book 1 of this trilogy. I'm diving right into Ashes and Rose (from Time's Vault) and Bell, Book, and Key to complete the Chronos stories.

[Heather Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love time travel stories and this is a fun new series I am reading. I will admit to having been a bit distracted reading through this one-and it was long to only be able to read at night when I fell asleep after a couple of pages (started a new job and the training left me mentally taxed- took me a month to read which is unusual.) But it was fun and I will continue on. For my fellow time travel lovers, I do recommend getting started in the series. It's an entertaining read and I am learning some history I had not known-which is always a bonus.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading CHRONOS series since the beginning of 2018. When I discovered the series, I just saw it as an interesting idea and an entertaining story. Now that I’ve lived through 2020, the series feels heavier and more thought provoking. This final book brings a lot of closure for the characters but also makes me question our current timeline. Overall an impressive ending to a wonderful series.

[Margarida · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this series!!! Each volume is another piece of this mosaic with characters we love... and love to hate. They are so well-written that we are just attached. I love that the author is not afraid to shine the light on ugly no matter where it is found. We are taking on an alternate universe-type nightmare that happens if the real nightmare was never stopped. Great, great story with our new favorite heroes!

[Stephanie Loomis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy fun

I'm new to Walker's work; the only other book I've read was the first in this series. Once I figured out who belonged to which timeline, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Walker's characters are pretty believable and I found their interactions with actual historical figures convincing enough. There's just enough actual history to make the "what-if" scenarios plausible--if time travel was real. It's good clean fun.

[Andrew Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice Adventure

This was a good book for sure. However, I will admit it was not as much of a sitting on the edge of my seat thriller I enjoy the most.

Time travel books can definitely screw with your mind, and this was no different in that regard. I also find the laws in this universe a bit plot holey, but whatever. I can enjoy the book at face value and call it a day. If you like time travel books and saving the world mysteries this is a pretty good one.

[JoLee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great second installment in the Chronos Origins series. I love what Rysa Walker does with time travel. This was another fun one for music lovers. With Red, White, and the Blues we also see how various timelines can start interfering with one another when a game of Temporal Dilemma becomes all too real.

I think the series would be more fun if you had already read the Chronos Files series and know the rules of the world. Personally, I was very happy to sink back into it.