James Griffin-Mars is a chronman, a time traveler from a ravaged future sent to moments of disaster in the past to salvage the energy, technology or artifacts before they are destroyed. He is highly experienced, jaded by the power of corporations and poverty of most humans, and unwell from years of time jumps. James undertakes a lucrative and challenging private corporate commission to the last golden age before the decline of Earth and humanity. He meets Ellie, a brilliant scientist who makes him feel again. He breaks the number one time law and brings her to the future, where they enter Earth's wastelands as fugitives.
The first half of the novel introducing the reader to the future and jumping to the past is exciting, but the second half following the corporate search for James and Ellie was a struggle for me. Then novel ended not on a cliffhanger, but unsatisfactorily. It is a great universe and technology, and part of my disinterest was that I didn't really like James and Ellie, so another reader may enjoy the story (and its sequel.)
by Wesley Chu
2 stars
James Griffin-Mars is a chronman, a time traveler from a ravaged future sent to moments of disaster in the past to salvage the energy, technology or artifacts before they are destroyed. He is highly experienced, jaded by the power of corporations and poverty of most humans, and unwell from years of time jumps. James undertakes a lucrative and challenging private corporate commission to the last golden age before the decline of Earth and humanity. He meets Ellie, a brilliant scientist who makes him feel again. He breaks the number one time law and brings her to the future, where they enter Earth's wastelands as fugitives.
The first half of the novel introducing the reader to the future and jumping to the past is exciting, but the second half following the corporate search for James and Ellie was a struggle for me. Then novel ended not on a cliffhanger, but unsatisfactorily. It is a great universe and technology, and part of my disinterest was that I didn't really like James and Ellie, so another reader may enjoy the story (and its sequel.)