Monday, February 14, 2011

Book Reveiw: The Accidental Time Machine

I'm a nut for time travel fiction.

Yes, I do watch Dr. Who and Torchwood.

When The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman came in, I was excited and apprehensive. I had selected it for my library (I am trying to boost the sci-fi collection), so I knew it would have received a good review. At my other blog, I am always updating and reviewing Disney-related books (thanks to my lovely wife for scoring so many of them for me!), so there isn't much time for fiction. I have about 25 Disney books I need to get through.

One of my few reading times is during my lunch break. I usually have a bowl of soup or a sandwich of some sort. I always round out my lunch with a good book. I knew that I could use my lunch hour for reading a Disney book, but this one was way too tempting. So I picked it up and was hooked right from the begining.

A bored M.I.T. doctoral student accidentally creates a time machine while working on another project for a Professor. The catch is that the time machine can only move forward. It moves forward based on a certain mathematical formula; each time going further and further into the future. The story plays out very well, with some very unexpected situations.

Joe Haldeman crafts a very believable story and he writes hi-tech science for the lay-person. I would plant Haldeman squarely between Orson Scott Card and Michael Crichton. He magaes to write a technological page-turner like Crichton, but he also writes very believable and likeable characters like Card.

It isn't your traditional time travel narrative, but it is a lot of fun


2 comments:

Lee Beatens said...

The Ender series by Orsen Scott Card is one of my favorites. Top Five!

Gator Chris said...

This book was a very fun read.

Thanks for the tip!