Tag Archive: time-travel


Rereview: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

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September 1, 2025

Outlander (Outlander, #1)Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The following is the review of Outlander Kindle, Audible, and the show. Since Blood of My Blood started on Hulu, we began rewatching Outlander from the beginning, and I decided to re-read the series. I finished the first book a few days ago. And Drgonfly in Amber. I’m well into Voyager now. I stand by my original review.
~~~

It has been several days since I finished book one. I still feel caught in the afterglow of it.. While I was reading it, I binge-watched the show. First with my son and brother. Then with my friend. Then with my husband. So this review includes the book, the Audible version, and the show.

I borrowed the book from the local e-library. I noticed it came with text-to-speech. But the show was full of Gaelic, so I didn’t want to hear the TTS mispronouncing those words. So I used my credit to pick up the Audible version to whispersynch.

Narrated by Davina Porter, made the story come alive. Her voice isn’t like that of the actress, Caitriona Balfe, from the show, which was a bit of a surprise, but Davina did a great job acting out the different characters from the book.

I must admit that I will often recommend the book over the show. The explicit rape scenes may trigger those who watch the show. The book leaves more to the imagination. It spent more time on the story itself than details of the acts.

My only complaint about the book was that it was so long I didn’t finish before it was due back. Who knew that the email saying a book is due on Monday means you only have part of Monday to finish it? They took the book back Sunday night at midnight. I was forced to buy the book with only 10% left to read. Oh, well, now I can share it with my husband and read it again someday.

With the trigger warning for the show, I highly recommend the book, audio, and show for everyone. Those days spent back in history, especially in Scotland, were dreamy! I wish I could actually go and experience the whole of the UK.

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Review: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel

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October 8, 2024

Sea of TranquilitySea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I will re-read this one in the future. As with many time-travel audiobooks, I found myself confused—until I didn’t. There came a time when it all started gelling.

As a writer, I was stunned by the most boring first chapter ever. I get it. I know now why the author did it this way, but wow, I nearly quit reading/listening from the very beginning. What drew me on? The blurb of what was supposed to happen in this book. There was to be time travel and time to be on the moon. Stick it out as it all circles back and makes sense.

Emily St. John Mandel’s book is brought to life by a host of narrators. Because of these people, I think the audiobook is the way to read it: John Lee, Dylan Moore, Arthur Morey, and Kirsten Potter.

It’s interesting, if nothing else. And, like all time-travel books, it makes you think.

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Review: This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar

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September 23, 2024

This Is How You Lose The Time WarThis Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time travel is interesting. Yeah, but here we have one more reason for war. The espionage is too much. I can’t handle more reasons to feel paranoid. I read to escape the heavy stuff or to study writing. But this didn’t do either job for me.

Cynthia Farrell’s (the Narrator) voice was good for the story, but sadly, I didn’t feel she saved it.

A friend recommended this to me. Time travel piqued my interest. Here, take a look at the blurb:

Goodreads Choice AwardNominee for Best Science Fiction (2019)
Two time-traveling agents from warring futures, working their way through the past, begin to exchange letters—and fall in love in this thrilling and romantic book from award-winning authors Amal-El Mohtar and Max Gladstone.

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading.

Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war. That’s how war works. Right?

Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space.

Maybe it was the COVID brain. Maybe I’ll try it again someday. Maybe you will love it. It just didn’t do it for me.

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ReReview: The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

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September 3, 2024

The Psychology of Time TravelThe Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Below is a previous review of Kate Mascarenhas’s The Psychology of Time Travel. It was with Kindle text-to-speech. I have to admit that this Audible version rates the same. Ellie Heydon (Narrator) doesn’t vary her voice enough to help the listener tell the differences between characters, places, emotions, or times. One difference was one character sounded like they had a cold, but other than that, it was all the same, and I couldn’t figure out why the nasal voice belonged to who it belonged to.

Even so, it was a fun read with time travel rules bent a little differently than other books of this nature. I think it is worth the read, and maybe, in this case, just a paper or visual read.
~~~

A friend recommended this to me. She knew I loved reading about the concept of time travel. And she was not wrong. This was very interesting and even brought up ideas I hadn’t considered before. A lot of time travel science is included in the book, but I loved the story. I loved reading about all the different women who invented the time machines.

I borrowed this Kindle edition from the library. And for a lot of books, the text-to-speech works quite well. But for this book, it made it more challenging. All the voices are the same one, no matter the time or area the person was from; it was the same voice with no emotion. So I got pretty mixed up with who was who. So I have ordered the Audible version to try again later. I am concerned as there are so many characters I may have to take notes to keep it all straight.

Still, even as it was, I found it engaging every single night. I never wanted to quit reading, even when confused.

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Re-review Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness

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June 17, 2024

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy, #2)Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Below is the review I made the first time I read this book. I find it says more than I was planning to say. My current review would have just said how much I loved this time-travel adventure between the witch and her vampire husband. Check out the old review for the rest.

*****

After a bit of research, I realized that I had read the first book, A Discovery of Witches, in 2011. That reading was a result of a recommendation by my cousin. I loved that book. Yet, I just took the quiz and found I only got 3 questions right out of 10. So maybe I should have read it again before reading this second book, Shadow of Night. I did feel lost at times, but the story kept me engaged, and I didn’t want to leave the past to review the first book. Also, in my research, I found that I didn’t have the Kindle version of the first book. I must have borrowed the hardback from the library. But I do have the Audible version of the book that I had listened to alongside the hardback.

With both books of the series, I was delighted by the narrator, Jennifer Ikeda. Her voice is exquisite. I love the way she can vary according to each character. I feel she could read the phonebook and make it exciting. But Deborah Harkness’s writing needs no help. Several times, I’d have a sleepless night and want to read. I hated donning my headset just for a few minutes of reading. Those few moments lasted for sometimes hours. So yes, I know how well the writing is. With the duo of writer and narrator, this story comes to life. And that is when Elizabeth I was queen.

I love time travel stories, but this was different in that it was due to witchcraft that made it happen. And that by a witch who doesn’t understand her craft. Okay, I won’t tell you any more about the story. Needless to say, it is worth the read. The characters alone can grab you. They are well-developed, as is the plot. So much so that I couldn’t wait to get the next book and get involved. I highly recommend this series.

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October 2, 2023

Acorna's SearchAcorna’s Search by Anne McCaffrey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found many of Anne McCaffrey’s books in the first edition a while back. And at a reasonable price. I bought them up. Now, I am on a mission to read them all. Unfortunately, my reading skills have worsened as my tracking on paper books keeps me slow. And in the case of this book, I didn’t have the hardback. Libby had the Kindle version, so I grabbed it up. With Kindle, I can employ the Text-to-Speech. So I was able to read it quickly. The last book, a hardback, took me a year or so. This took me four days!

It was fun to ‘read’ this, the best of the Unicorn Girl books so far. Not only did we not have the Khleevi, but we had a lot more of RK (Road Kill), the cat. He is so much fun! There is more of Acorna, the original unicorn girl, and more of some side characters I wanted to learn more about.

The best part of this book is how the characters get into a situation that involves time travel on their planet. What a great way to get to know the history of the unicorn people.

I found myself holding my breath in moments of tension and fear for the characters. As much as I was a fan of the Dragon books, I am now becoming a fan of the Unicorn Girl series. I’ve already grabbed up and started reading the next Kindle version from Libby.

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Review: The Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas

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April 4, 2023

The Psychology of Time TravelThe Psychology of Time Travel by Kate Mascarenhas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A friend recommended this to me. She knew I loved reading about the concept of time travel. And she was not wrong. This was very interesting and even brought up ideas I hadn’t considered before. A lot of time travel science is included in the book, but I loved the story. I loved reading about all the different women who invented the time machines.

I borrowed this Kindle edition from the library. And for a lot of books, the text-to-speech works quite well. But for this book, it made it more challenging. All the voices are the same one, no matter the time or area the person was from; it was the same voice with no emotion. So I got pretty mixed up with who was who. So I have ordered the Audible version to try again later. I am concerned as there are so many characters I may have to take notes to keep it all straight.

Still, even as it was, I found it engaging every single night. I never wanted to quit reading, even when confused.

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Review: Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon

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June 14, 2022

Go Tell the Bees That I Am GoneGo Tell the Bees That I Am Gone by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As much as I love all the Outlanders, this may be my favorite. The sad part is that the next book isn’t ready to read. So now I am floundering with Diana Gabaldon’s novellas. And Davina Porter makes Ms. Gabaldon’s writing shine!

Don’t let it scare you; think honey, not stingers. Bees do play a part in telling this story. My takeaway is to always talk to the bees; they want to know.

As with the rest of the series, this book is educational about the American Revolution. It is inspirational as I long to read and research our history to know more than I learned in school. It proves my point that the student will feel curious if you throw in a bit of magic.

Ah, but, Diana, why did you have to leave this on a cliff? Especially knowing that it would be ages until your perfected sequel (as opposed to the Game of Thrones hurried ending by someone else.) But it wasn’t a high cliff, so I’ll tolerate it knowing our heroes will be safe somehow and once again save the day.

I love, love, love all the lessons the Frasiers and friends have to teach us and can’t wait for more.
If you get the chance, please listen to these books in audio form as Davina Porter brings the story to life.

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ReReview: Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon

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May 16, 2022

Written in My Own Heart's Blood (Outlander, #8)Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yes, I reread it. And I still say the same things about it being my favorite Outlander so far. Do you want to know why? Okay, beyond Diana Gabaldon’s writing and research and Davina Porter’s voice acting, this character and scenes list goes beyond the first review I wrote below.

Characters: Jamie Fraser, Brianna Randall, Roger MacKenzie, Jeremiah MacKenzie, Fergus Fraser, Marsali Fraser, Germain Fraser, Ian Murray, Lord John Grey, Benedict Arnold, Claire Randall Fraser, Jonathan Randall, Dougal MacKenzie, Geillis Duncan, Jenny Murray, Young Ian Murray, William Ransom, Rachel Hunter, Denzell Hunter, William Buccleigh MacKenzie, Amanda MacKenzie, Harold, Duke of Pardloe, Henri-Christian Fraser, Brian Fraser, Jane Pocock, Frances Pocock, Dorothea Grey, Jerry MacKenzie, George Washington.

Settings: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1778 (United States)
Lallybroch, Scotland, 1980 (United Kingdom)
Lallybroch, Scotland, 1739 (United Kingdom)
Savannah, Georgia, 1779 (United States)
North Carolina, 1779 (United States)
Fraser’s Ridge, North Carolina, 1779 (United States)

***

I thought that book 7, Echo In The Bone, was my favorite of the Outlander books. Nope. Written in My Own Heart’s Blood wins. It was fantastic!

Regardless of the time the characters land in, they all grow and help us learn the rules of Gabaldon’s Time Travel.

What can I tell you that won’t spoil it for you?

As usual, there is a lot of research evident in the reading, and as one supposes, there are instances of poetic license, which Diana Gabaldon admits she has it framed on her wall.

The most exciting part of the book is as Breanna talks about Doctor Who in a chapter called, Thank You For The Fish. (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy). Now I really wish I had a TARDIS so that I could play in all three universes.

And I wish I could move on to book 9, but my Audible credits don’t come until the middle of the month. A quick note about why I read by Audible most often now: actual reading is impossible for my eyes. It seems to be a tracking issue. So I use a lot of Kindle Text-to-Speech. Though TTS works well for most books, I want to hear the words pronounced correctly when there are other languages involved. Davina Porter is able to range the language barriers and character ages and sexes with apparent ease. I love listening to her.

If you get the chance, the books are as good if not better than the shows, and the Audible versions are the best of all the worlds. Enjoy!

***
By the way, since the first reading and the need for Audible, I have had cataract surgery and hope that soon I can read paper books. But for books like this with many foreign languages I don’t know how to pronounce, I’ll stick with Audible.

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Review: An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon

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April 26, 2022

An Echo in the Bone (Outlander, #7)An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Below is my first review of this Audio version of the book. Nothing has changed. This is still my favorite Outlander book. It was great to read it as this season of Outlander streams. In fact, the scene from a couple of weeks ago I had just read the same day. Claire got sick. I’ll write no more about that without spoilers.

I took longer to read (listen) this time. Instead of knitting, I spend the listening time on Diamond Painting a series of dragons. I can only devote an hour or so to that endeavor. So with the before-bed read and creative pursuits, I couldn’t read straight through. I am already set up to read book 8. It’s like I can’t remember what happened next, yet I kind of remember and can’t wait to revisit it all.

***
This book may be my favorite of all the Outlanders. Maybe because of how I chose to read it nearly 24/7. After all, I had reached the skinny-mini underbelly of all streamings–teens or young people who look like Barbie Dolls going through the samo-samo life issues. Give me some older adults, women of all shapes and colors, real people, not Hollywood mothers, whores, or weaklings. Not enough streaming of strong women holding up half the world. So back to reading the only way I could. Audible.

Also, I was making scrubbies and washcloths while listening. That helped me ‘hear’ better.

By constant reading, I could stay in the story better. And family members came and listened with me on occasion. So it wasn’t a lonely process.

At any rate, I loved watching the cast of the characters struggle with life and time travel issues and historical moments. I especially loved the parts about Brianna and Roger at Lallybroch recovering letters from Claire and Jamie. And though I used to find Willy obnoxious, I think I clicked with him this time. And I grew more in love with John Grey. How nice to see good, honest, quality men portrayed.

I tried to find something else to read last night as my bedtime read but couldn’t resist looking for more Outlander. Now I am listening to book 8, Written In My Own Heart’s Blood.

Time to lower my reading goal as I seem stuck in tome reading. I love it! I hope you get the chance to read these. Oh, and Davina Porter does so many voices so well. I still wish for more actual actors, for sometimes Bri and Claire sound the same, and all the children sound the same, and Roger, even with his sore throat, sounds like other men. Still, for one person covering so many people, Davina is fantastic!

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