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sil_the_lobster's review against another edition
4.0
This is a tricky book to rate. I liked it and I disliked it, in equal measure. I couldn’t put it down and I had to take breaks from reading.
Why did I like it?
It’s got time travel. I love time travelling stories because they offer a wealth of opportunities and make for great plot twists.
The pacing of the story is perfect; it’s quick but not so quick as to make you motion-sick or to rush by without noticing the details. If this were a historical (romance) novel, I would have expected a bit more landscape and attention to detail because those were slower times, so to speak, but this is a quick world with advanced technology to make things even quicker and so I was perfectly happy with the tempo.
The world-building and science-building (can you say that?) is very well done, just enough detail to make everything come to life but not so many details to make your eyes glaze over. See above—this is not a Regency novel. I don’t need detailed explanation just how Pulsus’ time travel technology works. I was perfectly happy with the tidbits I got here. No need to go into detail.
That goes for character depth, too: there’s just enough info to make the characters come to life in your mind. (Although, now that I think about it, I don’t think there’s much of a back-story for Delaney. Maybe there is and I’ve fogotten? I remember Landry’s family story, what with going back in time and save her mother and how her father was not all he appeared to be…but Delaney? Hmmm.)
I like books that have strong female (lead) characters but do without man-bashing. No man-bashing here, luckily. Griffin is a side character but comes across likeable, determined and—as it turns out—pretty heroic, too.
I like books that take me back in time to make history come to life, even more so if the author has done her homework. I cringe when I read books set in Germany and the occasional German phrase thrown in is all off and makes me laugh rather than add authenticity. No such thing here. Ms Nyx has done her research!
(Notice there’s a lot “coming to life here”? Takes a good author to turn letters on paper into life.)
Why did I dislike it?
It’s got time travel. I hate time travelling stories because the more I think about what happens and what will happen if this happens and what did happen because of what’s happened, the more my head starts hurting. And to travel back in time to change the course of history, no matter how small? Prime directive, anyone?
I wasn’t too fond of either of the main characters who are friends with benefits and friends with angst. Now, while I don’t need a likeable character to be a trilling Disney princess, she should have a few things about her that I find likeable. Sadly, neither Landry nor Delaney have anything to offer me on that scale—I just couldn’t connect to either of them. Landry’s commitment-phobic and runs away from anything that so much smells of anything more permanent than a fling; and Delaney, whose feelings for Landry are way stronger than Landry’s feelings for her, drowns her sorrows in booze and jumps into another fuck buddy relationship with Simson, another time travel agent with a strong inclination towards the sadistic. Sigh. Over the course of the book, both Landry and Delaney fall for ‘regular’ women, i.e. neither soldier nor time travellers, but somehow these love interests stay sort of one-dimensional and I wasn’t really convinced as to why Landry comes to care for Jade so much, and why Delaney falls for Ilse. Their stories got lost somewhere along the way.
Then, there is a little too much of graphic violence. Maybe I’m getting squeamish as I’m getting older but I would have preferred the torture chambers’ doors to close mercifully.
And of course there’s the setting as such. Nazi Germany. Now, I am German and reading a book where a large part of the story is set in a concentration camp makes me want to cry because I know damn well this isn’t fiction. It’s not thought out. It’s not some distant fantasy villains taking it out on some distant fantasy peasants. These things happened for real, and no matter how detailed Robyn Nyx writes her torture and abuse scenes, she won’t even come close to what really happened to real people in my country and carried out by my people, “just following orders”.
I’d take 1.5 stars off for the graphic depictions of violence that I found too much and too often but as that’s not possible, I’m giving 4 out of 5 stars because I like the tempo, the world-building, the overall writing and the potential of the series. I know there’s a sequel coming out and I hope we’ll learn more of Pulsus, the team and the missions. Hopefully there’ll be more time travelling, hopefully there’ll be healthier relationships…and hopefully less gore and cruelty.
Why did I like it?
It’s got time travel. I love time travelling stories because they offer a wealth of opportunities and make for great plot twists.
The pacing of the story is perfect; it’s quick but not so quick as to make you motion-sick or to rush by without noticing the details. If this were a historical (romance) novel, I would have expected a bit more landscape and attention to detail because those were slower times, so to speak, but this is a quick world with advanced technology to make things even quicker and so I was perfectly happy with the tempo.
The world-building and science-building (can you say that?) is very well done, just enough detail to make everything come to life but not so many details to make your eyes glaze over. See above—this is not a Regency novel. I don’t need detailed explanation just how Pulsus’ time travel technology works. I was perfectly happy with the tidbits I got here. No need to go into detail.
That goes for character depth, too: there’s just enough info to make the characters come to life in your mind. (Although, now that I think about it, I don’t think there’s much of a back-story for Delaney. Maybe there is and I’ve fogotten? I remember Landry’s family story, what with going back in time and save her mother and how her father was not all he appeared to be…but Delaney? Hmmm.)
I like books that have strong female (lead) characters but do without man-bashing. No man-bashing here, luckily. Griffin is a side character but comes across likeable, determined and—as it turns out—pretty heroic, too.
I like books that take me back in time to make history come to life, even more so if the author has done her homework. I cringe when I read books set in Germany and the occasional German phrase thrown in is all off and makes me laugh rather than add authenticity. No such thing here. Ms Nyx has done her research!
(Notice there’s a lot “coming to life here”? Takes a good author to turn letters on paper into life.)
Why did I dislike it?
It’s got time travel. I hate time travelling stories because the more I think about what happens and what will happen if this happens and what did happen because of what’s happened, the more my head starts hurting. And to travel back in time to change the course of history, no matter how small? Prime directive, anyone?
I wasn’t too fond of either of the main characters who are friends with benefits and friends with angst. Now, while I don’t need a likeable character to be a trilling Disney princess, she should have a few things about her that I find likeable. Sadly, neither Landry nor Delaney have anything to offer me on that scale—I just couldn’t connect to either of them. Landry’s commitment-phobic and runs away from anything that so much smells of anything more permanent than a fling; and Delaney, whose feelings for Landry are way stronger than Landry’s feelings for her, drowns her sorrows in booze and jumps into another fuck buddy relationship with Simson, another time travel agent with a strong inclination towards the sadistic. Sigh. Over the course of the book, both Landry and Delaney fall for ‘regular’ women, i.e. neither soldier nor time travellers, but somehow these love interests stay sort of one-dimensional and I wasn’t really convinced as to why Landry comes to care for Jade so much, and why Delaney falls for Ilse. Their stories got lost somewhere along the way.
Then, there is a little too much of graphic violence. Maybe I’m getting squeamish as I’m getting older but I would have preferred the torture chambers’ doors to close mercifully.
And of course there’s the setting as such. Nazi Germany. Now, I am German and reading a book where a large part of the story is set in a concentration camp makes me want to cry because I know damn well this isn’t fiction. It’s not thought out. It’s not some distant fantasy villains taking it out on some distant fantasy peasants. These things happened for real, and no matter how detailed Robyn Nyx writes her torture and abuse scenes, she won’t even come close to what really happened to real people in my country and carried out by my people, “just following orders”.
I’d take 1.5 stars off for the graphic depictions of violence that I found too much and too often but as that’s not possible, I’m giving 4 out of 5 stars because I like the tempo, the world-building, the overall writing and the potential of the series. I know there’s a sequel coming out and I hope we’ll learn more of Pulsus, the team and the missions. Hopefully there’ll be more time travelling, hopefully there’ll be healthier relationships…and hopefully less gore and cruelty.
queerlitloft's review against another edition
5.0
First point?? I'm glad i started reading this trilogy after all the books were released. Why? Because waiting for book 2 to be written and published would have killed me - great cliff hanger Robyn!!
There's a fair amount of graphic violence in this book but all within context. It adds to the story building and quite probably doesn't even ripple the surface of the true horrors in the German death camps. It's a brutal but much needed reminder that some elements of this book did indeed happen in our own reality.
Aside from the time travel aspect, the book explores the friendship between Landry and Delaney and the unrequited love that clearly sits between them. This is challenged further by the introducation of Jade and Landry's infatuation with her.
This book is clearly the beginning of a fast, thrilling, somewhat violent and in places hot under the collar, time travelling whilst saving the world story.
It's certainly not one to be missed off your to read list!
There's a fair amount of graphic violence in this book but all within context. It adds to the story building and quite probably doesn't even ripple the surface of the true horrors in the German death camps. It's a brutal but much needed reminder that some elements of this book did indeed happen in our own reality.
Aside from the time travel aspect, the book explores the friendship between Landry and Delaney and the unrequited love that clearly sits between them. This is challenged further by the introducation of Jade and Landry's infatuation with her.
This book is clearly the beginning of a fast, thrilling, somewhat violent and in places hot under the collar, time travelling whilst saving the world story.
It's certainly not one to be missed off your to read list!
urlphantomhive's review against another edition
3.0
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I like time travel a lot, as in when I have to chose a superpower I will chose time travel. As a substitute until that time, I like to read about others travelling through time and space.
Escape in Time follows Delaney and Landry who work for an organisation that rescues objects and persons from times past. In this, they completely forget the first rule of time travel: don't mess with the past (it will come back at you). So, do not expect a book which focuses on the rules of time travel or a book that's SCIENCE fiction. Either way, they are sent to Nazi Germany to save a Jewish doctor on the brink of finding the cure for cancer (on a purely scientific note: the chances of there being one single cure for all cancers is probably slimmer than me having to chose a superpower).
This rescue mission encompasses multiple years of an undercover operation, in which they have to withstand a lot (I won't go into the details because of possible spoiling, but still). It's OK but predictable that the big bosses at the organization are complete jerks and don't give a shit about their employers, but it seems rather harsh either way. The rest of the book is made up with several (lesbian) romances. I normally don't like to read romances, and there was quite some angst, it didn't bother me as it sometimes bothers me.
It left me with some questions and a huge cliff hanger, so I would be curious to read the sequel.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I like time travel a lot, as in when I have to chose a superpower I will chose time travel. As a substitute until that time, I like to read about others travelling through time and space.
Escape in Time follows Delaney and Landry who work for an organisation that rescues objects and persons from times past. In this, they completely forget the first rule of time travel: don't mess with the past (it will come back at you). So, do not expect a book which focuses on the rules of time travel or a book that's SCIENCE fiction. Either way, they are sent to Nazi Germany to save a Jewish doctor on the brink of finding the cure for cancer (on a purely scientific note: the chances of there being one single cure for all cancers is probably slimmer than me having to chose a superpower).
This rescue mission encompasses multiple years of an undercover operation, in which they have to withstand a lot (I won't go into the details because of possible spoiling, but still). It's OK but predictable that the big bosses at the organization are complete jerks and don't give a shit about their employers, but it seems rather harsh either way. The rest of the book is made up with several (lesbian) romances. I normally don't like to read romances, and there was quite some angst, it didn't bother me as it sometimes bothers me.
It left me with some questions and a huge cliff hanger, so I would be curious to read the sequel.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
vixdag's review against another edition
5.0
***No Synopsis***
First I will say, I do not like science fiction.
Having said that, I loved this book. It was recommended to me in the hopes that it's dystopian setting combined with its historical aspect (time travel affords you that!) would capture my imagination. Well, it most certainly did.
I thought the main characters were all very fully fleshed out. I didn't care for one of the main characters, yet I had compassion for her situation because the author gave her just enough humanity to make her relatable. I'm still wrapping my head around all the pros and cons of time travel and the idea of living a hundred years in the past while only several decades in the present.
The plot really worked for me. The first half of the book established the world of this book. I was introduced to the world, its parameters and the characters. I was shown the rules of life at this time in the future and that allowed me to prep myself for the mission that takes up the latter half of the book.
The mission itself kept me riveted to the page. The fact that it takes place in a concentration camp during WWII makes it relatable as that is our recent history.
I wish I was more articulate in regards to this review. As I said, science fiction has never been my thing so this is all new. All I know is that I loved it.
Of course, it ends in a cliffhanger! No worries, I already bought book two, so I am good to go.
First I will say, I do not like science fiction.
Having said that, I loved this book. It was recommended to me in the hopes that it's dystopian setting combined with its historical aspect (time travel affords you that!) would capture my imagination. Well, it most certainly did.
I thought the main characters were all very fully fleshed out. I didn't care for one of the main characters, yet I had compassion for her situation because the author gave her just enough humanity to make her relatable. I'm still wrapping my head around all the pros and cons of time travel and the idea of living a hundred years in the past while only several decades in the present.
The plot really worked for me. The first half of the book established the world of this book. I was introduced to the world, its parameters and the characters. I was shown the rules of life at this time in the future and that allowed me to prep myself for the mission that takes up the latter half of the book.
The mission itself kept me riveted to the page. The fact that it takes place in a concentration camp during WWII makes it relatable as that is our recent history.
I wish I was more articulate in regards to this review. As I said, science fiction has never been my thing so this is all new. All I know is that I loved it.
Of course, it ends in a cliffhanger! No worries, I already bought book two, so I am good to go.
cdownes's review against another edition
3.0
The guts of this book was definitely intriguing. Escape in Time is ambitious in what it sets out to achieve and I think it really gets there.
Top marks for creating a world that really sticks in the science fiction genre and had me questioning so many things. The characters were both loveable and horrible. I wanted to connect a bit more with the characters but I didn't always know what they were up to. Landry was a mixture of steel and compassion and her best friend and sometimes playmate Delaney was a challenged soul.
Honestly I was probably shipping this book a little differently because the side characters weren't as strongly developed as the main ones but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Maybe lost a tiny slither of a star because of the rougher elements to the book which I didn't enjoy but each to their own.
Top marks for creating a world that really sticks in the science fiction genre and had me questioning so many things. The characters were both loveable and horrible. I wanted to connect a bit more with the characters but I didn't always know what they were up to. Landry was a mixture of steel and compassion and her best friend and sometimes playmate Delaney was a challenged soul.
Honestly I was probably shipping this book a little differently because the side characters weren't as strongly developed as the main ones but overall I really enjoyed this book.
Maybe lost a tiny slither of a star because of the rougher elements to the book which I didn't enjoy but each to their own.
apostrophen's review
5.0
Wow.
Okay, give me a few moments to collect my thoughts here.
Let's begin with the concept: imagine Pulsus, an organization in the near-future (the 2070's), gains access to time-travel, but it's expensive, and they're hesitant to make massive changes because of how random the fallout may be to the present day. So they decide, instead, to save individuals here and there that they're sure—after much number crunching—will leave the world in a better position than it currently stands.
One of the people working for Pulsus, Landry, is the best-of-the-best at protecting the target, making sure they survive the events of the past, and then getting her team home. And her first mission was to save her own mother, who was working on a kind of "reverse and reset the biological clock" proceedure that will go hand-in-hand with Pulsus' plans: after all, if you spend years in the past trying to change it, you'll soon be out-of-synch with your actual age upon your return, so de-aging yourself back to where you should be is a huge boon.
Right off, this gives the reader a really solid idea of how tangled a tale Nyx is setting up: for Landry, who grew up without her mother, is still coming to terms with a blurred double-life, for as soon as she saved her mother, she ended up with a new timeline where she can also remember her life where she didn't lose her mother. The psychological strain of knowing each mission can change everything—and could possibly, as a side-effect, erase people you care about—is a huge weight, even if it doesn't matter much against making the world a much better place.
Like, say, by finding a Jewish doctor who was close to understanding and curing cancer during WWII, but who was killed before she could complete her research—research no one else has understood since.
Landry doesn't work alone, and this is key for the unfolding of the many interwoven plots Nyx lays out with precision: there are other agents who go back further in time and lay the groundwork to make it possible for Landry to save the target. But this means sending three people to Ravensbrück, undercover and in positions of power during a time when those positions of power meant evil.
And one of those three people is having a crisis of both conscience and the heart, which might just ruin everything for everyone and get them all killed—or set them up for a much bigger betrayal later on.
The present informs the past, the past creates problems for the potential future, and the characterization is evocative and engaging throughout. The "ticking clock" element of the plot had me twitching, and the horrors of Ravensbrück were neither shied away from nor dealt with anything other than the evil they were.
This is a dark book about hope and change full of dented people struggling to hold on to who they are in the face of world-changing power, and motives are uncertain on all fronts. The psychology feels raw and real, even while the characters are catapulting themselves through time.
I cannot wait to start the next one, and I'm so happy I nabbed them all at once.
Okay, give me a few moments to collect my thoughts here.
Let's begin with the concept: imagine Pulsus, an organization in the near-future (the 2070's), gains access to time-travel, but it's expensive, and they're hesitant to make massive changes because of how random the fallout may be to the present day. So they decide, instead, to save individuals here and there that they're sure—after much number crunching—will leave the world in a better position than it currently stands.
One of the people working for Pulsus, Landry, is the best-of-the-best at protecting the target, making sure they survive the events of the past, and then getting her team home. And her first mission was to save her own mother, who was working on a kind of "reverse and reset the biological clock" proceedure that will go hand-in-hand with Pulsus' plans: after all, if you spend years in the past trying to change it, you'll soon be out-of-synch with your actual age upon your return, so de-aging yourself back to where you should be is a huge boon.
Right off, this gives the reader a really solid idea of how tangled a tale Nyx is setting up: for Landry, who grew up without her mother, is still coming to terms with a blurred double-life, for as soon as she saved her mother, she ended up with a new timeline where she can also remember her life where she didn't lose her mother. The psychological strain of knowing each mission can change everything—and could possibly, as a side-effect, erase people you care about—is a huge weight, even if it doesn't matter much against making the world a much better place.
Like, say, by finding a Jewish doctor who was close to understanding and curing cancer during WWII, but who was killed before she could complete her research—research no one else has understood since.
Landry doesn't work alone, and this is key for the unfolding of the many interwoven plots Nyx lays out with precision: there are other agents who go back further in time and lay the groundwork to make it possible for Landry to save the target. But this means sending three people to Ravensbrück, undercover and in positions of power during a time when those positions of power meant evil.
And one of those three people is having a crisis of both conscience and the heart, which might just ruin everything for everyone and get them all killed—or set them up for a much bigger betrayal later on.
The present informs the past, the past creates problems for the potential future, and the characterization is evocative and engaging throughout. The "ticking clock" element of the plot had me twitching, and the horrors of Ravensbrück were neither shied away from nor dealt with anything other than the evil they were.
This is a dark book about hope and change full of dented people struggling to hold on to who they are in the face of world-changing power, and motives are uncertain on all fronts. The psychology feels raw and real, even while the characters are catapulting themselves through time.
I cannot wait to start the next one, and I'm so happy I nabbed them all at once.
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