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ladyozma's review against another edition
3.0
This book was interesting as a window of the past but it was lacking that thing that really draws you in. Perhaps it was the lack of outright conflict. I do like the world that has been set, but this wouldn't be the type of book I'd find myself returning to time and time again.
unabridgedchick's review against another edition
5.0
Looking to make money, a group of scientists in the 24th century discover immortality. However, in their present, they have no way to test if the process works, so they are forced, so to speak, to discover time travel. When it is discovered that the immortality process is too dangerous to sell on the market, scientists with The Company begin to use their immortal experiments as agents for them.
As a little girl in Inquisition Spain, Mendoza finds herself on trial and heading for death when she is rescued by a Company recruiter; her first assignment is in Elizabethan England, where she is to work at the Iden Estates, preserving profitable plants that will be extinct in the far future. Unlike her savvy counterparts, she is unprepared for her first assignment with non-immortals and the confusing swirl of religion and politics in England.
I enjoyed Baker's inventive spin on the immortals idea and the quirky plot; and even though this is a quick read, it is totally worth the time.
As a little girl in Inquisition Spain, Mendoza finds herself on trial and heading for death when she is rescued by a Company recruiter; her first assignment is in Elizabethan England, where she is to work at the Iden Estates, preserving profitable plants that will be extinct in the far future. Unlike her savvy counterparts, she is unprepared for her first assignment with non-immortals and the confusing swirl of religion and politics in England.
I enjoyed Baker's inventive spin on the immortals idea and the quirky plot; and even though this is a quick read, it is totally worth the time.
unabridgedchick's review against another edition
5.0
Looking to make money, a group of scientists in the 24th century discover immortality. However, in their present, they have no way to test if the process works, so they are forced, so to speak, to discover time travel. When it is discovered that the immortality process is too dangerous to sell on the market, scientists with The Company begin to use their immortal experiments as agents for them.
As a little girl in Inquisition Spain, Mendoza finds herself on trial and heading for death when she is rescued by a Company recruiter; her first assignment is in Elizabethan England, where she is to work at the Iden Estates, preserving profitable plants that will be extinct in the far future. Unlike her savvy counterparts, she is unprepared for her first assignment with non-immortals and the confusing swirl of religion and politics in England.
I enjoyed Baker's inventive spin on the immortals idea and the quirky plot; and even though this is a quick read, it is totally worth the time.
As a little girl in Inquisition Spain, Mendoza finds herself on trial and heading for death when she is rescued by a Company recruiter; her first assignment is in Elizabethan England, where she is to work at the Iden Estates, preserving profitable plants that will be extinct in the far future. Unlike her savvy counterparts, she is unprepared for her first assignment with non-immortals and the confusing swirl of religion and politics in England.
I enjoyed Baker's inventive spin on the immortals idea and the quirky plot; and even though this is a quick read, it is totally worth the time.
reubend1ca9's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
mharrison13's review against another edition
3.0
What is it about?
Mendoza is a little Spanish girl who finds herself being questioned by the Inquisition. Fortunately, the resident doctor works for Dr. Zeus, a company from the future whose work is to save plants, animals, and artwork from extinction by going into the past and sneaking them back to the future. Dr. Zeus has the ability to make its operatives into immortal cyborgs as long as they are willing to commit to an eternity of working for the company.
Is it good?
I loved the premise. And the first 20% of the book were so engaging that I could not stop thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it. To my great disappointment, after about 20%, it turned into a romance and focused thereafter on Mendoza's romance. There were also some references to "the prince's dark shadow", and some sort of cloud Mendoza creates when she is emotional that never came back into the story.
I wanted this book to be more sci-fi, and I was hoping it would focus more on the Company and/or rebellion within.
As far as a romance story, I found the love hard to believe as it mostly consisted of love at first sight and religious bantering.
For more reviews, please visit my blog.
Mendoza is a little Spanish girl who finds herself being questioned by the Inquisition. Fortunately, the resident doctor works for Dr. Zeus, a company from the future whose work is to save plants, animals, and artwork from extinction by going into the past and sneaking them back to the future. Dr. Zeus has the ability to make its operatives into immortal cyborgs as long as they are willing to commit to an eternity of working for the company.
Is it good?
I loved the premise. And the first 20% of the book were so engaging that I could not stop thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it. To my great disappointment, after about 20%, it turned into a romance and focused thereafter on Mendoza's romance. There were also some references to "the prince's dark shadow", and some sort of cloud Mendoza creates when she is emotional that never came back into the story.
I wanted this book to be more sci-fi, and I was hoping it would focus more on the Company and/or rebellion within.
As far as a romance story, I found the love hard to believe as it mostly consisted of love at first sight and religious bantering.
For more reviews, please visit my blog.
vszupiany's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating clash of culture, religion, and technology in the time travel adventure. The political upheaval is disturbingly relevant our current situation.
lacunaboo's review against another edition
2.0
This book was a chore for me to get through. The premise was a bit silly, and the main character not very likable. The story did have a couple of redeeming factors, but in the end it wasn't enough.
tome15's review against another edition
5.0
Baker, Kage. In the Garden of Iden. The Company No. 1. Tor, 1997.
The Company series is based on the most original time-travel premise I can remember. Most of the novels are tolerably stand-alone, but In the Garden of Iden is no doubt the best place to start. Time travelers from the future recruit children in the past, modify them to make them immortal, and use them to recover and conceal items officially lost to history so that people in the future can retrieve them. This first novel follows the history of a Spanish woman called Mendoza, who the historical record says disappeared in the Inquisition. The Company rescued her and trained her as a botanist to recover extinct plants; when, at 18, she finds herself undercover in Tudor England in the reign of Bloody Mary, she is out of place in more ways than she can handle. Baker was an expert in Renaissance history and culture, and she uses that to good advantage here. In the end, Mendoza has to reconcile the intractability of religion and superstition with her enlightened scientific and historical education. Mendoza’s history is rounded out in The Sons of Heaven (2007). The whole series is worth reading; I also especially enjoyed Mendoza in Hollywood (2000).
The Company series is based on the most original time-travel premise I can remember. Most of the novels are tolerably stand-alone, but In the Garden of Iden is no doubt the best place to start. Time travelers from the future recruit children in the past, modify them to make them immortal, and use them to recover and conceal items officially lost to history so that people in the future can retrieve them. This first novel follows the history of a Spanish woman called Mendoza, who the historical record says disappeared in the Inquisition. The Company rescued her and trained her as a botanist to recover extinct plants; when, at 18, she finds herself undercover in Tudor England in the reign of Bloody Mary, she is out of place in more ways than she can handle. Baker was an expert in Renaissance history and culture, and she uses that to good advantage here. In the end, Mendoza has to reconcile the intractability of religion and superstition with her enlightened scientific and historical education. Mendoza’s history is rounded out in The Sons of Heaven (2007). The whole series is worth reading; I also especially enjoyed Mendoza in Hollywood (2000).
juliemawesome's review against another edition
4.0
I think the idea of The Company is really cool. Time travel! Immortals! Though I do have a question about time paradoxes. If you can't change recorded history, no matter how hard you try, fine. But now it's set up so a lot more of history is being recorded than ever before, right? Isn't that causing problems?
I liked it and I'll definitely read more of the series. Though I do hope it has a conclusion of some sort since the author's in ill health.
My one problem with it is that there's this introduction that explains the backstory, which is fascinating, but then kind of took away from the joy of discovery. You're no longer learning things along with the main character, because you already know more than she does up until a certain point.
Yet.. well, here's a paradox on its own.. the main character can do things that we didn't know she could do. Just, out of nowhere, she's doing some new Immortal trick that we the reader weren't aware she could do.
So I wanted to know no more than the main character. Yet I also did want to know _as much as_ the main character.
Anyway, yes, will read more.
I liked it and I'll definitely read more of the series. Though I do hope it has a conclusion of some sort since the author's in ill health.
My one problem with it is that there's this introduction that explains the backstory, which is fascinating, but then kind of took away from the joy of discovery. You're no longer learning things along with the main character, because you already know more than she does up until a certain point.
Yet.. well, here's a paradox on its own.. the main character can do things that we didn't know she could do. Just, out of nowhere, she's doing some new Immortal trick that we the reader weren't aware she could do.
So I wanted to know no more than the main character. Yet I also did want to know _as much as_ the main character.
Anyway, yes, will read more.