Reviews

Here and Now and Then by Mike Chen

leannarapier's review

4.0

One of the best time travel books I’ve read. The Time Machine will likely always be my favorite, but this one was a lot of fun. I almost gave it a 5 star. There were a one thing that confused me. It said you could only hold “one time” in your head, which is why when Kin was stuck in the past, he forgot his life in the present. Yet he had no trouble remembering the past while in the present. I don’t think this was ever explained—maybe the metabolizers? I really find that whole concept a little weird, but as long as it’s consistent then fine. It was needed for the story, and it’s a minor thing. The story was fun, fast paced, and great father-daughter tale. Also it was refreshingly clean.

shinymetal's review against another edition

The Narrator was not great, the content was not engaging.

rageofachilles's review

3.0

This is a decent time travel story that’s really a family drama. The time travel is well designed—and the author sets up the story to be an adventure/crime novel but that is quickly dispensed with. I want more novels in this universe to flesh out the time travel agencies and the time criminals.

abeyerlein's review

4.0

Time travel, father-daughter dynamics, and a secret family combine to make Mike Chen's debut both an ode to family ties and a nod to fantastic science fiction of our era. The bureaucracy Kin fights against throughout the novel made me so mad, but his love for Miranda and his constant attempts to make things right propelled me through the story. 

stellarkestrel's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense slow-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

andiethegreat's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

Beautiful story. As someone who is totally a girl-dad, this book left me in tears. 

The only reason why this is not a 5.0 for me is due to the pacing in some areas and the repetitive nature of some aspects (re: soccer mentions) but man. 

This book is great if you're not too sure about where to start with Sci-Fi! The world Chen creates is not overly complex but still offers enough wonder to keep you hooked from the jump. 

I will be reading his other novels! 

maps28's review against another edition

adventurous reflective sad medium-paced

3.0

this story provided a satisfying dose of my favorite trope: time travel. as a fan of this concept, i was eager to delve into the story, and Chen's take did not disappoint. however, while I thoroughly enjoyed the time travel aspect, i found some of the main character's decisions a bit frustrating. despite this minor drawback, the book kept me engaged with its unique premise and well-developed storyline. Chen's writing style and pacing made for a compelling narrative, and i found myself immersed in the world he created. overall, this book offered an intriguing exploration of time travel and its consequences, making it a worthwhile read for fans of the genre.

allysonbogie's review

5.0

My favorite of his books so far!!!

emilybeck_13's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A great time-travel centric sci-fi novel that doesn’t get too complex and hurt your brain, enjoyed all of the characters and how the story comes together throughout and in the end, didn’t love that it sometimes read like the author was putting his personal interests at the forefront (ex: so much soccer)

hellocookie's review

5.0

If you're a fan of Marvel's Loki series that aired in 2021, this will for sure be up your alley. The story basically revolves around a time-traveling secret agent who gets trapped in the past for over a decade. Thinking he'll never be retrieved, he starts a new life for himself including a family and his memories of his past life start to fade with his brain unable to process living in two timelines. And then one day he is rescued and brought back home where only a couple of weeks have passed. He has to reconcile his two lives and save the family in the past from being erased from time.

It's a fantastic sci-fi adventure with heart.