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Timeline

A Novel

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About this listen

 In an Arizona desert a man wanders in a daze, speaking words that make no sense. Within twenty-four hours he is dead, his body swiftly cremated by his only known associates. Halfway around the world archaeologists make a shocking discovery at a medieval site. Suddenly they are swept off to the headquarters of a secretive multinational corporation that has developed an astounding technology. Now this group is about to get a chance not to study the past but to enter it. And with history opened to the present, the dead awakened to the living, these men and women will soon find themselves fighting for their very survival--six hundred years ago. . . .©1999 by Michael Crichton; (P)1999 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House Inc. Action & Adventure Fantasy Historical Fiction Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Suspense Thriller & Suspense

Critic reviews

"COMPULSIVE READING . . . BRILLIANTLY IMAGINED."
--Los Angeles Times

"EXCITING . . . CLASSIC ADVENTURE . . . [A] SWASHBUCKLING NOVEL . . . CRICHTON DELIVERS."
--USA Today

"MORE SCREAMS PER PAGE . . . THAN JURASSIC PARK AND THE LOST WORLD COMBINED. . . . THE PACE WILL LEAVE MANY BREATHLESSLY GRASPING FOR OXYGEN MASKS."
--San Diego Union-Tribune
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Most relevant
I love this audiobook; it's one that I return to over and over. Being an avid audiobook listener (I'm often listening for many hours at a time) I have built up quite a library of go to authors and Crichton is up there with The King. Timeline is a definite Crichton book with a good science fantasy base (like Jurassic Park et al) which is Crichton's story style of "what if...."



The other key thing with audio books is the narration and I have had occasion to put up with/get used to some poor production values or irritating accents but in this instance you don't notice the narration, which is as it should be, and is the highest praise for John Bedford Lloyd's skills. He doesn't get in the way of the story but enhances it very much like Stephen Fry. This is an under appreciated craft and I hope that as this market expands more quality narrators will emerge.



Anyway, I recommend Timeline, it's well written, well read, and a good length.

One of my favourites..

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I really enjoyed the first half of this, but after that started to play it at a faster speed because I was getting bored (I don't normally do this). The idea behind the story is very good and the blend of science and history works well. But then there are a lot of repetitive fight scenes which don't really advance the plot at all, but which all take place at some significant feature of medieval architecture which gets explained in detail. I also felt that the plot did not entirely hold together and that some opportunities to explore interesting themes were wasted. Overall it isn't bad, it just doesn't finish as strongly as it starts.

A bit repetitive

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I got this book after seeing the film which I thought was good fun. As with Jurassic Park the book has much more depth to it, with much more to the characters, science fiction aspects and historical descriptions. Crichton paints a gruesome picture of medieval warfare and conflict, which contrasts with some of the rather quaint depictions we are used to from films and children?s stories. It is, therefore, somewhat surprising to hear his conclusion in the epilogue that the so-called ?Dark Ages? were an invention of the Renaissance, and that humankind has not since advanced to a better way of life. Whether you agree with Crichton?s usual paranoia of scientific and technological advancement, it always makes for an exciting read, and Timeline is no exception, with a catastrophe around every corner for our heroes! Well worth a credit.

Crichton writes of science gone wrong- again!

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Being a huge Michael Crichton fan I couldn't let this one pass by. I read it a few years ago when it first came out and was delighted to see that in audio format. This was a throughly enjoyable and absorbing listen.

Thoroughly excellent!

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Don't be put off by the rubbish movie made of this book. In fact if you haven't seen the movie, don't bother, get this book instead. Crichton is a master at seeing the possibilities in today's technology and weaving masterful fiction around the 'what ifs'. This is my favorite Michael Crichton book - the research he put into this is phenomenal and the narrator does a wonderful, wonderful job. A brilliant blend of science fiction and medieval history.

Well worth using an audio credit on!

Crichton at his best!

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