My Time Again: A Time Travel Novel

by Ian Cummins

"If you want a novel that’s hard to put down, you are in for a real treat with this one!" (Amazon Review)

"What a superb story. Kept me up late for 2 nights." (Amazon Review)


How often have you said, "If I had my time again, I would ...."On the eve of his 70th birthday, Graham Henderson gets the chance to re-live his adult life when he is transported back to his 18-year-old self in 1970 - with all his memories intact.

Must he live the same life the second time around? Will he be able to find a partner to share the re-run of his life? What about changing things for the better in the wider world - is it possible? Surely, he can do something!

Eventually, he discovers he is not the only person to have this experience, and this helps him to find the cause of his jump in time. But it does not solve everything .....

Genres: Time Travel, Science Fiction

232 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 9, 2023

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather odd tale about a loop in time created by accident.

I’m finding it difficult to decide if I liked it, it seemed a little rushed in places and read like a news report in others. When I picked this up, I noticed that there were more in the series; picking up #2 immediately after might be a good way of deciding if I did like it. I haven’t.

Although… I probably will sometime soon!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable!

I would have given this 5 stars if not for two irritations: I dislike it when an author sneaks their own political viewpoint into a fictional book. And my second slight irritation came late in the book. The author did a good job of staying true to historical facts - until facts about Covid came into play. The one percent fatality rate was a very early estimate, and by early 2022 this estimation has long been revised down to 0.125% fatality rate. So it was disappointing that the author - after sticking to facts throughout - suddenly plumped for dramatic effect over reality. But having said all that, I enjoyed the story and the writing, so 4 stars.

[PIETER · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came in two parts. For the first 50% I was struggling to think of a three-star review. It seemed to be a story not about timr-travel but a second life where the hero knew what was going to happen. So the book relayed how he managed to amass a fortune. It read like a boring book about clever investing. Then the book took off in a different direction. The second half becomes gripping with Graham's involvement with an affair,worldwide calamities and unusual explanation for why the timeshift occurred for him and Carol. I definitely decided on an upgrade of my stars (I've only awarded 5 stars when the book truly floored me, which has been rare) and I finished the book rather satisfied.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good indeed! A well written and interesting novel about a man who is sent back to the age of 18 but with the knowledge of his previous life.

It sounds a bit routine but isn't and turns out to be a very different life journey. This occupies slightly over the first half of the novel and includes his trying to stop disasters and bad outcomes that he remembers. This doesn't always work, as hoped.

Then we go off in another direction. I'm not going to spoil your read by telling you the details but.....it works......

So, a good 4-stars of a read and knocking on the door of 5-stars. It rattles along, is an absorbing read and I see there is now a sequel!!! Almost inevitably, I guess!!!

[Miss M Stanbrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!😁

What a superb story. Kept me up late for 2 nights. The explanation/reason for Graham's life was interesting and I was glad it was told towards the end of the book. I will be reading another of Ian's books next. I like the way he writes and I didn't get confused by multiple characters like I find in some stories. Thanks 👍

[Christiane Clegg · Rating 2 out of 5]

In short, this book is utterly boring. Until around 85 percent of the story, it is merely an account of how to accumulate money if you have knowledge of events in the future. The main character has no personality and displays no emotions. He suddenly arrives 52 years on the past and isn’t the least bit confused; instead he slots into his new (old) life without a problem. During the entire book, he takes everything that gets thrown at him in his stride. Sometimes he is a little anxious or in love or concerned. We know this because the author spells it out for us. We don’t get to form our own opinion according to his actions or words. No, we get told how he feels. All other characters in this book are even less developed. Everyone serves their purpose as a plot device.
The only reason I didn’t give one star is the potential this story had. Shame about the bland execution.

[Samyann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plot. A 70-year-old man suddenly becomes 17, jumping back to the 70s. He avoids meeting the girl who was to become his wife, the mother of his children, and the grandmother of his grandchildren, and decides to live a different life. It is a poignant testament to his lack of devotion to his family, but it is rarely dwelt upon in the book.

He attempts to make occasional changes to the future, like mass murderers, 9/11, the COVID pandemic, etc.. Most efforts are not successful. He falls for a fellow "time traveler" obsessed with Princess Diana. The guy lives a mundane life. It's hard to stay with this story - nothing is exciting.

Narration by AI is monotone and boring - no inflection or oomph at all - won't be listening to another AI-narrated novel.

I have the same enthusiasm for this book as the narrator. Meh.

[anthony eccles · Rating 2 out of 5]

just ok

Mr Cummins is an eloquent writer; all the i’s dotted and so on. There is nothing really remiss about his writing other than it is dry and boring. An amazing set up but he can drone on so much at times that one flips ahead. The descriptive narrative at times is unending. He tries to explain the unexplainable too much. Its like trying to create the science of how superman flies
Even the explainable gets bogged down
Did we really need to know that much about his gambling techniques? He goes on and leaves us uninterested. Every person seems a bit dour and he seems like a very removed person. A good idea but rather blandly told

[Terri M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good time travel story. Doesn’t get bogged down with science or theories.

Graham Henderson goes to bed on the eve of his 70th birthday and wakes up in his college dorm on his 18th birthday. He now has that (often wished for by myself at least!) opportunity to relive his life. Will he take the same path as before? What will happen as he moves from 1970 into the future being aware of significant events and changes? Can he profit? Is it ethical if he does?

These are the things this book explores in an interesting fashion. Nothing very fancy…just a fairly well written “what if?” Not sure if I will read the next two in the series, but I did enjoy this one.

[robyn dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am giving this 4 stars...

...mostly because while interesting in premise, it tended to be a little...pendantic as we move through Graham's life x2. It was largely thinking and process...steps taken and results achieved. There was very little life; no forays into how-what-why this thing happened, even when he met Carol. And, frankly, he made a lot of money but there was very little "life". I'm sorry, but it only got interesting in the end 20%. I usually don't write this negative of a review and it is worth a read.
Respectively,

[Ray Smillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a similar vein to stories of this ilk where someone wakes up as their younger self. He has had a relatively happy life so has to decide whether to follow the same path or use his knowledge of future events to make a more successful life, plus try and stop major events happening. The reason for his regressive time travel is a major unsolved mystery and the ending was not what I expected and all the better for ir.

[steve henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read

I do enjoy this type of genre. This book was mentioned on a group for an author who publishes a series of these so I thought I would give it a go! It has a little bit of a slow start but got going. I am English and it is based in England so that probably helps as it was relatable to a lot of events from the UK. I enjoyed it and would recommend giving it a go. I did check to see if the author was doing any more time travel books but have not found any.

[Nanci Leiching · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable book!!

I truly didn't know what to expect from the synopsis but what a fun book. I enjoyed every bit of it to the point that my husband got annoyed at me reading at 12 at night keeping him up with my kindle.

I just wish the author had a more informed and realistic view of Trump and the Scam- demic but hey, he seems like an intelligent guy, hopefully he will get it eventually.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story a great deal. It was a new take on time travel. Graham’s second life is ultimately quite different from his first. The “love” story felt more like desperation than something serious, but that seemed ok to me. Like all of the author’s books I have this was well written and had very interesting characters. I am always looking for books similar to Replay by Ken Grimwood, this one was similar. It is a Stan alone and I’m very interested in the sequel.

[Saint Vitas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A do-over would be nice

this is a very British adventure. there are a lot if unfamiliar names of people and places to adjust to. yes, everyone would attempt to fix some huge problems. I like to think you would create multiple versions of universes than have time Compensate by letting it happen a month later. I am sure scientists split on the issue.

[THOMAS M WISNIEWSKI · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very different kind of "time travel" story. No aliens, no end of the world scenarios, a little humor and a lot of poignancy. A lot of it is very current and infused with "what would I do?" You will not see the ending coming but it ends on an acceptable and real finish. A well conceived, original yarn well worth reading and wishing, if I could only do my life over.

[M5 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay

It was just a story. I love time travel and especially time loop stories. They don’t need to be over the top but it was a bit boring and I didn’t really end up caring much. I like A Gift of Time and The Perfect Run for instance. And a lot of the Middle Falls Time Travel books.

[Michael F Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Time Again...

Once I got into this book about half way I really started to enjoy it. Prior to that it was a little tedious. A different and refreshing take on time travel. Who of us hasn't dreamed of going back to some point in their life and resuming it from there. Well written and thought out. Thanks Ian Cummins, you have a new fan.

[NATIVE TEXAN · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too technical

I cannot recommend this book. It is much too detailed, first with football then with the science/medical experiments. Each idea the author introduces is mired in boring detail which does nothing to advance the plot of the book. I am deeply disappointed and regret my wasted time.

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

great trip through time

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were very interesting. The concept of time travel that this presents is also very interesting and has many different branches that I could follow in my imagination..

[Karen Collyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A late night was had

This is one of those books to be devoured in a single session. Yes, I am having a late night, but I have had the company of well crafted characters and a story that stretches across my whole life.
Just promise me that I don't have to live it all again.

[Robert Dill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

A most interesting read. I would guess anyone beginning to age ponders the possibility of differences were they able to do things differently. You provided a very concise map of such possibilities. I enjoyed it and recommend this book.

[John Jinks · Rating 5 out of 5]

perfect pace

Kept moving at perfect pace. Sensible and intelligent writing.
A subject I am sure we have all thought about at some point in our lives .
A brilliant time travel tale .

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took about a year to read this, was a passive book mostly. The Mc took over 120 gears to live the story with twists and turns ... Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, read with the Alexa audio assist application.

[David Beniston · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is alot familiar in this story if you have read any time travel story before and it is in no way unique. But it is an easy read with a likeable main character. Got a bit bizzare with Carol But worth a read.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only reason for the 4 not 5 stars is because surely you’d expect someone who has just time travelled to be a bit confused when they realised?! Rather than just jumping straight into their second life? Right?

[Paul Madsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting spin on time travel

What would you do if you redo some of life's choices. A 70 grandpa finds himself with that opportunity. Nice story.😃

[Kristia Dayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

good book

Good time travel book, a little slow at first, but worth sticking around. I hope this author does a series as there was an opportunity in the storyline

[P D Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

worth a read

Really good with lots of twists and turns not your usual time travel novel but really enjoyed it and will be reading the other ones

[Robert J. Simon, MD · Rating 3 out of 5]

too soon

Ending was disappointing and too brief. Felt like the author had given up or gotten bored. Up to then the book was interesting.