The Time-Swept City

by Thomas F. Monteleone

Book

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction

287 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1977

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say that this novel is epic seems a gross understatement. Made more poignant for its brevity, THE TIME-SWEPT CITY evolves millenniums yet strikes such a personal emotional chord that I suspect it will continue to resonate. For how long? Perhaps Chicago knows.

[Justin Younger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting this book I realized the author doesn't know Lake Michigan is a lake, not an ocean. I swear the editor added one parenthetical saying (he knew it was a lake he just just liked to call it an ocean).

Strap in for a wild ride.

Basically I think I am now a Luddite and need antidepressants.

It was good but not fun. 4⭐

[Michael Bafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started as a series of short stories that Mr. Monteleone hooked together - often very loosely - and then finished off as a novel. There is a little Stapledon over the latter parts of this book. The perspective draws back and years pass very quickly. Mankind transforms

The early stories I found only slightly interesting - or not at all. Then we move into the future and suddenly Chicago is not recognizable at all and people fumble around trying to find themselves in a new world. Later still, the human drama fades as the city becomes sentient and not in a good way and a hundred thousand years pass with a nod and a blink.

The future of the universe comes into play - well, our galaxy and the Sombrero - as a titanic war plays out against exploding planets and the death of billions. All of this is referenced quickly and lightly and largely without passion.

In parts this is mind-blowing, in other parts mundane, in some parts exciting, in some parts character oriented, in some parts plot driven, in some parts horrific, and there's even a love story which runs smoothly for 70 or 80 thousand years, then not so well

An easy read, easy to pick up and easy to lay down. Worked very well on Summer vacation.

[John Bruni · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is more of a collection of short stories that are more or less connected to the Chicago of the future, a vast AI controlled place originally meant to help humanity. As the centuries go by, though, it deems humanity more of a nuisance than anything else and starts seeking to control them. The first story is really interesting because it portrays a man who has been joined with a starship and is suddenly disconnected, causing him to feel an immense loss that makes him question whether or not he wants to continue living. There is another story about a priest who wants to live the old fashioned way until Chicago takes his church away. A few stories revolve around two lovers who have to be separated because one is an explorer and needs to travel to a faraway galaxy to help seed a planet. The journey will take thousands of years from the perspective of the one who must stay in Chicago, so by the time the spacebound one comes back, the Chicago one will be dead for millennia. The solution: the Chicago one will be cryogenically frozen. But as with all SF dystopias, things do not go as planned. I particularly enjoyed how the book ended. Monteleone is mostly known for his horror books, but this one proves that he's damned good at SF, too.

[Kiki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A set of short stories that span tens of thousands of years.

The second story is from the point of view of a Catholic priest whose congregation is waning as time goes on. There is a scene where a young enforcer comes to evict him from his home, and sees a statue of Christ on the cross. He is appalled at such gruesome imagery, and for a moment the priest sees Christ as if through eyes that have never seen it before, and understands how incomprehensible it looks. It was probably meant to show how old traditions are becoming lost in Chicago, but reminded me of a real world interview with the author Kazuo Ishiguro. In it, he talked about how his family moved to the UK from Japan during Easter, and his parents were appalled at the graphic imagery that seemed to be everywhere of a man nailed to a cross and bleeding.

Unlike the section described above, I feel that the changes in human society in this book strain belief a little, but overall it's a passable read.

[Adam Lamar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - exceptional character development in this novel created by grouping short stories together. In this it reminded me of Martian Chronicles. It is the first Monteleone book I have read - first reading being over 40 years ago as a teen.

I don't know if any of you reading this share this - sometimes when I read, a song will come to mind almost as a theme track to the book.

In this one, while reading the story of the futuristic fireman with the AI protective exoskeleton with a sexy female personality - my brain kept replaying "Electric Barbarella" by Duran Duran.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sci-fi short stories centred around the city of Chicago. Sense of scale and coldness of time passing makes this a great book.

[Laurence Hidalgo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a prior book by this author that, IMHO, wasn't very good. This story, on the other hand, had quite a few excellent parts and a satisfying ending. Yes, I recommend it.

[Gorm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have this subtle feeling that there was a lot of potential lost. I don't know where or how, but it felt like a good path down the right way. But never got to the good views.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers a long long time. Too bad it's not very interesting... 2.5 stars.