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FORWARD TO CAMELOT: THE FINAL EDITION
RETURN TO A VANISHED WORLD, in this new edition of the beloved time-travel thriller:
October 2000
Soap-opera actress Cady Cuyler knows she is not brave, adventurous or accomplished; that's Sheila, the glamorous EMT she plays on TV. But too many other people think she's Sheila, which Cady doesn't understand: Recently divorced from her agent, Cady's life consists of playing Sheila and providing a safety net to her mother Sandra, who has hardly noticed her since her birth; she's still lost in grief over the disappearance of her husband years before in Dallas. Cady's deepest wish is to somehow earn her mother's love and attention.
When a profound tragedy alters her own life and her job abruptly ends, Cady is offered the chance of a great adventure: She agrees to recover the Bible owned by JFK, which was used to swear in LBJ as president, on November 22, 1963, the same day her father, whom she idolized, disappeared forever. To do this, she must travel back in time to the Dallas of 1963, a dangerous world filled with dangerous secrets, and meet the man with the most dangerous secret of all--he plans to assassinate President Kennedy during his upcoming visit to Dallas.
For the first time in her life, Cady, the armchair adventurer, can live an adventure more exciting than anything Sheila ever did. She might even change her own destiny... if she dares.
Time can be altered. Lives can be altered.
History can be altered...
October 2000
Soap-opera actress Cady Cuyler knows she is not brave, adventurous or accomplished; that's Sheila, the glamorous EMT she plays on TV. But too many other people think she's Sheila, which Cady doesn't understand: Recently divorced from her agent, Cady's life consists of playing Sheila and providing a safety net to her mother Sandra, who has hardly noticed her since her birth; she's still lost in grief over the disappearance of her husband years before in Dallas. Cady's deepest wish is to somehow earn her mother's love and attention.
When a profound tragedy alters her own life and her job abruptly ends, Cady is offered the chance of a great adventure: She agrees to recover the Bible owned by JFK, which was used to swear in LBJ as president, on November 22, 1963, the same day her father, whom she idolized, disappeared forever. To do this, she must travel back in time to the Dallas of 1963, a dangerous world filled with dangerous secrets, and meet the man with the most dangerous secret of all--he plans to assassinate President Kennedy during his upcoming visit to Dallas.
For the first time in her life, Cady, the armchair adventurer, can live an adventure more exciting than anything Sheila ever did. She might even change her own destiny... if she dares.
Time can be altered. Lives can be altered.
History can be altered...
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 11, 2003
4 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Susan Sloate
23 books61 followersBestselling author of 26 published books, including FORWARD TO CAMELOT (with Kevin Finn), STEALING FIRE and REALIZING YOU (with Ron Doades). The original 2003 edition of FORWARD TO CAMELOT was a #6 Amazon bestseller, honored in 3 literary competitions and optioned for Hollywood film production. STEALING FIRE, the 2013 #2 Amazon bestseller, was a Quarter-Finalist in the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest. REALIZING YOU, a 2013 self-help novel, gave her a chance to invent a new genre. Susan has also written 17 young-adult fiction and non-fiction books, including 5 biographies (Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, Clara Barton, and two on Ray Charles), history, and 7 novels for girls' book series. Susan lives outside Charleston, South Carolina. Visit her online at www.susansloate.com.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 4, 2013
Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition is a 2013 release and published by Drake Valley Press. The book is co- authored by Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn. I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
In the year 2000, Cady is a soap opera actress. She takes care of her mother, who has a mental illness that started when Cady's father disappeared on the same day JFK was killed. Cady's mother was left pregnant and clueless as to what became of her husband. She spends money like it grows on trees and hires private detectives to search for her missing husband.
Then Cady's ex-husband and agent stands by and allows Cady to lose her long running job on her soap opera. But, almost immediately she is offered another job.
This job is somewhat more complicated.
Cady has been offered the opportunity to go back in time to 1963 and retrieve the Bible used to swear in LBJ after Kennedy's death. The lure is not time travel itself or the possibility of preventing the assassination, but the chance to find out about her father, then hopefully changing the future for the better for her mother.
When Cady feels she has nothing to lose, but a great deal to gain, she accepts the job.
Using her skills as an actress, Cady only has a short time to discover the plot behind the assassination and to prevent it, if possible.
The first thing she discovers is her father and he's not quite like her mother described him all these years.
Cady also quickly begins to rub elbows with some of the major players involved, leading her on a journey that will have a long lasting effect, not only on Cady, but on the entire nation.
At one time of another, I think we have all fantasized about traveling back in time. Going back to 1963 is one of the most popular periods people think about when the topic of time travel comes up. We all want to know if someone was on the grassy knoll, if Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, and if there was any way possible we could prevent the murder of JFK. Could we warn him? Would he listen? Can history really be changed?
This incredible story allows us to indulge in that fantasy. A clever way of inventing time travel is devised that actually made sense. The nostalgia of seeing favorite TV shows, movies and fashions, cars and even things like candy we don't ever see anymore, is fun to remember.
Cady lives out a fantasy we would all like to try, even if it meant we were in danger ourselves. Some things are just bigger that one person. There were some really hard lessons Cady had to learn about her own personal history. But, she shows incredible bravery and courage in her attempts to change history.
The story sticks to one theory of why the President was targeted and by whom. Again, this theory is entirely plausible. Recognizable names and places are incorporated into the story and adds authenticity.
Although the story is very tense, there were humorous moments as well. There may even be a little romance thrown in for good measure.
This is a well crafted fantasy, very fast paced, and emotional.
For me personally, I have been a JFK conspiracy theory junkie for years. I have often thought about how wonderful it would be if we could travel back in time to change the terrible events of that day. I know I am not the only one. I would have to agree with the author's spin of what might have happened if JFK had lived. I think that speculation was also quite plausible.
Even if you are not all that interested in the history or conspiracy theories, I think this book would still appeal to those that enjoy thrillers, and fantasy, and there was even a bit of a whimsical feel to it as well.
Overall this think this one deserves an A+
In the year 2000, Cady is a soap opera actress. She takes care of her mother, who has a mental illness that started when Cady's father disappeared on the same day JFK was killed. Cady's mother was left pregnant and clueless as to what became of her husband. She spends money like it grows on trees and hires private detectives to search for her missing husband.
Then Cady's ex-husband and agent stands by and allows Cady to lose her long running job on her soap opera. But, almost immediately she is offered another job.
This job is somewhat more complicated.
Cady has been offered the opportunity to go back in time to 1963 and retrieve the Bible used to swear in LBJ after Kennedy's death. The lure is not time travel itself or the possibility of preventing the assassination, but the chance to find out about her father, then hopefully changing the future for the better for her mother.
When Cady feels she has nothing to lose, but a great deal to gain, she accepts the job.
Using her skills as an actress, Cady only has a short time to discover the plot behind the assassination and to prevent it, if possible.
The first thing she discovers is her father and he's not quite like her mother described him all these years.
Cady also quickly begins to rub elbows with some of the major players involved, leading her on a journey that will have a long lasting effect, not only on Cady, but on the entire nation.
At one time of another, I think we have all fantasized about traveling back in time. Going back to 1963 is one of the most popular periods people think about when the topic of time travel comes up. We all want to know if someone was on the grassy knoll, if Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman, and if there was any way possible we could prevent the murder of JFK. Could we warn him? Would he listen? Can history really be changed?
This incredible story allows us to indulge in that fantasy. A clever way of inventing time travel is devised that actually made sense. The nostalgia of seeing favorite TV shows, movies and fashions, cars and even things like candy we don't ever see anymore, is fun to remember.
Cady lives out a fantasy we would all like to try, even if it meant we were in danger ourselves. Some things are just bigger that one person. There were some really hard lessons Cady had to learn about her own personal history. But, she shows incredible bravery and courage in her attempts to change history.
The story sticks to one theory of why the President was targeted and by whom. Again, this theory is entirely plausible. Recognizable names and places are incorporated into the story and adds authenticity.
Although the story is very tense, there were humorous moments as well. There may even be a little romance thrown in for good measure.
This is a well crafted fantasy, very fast paced, and emotional.
For me personally, I have been a JFK conspiracy theory junkie for years. I have often thought about how wonderful it would be if we could travel back in time to change the terrible events of that day. I know I am not the only one. I would have to agree with the author's spin of what might have happened if JFK had lived. I think that speculation was also quite plausible.
Even if you are not all that interested in the history or conspiracy theories, I think this book would still appeal to those that enjoy thrillers, and fantasy, and there was even a bit of a whimsical feel to it as well.
Overall this think this one deserves an A+
November 20, 2013
I loved, loved, loved it. It is intriguing, engaging, captivating and fascinating. This has everything I love in a novel – mystery, murder, history, drama… I mean who isn’t interested in history and the opportunity to go back and change it? What if that something could be to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy? Not to mention how cool time travel would be.
Cady thinks she’s going back in time to retrieve the Kennedy Bible that was used to swear in Johnson. But really who could travel all that way and not do something to try to prevent the whole thing? Cady is soon pulled into the drama of the time. She thinks she knows what happened back then but wow does she get some surprises and finds herself with new knowledge that really could change history. Fate kind of steps in and teams her up with Lee Oswald because as far as she knew he was the guilty guy. Together they find themselves fighting forces much bigger and broader than they realized.
This story is about preventing JFK’s assassination but it is also Cady’s story. When she travels back in time she has the opportunity to change things in her future life as well. Only she gets a lot of shocks when she meets the people who are going to be her parents. What she discovers about her own history is quite an eyeopener for her because what she had thought was true isn’t what was fact.
I found it such a fascinating premise, not that people haven’t thought about what if JFK hadn’t been killed but the way they wrote the story and the events – wow! There are so many angles and twists but everything and I do mean everything is tied up by the end. And let me tell you when you change history, there is a lot to tie up. The research that they had to have done to make it this story so detailed and real is very commendable. I love that they have shone another light on the what and why of JFK’s assassination.
I was impressed with how well it was written. I think they did a brilliant job of working together. They were able to blend their writing styles in a way that truly worked, not once could I see a change in tone or pace or style. Great job Ms. Sloate and Mr. Finn.
It is such a captivating read. I highly, highly recommend this book. I give it 5++ stars. I was given a copy as part of a book tour.
Cady thinks she’s going back in time to retrieve the Kennedy Bible that was used to swear in Johnson. But really who could travel all that way and not do something to try to prevent the whole thing? Cady is soon pulled into the drama of the time. She thinks she knows what happened back then but wow does she get some surprises and finds herself with new knowledge that really could change history. Fate kind of steps in and teams her up with Lee Oswald because as far as she knew he was the guilty guy. Together they find themselves fighting forces much bigger and broader than they realized.
This story is about preventing JFK’s assassination but it is also Cady’s story. When she travels back in time she has the opportunity to change things in her future life as well. Only she gets a lot of shocks when she meets the people who are going to be her parents. What she discovers about her own history is quite an eyeopener for her because what she had thought was true isn’t what was fact.
I found it such a fascinating premise, not that people haven’t thought about what if JFK hadn’t been killed but the way they wrote the story and the events – wow! There are so many angles and twists but everything and I do mean everything is tied up by the end. And let me tell you when you change history, there is a lot to tie up. The research that they had to have done to make it this story so detailed and real is very commendable. I love that they have shone another light on the what and why of JFK’s assassination.
I was impressed with how well it was written. I think they did a brilliant job of working together. They were able to blend their writing styles in a way that truly worked, not once could I see a change in tone or pace or style. Great job Ms. Sloate and Mr. Finn.
It is such a captivating read. I highly, highly recommend this book. I give it 5++ stars. I was given a copy as part of a book tour.
January 25, 2014
Have you ever thought about time travel? Being part of a huge historical event that forever changed history? Or maybe you would like to be “the one” that alters a past event. When a soap opera actress is presented with the greatest role she may ever play, the catch is that she must go back in time, play the part of a woman in the year 1963, in Dallas, just a few days prior to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Her assignment is to retrieve the Bible that was used to swear Lyndon B. Johnson into office. For her personally, it will be a chance to find out what happened to the father she never knew, who disappeared on the same day Kennedy was assassinated and why her mother has suffered mentally ever since that day. What she discovers is that she has landed at ground zero in an arms trafficking plot that is connected to Kennedy’s assassination. Armed with the knowledge of what is going to happen, she is determined to find a way to alter history and the lives of those involved. Whether or not she will be able to return to the year 2000, becomes less important to her as she crosses paths with both infamous and famous legends of the past and they become living and breathing individuals. Can history be changed? Will Cady uncover the mysteries of the conspiracy theories, the grassy knoll and discover the man Lee Harvey Oswald really was?
If you were alive at the time, you probably remember where you were and what you were doing when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was in the library and the principal made an announcement over the PA system, and that “larger-than-life” man was shaken. What if Kennedy lived? How would the future be changed? Would your life be different? What if you had the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time and you could change history?
Forward to Camelot by Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn have taken one theory of Kennedy’s death, incorporated it with one woman’s desire to uncover family secrets and created an amazing and intriguing fantasy adventure that is rich in authentic detail, tweaked it with well-developed characters and wonderful dialogue and fast-paced action! I was living this trip back in time, as each scene unfolded. References to products available, the mannerisms of the time, the dress of the era, even the weather, it’s all there! What Cady discovers about herself is like icing on the cake.
I can’t think of one thing I didn’t like about Forward to Camelot, it has it all, fantasy, history, some humorous moments, the feeling of really “meeting” historical figures and of being part of something huge, all without superpowers, just grit and determination! There is tension, both political and emotional, and the chaos of a well-developed, multi-dimensional plot! This one goes to the top of the hidden gem pile for me!
I received a review copy from Susan Sloate in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 29, 2013 (second edition)
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Genre: Adult Fiction/Fantasy
Number of Pages: 436
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you were alive at the time, you probably remember where you were and what you were doing when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was in the library and the principal made an announcement over the PA system, and that “larger-than-life” man was shaken. What if Kennedy lived? How would the future be changed? Would your life be different? What if you had the opportunity to be in the right place at the right time and you could change history?
Forward to Camelot by Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn have taken one theory of Kennedy’s death, incorporated it with one woman’s desire to uncover family secrets and created an amazing and intriguing fantasy adventure that is rich in authentic detail, tweaked it with well-developed characters and wonderful dialogue and fast-paced action! I was living this trip back in time, as each scene unfolded. References to products available, the mannerisms of the time, the dress of the era, even the weather, it’s all there! What Cady discovers about herself is like icing on the cake.
I can’t think of one thing I didn’t like about Forward to Camelot, it has it all, fantasy, history, some humorous moments, the feeling of really “meeting” historical figures and of being part of something huge, all without superpowers, just grit and determination! There is tension, both political and emotional, and the chaos of a well-developed, multi-dimensional plot! This one goes to the top of the hidden gem pile for me!
I received a review copy from Susan Sloate in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: August 29, 2013 (second edition)
Publisher: Drake Valley Press
Genre: Adult Fiction/Fantasy
Number of Pages: 436
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
December 8, 2014
Full Review at: What's Beyond Forks?
Forward to Camelot by Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn was extremely intreresting amd really made me think. I'll be honest, I didn't know if I was going to like it. I was afraid I would be bored, but, I was pleasantly surprised. I've seen many of the conspiracy theory documentaries, but I never truly studied them or President Kennedy for that matter. So, this book really sparked my interest and I spent a lot of time on google during and after finishing, because I wanted to know who was fiction vs real people and speculation vs fact. It was all so interesting. There was a lot of pretty intense action, making this a fast read. Plus, there's a touch of romance that wasn't at all a focal point to the story, but it was a fun little addition.
Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition by Susan Sloate & Kevin Finn was kindly provided to me by the authors for review. The opinions are my own.
July 17, 2018
Great book that had me on the edge of my seat!
November 29, 2013
This was a fascinating novel combining the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination and science fiction elements. Cady Cuyler is an actress hired by John Staub a well-known special effects genius. She is hired to retrieve the Bible on which Lyndon Johnson swore his oath of office. In order to do this, she will have to travel back in time through cyber-time to November 22, 1963, the date when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Cady refuses the job as November is the month that her mother’s depression is usually at its worst and Cady is always there for her during that time.
But tragedy strikes, and Cady’s mother Sandra Cuyler, who has been mourning the loss of her husband who mysteriously disappeared the same day Kennedy died, commits suicide, leaving Cady all alone. Cady then decides to take the job as it will also give her an opportunity to meet the man who made her mother’s life so miserable by his disappearance.
That’s when the adventure begins. John Staub’s time travel invention transports Cady to November 17th, 1963. It is obvious from the author’s writing that they have done a lot of research into the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination. All the main events leading up to it have been woven into the story. Cady’s activities mesh into these facts seamlessly. The authors have done an amazing job of melding fact and fiction together.
This story was very captivating right from the beginning. I thought the authors did a wonderful job developing the storyline of how President Kennedy’s assassination might have been averted. The action was fast-paced. I didn’t feel there were any slow spots in it.
I liked the character of Cady. I felt sad for her that she had such an unhappy life living with a mother that had never gotten over the disappearance of her husband and therefore didn’t seem to have room in her heart for her mother. I loved that Cady was able to love her mother anyway, and took care of her, although she did not have the boundaries she needed to tell her mother “no”. Cady did not have the self-confidence in herself that her TV character “Sheila” had. I think that Sheila was in some ways the person that Cady really wanted to be. I was thrilled for Cady that when she came back to the year 2000, the things that she had done in 1963 had changed her mother’s history in such a positive way, that Cady’s life had turned out similarly, but much more positively.
The only thing I had a little difficulty resolving in my mind with in the book was that it postulated that two people could not exist in the same time. “The real you of that time would push away the you we’re creating to send there, which is artificial, even though you’ll feel you’re actually there, and function just like everyone else.” However, Cady did exist in November of 1963, as an unborn child in Sandra Cuyler’s womb. She stayed in Sandra’s house for 5 days, and in 1963 for a total of 13 days. And yet, at the end of the 13 days, she went back to her own time when she touched Sandra’s pregnant tummy. Just as she does and she begins to move back to the year 2000, she thinks, “There was a strange flash of light, and in an instant I understood what I’d done. Two versions of the same person can’t co-exist, John had said to me, explaining why George couldn’t go back to 1963.”
Overall, I thought that Forward to Camelot was an excellent work of fiction which incorporated a well-known true story as its basis. It was an interesting exploration of the theory that Lee Harvey Oswald was not the killer, but involved as part of a consipiracy. The story was full of suspense, action and mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys political intrigue or action/adventure. I gave this book 5 stars!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review as part of my participation in the Goddess Fish Book Tour for Forward to Camelot. All thoughts are my own.
But tragedy strikes, and Cady’s mother Sandra Cuyler, who has been mourning the loss of her husband who mysteriously disappeared the same day Kennedy died, commits suicide, leaving Cady all alone. Cady then decides to take the job as it will also give her an opportunity to meet the man who made her mother’s life so miserable by his disappearance.
That’s when the adventure begins. John Staub’s time travel invention transports Cady to November 17th, 1963. It is obvious from the author’s writing that they have done a lot of research into the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination. All the main events leading up to it have been woven into the story. Cady’s activities mesh into these facts seamlessly. The authors have done an amazing job of melding fact and fiction together.
This story was very captivating right from the beginning. I thought the authors did a wonderful job developing the storyline of how President Kennedy’s assassination might have been averted. The action was fast-paced. I didn’t feel there were any slow spots in it.
I liked the character of Cady. I felt sad for her that she had such an unhappy life living with a mother that had never gotten over the disappearance of her husband and therefore didn’t seem to have room in her heart for her mother. I loved that Cady was able to love her mother anyway, and took care of her, although she did not have the boundaries she needed to tell her mother “no”. Cady did not have the self-confidence in herself that her TV character “Sheila” had. I think that Sheila was in some ways the person that Cady really wanted to be. I was thrilled for Cady that when she came back to the year 2000, the things that she had done in 1963 had changed her mother’s history in such a positive way, that Cady’s life had turned out similarly, but much more positively.
The only thing I had a little difficulty resolving in my mind with in the book was that it postulated that two people could not exist in the same time. “The real you of that time would push away the you we’re creating to send there, which is artificial, even though you’ll feel you’re actually there, and function just like everyone else.” However, Cady did exist in November of 1963, as an unborn child in Sandra Cuyler’s womb. She stayed in Sandra’s house for 5 days, and in 1963 for a total of 13 days. And yet, at the end of the 13 days, she went back to her own time when she touched Sandra’s pregnant tummy. Just as she does and she begins to move back to the year 2000, she thinks, “There was a strange flash of light, and in an instant I understood what I’d done. Two versions of the same person can’t co-exist, John had said to me, explaining why George couldn’t go back to 1963.”
Overall, I thought that Forward to Camelot was an excellent work of fiction which incorporated a well-known true story as its basis. It was an interesting exploration of the theory that Lee Harvey Oswald was not the killer, but involved as part of a consipiracy. The story was full of suspense, action and mystery. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys political intrigue or action/adventure. I gave this book 5 stars!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review as part of my participation in the Goddess Fish Book Tour for Forward to Camelot. All thoughts are my own.
September 15, 2014
A highly enjoyable and entertaining spin on the Kennedy assassination with a totally different outcome. It's well written, features an interesting cast of characters known and unknown, has some exciting scenes and, the best of all: the alternate history works. It really does. It all adds up for me. Plus, it's filled with many, many tidbits concerning all the characters involved in this "story" - JFK, RFK, LHO, LBJ, Jackie, Ruby, David Ferrie, even Jim Garrison has a cameo, omg. I loved this, there were so many moments I was smiling or giggling because I just had stumbled across some little fact casually woven into the story. Made it feel like a treasure hunt.
The backstory of the original characters and how their fates were connected was super interesting as well. I liked Cady, the heroine, and understood all of her feelings. I even shipped .
In some way, this book is - concerning the general plot idea - an alternate version of Stephen King's 11/22/63 - in both books, a person of the present is sent to the past and then tries to prevent the assasination. King's version builds on the Lone Gunman theory, this book offers a different solution and thus rather satifies "conspiracy fans" (gah, I hate that term but can't think of a better one right now).
Nit picking: I didn't really enjoy the changing POVs - nothing wrong with such a technique in general, but I'd prefer them to happen with changing 1st or 3rd persons. Here, about 80% of the book were written from Cady's POV, first person, and a switch from first to (various) third person is too tough a break for me, since the reader goes from very close to quite far away. But it didn't happen that often - besides, one of the third person narrators followed RFK and all of these moments were golden because Bobby is my hero and he's even more heroic here, so yeah, Bobby fangirl moments helped me deal ;) Another minor bug would be that Cady was just a tad too lucky and badass and tough and saving the day, but well, heroine bonus.
Overall, I liked this very much, yes. Much more than expected!
The backstory of the original characters and how their fates were connected was super interesting as well. I liked Cady, the heroine, and understood all of her feelings. I even shipped .
In some way, this book is - concerning the general plot idea - an alternate version of Stephen King's 11/22/63 - in both books, a person of the present is sent to the past and then tries to prevent the assasination. King's version builds on the Lone Gunman theory, this book offers a different solution and thus rather satifies "conspiracy fans" (gah, I hate that term but can't think of a better one right now).
Nit picking: I didn't really enjoy the changing POVs - nothing wrong with such a technique in general, but I'd prefer them to happen with changing 1st or 3rd persons. Here, about 80% of the book were written from Cady's POV, first person, and a switch from first to (various) third person is too tough a break for me, since the reader goes from very close to quite far away. But it didn't happen that often - besides, one of the third person narrators followed RFK and all of these moments were golden because Bobby is my hero and he's even more heroic here, so yeah, Bobby fangirl moments helped me deal ;) Another minor bug would be that Cady was just a tad too lucky and badass and tough and saving the day, but well, heroine bonus.
Overall, I liked this very much, yes. Much more than expected!
August 2, 2014
I live in a household where JFK’s assassination is a common topic. His head wounds, the cover ups, the grassy knoll, and the unknown assassins are discussed in great detail and dissected thoroughly. To some people, this is entertaining, to others—not so much. The books and videos are dry and factual, written more for research and argumentative purposes than to entertain. Usually read only in bits and pieces when a new theory on the killing is published. However, when I got my hands on this book, Forward to Camelot, I couldn’t stop reading. Although I knew the main players in this game, I was surprised continuously by the twists and turns.
An actress from the year 2000 is sent back in time to retrieve JFK’s lost Bible, confiscated by persons unknown right after Lyndon Johnson’s swearing in. She lands in Texas the week before JFK’s death and is thrown into a confusing miasma of spies and stolen guns, conspiracies and danger. She also finds out that her father who disappeared that monumental day thirty-seven years prior was actually a cheating, lying scumbag. It’s a melancholy story with our intrepid protagonist, Cady, feeling unloved by her grieving mother and misunderstood by her fanatic fans. Despite her beauty and fame, the reader can easily relate to Cady because she dislikes herself and absorbs the negative emotions of those around her just like most of us do. We base our happiness on what others think and say, so does Cady. George and John, her time-traveling partners in crime, are reachable and well-developed characters as well. As we all know, if the reader can’t connect with the characters, the book will fall flat. Even the more well-known people in the book, Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kennedy, the Secret Service agents, and even Lyndon Johnson, are shown as more human and less mythical figure.
The book was long–388 pages–but it read easily with continuous action and seemed to end way too quickly. Historical facts and dates carefully woven into a story that speaks to the reader with humanity and humility. And even though I never give spoilers, I will say that the ending was very satisfactory. Five stars!!
An actress from the year 2000 is sent back in time to retrieve JFK’s lost Bible, confiscated by persons unknown right after Lyndon Johnson’s swearing in. She lands in Texas the week before JFK’s death and is thrown into a confusing miasma of spies and stolen guns, conspiracies and danger. She also finds out that her father who disappeared that monumental day thirty-seven years prior was actually a cheating, lying scumbag. It’s a melancholy story with our intrepid protagonist, Cady, feeling unloved by her grieving mother and misunderstood by her fanatic fans. Despite her beauty and fame, the reader can easily relate to Cady because she dislikes herself and absorbs the negative emotions of those around her just like most of us do. We base our happiness on what others think and say, so does Cady. George and John, her time-traveling partners in crime, are reachable and well-developed characters as well. As we all know, if the reader can’t connect with the characters, the book will fall flat. Even the more well-known people in the book, Lee Harvey Oswald, John F. Kennedy, the Secret Service agents, and even Lyndon Johnson, are shown as more human and less mythical figure.
The book was long–388 pages–but it read easily with continuous action and seemed to end way too quickly. Historical facts and dates carefully woven into a story that speaks to the reader with humanity and humility. And even though I never give spoilers, I will say that the ending was very satisfactory. Five stars!!
November 20, 2013
This book hooked me from the beginning. Needless to say, I spent every available moment reading it. In one day, main character Cady Cuyler, loses her job and is offered the opportunity to earn a substantial amount of money while attempting the impossible. Unfortunately it requires a sad event and a whole lot of self-recrimination before she decides to take on the monumental task of going back in time to retrieve the late president Kennedy's bible for collector, George Staub, and, at the same time, find out what exactly happened to her father. At last she has the chance of a life time: to make a huge difference and to be center stage.
Forward to Camelot starts like a good book should; with a captivating scene that instantly draws one into a story which promises to have much more where that came from. The riveting action and nail-biting suspense of this first part of the story set the rapid pace for what is to come. Believe me, there is just never a dull moment right up to the end. An exploding airplane, a boat trip in a tropical storm and hair raising car chases, this book has it all. At times I wondered whether there could be a positive outcome and that, dear readers, is why you have to read it and find out.
When Cady travels to 1963, the authors accurately and masterfully describe life in the sixties. Even the dialogue changes from that used in the year 2000 to that of the early sixties.
Just a touch of truly tender and very poignant romance found its way into this fast moving novel. This is where I have to warn readers to have the Kleenex close by. Although this book is packed with action and suspense, it has several extremely heart rending moments.
A product of two brilliant imaginations and some thorough research, I highly recommend Forward to Camelot as a thrilling, interesting and heart-warming read. If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I definitely think it should be made into a movie! (Ellen Fritz)
Forward to Camelot starts like a good book should; with a captivating scene that instantly draws one into a story which promises to have much more where that came from. The riveting action and nail-biting suspense of this first part of the story set the rapid pace for what is to come. Believe me, there is just never a dull moment right up to the end. An exploding airplane, a boat trip in a tropical storm and hair raising car chases, this book has it all. At times I wondered whether there could be a positive outcome and that, dear readers, is why you have to read it and find out.
When Cady travels to 1963, the authors accurately and masterfully describe life in the sixties. Even the dialogue changes from that used in the year 2000 to that of the early sixties.
Just a touch of truly tender and very poignant romance found its way into this fast moving novel. This is where I have to warn readers to have the Kleenex close by. Although this book is packed with action and suspense, it has several extremely heart rending moments.
A product of two brilliant imaginations and some thorough research, I highly recommend Forward to Camelot as a thrilling, interesting and heart-warming read. If I could give this book more than five stars, I would. I definitely think it should be made into a movie! (Ellen Fritz)
January 24, 2014
Forward to Camelot
50th Anniversary Edition
By Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn
Sometimes history can be changed, but why would you want to?
Cady Cuyler has been stuck in her life for the last 10 years, but she hasn't seen it that way until today. She is a suddenly out-of-work actress, divorced, and her mother has just died. And to top it off her only job prospect is to travel back to November 1963 to retrieve the Bible that belonged to JFK and was used to swear in President Johnson.
With no desire to take part in such a far-fetched plan, Cady's mind is changed when she is offered an opportunity to find the father she never knew, the father that disappeared on the same day America lost her President to a conspiracy that has never been fully explained.
Using cyber-time Cady is sent back Dallas mere days before the assassination attempt is going to take place. Cady alone can take this trip as those who developed this technology are unable to attempt this as their presence in 1963 would force them out of this time.
Forward to Camelot is an exciting and thrilling read as Cady is drawn into more than she had originally anticipated. More than a missing Bible is at stake - the life of the President, a man's reputation, her father's fate, and her mother's happiness all hang in the balance. Can Cady use her knowledge of the past to change the future and to stay alive? Or will she become an accomplice unaware, aiding and abetting the very man responsible for destroying a nation's idealism as it teeters on the edge?
Forward to Camelot is a book I would highly recommend to fans of alternate history, conspiracy fans, or fans of exciting and suspense-filled thrillers! Cady is the type of character that you will root for. I can honestly say this one book that I want to read again.
I was provided a digital copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump Up Your Book blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
50th Anniversary Edition
By Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn
Sometimes history can be changed, but why would you want to?
Cady Cuyler has been stuck in her life for the last 10 years, but she hasn't seen it that way until today. She is a suddenly out-of-work actress, divorced, and her mother has just died. And to top it off her only job prospect is to travel back to November 1963 to retrieve the Bible that belonged to JFK and was used to swear in President Johnson.
With no desire to take part in such a far-fetched plan, Cady's mind is changed when she is offered an opportunity to find the father she never knew, the father that disappeared on the same day America lost her President to a conspiracy that has never been fully explained.
Using cyber-time Cady is sent back Dallas mere days before the assassination attempt is going to take place. Cady alone can take this trip as those who developed this technology are unable to attempt this as their presence in 1963 would force them out of this time.
Forward to Camelot is an exciting and thrilling read as Cady is drawn into more than she had originally anticipated. More than a missing Bible is at stake - the life of the President, a man's reputation, her father's fate, and her mother's happiness all hang in the balance. Can Cady use her knowledge of the past to change the future and to stay alive? Or will she become an accomplice unaware, aiding and abetting the very man responsible for destroying a nation's idealism as it teeters on the edge?
Forward to Camelot is a book I would highly recommend to fans of alternate history, conspiracy fans, or fans of exciting and suspense-filled thrillers! Cady is the type of character that you will root for. I can honestly say this one book that I want to read again.
I was provided a digital copy of this book in conjunction with this Pump Up Your Book blog tour in exchange for my honest review.
September 12, 2014
I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
It's an extraordinary book. It is a story of a very different kind of time travel: typically found in fantasy, but here it seems real, possible. It 's a novel that leaves his mouth open page after page, between twists and new adventures.
We are in 2000. Cady is a young actress of soap operas and was soon fired. She had a hard enough life: she has an ex-husband who is also her agent, a mom in need of treatment: she never resigned herself to her husband's disappearance. Cady has never known her father, he has disappeared in Dallas on the same day of the assassination of Kennedy. The mother has spent a lot of money to look for it, to get some information about its possible end. She receives a job offer very unusual: she has to go back in time, in 1963 and recover the Bible on which Vice President Lyndon Johnson had sworn ON AIR Force One. It's disappearance, was never returned to Kennedy. Cady refuses but after her mother's death and after talking with the son of her new employer decides to accept: will have the chance to know her father and may be able to avoid to her mother a life of suffering. It is shipped in 1963: is Sunday, November 17 and there are 5 days at the day of the murder. She went immediately to her parents' house and finally knows her father but does not seem to be the same wonderful man of the stories of her mother. Se decides to try to save the life of the President. Will it succeed?
The authors have studied a lot and did several searches: can be seen from many details. It 's a novel in which fiction and fantasy are mixed in a perfect way as not to stand out more from each other. It 's fascinating, enagaging and intriguing. It 's really well written, with excellent dialogue and well developed characters
I highly recommend it
It's an extraordinary book. It is a story of a very different kind of time travel: typically found in fantasy, but here it seems real, possible. It 's a novel that leaves his mouth open page after page, between twists and new adventures.
We are in 2000. Cady is a young actress of soap operas and was soon fired. She had a hard enough life: she has an ex-husband who is also her agent, a mom in need of treatment: she never resigned herself to her husband's disappearance. Cady has never known her father, he has disappeared in Dallas on the same day of the assassination of Kennedy. The mother has spent a lot of money to look for it, to get some information about its possible end. She receives a job offer very unusual: she has to go back in time, in 1963 and recover the Bible on which Vice President Lyndon Johnson had sworn ON AIR Force One. It's disappearance, was never returned to Kennedy. Cady refuses but after her mother's death and after talking with the son of her new employer decides to accept: will have the chance to know her father and may be able to avoid to her mother a life of suffering. It is shipped in 1963: is Sunday, November 17 and there are 5 days at the day of the murder. She went immediately to her parents' house and finally knows her father but does not seem to be the same wonderful man of the stories of her mother. Se decides to try to save the life of the President. Will it succeed?
The authors have studied a lot and did several searches: can be seen from many details. It 's a novel in which fiction and fantasy are mixed in a perfect way as not to stand out more from each other. It 's fascinating, enagaging and intriguing. It 's really well written, with excellent dialogue and well developed characters
I highly recommend it
December 1, 2013
Generally, I am not a big fan of time travel, but the premise of this book intrigued me. From the beginning, I was immersed in the story, and I found myself thinking about this book when I wasn't reading it. I just had to know how it was going to end! The authors did an amazing job of crafting a tale that answers the question: "What if ..." Want to know the answer? You have to read the book!
One word of caution--there is quite a bit of profanity in the book. While I could have done without the profanity (it increased as the book intensified), I was willing to overlook it to ultimately reach the end of the book. And just so you know--you do need to suspend reality as you know it in order to read this book. However, very clever (and true) historical details are also included. Trust me--the authors did their research and even updated this volume to make things run more smoothly and make more sense.
I was not around during the time of JFK--I wasn't even born yet. But this book made me look at this time in history differently than I ever have. It also made me glad that time travel is not a possibility. I really don't want to go back in time and risk changing the future!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
One word of caution--there is quite a bit of profanity in the book. While I could have done without the profanity (it increased as the book intensified), I was willing to overlook it to ultimately reach the end of the book. And just so you know--you do need to suspend reality as you know it in order to read this book. However, very clever (and true) historical details are also included. Trust me--the authors did their research and even updated this volume to make things run more smoothly and make more sense.
I was not around during the time of JFK--I wasn't even born yet. But this book made me look at this time in history differently than I ever have. It also made me glad that time travel is not a possibility. I really don't want to go back in time and risk changing the future!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
March 22, 2014
I could not put this book down. I absolutely loved it. Stayed up late to read it, and when I couldn't keep my eyes open, I went to bed, only to get up at 3 am to finish it. Couldn't sleep because I kept thinking of this story.
It made me wonder "What would our country have been like if JF Kennedy had not been assassinated?" I kept wishing this book was based on fact, not fiction. In fact, the two authors spent years researching every bit of information they could find before this story was written. So a lot of things mentioned in this book are not fiction.
I cannot remember when a story grabbed me like this one did. Our heroine, Cady, goes back in time, supposedly to find JFK's bible. But once there, she begins to change a lot of things. Not on purpose, but if one thing is changed, others are also changed inadvertently. She decides to find out what happened to her father who disappeared at the time of the assassination. Then she tries to stop the murder.
I found myself holding my breath sometimes, I was so tense. This story is not only a mystery, but a drama, a romance and because of the time travel, also a paranormal. There was absolutely no let up in the tension, until the very end.
I really loved this story, and recommend it to everyone. If you don't read this book, you will always be sorry.
It made me wonder "What would our country have been like if JF Kennedy had not been assassinated?" I kept wishing this book was based on fact, not fiction. In fact, the two authors spent years researching every bit of information they could find before this story was written. So a lot of things mentioned in this book are not fiction.
I cannot remember when a story grabbed me like this one did. Our heroine, Cady, goes back in time, supposedly to find JFK's bible. But once there, she begins to change a lot of things. Not on purpose, but if one thing is changed, others are also changed inadvertently. She decides to find out what happened to her father who disappeared at the time of the assassination. Then she tries to stop the murder.
I found myself holding my breath sometimes, I was so tense. This story is not only a mystery, but a drama, a romance and because of the time travel, also a paranormal. There was absolutely no let up in the tension, until the very end.
I really loved this story, and recommend it to everyone. If you don't read this book, you will always be sorry.
November 11, 2013
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*
Growing up I never really knew or learned a whole lot about JFK. I knew he was a well loved president who was assassinated. Before I read this book though, my husband and I watched a documentary series titled "The Untold History of the United States." I learned a lot about JFK! This got me really excited to read this book.
I didn't even know this book had time travel in it. Any book with time travel is completely awesome on that fact alone. That wasn't all this book did though, it kept me on the edge of my seat, made me love and also at times dislike a character. My mind would be racing trying to predict what would happen next only to be blown out of the water!
You don't have to know much about JFK to appreciate this book, you wouldn't even need to be an American! If you like books that are interesting, keep your attention, play with your emotions and make you overall can't wait till you can find time to read-this book needs to be on your 'to be read' list.
Growing up I never really knew or learned a whole lot about JFK. I knew he was a well loved president who was assassinated. Before I read this book though, my husband and I watched a documentary series titled "The Untold History of the United States." I learned a lot about JFK! This got me really excited to read this book.
I didn't even know this book had time travel in it. Any book with time travel is completely awesome on that fact alone. That wasn't all this book did though, it kept me on the edge of my seat, made me love and also at times dislike a character. My mind would be racing trying to predict what would happen next only to be blown out of the water!
You don't have to know much about JFK to appreciate this book, you wouldn't even need to be an American! If you like books that are interesting, keep your attention, play with your emotions and make you overall can't wait till you can find time to read-this book needs to be on your 'to be read' list.
October 25, 2024
Forward to Camelot was an interesting read as it is a time traveling mystery/thriller where there is a modern-day woman named Cady. She must time travel as she is needing to get the Bible that John F. Kennedy owned in 1963.I really enjoyed the first chapter as Cady is working as a soap opera actress on a TV show and filming one of her scenes. That grabbed my attention as the reader when I was starting the book.
She meets a man named George who talks with her about the Kennedys and what happened in 1963 especially the JFK assassination and whether that was orchestrated by the government or other entities. I found it interesting the key JFK Bible was a pivotal heart of the story and also that it disappeared after JFK was assassinated in this book. That intrigued me while I was reading and made me want to figure out what happened that the Bible. You can tell the authors put a lot into the research and what happens in the 60s as you really feel like you with there when you're reading the book.
I really love the epilogue as it wraps up the end of the book nicely and there were many changes due to the characters intervention which I quite enjoyed, and it was a great fictional ending. The authors take us through a lot of people that were players time in the 1960s and they really did a great job with the ending. I will not spoil the ending read the book!
She meets a man named George who talks with her about the Kennedys and what happened in 1963 especially the JFK assassination and whether that was orchestrated by the government or other entities. I found it interesting the key JFK Bible was a pivotal heart of the story and also that it disappeared after JFK was assassinated in this book. That intrigued me while I was reading and made me want to figure out what happened that the Bible. You can tell the authors put a lot into the research and what happens in the 60s as you really feel like you with there when you're reading the book.
I really love the epilogue as it wraps up the end of the book nicely and there were many changes due to the characters intervention which I quite enjoyed, and it was a great fictional ending. The authors take us through a lot of people that were players time in the 1960s and they really did a great job with the ending. I will not spoil the ending read the book!
October 21, 2024
Forward to Camelot grabbed my attention from the first page and never let go. Forward to Camelot was a fast-paced read that kept me hanging on for more with each turn of the page.
I loved how Forward to Camelot started out with firefighter Shelia being caught in a fire leaving you hanging not knowing if she made it out alive and then afterward finding out that it was not real and that it was just a TV series being filmed.
But then things start to turn around for Catherine or Cady, the actress playing Shelia. After filming Cady goes to meet the new producer of the show and is fired. Cady has been playing Shelia for twelve years. Cady wonders what she is going to do now as she has been taking care of her mother for many years. Cady’s dad disappeared before she was born and her mother has been grieving for him ever since.
But not to worry Cady gets a job offer on her way home. Cady is going back in time to the day John F. Kennedy was killed and the same time her father went missing. Cady is hired to find a bible that belonged to John F. Kennedy. Cady also hopes to find her father and stop him from disappearing.
Forward to Camelot was a very interesting story. I have been fascinated with John F. Kennedy for many years. I think it is because I liked one day being a month old when he was shot. I have done a lot of research on that day and on John F. Kennedy and all the mystery surrounding his death.
I would highly recommend Forward to Camelot to history fans! Grab a copy of Forward to Camelot today!
I loved how Forward to Camelot started out with firefighter Shelia being caught in a fire leaving you hanging not knowing if she made it out alive and then afterward finding out that it was not real and that it was just a TV series being filmed.
But then things start to turn around for Catherine or Cady, the actress playing Shelia. After filming Cady goes to meet the new producer of the show and is fired. Cady has been playing Shelia for twelve years. Cady wonders what she is going to do now as she has been taking care of her mother for many years. Cady’s dad disappeared before she was born and her mother has been grieving for him ever since.
But not to worry Cady gets a job offer on her way home. Cady is going back in time to the day John F. Kennedy was killed and the same time her father went missing. Cady is hired to find a bible that belonged to John F. Kennedy. Cady also hopes to find her father and stop him from disappearing.
Forward to Camelot was a very interesting story. I have been fascinated with John F. Kennedy for many years. I think it is because I liked one day being a month old when he was shot. I have done a lot of research on that day and on John F. Kennedy and all the mystery surrounding his death.
I would highly recommend Forward to Camelot to history fans! Grab a copy of Forward to Camelot today!
February 2, 2014
Originally published at Reading Reality
One of the historic events that alternate history writers LOVE to play with is the Kennedy Assassination. What if John F. Kennedy had not been killed on November 22, 1963? What if that brief period of bright hope was not extinguished so tragically? Would the U.S., would the world, be a brighter place now? Or does the tragedy make JFK seem nobler than he was, or would have been?
Forward to Camelot is the story of one attempt to change that history, but rather than attempt to focus on the broad sweep of the last 50 years, the authors have chosen to view the change through the lens of one person’s life. There is also more than a bit of science fiction “hand-wavium” regarding the method of time travel.
And it doesn’t matter. It’s the story of that brief period in November 1963 that compels. Using the point of view of a woman from the year 2000 makes it just that much easier for us to be swept along by the events.
The story pulls us along because we get set up right along with the main character. Cady Cuyler is sent back to 1963 to retrieve a priceless artifact, not to change history--or so she thinks. As an actress, she feels that she is being prepped to play a role, the part of a 20-something woman in Dallas in 1963. The world she is stepping into is both familiar and different.
While her employers want her to retrieve the Bible used to swear in President Johnson, Cady is willing to do this crazy thing in the hopes of saving her father. He also disappeared on November 22, 1963. Her mother has never recovered.
By inserting Cady into the past a few days before the assassination, we get immersed with her. She meets her father, and discovers that he’s not quite the loving, caring husband her mother portrayed. But while he’s hitting on her, he offers her a job as a temporary switchboard operator at his import/export business.
The more Cady sees, the more she realizes that things are not the way she was told they were. Not just because her father is no knight in shining armor, but because there is something terrible going on and he is in it up to his neck.
Her father has damned himself in a way that Cady can’t forgive. He is part of the conspiracy to kill President Kennedy. The only person who might be able to help her save the President is the person she least expects to be on her side, Lee Harvey Oswald.
But then, nothing in 1963 is what she thought it would be. Her father is trying to kill the President and Oswald is helping to save him. Cady might never get back to her own time, but if she can save JFK, it doesn’t matter.
Escape Rating B+: This is one of those stories that absolutely shouldn’t work, but it definitely does. I kept carrying it around, wanting to get just a few more pages read.
This book is a conspiracy theorist’s dream. Not just that Oswald was set up by the CIA and FBI, but that there was a separate conspiracy planning to assassinate Kennedy in order to send troops back to Cuba to fight Castro. It sounds wild now, but it makes sense in the historical context. Even more fascinating, the type of coverup outlined in the book has a basis in evidence released in the 1980s and 1990s due to Freedom of Information Act requests. While the coverup may not have been quite as dramatic as written, that one occurred is pretty easy to believe, especially post-Watergate.
But it’s Cady’s story that kept this reader glued to the story. The way that she takes the information that she finds and keeps running with it, despite the odds and the insane things that keep happening. Would someone try to save JFK? Yes, quite probably. But the story, her story, is all in how she does it. She starts out not having a lot of confidence, thinking that real life happens to other people. Going back to the past she grows up, she finds her courage, she saves the President because she saves herself first. The cool thing is that she does it twice.
One of the historic events that alternate history writers LOVE to play with is the Kennedy Assassination. What if John F. Kennedy had not been killed on November 22, 1963? What if that brief period of bright hope was not extinguished so tragically? Would the U.S., would the world, be a brighter place now? Or does the tragedy make JFK seem nobler than he was, or would have been?
Forward to Camelot is the story of one attempt to change that history, but rather than attempt to focus on the broad sweep of the last 50 years, the authors have chosen to view the change through the lens of one person’s life. There is also more than a bit of science fiction “hand-wavium” regarding the method of time travel.
And it doesn’t matter. It’s the story of that brief period in November 1963 that compels. Using the point of view of a woman from the year 2000 makes it just that much easier for us to be swept along by the events.
The story pulls us along because we get set up right along with the main character. Cady Cuyler is sent back to 1963 to retrieve a priceless artifact, not to change history--or so she thinks. As an actress, she feels that she is being prepped to play a role, the part of a 20-something woman in Dallas in 1963. The world she is stepping into is both familiar and different.
While her employers want her to retrieve the Bible used to swear in President Johnson, Cady is willing to do this crazy thing in the hopes of saving her father. He also disappeared on November 22, 1963. Her mother has never recovered.
By inserting Cady into the past a few days before the assassination, we get immersed with her. She meets her father, and discovers that he’s not quite the loving, caring husband her mother portrayed. But while he’s hitting on her, he offers her a job as a temporary switchboard operator at his import/export business.
The more Cady sees, the more she realizes that things are not the way she was told they were. Not just because her father is no knight in shining armor, but because there is something terrible going on and he is in it up to his neck.
Her father has damned himself in a way that Cady can’t forgive. He is part of the conspiracy to kill President Kennedy. The only person who might be able to help her save the President is the person she least expects to be on her side, Lee Harvey Oswald.
But then, nothing in 1963 is what she thought it would be. Her father is trying to kill the President and Oswald is helping to save him. Cady might never get back to her own time, but if she can save JFK, it doesn’t matter.
Escape Rating B+: This is one of those stories that absolutely shouldn’t work, but it definitely does. I kept carrying it around, wanting to get just a few more pages read.
This book is a conspiracy theorist’s dream. Not just that Oswald was set up by the CIA and FBI, but that there was a separate conspiracy planning to assassinate Kennedy in order to send troops back to Cuba to fight Castro. It sounds wild now, but it makes sense in the historical context. Even more fascinating, the type of coverup outlined in the book has a basis in evidence released in the 1980s and 1990s due to Freedom of Information Act requests. While the coverup may not have been quite as dramatic as written, that one occurred is pretty easy to believe, especially post-Watergate.
But it’s Cady’s story that kept this reader glued to the story. The way that she takes the information that she finds and keeps running with it, despite the odds and the insane things that keep happening. Would someone try to save JFK? Yes, quite probably. But the story, her story, is all in how she does it. She starts out not having a lot of confidence, thinking that real life happens to other people. Going back to the past she grows up, she finds her courage, she saves the President because she saves herself first. The cool thing is that she does it twice.
March 31, 2014
I started taking notes while reading this (as I often do with lengthy works) but got caught up in the story and forgot to do it. To be honest, I didn’t expect to enjoy it because the main character’s initial opinion of JFK was caustic and unkind. Cady revises her opinion after meeting him. I was pleasantly surprised. This is an excellent piece of historical fiction.
Ms. Sloate and Mr. Finn posit that Lee Harvey Oswald was a secret member of the CIA. This theory has documented support in papers recently made available under the Freedom of Information Act. Credible fiction is backed up with impressive research into historical fact. The period detail is amazing and it never reads like an essay. That said, the story requires a pretty hefty suspension of disbelief as it contains time travel, massive upper level conspiracies, and a main character whose father ends up being a key player. On top of that, Cady’s infatuated with Lee Oswald.
(Side note: it took me a bit of effort to stop expecting to hear ‘Harvey’ spoken as part of Lee’s name; it’s so ingrained by the media.)
Some of the bad guys are so reprehensible that I privately wondered whether any of the well-known public figures (or their descendants) might be inclined to sue. Of course, in the USA there’s freedom of speech. Perhaps ‘fiction’ saves that. So… let’s set aside the facts (or the things stated to be facts). What do we have here, to evaluate this book as historical fiction? I found Cady to be an appealing female protagonist (who has to learn to have faith in her own strength), a surprisingly likeable JFK, a fascinating George Staub and a million different machinating supporting characters to follow.
The only thing I’d have liked to see more developed was the character of Lee Oswald. Although he does some very heroic things in this book, I found him lacking in personality. Cady is meant to be in love with him, but descriptions of his appeal (aside from the aforementioned heroics) are lacking. Did he have a great sense of humour? Long eyelashes? Nice eyes? I don’t know. Of all the beliefs I had to suspend, accepting that Cady was really falling in love with Oswald was perhaps the most difficult.
The book is action-packed and presents wonderful visuals. Some of the chase and fight scenes were exhausting, they were so realistic. It would have been difficult to trim any of the drama and I thought it was very well done and that the book worked together as a whole. Don’t read this book if you’re tired because you need to pay attention to the fine historical detail that’s woven through everything. The storytelling is first rate and sure to make the reader wonder, “What if?”
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. Glad I read it! 4.5 stars.
Ms. Sloate and Mr. Finn posit that Lee Harvey Oswald was a secret member of the CIA. This theory has documented support in papers recently made available under the Freedom of Information Act. Credible fiction is backed up with impressive research into historical fact. The period detail is amazing and it never reads like an essay. That said, the story requires a pretty hefty suspension of disbelief as it contains time travel, massive upper level conspiracies, and a main character whose father ends up being a key player. On top of that, Cady’s infatuated with Lee Oswald.
(Side note: it took me a bit of effort to stop expecting to hear ‘Harvey’ spoken as part of Lee’s name; it’s so ingrained by the media.)
Some of the bad guys are so reprehensible that I privately wondered whether any of the well-known public figures (or their descendants) might be inclined to sue. Of course, in the USA there’s freedom of speech. Perhaps ‘fiction’ saves that. So… let’s set aside the facts (or the things stated to be facts). What do we have here, to evaluate this book as historical fiction? I found Cady to be an appealing female protagonist (who has to learn to have faith in her own strength), a surprisingly likeable JFK, a fascinating George Staub and a million different machinating supporting characters to follow.
The only thing I’d have liked to see more developed was the character of Lee Oswald. Although he does some very heroic things in this book, I found him lacking in personality. Cady is meant to be in love with him, but descriptions of his appeal (aside from the aforementioned heroics) are lacking. Did he have a great sense of humour? Long eyelashes? Nice eyes? I don’t know. Of all the beliefs I had to suspend, accepting that Cady was really falling in love with Oswald was perhaps the most difficult.
The book is action-packed and presents wonderful visuals. Some of the chase and fight scenes were exhausting, they were so realistic. It would have been difficult to trim any of the drama and I thought it was very well done and that the book worked together as a whole. Don’t read this book if you’re tired because you need to pay attention to the fine historical detail that’s woven through everything. The storytelling is first rate and sure to make the reader wonder, “What if?”
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. Glad I read it! 4.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2015
Forward to Camelot, by Susan Sloate and Kevin Finn, imagines what would have happened if JFK had escaped Dallas back on 11/22/63. 2 years ago, there were a whole slew of books on the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination. Most of them were non-fiction. But this is one of the exceptions. What did I think, you ask? Well, it took me a while to get into the book. Much like Gone Girl, the 1st half was good, and the 2nd half took off. I credit both Sloate and Finn for coming up with a story that kept me interested until it really hooked me.
This book is about more than just JFK. I think it's worthwhile to read the synopsis from our friends at Goodreads:
On November 22, 1963, just hours after President Kennedy's assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One using JFK's own Bible. Immediately afterward, the Bible disappeared. It has never been recovered. Today, its value would be beyond price. In the year 2000, actress Cady Cuyler is recruited to return to 1963 for this Bible-while also discovering why her father disappeared in the same city, on the same tragic day. Finding frightening links between them will lead Cady to a far more perilous mission: to somehow prevent the President's murder, with one unlikely ally: an ex-Marine named Lee Harvey Oswald. Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition brings together an unlikely trio: a gallant president, the young patriot who risks his own life to save him, and the woman who knows their future, who is desperate to save them both. History CAN be altered.
So, to recap - we've got a re-writing of history, time travel, a famous bible, and a new look at Lee Harvey Oswald. Plus we have a woman who goes back 37 years in time to learn the truth about her father. What more do you need? But there are also some extras that I really enjoyed:
1. Even though I grew up in the '60s, there was all kinds of history I learned, including a bunch of stuff about JFK as the commander of PT109.
2. It was very cool to read about Jackie's make-up and clothes for the 11/22/63 parade.
3. The authors made me really care about Oswald.
4. About 2/3 of the way through the book, I actually got chills. That doesn't happen to me very often.
5. I certainly had my share of smiling, laughing, uh-oh-ing, and, of course, crying.
6 40 pages from the end I REALLY cried.
I had this book in my TBR pile for a long time. In fact, Susan was kind enough to send me a signed copy way back in June. I kept telling her that I would get to it "soon." And I kept reading other things. Finally, I grabbed it and was determined to stick with it. I'm very glad I did. Nice job, guys.
This book is about more than just JFK. I think it's worthwhile to read the synopsis from our friends at Goodreads:
On November 22, 1963, just hours after President Kennedy's assassination, Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President aboard Air Force One using JFK's own Bible. Immediately afterward, the Bible disappeared. It has never been recovered. Today, its value would be beyond price. In the year 2000, actress Cady Cuyler is recruited to return to 1963 for this Bible-while also discovering why her father disappeared in the same city, on the same tragic day. Finding frightening links between them will lead Cady to a far more perilous mission: to somehow prevent the President's murder, with one unlikely ally: an ex-Marine named Lee Harvey Oswald. Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition brings together an unlikely trio: a gallant president, the young patriot who risks his own life to save him, and the woman who knows their future, who is desperate to save them both. History CAN be altered.
So, to recap - we've got a re-writing of history, time travel, a famous bible, and a new look at Lee Harvey Oswald. Plus we have a woman who goes back 37 years in time to learn the truth about her father. What more do you need? But there are also some extras that I really enjoyed:
1. Even though I grew up in the '60s, there was all kinds of history I learned, including a bunch of stuff about JFK as the commander of PT109.
2. It was very cool to read about Jackie's make-up and clothes for the 11/22/63 parade.
3. The authors made me really care about Oswald.
4. About 2/3 of the way through the book, I actually got chills. That doesn't happen to me very often.
5. I certainly had my share of smiling, laughing, uh-oh-ing, and, of course, crying.
6 40 pages from the end I REALLY cried.
I had this book in my TBR pile for a long time. In fact, Susan was kind enough to send me a signed copy way back in June. I kept telling her that I would get to it "soon." And I kept reading other things. Finally, I grabbed it and was determined to stick with it. I'm very glad I did. Nice job, guys.
January 3, 2014
Did I enjoy this book: I … I don’t know what to say. I enjoyed it in much the same way I enjoyed the Carrie Underwood version of The Sound of Music — that is to say, I couldn’t stop reading (or watching), but I’m not entirely sure it was for the right reasons. I know I promised to suspend my disbelief when I signed up for this gig, but I had no idea I’d be agreeing to travel via “cyber time” back to an alternate past wherein Kennedy DOESN’T get shot and the heroine accidentally makes out with Lee Harvey Oswald.
I blame myself entirely. I didn’t know how attached I was to the actual history of my country. I didn’t even think I LIKED history. I didn’t know how I felt about what I can best describe as a Quasi-Historical Assassination Conspiracy Fanfiction novel until I was well past the point of no return.
TIL: happy endings aren’t my bag, baby.
Would I recommend it: Yeah (I bet you weren’t expecting that). It’s crazy-go-nuts, but if you’re even the least bit uncertain about how you stand on time travel (or President Kennedy, or soap opera actresses, or special effects guys who secretly build time machines in their back rooms), then you absolutely need to read this book. Go on, give it a whirl. I cyber-dare you.
Will I read it again: Right after I re-watch Vampire Bill pretend to be Captain VonTrapp.
As reviewed by Melissa at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/01/bl...
I blame myself entirely. I didn’t know how attached I was to the actual history of my country. I didn’t even think I LIKED history. I didn’t know how I felt about what I can best describe as a Quasi-Historical Assassination Conspiracy Fanfiction novel until I was well past the point of no return.
TIL: happy endings aren’t my bag, baby.
Would I recommend it: Yeah (I bet you weren’t expecting that). It’s crazy-go-nuts, but if you’re even the least bit uncertain about how you stand on time travel (or President Kennedy, or soap opera actresses, or special effects guys who secretly build time machines in their back rooms), then you absolutely need to read this book. Go on, give it a whirl. I cyber-dare you.
Will I read it again: Right after I re-watch Vampire Bill pretend to be Captain VonTrapp.
As reviewed by Melissa at Every Free Chance Book Reviews.
(I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)
http://everyfreechance.com/2014/01/bl...
October 25, 2014
Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition by Susan Sloate
Set in the year 2000 Cady Cuyler is an actress , a bit down on her luck. She is approached with a very unusual offer. To travel back in time to November 22, 1963 and retrieve the Bible of President John F. Kennedy. Although skeptical, Cady decides to take the offer, what does she have to lose?
Back in 1963 she meets her parents (she was not born until 1964) Lee Harvey Oswald, along with John & Jackie Kennedy. Soon she uncovers secrets and she is realizing things are not as they have been told (in history). It will be up to Cady and her new friends to try to save the President. Sometimes things must change, even if it alters history.
A fascinating time-travel story. I liked the concept behind the attempted assassination of President Kennedy. Stories of his assassination have been told my entire life. I really liked Cady, and the whole idea of this story. I feel History lovers as well as those who love a great time-travel will enjoy Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition.
Set in the year 2000 Cady Cuyler is an actress , a bit down on her luck. She is approached with a very unusual offer. To travel back in time to November 22, 1963 and retrieve the Bible of President John F. Kennedy. Although skeptical, Cady decides to take the offer, what does she have to lose?
Back in 1963 she meets her parents (she was not born until 1964) Lee Harvey Oswald, along with John & Jackie Kennedy. Soon she uncovers secrets and she is realizing things are not as they have been told (in history). It will be up to Cady and her new friends to try to save the President. Sometimes things must change, even if it alters history.
A fascinating time-travel story. I liked the concept behind the attempted assassination of President Kennedy. Stories of his assassination have been told my entire life. I really liked Cady, and the whole idea of this story. I feel History lovers as well as those who love a great time-travel will enjoy Forward to Camelot: 50th Anniversary Edition.
July 27, 2014
Yes, this book had me wondering with a lot of what ifs? I wasn't born(until 7 years later in November) when President Kennedy was assasinated. However, just like the killing of President Lincoln, this has always fascinated me. What would the country have been like ? Would RFK and MLK Jr, still be here? Would Lee Harvey Oswald chosen another path? So many what ifs? I love time travel stories anyway and this one was right up my alley. I couldn't wait to finish the story and to see how this alternate path of history would turn out. I swear it was like watching a gripping and suspenseful drama. I was on the edge of my seat, once Cady set foot back in 1963.
I almost read this book straight through and would have had my kindle battery wouldn't have died. Nevertheless, wonderful book, loved it!
I almost read this book straight through and would have had my kindle battery wouldn't have died. Nevertheless, wonderful book, loved it!
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