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Timeshadow Rider
In order to save the planet Za'arain from a deadly disease, Sharia must break a long-standing tabu and join her powers with those of Kane, who is in exile.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
216 people want to read
About the author
Ann Maxwell
38 books70 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
(1)romance author
aka Lowell Charters, Elizabeth Lowell, A.E. Maxwell individually and with co-author/husband Evan Maxwell and Annalise Sun.
Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one non-fiction book. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. The novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery to suspense.
Writing as Ann Maxwell, she began her career in 1975 with a science fiction novel, Change. Since then, seven of her nine science fiction novels have been recommended for the Science Fiction Writers of America Nebula Award; A Dead God Dancing was nominated for what was then called TABA (The American Book Award).
In 1976 Ann and Evan (as A. E. Maxwell) collaborated with a Norwegian hunter and photographer, Ivar Ruud, on The Year-Long Day, a nonfiction work that was condensed in Reader's Digest and published in four foreign editions and three book club editions. In 1985, the first A. E. Maxwell crime novel featuring a couple called Fiddler and Fiora was published by Doubleday. The Frog and the Scorpion, received a creative writing award from the University of California. The fourth book in the series, Just Enough Light to Kill, was named by Time magazine as one of the best crime novels of 1988.
Ann and Evan (writing as Ann Maxwell) have published four suspense novels, the most recent of which is Shadows and Silk. These novels appeared on nation-wide bestseller lists.
In 1982, Ann began publishing romances as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994). Since July of 1992, she has had 30 novels on the New York Times list. Her most recent book is BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER.
(1)romance author
aka Lowell Charters, Elizabeth Lowell, A.E. Maxwell individually and with co-author/husband Evan Maxwell and Annalise Sun.
Ann Maxwell has written over 60 novels and one non-fiction book. There are 30 million copies of these books in print, as well as reprints in 30 foreign languages. The novels range from science fiction to historical fiction, from romance to mystery to suspense.
Writing as Ann Maxwell, she began her career in 1975 with a science fiction novel, Change. Since then, seven of her nine science fiction novels have been recommended for the Science Fiction Writers of America Nebula Award; A Dead God Dancing was nominated for what was then called TABA (The American Book Award).
In 1976 Ann and Evan (as A. E. Maxwell) collaborated with a Norwegian hunter and photographer, Ivar Ruud, on The Year-Long Day, a nonfiction work that was condensed in Reader's Digest and published in four foreign editions and three book club editions. In 1985, the first A. E. Maxwell crime novel featuring a couple called Fiddler and Fiora was published by Doubleday. The Frog and the Scorpion, received a creative writing award from the University of California. The fourth book in the series, Just Enough Light to Kill, was named by Time magazine as one of the best crime novels of 1988.
Ann and Evan (writing as Ann Maxwell) have published four suspense novels, the most recent of which is Shadows and Silk. These novels appeared on nation-wide bestseller lists.
In 1982, Ann began publishing romances as Elizabeth Lowell. Under that name she has received numerous professional awards in the romance field, including a Lifetime Achievement award from the Romance Writers of America (1994). Since July of 1992, she has had 30 novels on the New York Times list. Her most recent book is BLUE SMOKE AND MURDER.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 1, 2013
If Adrienne Martine-Barnes is the best forgotten fantasy writer of the 80s, Ann Maxwell is the best forgotten sci-fi writer of the 80s. She's like Patricia McKillip in space: lyrical and brilliant although it's often hard to relate to her characters. I simply don't mind because reading her is transporting entirely because of her language. Be prepared for lack of resolution, though. I usually hate this, but for Maxwell, it's worth it.
She may also be one of the most quotable authors I have ever read, and Timeshadow Rider is probably her best work.
I won't try to describe what the book is about, that's like trying to talk about an amazing piece of music. Be prepared to work hard, though, if you try one of her books, it's like a museum visit, you really have to concentrate and think about the art of it all.
Amended:
Ann Maxwell [aka Elizabeth Lowell] is a prolific writer better known for her romance novels then her science fiction, of which her last was Timeshadow Rider in 1986. (I still live in hope that she may finish the Firedancer series, three of which came out in the early 80s and ended on a cliffhanger). I can’t fault her, since her romances afford her a living, we writers must eat. But if you can get ahold of some of her stand alone science fiction, you’re in for a treat. Timeshadow Rider is my favorite. Where Tarr is a master of brevity, Maxwell dances with words. Her prose is lyrical, poetical, and flowing but not flowery. Her science fiction reads like some surreal myth about the future. Her aliens are precisely that, so alien I feel, as a reader, like they are almost beyond my comprehension, and yet I am eager to try to understand them all the more because of that. Each time I reread her books I feel like I am learning something different about her dream-like vision of the future.
She may also be one of the most quotable authors I have ever read, and Timeshadow Rider is probably her best work.
I won't try to describe what the book is about, that's like trying to talk about an amazing piece of music. Be prepared to work hard, though, if you try one of her books, it's like a museum visit, you really have to concentrate and think about the art of it all.
Amended:
Ann Maxwell [aka Elizabeth Lowell] is a prolific writer better known for her romance novels then her science fiction, of which her last was Timeshadow Rider in 1986. (I still live in hope that she may finish the Firedancer series, three of which came out in the early 80s and ended on a cliffhanger). I can’t fault her, since her romances afford her a living, we writers must eat. But if you can get ahold of some of her stand alone science fiction, you’re in for a treat. Timeshadow Rider is my favorite. Where Tarr is a master of brevity, Maxwell dances with words. Her prose is lyrical, poetical, and flowing but not flowery. Her science fiction reads like some surreal myth about the future. Her aliens are precisely that, so alien I feel, as a reader, like they are almost beyond my comprehension, and yet I am eager to try to understand them all the more because of that. Each time I reread her books I feel like I am learning something different about her dream-like vision of the future.
June 13, 2012
This by far is one of my favorite pieces. I pull it from the shelf every year or so and reread it. The scope and power of the characters always blows me away. The story is to complex to explain, lets just say it is an epic story of a race to figure out how to hold back a love that spans time itself. The characters always touch me deeply. To know what they want but still do everything they can to stop it. It is a wonderful tale and I would like to thank the author for putting such beauty in one book.
May 30, 2009
This is my all time favorite book. I've owned this a couple times over the last decade plus and pull it out to reread at least twice a year. And everytime I take something new from it. It never fails to put a smile on my face. Thia is truly excellent writing.
April 15, 2025
I found this book extremely difficult to read and understand and I think that was the point. The first bit of book explains Sharia and the world she lives in which is so alien to the rest of the galaxy. Her world doesn't speak the common language, doesn't welcome visitors to the planet and as such, have evolved into a planet not as evolved as the rest. A place where 5's 6's and 4's live separated lives and 5's (people with 5 digits on their hands) are forbidden to touch another 5 and are basically shunned from society. Sharia is such a person. Until one day, where the leader of her planet dies and basically leaves the door open for an angry mob to come and kill Sharia. See, they believe her kind are responsible for the disease ravishing their planet. Although, they don't even know about diseases.
Kane, who is Sharia's fated but forbidden mate, comes to save her. He was exiled, as a lot of people are, in order to control the population. Kane, a man who has spent time in the greater galaxy and knows more of the world, knows how brainwashed and confused Sharia is by her life growing up in that place. However, that doesn't stop Kane himself from still possessing some of the old world superstitions and like. Kane knows he cannot touch Sharia, though he wants to badly. It's told that if 2 5's touch, the world will end.
Together, traveling through space to locate the stolen Eye's, powerful artifacts that could save their world, Kane and Sharia learn to trust each other and to honour old traditions while forging new timelines.
Again, I found this book hard to read. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my preferred genre. This was way more science fiction and fiction rather then my typical romance smut. I can't fault it for that, it just wasn't for me
Kane, who is Sharia's fated but forbidden mate, comes to save her. He was exiled, as a lot of people are, in order to control the population. Kane, a man who has spent time in the greater galaxy and knows more of the world, knows how brainwashed and confused Sharia is by her life growing up in that place. However, that doesn't stop Kane himself from still possessing some of the old world superstitions and like. Kane knows he cannot touch Sharia, though he wants to badly. It's told that if 2 5's touch, the world will end.
Together, traveling through space to locate the stolen Eye's, powerful artifacts that could save their world, Kane and Sharia learn to trust each other and to honour old traditions while forging new timelines.
Again, I found this book hard to read. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my preferred genre. This was way more science fiction and fiction rather then my typical romance smut. I can't fault it for that, it just wasn't for me
did-not-finish
March 2, 2025I gave it a solid effort up until about 10%, hoping that I could ease into the writing and the sci-fi planet of timeshadow riders, but when I started skimming after that and noticing I didn't miss much I gave up.
This is a very serious and dramatic book. The planet Za'arain is dying. Perfect, beautiful Sharia, who we are constantly reminded is The Strongest Mind, is the only one who can heal the people of her civilization with her magical hair that manipulates timeshadows. Yes, her hair. Kane, her exiled love, who she "will die without" - this declaration occurs before the reader even meets this guy - must come back to help save the planet. The narrative continually tells us they are both "Darien, Kiri, and five", with no clear understanding of what any of that means - except it is clear how superior it makes them to everyone else, of course. Oh, and also fives can never ever touch each other or they will die.
Unfortunately neither Sharia or Kane have a personality to speak of beyond their traits of being stronger and more powerful than everyone around them.
This is a very serious and dramatic book. The planet Za'arain is dying. Perfect, beautiful Sharia, who we are constantly reminded is The Strongest Mind, is the only one who can heal the people of her civilization with her magical hair that manipulates timeshadows. Yes, her hair. Kane, her exiled love, who she "will die without" - this declaration occurs before the reader even meets this guy - must come back to help save the planet. The narrative continually tells us they are both "Darien, Kiri, and five", with no clear understanding of what any of that means - except it is clear how superior it makes them to everyone else, of course. Oh, and also fives can never ever touch each other or they will die.
Unfortunately neither Sharia or Kane have a personality to speak of beyond their traits of being stronger and more powerful than everyone around them.
November 25, 2018
Here's another book I read for the first time many years ago I remembered being very fascinated by it and always wished I could be like the main female character and have hair that could heal people the imagery of the story was very enticing and I thought of all the ways I could help the world with such an ability. On this second reading I noticed the story while poetic and intriguing was a bit too rife with banal male/female dynamics and the female was not as strong on her own as i remembered still it was a fun reread and I'm still intrigued by the ideas of timeshadows and healing hair.
May 28, 2020
I often wonder why Ann Maxwell is not more well-known. She is an excellent story teller and sets the stage firmly. Halfway through the story, time/then and time/now became phrases as easily accepted in my mind as TARDIS and sonic screwdriver; timeshadows and Kiri atavistic rage are easy to understand despite never getting a textbook definition of these things. Maxwell just tells the story so convincingly that I never doubted my ability to understand what she was describing to me. Excellent. And... still a better love story than Twilight.
November 27, 2020
While I appreciate being spared pages and pages of exposition, this felt like skipping the first two books in a trilogy and reading only the third. Some of the world/culture/language/background is explained, some isn’t, and some of the unexplained parts played major roles. This made it difficult to fully immerse in the story because I kept getting jolted out but words and concepts I didn’t understand in the context. I still liked it overall, but I got to the end and was just...unsatisfied somehow. Maybe a reread will help clear some things up.
March 4, 2018
It hasn't held up as much as other books I read back when this was released, but it was still the book that made me interested in Science Fiction and Fantasy to begin with.
A great story, just enough romance to pull you along, and a universe you long to explore.
A great story, just enough romance to pull you along, and a universe you long to explore.
January 13, 2013
The only Ann Maxwell book ive ever read and one of my all time favourite books, that I've gone back and reread many times.
Its a bit hard to get into what with the differing elements like the Dariens, the fives, the wild psi and other stuff. Dont give up though its a great story, and you may have to read it more than once to understand it properly (its not a very long book so dont let that deter you) but its worth it.
Its a bit hard to get into what with the differing elements like the Dariens, the fives, the wild psi and other stuff. Dont give up though its a great story, and you may have to read it more than once to understand it properly (its not a very long book so dont let that deter you) but its worth it.
March 17, 2013
I first read this in 1986 and have read it many times during the years but have thought of it more. It gives me a sense of hope that I cannot obtain from real life. It's always good to slip back into the Timeshadow Rider.....
Want to read
September 14, 2014I can hear the words.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews