Sam is 15 years in the past, enjoying a Leap that seems almost like a vacation--as a winter caretaker in a summer resort. What he doesn't know, what he can't be told, is that a woman claiming to be his wife is about to turn his life and work into a tabloid headline.
Leaping was like football, Al had told him once: sometimes the clock simply ran out without the touchdown having been completed. Game over, with no victory for the visiting team.[...] Other times, the battle was won but not the war. What he had done was a delaying tactic, Al told him. He was not fond of delaying tactics. Or expired clocks.
Sam leap into the life of a caretaker, but what is supposed to do there? Meanwhile, there are trouble brewing into the Project.
Bitersweet case. More centered in problems at 'home' than in Sam leap.
Great insight in Al relationship with Sam.
No recuerdo haber conocido tantos datos acerca de la vida de AL antes de ser el compañero de viajes de Sam Becket, su conexion con la máquina y una realidad que resulta tal vez mucho más surrealista que todos los saltos por los que pasa. Resulta sorprendente que Sam siga siendo coherente y no en un manicomio después de tanto cambio del que tan sólo él esta conciente. Bueno, él y Albert. Por otra parte no me queda demasiada clara la razón del titulo de este volumen. Lo que sí parece tener sentido es la enorme sensación de soledad que dan los seres humanos, y como buscan estarlo menos aferrandose hasta a los más tenues hilos que guardan todavia algun sentido para ellos. Me gusta la historia de Al, que sigue buscando algo con todos esos matrimonios, y que se siente tan perdido y solitario como Sam, a quien ha convertido en cierto modo en su ser más significativo.
This story saw Sam largely doing nothing at all while Al dealt with some very real problems facing the project when a woman claiming to be Sam's wife demands to see him. This was an interesting one, in that the people poking their noses around the Quantum Leap project were very much putting themselves into harm's way (National Security and all) but it's Al's attempts to keep them safe rather than use the easy option that made this a more interesting development. There were also quite a few flash backs that made it a little confusing at times because it wasn't always clear when the narration had popped back into the present. Not the most memorable adventure, but had some good moments.
A truly excellent book that has single handedly reignited my love of the original show. All characters at all times felt both genuine and true to the shows own writers. Can't recommend this highly enough for anyone that loved the show.
One of the better Quantum Leap books that I’ve read, but I jacked it down a star because of the adult themes and vulgar language that I just wasn’t expecting to see in a QL book.
It is probably the case that many people believe books that are based on television shows are not quite as good as an original novels; and although this might often be the case it has to be remembered that more than a few top authors have turned their hands at them just for the chance to play with some of their favourite characters.
This is a good book, with an excellent idea, the standard of the writing is excellent - Davis captures the Sam/Al dynamic and their personalities perfectly. The fact that it is set more in Al's world of the 'modern' day and Project Quantum Leap give it a totally different spin.
But for me, at least, she spends too much time digressing into character background of the main characters that does not seem to be needed; tries to shoehorn to many references to the show into the text and I guessed that Sam's 'non' adventure would tie up the main story from the word go.
Finally the main point of the story a woman, apparently from Sam's past who turns up and claims to be his long lost wife starts superbly, but escalates far too quickly, the woman and her sleazy lawyer jumping from one reason to the next for what they are after...
That being said it was a good read, Davis has caught the main characters perfectly and as was shown on the television San and Al are more than capable of raising the standard of a poor episode, and this book is far from poor.
What made this book stand out from the rest of the series was that the primary focus was on Al and the project. Sam's story was secondary, but still played a vital role in the resolution. The other novels, as well as the TV series, don't often do that. This author mixed things up which made this a really interesting book. One of my favorites in the series.
With Sam trapped in the past as usual, Al and co have to deal with a ghost from Sam's past that threatens to reveal the project to the public. A fun book with some nice character development that fans of the show will thoroughly enjoy.