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The Rewind Files: From the Archives of the United States Time Travel Bureau
2112 - Reggie Bellows works at the U.S. Time Travel Bureau assisting agents traveling back to “patch” moments in history that are veering off track. Her first time in the field she finds herself in 1970s Washington DC, and she accidentally causes the Watergate scandal and history begins to unravel. She's trapped in the 1970s. Caught in a conspiracy. Unsure who to trust. The fate of time is in her hands. And she’s totally unprepared.
*****Hundreds of 5-star reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. ****
*****Hundreds of 5-star reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. ****
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First published September 14, 2015
192 people are currently reading
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About the author
Claire Willett
3 books231 followersClaire Willett is an award-winning playwright from Portland, Oregon whose works include the play Dear Galileo; the musical Carter Hall; the chamber opera The Witch of the Iron Wood; and The Demons Down Under the Sea, a stage adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “Annabel Lee.” The Rewind Files is her first novel. She holds a B.A. in Theatre from Whitman College (Walla Walla, WA) and currently lives in her hometown of Portland where she collects Liberace memorabilia, spends way too much money at Powell’s Books, freelances as a marketing and development consultant for arts nonprofits and spent eight years as a Catholic youth minister.
FAVORITE WRITERS
Margery Allingham, Margaret Atwood, W.H. Auden, Jane Austen, Terry Brooks, A.S. Byatt, Agatha Christie, Leonard Cohen, Roxane Gay, Haven Kimmel, Tony Kushner, Anne Lamott, Kathleen Norris, Mallory Ortberg, Cheryl Strayed, Sarah Vowell, Sarah Waters, Connie Willis
FAVORITE WRITERS
Margery Allingham, Margaret Atwood, W.H. Auden, Jane Austen, Terry Brooks, A.S. Byatt, Agatha Christie, Leonard Cohen, Roxane Gay, Haven Kimmel, Tony Kushner, Anne Lamott, Kathleen Norris, Mallory Ortberg, Cheryl Strayed, Sarah Vowell, Sarah Waters, Connie Willis
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
September 15, 2015
This is a fun, fast-paced mystery adventure that's as smart as it is entertaining. So often world-building stories get overly complicated or trip on their own made-up logic, but this book has a fully realized, believable future and lots of great time travel gadgets. Oh-- and it's also really fun to read. READ IT!
November 17, 2015
I inhaled this book. It was just what I needed to read: fast-paced, historical, scifi, clever and quirky.
October 27, 2015
Time travel stories are the bomb, especially when they're done well. On that note, you should read this one.
Sometime in the twenty-second century, humanity discovered time travel. Predictably, we set out to undo a lot of history’s more appalling moments. Also predictably, this was a horrible idea. History unraveled, and thus was born the Agency responsible for fixing the timeline. Regina Bellows is perfectly happy being a desk jockey, staying safely in the twenty-second century and watching operations in the late twentieth through her instruments as field agents patch various decaying points in the timeline…until she discovers evidence of a conspiracy deliberately manipulating the timeline for their own ends. Soon she’s on her own, back in the twentieth century, trying to figure out just what’s so important about Richard Nixon, arguably the most boring President our country’s ever had….
This was fun. If you’re at all a history buff, you really ought to read this. Obviously a basic working knowledge of mid-20th century American history would benefit you in understanding what’s going on and where the timelines are differing, but at a pinch anything you need to know can be gleaned from a quick trip to Wikipedia. The book was painstakingly researched, and that degree of care is obvious in all elements of the story. The plot keeps you moving at all times, and there were only a couple points where I saw the next twist coming. Even then, it was a matter of outsmarting the characters, seeing a consequence to their actions that didn't occur to them at the time. The time travel mechanic is consistently applied all the way through, with only one minor potential plot hole that occurred to me later—something that could probably be explained away fairly easily, but wasn’t actually addressed. For a debut novel, that’s impressive. My only real complaint is that as a fan of Reagan I was slightly offended by the characterization of his alternate-history self as a warmonger and corporate stooge. I would heartily recommend giving this one a read.
CONTENT: Brief R-rated profanity, most of the book falls in the PG-13 range. Mild violence. Mild sexual innuendo.
Sometime in the twenty-second century, humanity discovered time travel. Predictably, we set out to undo a lot of history’s more appalling moments. Also predictably, this was a horrible idea. History unraveled, and thus was born the Agency responsible for fixing the timeline. Regina Bellows is perfectly happy being a desk jockey, staying safely in the twenty-second century and watching operations in the late twentieth through her instruments as field agents patch various decaying points in the timeline…until she discovers evidence of a conspiracy deliberately manipulating the timeline for their own ends. Soon she’s on her own, back in the twentieth century, trying to figure out just what’s so important about Richard Nixon, arguably the most boring President our country’s ever had….
This was fun. If you’re at all a history buff, you really ought to read this. Obviously a basic working knowledge of mid-20th century American history would benefit you in understanding what’s going on and where the timelines are differing, but at a pinch anything you need to know can be gleaned from a quick trip to Wikipedia. The book was painstakingly researched, and that degree of care is obvious in all elements of the story. The plot keeps you moving at all times, and there were only a couple points where I saw the next twist coming. Even then, it was a matter of outsmarting the characters, seeing a consequence to their actions that didn't occur to them at the time. The time travel mechanic is consistently applied all the way through, with only one minor potential plot hole that occurred to me later—something that could probably be explained away fairly easily, but wasn’t actually addressed. For a debut novel, that’s impressive. My only real complaint is that as a fan of Reagan I was slightly offended by the characterization of his alternate-history self as a warmonger and corporate stooge. I would heartily recommend giving this one a read.
CONTENT: Brief R-rated profanity, most of the book falls in the PG-13 range. Mild violence. Mild sexual innuendo.
March 20, 2016
Unbelievably fast-paced, clever and heartfelt. I grew up reading Harry Potter and watching Alias and this novel filled a void I didn't even know I had. Some wonderful meditations on family, fate and faith, where ordinary people must jump (literally) into the unknown, where there are terrible events that were always meant to be and benign realities that never should have been. Fans of sci-fi, history, and comedy will be deeply pleased by this book. Oh and can I add - female characters are front and center, flawed, complex, tough, vulnerable - in short, REAL PEOPLE! In sci-fi, no less! Big big recommendation.
September 20, 2015
This was such a wonderful read, both great fun and super intense. I laughed out loud so many times, which doesn't happen often when I read, and I spent hours reading with nearly no distractions, which is also a rare occurrence these days.
A+ would recommend.
A+ would recommend.
April 14, 2017
Holy moly, this book was fun. I couldn't stop reading. A little bit Quantum Leap, a little bit All the President's Men, and a touch of Postcards from the Edge... doesn't do it justice. The few places where the first-person narration tripped on itself did nothing to detract from my enjoyment. If you like time travel or political intrigue, this time-hopping tip of the hat to 1972 (and characters with moxie) is worth a spin.
January 8, 2021
A time travel book in the hands of a playwright whose bread and butter is dialogue and pacing was just the distraction I needed the past couple of days. Highly recommend!
June 26, 2017
I devoured this book in two sittings. I stayed up late to finish this book because it was a "well, i'm ONLY a hundred pages from the ending. I can't stop now" type of book. What I truly loved about my take away from this was how it left me wanting more not only in this series but wanting to educate myself on the topics it peruses. Before I started The Rewind Files, I was quiet but unapologetic about my very basic knowledge of the Watergate Scandal. After finishing the book, I strangely find myself wanting to find all the documentaries I can to have a better appreciation of the depth of the plot in terms of historical relevance but also of the author's commitment to accuracy. I think it's entirely possible that if I had the author's level of familiarity with the subject, I could have enjoyed this book even more. Considering it's already a 5/5 stars for me, that's pretty impressive.
One of my favorite elements of this novel (they're all favorites, but I'll say a top favorite) is that none of the characters come off as flat or improbable. While obviously our main characters have more time for development in the novel, I never found myself cringing at a character that seemed too much of an archetype. The author seems to have carefully avoided drowning the novel in unnecessary extras to ensure that each one received the attention they needed to make them as real as all the other world-building elements. Speaking of world-building elements, this is another spot-on piece that the novel holds. Historical events and the Time Travel Bureau's technology are seamlessly woven into the novel as needed and without drowning the story in long paragraphs of necessary information to move the plot forward. It's surrounded by action or witty rapport, usually involving our protagonist, Regina 'Reggie' Bellows, without diving into deus ex machina territory. A novel combining historical events with science fiction that still ultimately relies on human ingenuity?
Sign. Me. Up.
One of my favorite elements of this novel (they're all favorites, but I'll say a top favorite) is that none of the characters come off as flat or improbable. While obviously our main characters have more time for development in the novel, I never found myself cringing at a character that seemed too much of an archetype. The author seems to have carefully avoided drowning the novel in unnecessary extras to ensure that each one received the attention they needed to make them as real as all the other world-building elements. Speaking of world-building elements, this is another spot-on piece that the novel holds. Historical events and the Time Travel Bureau's technology are seamlessly woven into the novel as needed and without drowning the story in long paragraphs of necessary information to move the plot forward. It's surrounded by action or witty rapport, usually involving our protagonist, Regina 'Reggie' Bellows, without diving into deus ex machina territory. A novel combining historical events with science fiction that still ultimately relies on human ingenuity?
Sign. Me. Up.
June 22, 2022
Regina (Reggie) Bellows might be the daughter of legendary US Time Travel Bureau agents Katie Bellows and Leo Carstairs, but she is very much a back-office mathematician, specialising in mid-twentieth century history, supporting agents in the field who 'patch' anomalies in history. Working late at night on a weekend, Reggie and her colleague Calliope realise that their agent, who is in 1968, is in grave danger from a time incongruity and the only way to save him is for Reggie to go back and physically bring him back to the present in 2112. Hauled in front of the senior management to justify her actions, Reggie instead identifies that World War III (between the US and China in which 56 million died) is itself an anomaly (or Chronomaly), created by person or persons unknown. However, the sheer scale of the deception, which must have involved someone senior within the Bureau, means that Need-To-Know is limited to a small number of people. One of the key events identified by the Bureau's scanners is centred around Washington DC in 1972, so Reggie is sent in undercover as a junior secretary in the White House counsel's office.
Grappling with archaic customs, misogynist bosses, racism, and tight deadlines, Reggie soon discovers that this conspiracy goes deep and is bigger than she could have imagined.
As a Brit I don't really have much interest in Watergate, heck I'm not even sure what it was all about, although I recognise the names, but this historical spy book was s engrossing I couldn't put it down. Loved it.
Even better I think it is free on Amazon.
Grappling with archaic customs, misogynist bosses, racism, and tight deadlines, Reggie soon discovers that this conspiracy goes deep and is bigger than she could have imagined.
As a Brit I don't really have much interest in Watergate, heck I'm not even sure what it was all about, although I recognise the names, but this historical spy book was s engrossing I couldn't put it down. Loved it.
Even better I think it is free on Amazon.
December 10, 2015
I stay away from espionage. I also (at least in my own writing) tend to stay away from time-travel. Things get far too complicated too quickly, and it’s all I can do to try to wrap my mind around the paradoxes inherent in even a simple time loop. I also-- to my shame-- tend to avoid twentieth-century history in particular and American history in general in my own work, which revolves around astronomy in the 1800s. The Rewind Files, by Claire Willet, involved all of these.
On the other hand though, I do love a good scifi yarn.
In this instance, I was in no way disappointed.
Claire, who among other really cool things has written plays on the history of astronomy, has quite simply written a very smart, very compelling, very impressive 20th-century, time-travel, espionage adventure. It fits together beautifully, it has dizzying twists and turns, and it has sharp characters with crackling dialogue. It’s just really, really good.
But that’s not a very insightful review, so let me try to unpack that a bit.
First, let’s start with the nuts and bolts: the history and the time-travel. I’m embarrassed by how little I know about my own nation’s history and in particular the Watergate scandal, which forms the historical backdrop to this misadventure. But it’s clear Claire has done her research-- and not simply as a dutiful student but as someone who is passionately interested in the characters and the narrative of these events. She doesn’t just make this history come alive: she plays with it, dances around it, and makes it give her a quick peck on the cheek. But it works because she knows what she’s talking about. And she loves what she’s talking about.
Now the time-travel: this is where she gives even classic popular time travel treatments like Back to the Future or pick your favorite Babylon Five story-arch a run for its money. All the loops (and there are several of them) get tied up and make all of the questions from earlier make sense. All of the snakes bite their own tails quite nicely. And the complexity of the time-hops and transporting (superimposed on the additional complexity of a branch of the government dedicated to preserving the integrity of the timeline) is handled with the dexterity of someone fluent in technobabble: creating a system of constraints and then playing fairly within it but also surprising the reader. I might even use the term elegant.
But those are the nuts and bolts of a good episode of Dr. Who: what about the things important in a novel, characters and plot? Claire gets awards for writing plays, so you’re in good hands here as well. The plot is solid, and though I admit it was a bit slow to start a) by the time the penny dropped about halfway through I was hooked and couldn’t put it down for the rest of the novel and b) my confusion in the first half from getting dropped right into things cleared up with the reveals in the second half. As soon as Gemstone hits, we don’t get another breath until the end of the book. The twists are satisfying because though nothing is out of left field (you have some inkling of some of the big reveals), they’re handled in an unexpected manner that makes them all the more effective.
And then there are the characters. I put the book down several times while I was reading and told my wife, “You have to meet Reggie.” Claire’s main character is nearly flawless (not as a person, but as a character). She’s snarky, self-deprecating, and competent. She loves her family, all of whom play a major role in the action. The cadre of time-bandits Claire builds up around Reggie are the most endearing part of the story, and more than anything else you get the sense that all the deftly-handled history and time-twists are more than anything to give these characters a fascinating canvas to run around on. You like Reggie, but more than anything else you believe in Reggie.
The Rewind Files being a time-travel odyssey of course could have a sequel tacked on, though it’s more structured to allow a prequel or even a concurrent novel following the exploits of Reggie’s famous father. I don’t know if I want this though. I want Reggie and her friends to have an enduring happy ending, one no longer threatened by major distortions in the timeline.
More than anything, I just want Claire to create some more characters and do this again-- only completely different this time.
On the other hand though, I do love a good scifi yarn.
In this instance, I was in no way disappointed.
Claire, who among other really cool things has written plays on the history of astronomy, has quite simply written a very smart, very compelling, very impressive 20th-century, time-travel, espionage adventure. It fits together beautifully, it has dizzying twists and turns, and it has sharp characters with crackling dialogue. It’s just really, really good.
But that’s not a very insightful review, so let me try to unpack that a bit.
First, let’s start with the nuts and bolts: the history and the time-travel. I’m embarrassed by how little I know about my own nation’s history and in particular the Watergate scandal, which forms the historical backdrop to this misadventure. But it’s clear Claire has done her research-- and not simply as a dutiful student but as someone who is passionately interested in the characters and the narrative of these events. She doesn’t just make this history come alive: she plays with it, dances around it, and makes it give her a quick peck on the cheek. But it works because she knows what she’s talking about. And she loves what she’s talking about.
Now the time-travel: this is where she gives even classic popular time travel treatments like Back to the Future or pick your favorite Babylon Five story-arch a run for its money. All the loops (and there are several of them) get tied up and make all of the questions from earlier make sense. All of the snakes bite their own tails quite nicely. And the complexity of the time-hops and transporting (superimposed on the additional complexity of a branch of the government dedicated to preserving the integrity of the timeline) is handled with the dexterity of someone fluent in technobabble: creating a system of constraints and then playing fairly within it but also surprising the reader. I might even use the term elegant.
But those are the nuts and bolts of a good episode of Dr. Who: what about the things important in a novel, characters and plot? Claire gets awards for writing plays, so you’re in good hands here as well. The plot is solid, and though I admit it was a bit slow to start a) by the time the penny dropped about halfway through I was hooked and couldn’t put it down for the rest of the novel and b) my confusion in the first half from getting dropped right into things cleared up with the reveals in the second half. As soon as Gemstone hits, we don’t get another breath until the end of the book. The twists are satisfying because though nothing is out of left field (you have some inkling of some of the big reveals), they’re handled in an unexpected manner that makes them all the more effective.
And then there are the characters. I put the book down several times while I was reading and told my wife, “You have to meet Reggie.” Claire’s main character is nearly flawless (not as a person, but as a character). She’s snarky, self-deprecating, and competent. She loves her family, all of whom play a major role in the action. The cadre of time-bandits Claire builds up around Reggie are the most endearing part of the story, and more than anything else you get the sense that all the deftly-handled history and time-twists are more than anything to give these characters a fascinating canvas to run around on. You like Reggie, but more than anything else you believe in Reggie.
The Rewind Files being a time-travel odyssey of course could have a sequel tacked on, though it’s more structured to allow a prequel or even a concurrent novel following the exploits of Reggie’s famous father. I don’t know if I want this though. I want Reggie and her friends to have an enduring happy ending, one no longer threatened by major distortions in the timeline.
More than anything, I just want Claire to create some more characters and do this again-- only completely different this time.
December 11, 2015
This was excellent. As a debut novel one simply could not expect better, I suspect Ms. Willett will be astonishing us with more in the years to come. I certainly plan to enjoy whatever she pens! I have given it my "best of" designation for this year. I do hope it has won a Goodreads Award - it deserves it!
This is a mystery, within a mystery, wrapped in a time travel story. Without giving anything away I will say that I had worked out who Saturn was before the reveal, but Mars blew me away. I did NOT see that coming - or whom! Very well done!!!! (It is the exceptionally rare novel that I do not figure out the plot or protagonists before the reveal)
If you are wondering if this is worth picking up.. it is. Put the kettle on on for your beverage of choice, set out the snacks and settle in. You'll not want to put this down until you're done.
Why are you still here looking at my review? Get reading!
This is a mystery, within a mystery, wrapped in a time travel story. Without giving anything away I will say that I had worked out who Saturn was before the reveal, but Mars blew me away. I did NOT see that coming - or whom! Very well done!!!! (It is the exceptionally rare novel that I do not figure out the plot or protagonists before the reveal)
If you are wondering if this is worth picking up.. it is. Put the kettle on on for your beverage of choice, set out the snacks and settle in. You'll not want to put this down until you're done.
Why are you still here looking at my review? Get reading!
July 25, 2019
I am a Sci fi junky, particularly when it comes to time travel. I've read quite a few time travel stories, from great to terrible. This one goes toward the great end of the spectrum. Willett has a facility with words and character, and has constructed an entertaining plot around something I tend to think of as a pretty boring moment in history. But this story works well, maintaining its internal consistency pretty well for a book in which a character can leave someone behind, simultaneously, 18 months ago, five minutes ago, and two days ago.
Much of this story takes place in and around Washington, DC, which I find pleasantly coincidental, as I just finished the book while on a bus to the nation's capital.
Much of this story takes place in and around Washington, DC, which I find pleasantly coincidental, as I just finished the book while on a bus to the nation's capital.
April 20, 2017
I couldn't put this down! I love all of the characters and their relationships. The story was suspenseful and kept me on my toes, trying to guess the twists. This book was fun and full of wonderful women, full of nuance and thoughtful considerations of the world. And the time travel was well explained! 10/10 do recommend.
January 8, 2019
I've loved Claire's writing for years now, so I'm so glad that I finally got to read her novel!! I was nervous, because scifi is not my genre, but I trust Claire's writing implicitly (truly she has made enjoy reading a lot of things out of my comfort zone) and I'm so glad I picked up this book!!
First thing, I LOVE the world you built so much!! As someone who loves History, I LOVE that time travelling has actual consequences in History and things need to be monitored, but still the way people would act with this type of invention!! (Also totally selfish thing, but it means a lot to me because it rarely happens, Portugal got mentioned - it's the future and Lisbon is still standing!!!)
Secondly the relationships work so well!! I really love the importance of family in this book, and of friends as family - it's always a theme I love reading about!! And it was so well done and I really LOVE Katie Bellows!!
And finally it's action packed!! I really love how the story builds in each part of the book, leading to interesting revelations!! And I especially like how distinct each part is, but how they all still work so well in unison :D
I really liked this book, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like History and/or time travelling :D
First thing, I LOVE the world you built so much!! As someone who loves History, I LOVE that time travelling has actual consequences in History and things need to be monitored, but still the way people would act with this type of invention!! (Also totally selfish thing, but it means a lot to me because it rarely happens, Portugal got mentioned - it's the future and Lisbon is still standing!!!)
Secondly the relationships work so well!! I really love the importance of family in this book, and of friends as family - it's always a theme I love reading about!! And it was so well done and I really LOVE Katie Bellows!!
And finally it's action packed!! I really love how the story builds in each part of the book, leading to interesting revelations!! And I especially like how distinct each part is, but how they all still work so well in unison :D
I really liked this book, I would definitely recommend it, especially if you like History and/or time travelling :D
October 26, 2020
Well, thank you Claire Willett. Like many, I’ve been unable to concentrate on much but doomscrolling the news. This book was like a vacation. I was absolutely swept away. It’s great, fun SF. And feminist in all the best ways.
I think one of the things that makes it such a great getaway (aside from smooth pacing, likable characters and unexpected twists) is that each scene has just enough tangible details - the food, the smell, the light, the season, dust, plants, clothes, etc - that it feels real. You can easily imagine yourself there.
Bravo and again thank you.
I think one of the things that makes it such a great getaway (aside from smooth pacing, likable characters and unexpected twists) is that each scene has just enough tangible details - the food, the smell, the light, the season, dust, plants, clothes, etc - that it feels real. You can easily imagine yourself there.
Bravo and again thank you.
April 30, 2022
It Will Blow Your Mind
I'm completely speechless. This is a ride and a half of an adventure. You'll think you know the players but won't. You'll know who you can trust but won't. Anything you believe in the beginning will be totally wrong by the end but you'll love it anyway. Do yourself a favor and read this.
I'm completely speechless. This is a ride and a half of an adventure. You'll think you know the players but won't. You'll know who you can trust but won't. Anything you believe in the beginning will be totally wrong by the end but you'll love it anyway. Do yourself a favor and read this.
April 9, 2019
This was so delightful, SO DELIGHTFUL: https://blogendorff.com/2019/04/09/bo...
December 20, 2023
I've read a lot of popular sci-fi over the years. Blake Crouch, John Scalzi, Tamsyn Muir, Becky Chambers, Neal Stephenson, Jodi Taylor, Nnedi Okorafor, Catherynne Valente, Connie Willis - their books get rated tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of times on Goodreads. Andy Weir’s got one over a million.
This book - this gorgeous, incredible book - has been rated a mere 617 times, and it is as good or better than every book I've read by the above list of writers.
It is an absolute *crime* that it has not reached a wider audience. I truly cannot comprehend how more people have not discovered this hidden gem.
Get a copy and thank me later.
This book - this gorgeous, incredible book - has been rated a mere 617 times, and it is as good or better than every book I've read by the above list of writers.
It is an absolute *crime* that it has not reached a wider audience. I truly cannot comprehend how more people have not discovered this hidden gem.
Get a copy and thank me later.
December 28, 2020
This was so fun! I love a brilliant and quick-witted woman as a protagonist and when you throw in some time travel and light sci-fi, plus alternative history around the Nixon Era? Hell yeah. The plot moves quickly, has great twists and turns and there are at least a a couple of hard-to-guess turns (and a few easy-to-guess ones). There's even some thoughtful conversation on race.
August 9, 2021
As everyone else has mentioned, this is enormous fun, exactly what you want light reading to be (assuming you like feminism, time travel, and political geekery).
August 29, 2017
Great original story!
Loved the characters and the twists and turns in the storyline. You may have turned me into a Watergate nerd.
Loved the characters and the twists and turns in the storyline. You may have turned me into a Watergate nerd.
December 12, 2015
This book is so much fun. It's breathlessly paced, endlessly interesting, and full of kick-ass women. My only minor quibble is some of the dialogue is bit over-explanatory or maybe a little forced for the sake of getting a sassy line in, but I don't even really care about that -- the book is such a great read otherwise. This is perfect for both teenagers and adults (or even tweens, if you don't care if they read some some mild swearing), and this makes me really want to see some of Claire Willett's plays. My 11-year-old daughter also read this after I did, and she stayed up too late for a few nights before she finished it, which is a compliment as good as any.
It's funny, well-researched, and I'd recommend it to pretty much anybody.
(See the rest of my Top 10 Favorite books read in 2015 at Glorified Love Letters.)
It's funny, well-researched, and I'd recommend it to pretty much anybody.
(See the rest of my Top 10 Favorite books read in 2015 at Glorified Love Letters.)
December 27, 2018
It's the year 2112. Regina Bellows works as a tech in the Time Travel Bureau. She is the daughter of two time travel legends: Leo Carstairs & Kate Bellows. Since the invention of time travel, the main job of the agents at the Bureau is go back in time to patch happenings to make sure they happen so history doesn't unravel further. One day, there is a huge chronomaly showing up on the timeline that hasn't been there before and she is sent back to 1972 to figure out what was causing it. With the help of friends and family, Regina uncovers a conspiracy that has far-reaching implications.
LOVED this book! Time travel and history are two loves of mine. The characters are believable, the availability of time travel and troubles with it are believable and wonderful twists that occur in the mystery and in history itself.
LOVED this book! Time travel and history are two loves of mine. The characters are believable, the availability of time travel and troubles with it are believable and wonderful twists that occur in the mystery and in history itself.
September 14, 2018
This book is close to being good, and close to being bad.
On the down side, the first several chapters are virtually all exposition; a better approach would be to let readers learn the score as the plot happens. The characters are two-dimensional. And there are some annoying editing glitches.
However, for most of the book, the plot rockets from one development to another, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.
For me, the biggest flaw was the author's concept of time travel. It seemed arbitrary and hand-wavy, designed to serve the plot, not a set of scientific rules. I didn't believe in the mechanisms and effects.
But I was willing to suspend my disbelief to see where things were going, and overall it was a fun ride.
On the down side, the first several chapters are virtually all exposition; a better approach would be to let readers learn the score as the plot happens. The characters are two-dimensional. And there are some annoying editing glitches.
However, for most of the book, the plot rockets from one development to another, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.
For me, the biggest flaw was the author's concept of time travel. It seemed arbitrary and hand-wavy, designed to serve the plot, not a set of scientific rules. I didn't believe in the mechanisms and effects.
But I was willing to suspend my disbelief to see where things were going, and overall it was a fun ride.
September 15, 2015
I read it in one day- I couldn't put it down. I generally don't love science fiction, because I have a hard time keeping track of the "rules" of the created universe. These rules I got, because they made sense to even my non-sci-fi-inclined brain. And I LOVED the narrator. She's hilarious, and we'd totally be friends if she were real. This book is a great mix of funny, awesome history (I learned stuff!), likable characters, and amazing plot twists. Generally I get annoyed when plots are too twisty, but this book gets it right. I hope there are sequels, but honestly I'll read anything this author writes.
March 3, 2016
A wonderful book. A conspiracy uncovered that time travelers have to go back and foil to save the world- what's not to love. The dialogue is smart and funny and I kept thinking- this would be a hilarious movie. I tore through this one with a vengeance, in past because of the plot pacing and in part because it was just so fun. It did get a little tangled near the end when all of the plot pieces had to be explained to make sense of them- but it is time travel, at some point it is bound to get convoluted and you need someone to explain the convolute to you. That just takes time, can't avoid it.
January 17, 2016
This is not the kind of book I would normally read. I'm not into scifi or time-travel (generally it makes my head hurt). I do generally like historical fiction, but I don't know a lot about the Nixon administration - just what I've picked up in popular culture. HOWEVER, I loved this book. I think it was the relationship between the characters that really held my attention but the plot is also compelling and the twists and turns are believable and enjoyable. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I hope there's a sequel.
December 6, 2015
As someone who tends to shy away from time travel books, I can say this was easily one of the best works of fiction I've read in a long time. I find a lot of time travel stories a bit hard to follow, but this author does an amazing job of keeping the reader on track with what's happening without being boring or resorting to elementary writing. Another thing I find lacking in a lot of recent books is great character development, but this book has that in spades. It's a good day when you actually care about whether every single character lives or dies. I didn't want this book to end.
January 6, 2016
This is a book of two halves - the first half deals with the hero living in 1972 and the second half is a more traditional time travel adventure and all the paradoxes that can happen.
The first half I thought was excellent. The author really brings to life the characters and life in 1972. The second half, although good, I do not think lives up to the first half, as it becomes a chase through time story
The first half I thought was excellent. The author really brings to life the characters and life in 1972. The second half, although good, I do not think lives up to the first half, as it becomes a chase through time story
November 29, 2018
I had planned on taking my time with this book, to read in the down time at work, but alas, it hooked me and I literally read it all in less than 24 hours. It’s JUST THAT GOOD. So good, it had me screaming at more than one part because I hadn’t seen the twist coming. Very compelling, pulls you in, I love all the characters, and it got me interested in a time period of US History I usually avoid with a ten-foot pole. Definitely a favorite book for me!
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