What do you think?
Rate this book
Inflection Point: Inflection Point Series, Book 1
In Oxford on the eve of the outbreak of the First World War, Nathaniel Bishop is an electrician who is busy converting the colleges over from gas to electric light. However, his real passion is science and he idolises the famous Nikola Tesla working at the cutting edge of experimental science. To be involved in something like that seems an impossible dream for Nathan until the mysterious Professor Felix Schneider offers him the opportunity of a lifetime to work as an assistant in his home laboratory. As Nathan’s life and those he deeply cares about are torn apart by the coming war, he must embrace the opportunity to embark on an incredible journey that will determine not only the fate of those closest to him but ultimately of the cosmos too.
Follow humanity's epic struggle to survive across parallel universes in the Multiverse Chronicles, a series of interlinked stories that include the Earth Song series, its prequel The Signal, and also the Fractured Light and Cloud Rider trilogies.
Author For my friends across the pond, please note that this book is written in UK English.
Follow humanity's epic struggle to survive across parallel universes in the Multiverse Chronicles, a series of interlinked stories that include the Earth Song series, its prequel The Signal, and also the Fractured Light and Cloud Rider trilogies.
Author For my friends across the pond, please note that this book is written in UK English.
Audible Audio
Published January 6, 2023
49 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 22, 2025
This would have scored higher but was almost a DNF. At the end of the book the author discusses research and thanks help. Unfortunately in the first few chapters multiple errors slipped through. E.g
In 1916 talking about the RAF when it wasn't created until 1918. Royal Flying Corps before then.
Also use of some language e.g readout by a 1914 character.
It's Oxford University not Oxford college.
No undergraduates or students would be in college in August 1914. Summer recess between academic years.
The term electrician at that time would have meant an electrical scientist although the word was in use.
Multiple Americanisms in vocabulary for English people. Acceptable for time travellers going backwards not for natives of that era. E.g. Movie
The Battle of the Somme did not last 2 years from The History Channel
The Battle of the Somme, which took place from July to November 1916, began as an Allied offensive against German forces along the Western Front of World War I, near the Somme River in France. The battle turned into one of the most bitter, deadly and costly battles in all of human history, as British forces suffered more than 57,000 casualties—including more than 19,000 soldiers killed—on the first day of the battle alone. By the time the Battle of the Somme (sometimes called the First Battle of the Somme) ended nearly five months later, more than 3 million soldiers on both sides had fought in the battle, and more than 1 million had been killed or wounded.
It almost went DNF when the aliens turn up too.
Shame Would have liked to continue the story but I won't
In 1916 talking about the RAF when it wasn't created until 1918. Royal Flying Corps before then.
Also use of some language e.g readout by a 1914 character.
It's Oxford University not Oxford college.
No undergraduates or students would be in college in August 1914. Summer recess between academic years.
The term electrician at that time would have meant an electrical scientist although the word was in use.
Multiple Americanisms in vocabulary for English people. Acceptable for time travellers going backwards not for natives of that era. E.g. Movie
The Battle of the Somme did not last 2 years from The History Channel
The Battle of the Somme, which took place from July to November 1916, began as an Allied offensive against German forces along the Western Front of World War I, near the Somme River in France. The battle turned into one of the most bitter, deadly and costly battles in all of human history, as British forces suffered more than 57,000 casualties—including more than 19,000 soldiers killed—on the first day of the battle alone. By the time the Battle of the Somme (sometimes called the First Battle of the Somme) ended nearly five months later, more than 3 million soldiers on both sides had fought in the battle, and more than 1 million had been killed or wounded.
It almost went DNF when the aliens turn up too.
Shame Would have liked to continue the story but I won't
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2022
Though conceptually I was looking forward to this, it didn't really work for me. Mainly I think it's a language problem - Cook's dialectal efforts just don't really hold water, not when you've enjoyed Dave Duncan's Past imperative or David Walton's Quintessence. The behaviour also felt a little off: William was your typical good-in-a-fight but drinks and is a troublemaker, Nathan just seemd very easily lead but with some attempted flavourings of 20th century honour and Clara just got angry at men things. Then there is the typical time travel trope of hearing something but it being too subtle to identify or worry about and it later proving to be you all along - that's par for the course these days - as is a second shady travelling figure who's out to thwart our heroic do-gooders from completing their mission.
it felt like this book borrowed from plenty of other time travel stories without adding much original. No explanation is given as to why things are set during the Great War, and the differences in technology between that era and the book's future are massive, without needing to add alien intelligences into the mix. Read to complete, but did consider at several points just putting it down. oh and the typos - calvary! It's like solider, you can't escape it. And the other interesting one was "a little courtesy", not a curtsey.
it felt like this book borrowed from plenty of other time travel stories without adding much original. No explanation is given as to why things are set during the Great War, and the differences in technology between that era and the book's future are massive, without needing to add alien intelligences into the mix. Read to complete, but did consider at several points just putting it down. oh and the typos - calvary! It's like solider, you can't escape it. And the other interesting one was "a little courtesy", not a curtsey.
July 20, 2022
A slow start, but a rousing finish.
The beginning of the book is pretty slow. Most of the main characters are introduced and developed. I say most because two additional characters are introduced shortly after the half way point.
The rest of the book moves along and the concepts of time travel are laid out.
This leads to the plot getting much more intense.
The beginning of the book is pretty slow. Most of the main characters are introduced and developed. I say most because two additional characters are introduced shortly after the half way point.
The rest of the book moves along and the concepts of time travel are laid out.
This leads to the plot getting much more intense.
September 29, 2022
Highly recommend
A hugely enjoyable tale of time travel, peopled with characters you instantly feel drawn to. Looking forward to the following books in the series.
A hugely enjoyable tale of time travel, peopled with characters you instantly feel drawn to. Looking forward to the following books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews