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George Falls Through Time
Not yet published
Expected 20 Jan 26Less meets the year 1300 in this exhilarating and thoughtfully genre-defying literary novel about a man transported through time in a moment of extreme stress, whose modern anxieties are replaced by medieval brutalities.
Newly laid off George’s internet bill is in his ex-boyfriend’s name. He’s got a spider-infested apartment, and two of the six dogs he’s walking in London have just escaped. It’s pure undiluted stress that sends him into a spiral, all the way to the year 1300.
When he comes to, George recognizes the same rolling hills of Greenwich Park. But the luxuries and phone service of modernity are nowhere. In their place are locals with a bizarre, slanted speech in awe of his foreign clothes, who swiftly toss him in a dungeon. Despite the barbarity of a medieval world, a servant named Simon helps George acclimate to a simpler, easier existence—until a summons from the King threatens to send his life up in flames.
George Falls Through Time is as much an inward journey as an outward one: an immersive exploration of identity and dislocation that pits present-day sensibilities against a raw and alien backdrop, a strangely perfect canvas for the absurd anxieties of our time. It's a profound meditation on the nature of desire perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and The Ministry of Time.
Newly laid off George’s internet bill is in his ex-boyfriend’s name. He’s got a spider-infested apartment, and two of the six dogs he’s walking in London have just escaped. It’s pure undiluted stress that sends him into a spiral, all the way to the year 1300.
When he comes to, George recognizes the same rolling hills of Greenwich Park. But the luxuries and phone service of modernity are nowhere. In their place are locals with a bizarre, slanted speech in awe of his foreign clothes, who swiftly toss him in a dungeon. Despite the barbarity of a medieval world, a servant named Simon helps George acclimate to a simpler, easier existence—until a summons from the King threatens to send his life up in flames.
George Falls Through Time is as much an inward journey as an outward one: an immersive exploration of identity and dislocation that pits present-day sensibilities against a raw and alien backdrop, a strangely perfect canvas for the absurd anxieties of our time. It's a profound meditation on the nature of desire perfect for fans of Madeline Miller and The Ministry of Time.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 20, 2026
24 people are currently reading
9443 people want to read
About the author
Ryan Collett
2 books44 followersRyan Collett is a writer, knitter, and animator. He grew up in Oregon and now lives in London where he works as an editor. He also runs a popular YouTube channel devoted to knitting. The Disassembly of Doreen Durand is his first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
July 16, 2025
✰ 3 stars ✰
I really liked the few final chapters; yes, the ending is a bit open-ending that deserved a bit more clarity to feel the full brunt of the message being passed down. Yet, was the mystery being unearthed and solved that struck a chord with me; that through the myriad of messes that George has lived in both the medieval era of Greenwich and present-day London, I started to glean a sense of the allegory the author had presented in the form of recently broken up and broken-down thirty-four-year-old George when he spirals through time.
A chain reaction of paradoxes that ultimately led me to the final destination of what George had been searching for all along.
The writing style is a struggle; the start, even more so, for it is a first-person nonlinear narrative, highlighted with long-winded sentences and commas galore to capture George's meandering stream of consciousness and internal musings. It was painting a picture of how sorrowful his life had been and the rather self-deprecating if not self-sabotaging outlook he had on life.
His thoughts drift between the current predicaments he's facing - starting off with his initial capture and beating in Greenwich—a brutal misunderstanding as in to the past (funnily enough, his real-present); reflecting on the events that led to his tumble into a time, a struggling self-loathing dwindling path that somehow seems worse than what he's facing here. The perplexity that he somehow feels better off, better understood, better appreciated, and better wanted than he's ever been - here.
“Did I want to go home?
And which one was that?”
It did get a bit wearisome the constant comparisons of both time periods, but I felt it was much needed for George not to forget who he really was; even though a part of him was slowly losing the desire to return. It was interesting how his being a time traveler was readily accepted, if not taken in amusement.
His relationship with Simon had some lovable moments; true, they didn't exactly start off on the right foot, but Simon was so earnest in his "devotion" to George that it scared him; a matter-of-fact approach that was so truthful and earnest in how he expressed it - I’m bound to you that it scared George of how it painfully reminded him of himself.
The aim to please - to mean something to someone, because after all, no matter who you are, is that not something we all crave - companionship? Love. We had survived because we were together. ' A way to fight off loneliness with a longing for openness and acceptance. The feeling to belong to someone that they would care enough for you, to want you, no matter what.
If it took for George Falls Through Time for him to discern the difference between a real relationship than the ill-fated ones he's lived, to snap out of the existential crisis -mental torture, emotional duress, heartbreak - that had shattered his spirit and dampened his soul, than it certainly worked. But, not without a bump or more, or dare I say, a dragon and then some?
“If you are what you say you are, then erase this history from whatever future awaits us.”
When he is tasked by the King of England - a witness to all the world’s capacity for folly - of obliterating the fiery breathing dragon that has plagued their lands, it opens up a whole other portrayal of what this story - well, to me, anyway - aimed to be. You have to want something so badly, in order to obtain it; that you will not lose hope and fight till the bitter end to claim what your heart wants and not give up.
For when he confronts the beast, it's not what he nor I was expecting, and yet, it felt oddly fitting. The hints were there, the clues laid out, the uncertainty touched; but it had to be George's own conviction wavering for him to finally draw his sword to do what needed to be done.
Prince Edward grew on me; his heartache and his tragically doomed relationship with his father could have been explored more, but I know it was not the purpose of the story. But, his interactions with George had a lot of weight to them, a solid reminder of how we should embrace life and make the most of it now, for we don't know when we'll have it again. To live and love - to take a chance, to take a risk, to give it your all.
“The grandeur of being exactly where you’re meant to be, no matter the cost. No matter the cost. It had to be no matter the cost.”
When the dust cleared, I somewhat felt like I had understood what the message was. It's maybe a bit too abstract to really be it, but even if it is a long way from the real symbolism behind the allegory of Saint George slaying the dragon, it felt to me that George's journey was a proverbial manifestation of something we take for granted; that there are things we simply cannot outrun or outlive and that is time, itself.
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
“As wrecked and ruined as I was, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.”
I really liked the few final chapters; yes, the ending is a bit open-ending that deserved a bit more clarity to feel the full brunt of the message being passed down. Yet, was the mystery being unearthed and solved that struck a chord with me; that through the myriad of messes that George has lived in both the medieval era of Greenwich and present-day London, I started to glean a sense of the allegory the author had presented in the form of recently broken up and broken-down thirty-four-year-old George when he spirals through time.
A chain reaction of paradoxes that ultimately led me to the final destination of what George had been searching for all along.
The writing style is a struggle; the start, even more so, for it is a first-person nonlinear narrative, highlighted with long-winded sentences and commas galore to capture George's meandering stream of consciousness and internal musings. It was painting a picture of how sorrowful his life had been and the rather self-deprecating if not self-sabotaging outlook he had on life.
His thoughts drift between the current predicaments he's facing - starting off with his initial capture and beating in Greenwich—a brutal misunderstanding as in to the past (funnily enough, his real-present); reflecting on the events that led to his tumble into a time, a struggling self-loathing dwindling path that somehow seems worse than what he's facing here. The perplexity that he somehow feels better off, better understood, better appreciated, and better wanted than he's ever been - here.
“Did I want to go home?
And which one was that?”
It did get a bit wearisome the constant comparisons of both time periods, but I felt it was much needed for George not to forget who he really was; even though a part of him was slowly losing the desire to return. It was interesting how his being a time traveler was readily accepted, if not taken in amusement.
His relationship with Simon had some lovable moments; true, they didn't exactly start off on the right foot, but Simon was so earnest in his "devotion" to George that it scared him; a matter-of-fact approach that was so truthful and earnest in how he expressed it - I’m bound to you that it scared George of how it painfully reminded him of himself.
The aim to please - to mean something to someone, because after all, no matter who you are, is that not something we all crave - companionship? Love. We had survived because we were together. ' A way to fight off loneliness with a longing for openness and acceptance. The feeling to belong to someone that they would care enough for you, to want you, no matter what.
If it took for George Falls Through Time for him to discern the difference between a real relationship than the ill-fated ones he's lived, to snap out of the existential crisis -mental torture, emotional duress, heartbreak - that had shattered his spirit and dampened his soul, than it certainly worked. But, not without a bump or more, or dare I say, a dragon and then some?
“If you are what you say you are, then erase this history from whatever future awaits us.”
When he is tasked by the King of England - a witness to all the world’s capacity for folly - of obliterating the fiery breathing dragon that has plagued their lands, it opens up a whole other portrayal of what this story - well, to me, anyway - aimed to be. You have to want something so badly, in order to obtain it; that you will not lose hope and fight till the bitter end to claim what your heart wants and not give up.
For when he confronts the beast, it's not what he nor I was expecting, and yet, it felt oddly fitting. The hints were there, the clues laid out, the uncertainty touched; but it had to be George's own conviction wavering for him to finally draw his sword to do what needed to be done.
Prince Edward grew on me; his heartache and his tragically doomed relationship with his father could have been explored more, but I know it was not the purpose of the story. But, his interactions with George had a lot of weight to them, a solid reminder of how we should embrace life and make the most of it now, for we don't know when we'll have it again. To live and love - to take a chance, to take a risk, to give it your all.
“The grandeur of being exactly where you’re meant to be, no matter the cost. No matter the cost. It had to be no matter the cost.”
When the dust cleared, I somewhat felt like I had understood what the message was. It's maybe a bit too abstract to really be it, but even if it is a long way from the real symbolism behind the allegory of Saint George slaying the dragon, it felt to me that George's journey was a proverbial manifestation of something we take for granted; that there are things we simply cannot outrun or outlive and that is time, itself.
*Thank you to Edelweiss for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2025
Hilariously funny and relatable despite the time travel, dragons, and medieval brutalities.
I was highly entertained! I laughed out loud, I pondered my existence a bit, googled a few things, and finished thinking WTF just happened. All signs of a great book.
I don’t know that I fully understand the ending, I think the ambiguity was intentional but it could also be that I’m not smart enough. Either way, if you prefer tightly wrapped ending, be warned this one isn’t wrapped with a bow.
The genre-defying claim feels appropriate for this one. It’s literary fiction, but also speculative, a generous helping of romance, and a hefty dose of humor (satire perhaps?).
imho, George Falls Through Time would be the perfect palate cleanser for when you need something a little different but aren’t ready to give up what you love. ie. fantasy readers wanting to explore litfic, or litfic readers looking for a touch of fantasy, etc.
I will absolutely be checking out more from this author in the future!
Audio Narration: 5/5 Seriously good narration! I’m pretty sure the narrator’s performance increased my enjoyment of this story. He really brought the characters to life! Pacing was a little slow, but consistent (so not really an issue imho). Pausing, inflection, and voice variation were all fabulous!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you William Morrow for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
I was highly entertained! I laughed out loud, I pondered my existence a bit, googled a few things, and finished thinking WTF just happened. All signs of a great book.
I don’t know that I fully understand the ending, I think the ambiguity was intentional but it could also be that I’m not smart enough. Either way, if you prefer tightly wrapped ending, be warned this one isn’t wrapped with a bow.
The genre-defying claim feels appropriate for this one. It’s literary fiction, but also speculative, a generous helping of romance, and a hefty dose of humor (satire perhaps?).
imho, George Falls Through Time would be the perfect palate cleanser for when you need something a little different but aren’t ready to give up what you love. ie. fantasy readers wanting to explore litfic, or litfic readers looking for a touch of fantasy, etc.
I will absolutely be checking out more from this author in the future!
Audio Narration: 5/5 Seriously good narration! I’m pretty sure the narrator’s performance increased my enjoyment of this story. He really brought the characters to life! Pacing was a little slow, but consistent (so not really an issue imho). Pausing, inflection, and voice variation were all fabulous!
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you William Morrow for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
October 6, 2025
Readers, don't be fooled by the whimsical cover: this book is not a good time. It's an exercise in misery. George, in 2026, is miserable; moreover, he is portrayed (in his own first person narration) as the type of person who is always miserable -- who always has been and always will be. This novel is steeped in a kind of queer self-hatred that itself seems somewhat out of time; there were moments of internalized homophobia that shocked me. It doesn't make for an enjoyable reading experience.
Thrust back into the year 1300, George's circumstances do not improve: I hope you like several chapters of torture! Even once freed from literal torment, the emotional slog continues for the rest of the book, as Collett introduces new time travel rules willy-nilly and pontificates about how old-fashioned manual labor is more noble than modern, mental labor -- is it, novelist and YouTuber? Ultimately, I found myself almost as put off by what Collett seems to be saying about humanity as I was by George's constant Eeyore-ing. Why so cynical? And I'm saying this from the perspective of someone sick with the flu in 2025.
Talking myself closer and closer to one star the more I go on, but I'll leave it at two because I appreciate that Collett was at least striving for something. But in my opinion, he fell short.
Thrust back into the year 1300, George's circumstances do not improve: I hope you like several chapters of torture! Even once freed from literal torment, the emotional slog continues for the rest of the book, as Collett introduces new time travel rules willy-nilly and pontificates about how old-fashioned manual labor is more noble than modern, mental labor -- is it, novelist and YouTuber? Ultimately, I found myself almost as put off by what Collett seems to be saying about humanity as I was by George's constant Eeyore-ing. Why so cynical? And I'm saying this from the perspective of someone sick with the flu in 2025.
Talking myself closer and closer to one star the more I go on, but I'll leave it at two because I appreciate that Collett was at least striving for something. But in my opinion, he fell short.
September 4, 2025
3.25⭐
I have many, many thoughts...
George is going through it: he's freshly broken up with, working a low-rent job as a dogwalker, and just all around struggling to make it by. When out at a park, he slips through time and lands in the distant past. George, now, not only has to navigate his new surroundings, but figure out the larger circumstances of how he time-travelled in the first place.
I have some thoughts around this book... I'll start by saying that this book was definitely interesting, fun, and unorthodox. (I'm leaving aside any comments that George - who is said to be 34 years old - seems to have the internal dialogue of a 20-year-old, but let me mind my business.) The overall narrative is a little stream-of-consciousness, which I agree with other reviewers who felt this took them out of the current story. But, I do think that the overall effect was pretty solid.
That all said, I do raise issue with the plot and some of the choices made, especially by George. I understand he's dealing with his own forms of trauma and misuse in the past, as well as some internalized demons that he is dealing with, but many of the decisions he makes in the novel had me scratching my head. For example, when George time-travels to 1300, he doesn't seem to be trying very hard to return to his original time, nor does he seem to give much thought to how he travelled in the first place. (Non-spoiler spoiler alert: you don't find out the reason until the last 25% of the book.) I think the writing had some good points, but I was left wanting a bit more, especially with how the book just sort of ends, with little explanation or conclusion.
I didn't hate this book, but I can't say I'm over the moon about it. Did I like it? Yes. Do I wish it had gone through another edit or two? Sure. Overall, it's just...fine.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for sending me an ARC of this work!
I have many, many thoughts...
George is going through it: he's freshly broken up with, working a low-rent job as a dogwalker, and just all around struggling to make it by. When out at a park, he slips through time and lands in the distant past. George, now, not only has to navigate his new surroundings, but figure out the larger circumstances of how he time-travelled in the first place.
I have some thoughts around this book... I'll start by saying that this book was definitely interesting, fun, and unorthodox. (I'm leaving aside any comments that George - who is said to be 34 years old - seems to have the internal dialogue of a 20-year-old, but let me mind my business.) The overall narrative is a little stream-of-consciousness, which I agree with other reviewers who felt this took them out of the current story. But, I do think that the overall effect was pretty solid.
That all said, I do raise issue with the plot and some of the choices made, especially by George. I understand he's dealing with his own forms of trauma and misuse in the past, as well as some internalized demons that he is dealing with, but many of the decisions he makes in the novel had me scratching my head. For example, when George time-travels to 1300, he doesn't seem to be trying very hard to return to his original time, nor does he seem to give much thought to how he travelled in the first place. (Non-spoiler spoiler alert: you don't find out the reason until the last 25% of the book.) I think the writing had some good points, but I was left wanting a bit more, especially with how the book just sort of ends, with little explanation or conclusion.
I didn't hate this book, but I can't say I'm over the moon about it. Did I like it? Yes. Do I wish it had gone through another edit or two? Sure. Overall, it's just...fine.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for sending me an ARC of this work!
September 8, 2025
2.5 stars, rounded down to 2. In theory, this book should have been perfect for me because I love time travel in books and movies and for having an LGBTQ+ character transplanted to the year 1300, among other reasons. But the book was problematic from the start, as its main character, George, was someone I didn't much care about. Also problematic was the way he traveled back in time. Books, TV, and movies have found many, MANY ways for their characters to move back and forth through time, and all of them have asked big suspensions of disbelief from us. Even when they aren't super convincing or logical, one lets oneself get caught up in a good story and moves on, but I could never get past the fact that the way George falls through time just didn't make much sense, and the story never soared enough for me to ignore that.
A lot of other things didn't make sense. George travels back 700+ years so it becomes difficult to communicate with people speaking Medieval English, and yet, within only a few weeks, George is able to understand and speak fairly fluently. Also distracting were the many anachronisms that starting coming right away. And the last thing I'll share here is that the love story never caught fire for me. (Pun intended; IYKYK.)
Many thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
A lot of other things didn't make sense. George travels back 700+ years so it becomes difficult to communicate with people speaking Medieval English, and yet, within only a few weeks, George is able to understand and speak fairly fluently. Also distracting were the many anachronisms that starting coming right away. And the last thing I'll share here is that the love story never caught fire for me. (Pun intended; IYKYK.)
Many thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.
October 25, 2025
0.5 stars
George Falls Through Time by Ryan Collett is nothing more than a rambling diary entry of an insufferable, emotionally stunted gay man disguised as a fun time travel fantasy.
When I started George Falls Through Time, I was immediately put off by the whining self-loathing of the main character, George. He can’t get over his breakup, his alienation and loneliness, and his inability to form healthy relationships with men. But I figured that his sudden teleportation to the year 1300 would shake things up and lead to some character growth. Apparently not.
While the plot appears to have the ingredients to produce an interesting story—time travel, gay romance, dragons—the narrative is entirely hampered by the main character. He’s a miserable, self-pitying figure who refuses to shift his priorities even when confronted with time travel to the Middle Ages and dragons. He’s obsessed with his inability to connect with other men (platonically or romantically) in a healthy manner. Even when he forms a romance with a peasant from the 1300s named Simon, he doesn’t change. He never learns how to communicate or set aside his own self-loathing to prioritize another person in his life. The book presents the ending as some grand romantic revelation, but really it’s just a huge red flag that shows how little George actually grows in his conception of human connection and romance.
I appreciate that the author tries to make some legitimate historiographical points through his narrative. For example, he emphasizes that people from the past were just human beings like people are today, with the same level of morality, intelligence, and virtues and foibles. But I think Collett goes too far with this characterization and flattens the cultural and social distinctions between people of the Middle Ages and people of the modern era. I don’t think the author spent much time researching the worldviews and broad cultural understandings of people in Medieval England. This would be fine if this book was content to be a fun goofy, time travel story, but instead we’re stuck with insufferable George in an uncanny, pseudo-historical setting.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2025
This was a wild ride. I don't think I was expecting such an introspective book in what I thought was going to be an adventure time-traveling fantasy (a la Outlander). George Falls Through Time (GFTT) is much more about the titular character figuring out who he is, learning how to love and be loved, and figuring out what matters in life.
The main character George is a MESS and the narrative is a first-person stream of consciousness of all his thoughts, feelings, and fears. I struggled at times to wade through George's wallowing, but the other main character, Simon, was a helpful foil to balance out the George pity partying. I really liked Simon and wished we got more time with him and/or his perspective. Their relationship was not insta-love but the development of this relationship was not really on paper. How they came to love each other was less the point and there was more focus on what loving each other actually means.
The narrative jumps around from the "present" (in the past) to George's "past" life in the future and we readers really get to understand all of George's rough edges. GFTT diverges from the typical time-traveling story of how the future person handles and experiences the past, and George's experience of queerness in the past is quite interesting. The time-traveling mode itself was also very unique and a fun twist. The ending was open ended, which isn't always my favorite, but works in this book's favor.
I would recommend GFTT to someone who is looking for more literary fiction experience queer coming of age story than sci fi/fantasy. I appreciated the unique story and premise and never really knew what was going to happen next.
Thank you, William Morrow, for the arc!
The main character George is a MESS and the narrative is a first-person stream of consciousness of all his thoughts, feelings, and fears. I struggled at times to wade through George's wallowing, but the other main character, Simon, was a helpful foil to balance out the George pity partying. I really liked Simon and wished we got more time with him and/or his perspective. Their relationship was not insta-love but the development of this relationship was not really on paper. How they came to love each other was less the point and there was more focus on what loving each other actually means.
The narrative jumps around from the "present" (in the past) to George's "past" life in the future and we readers really get to understand all of George's rough edges. GFTT diverges from the typical time-traveling story of how the future person handles and experiences the past, and George's experience of queerness in the past is quite interesting. The time-traveling mode itself was also very unique and a fun twist. The ending was open ended, which isn't always my favorite, but works in this book's favor.
I would recommend GFTT to someone who is looking for more literary fiction experience queer coming of age story than sci fi/fantasy. I appreciated the unique story and premise and never really knew what was going to happen next.
Thank you, William Morrow, for the arc!
November 17, 2025
Thanks, I hate it. Bleak and grim, written in the dirty realism style, everything is awful and everything hurts. George goes back in time and is immediately assaulted, thrown in a cell, and tortured for months. MONTHS. He is deeply psychologically messed up by all this, except for how he isn’t. Pretty much everyone he meets is terrible, often for reasons that are inexplicable (and no attempt is made to explain them). The writing isn’t beautiful enough to do justice to the pre-industrial natural world (please go check out Hild by Nicola Griffith, if you’re craving that) and instead everything just…plods. Plodding scenes of Medieval England are broken up by pages and pages and PAGES of George ruminating on how awful his ‘real’ life is/was and also how he as a person is a failure and basically evil. (I am exaggerating, but only slightly.) Dragons were mentioned, but I only made it to 26% of this before I called it quits, and by that time no dragons had appeared. I’ve no idea if they’ll show up on-page later. (Presumably, from the blurb???)
More likely to appeal to fans of literary fiction than SFF, but overall: WOW NO THANK YOU.
More likely to appeal to fans of literary fiction than SFF, but overall: WOW NO THANK YOU.
September 16, 2025
This book was won in a giveaway, and I’d like to start off by saying that I’m grateful for that! I hope my honest review is accepted, even if the book didn’t land with me.
—
This book…made me miserable. The main character was miserable. He was miserable to read about. Some snippets at the beginning were fun to read, but the majority of the writing oscillated between varying shades of pessimism and nihilism. Most of the characters were unlikable. The ending left me unsatisfied and feeling a bit sapped of love and wonder. This novel was introspective in a sad and incredibly lonely way. I don’t feel that it was marketed accurately—the cover and description made the book look like it was more of a whimsical, romantic journey, despite modern and medieval stressors (which is why I entered the giveaway), and that was altogether not the case. George was unhappy. Both modern and historic settings were unhappy. And the book spent, like, a LOT of time expounding upon that.
Potential readers should just be aware of these things. It may land with others, but unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. Readers of more experimental literary-fiction may enjoy it.
—
This book…made me miserable. The main character was miserable. He was miserable to read about. Some snippets at the beginning were fun to read, but the majority of the writing oscillated between varying shades of pessimism and nihilism. Most of the characters were unlikable. The ending left me unsatisfied and feeling a bit sapped of love and wonder. This novel was introspective in a sad and incredibly lonely way. I don’t feel that it was marketed accurately—the cover and description made the book look like it was more of a whimsical, romantic journey, despite modern and medieval stressors (which is why I entered the giveaway), and that was altogether not the case. George was unhappy. Both modern and historic settings were unhappy. And the book spent, like, a LOT of time expounding upon that.
Potential readers should just be aware of these things. It may land with others, but unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. Readers of more experimental literary-fiction may enjoy it.
December 7, 2025
This is, I think, the only kind-of-retelling of St. George and the Dragon, so I was really interested to see what Ryan Collett would do with this - especially because it also contains time travel and a queer protagonist. What could go wrong?
Well, not much to be honest. This was well-written, thematically complex, simply a lot of fun at times but also incredibly bleak and horrifying, especially in the beginning when George first travels back to the year 1300 by more or less passing out in a very emotional situation. There's more to it but we won't find that out for a while.
Admittedly, the pacing is a little slow, made even more stark by George constantly reminiscing about his life in modern times as compared to his life now. But he's an interesting enough character to not be all too bothered by it, and his budding romance with one of the men who find him newly travelled back in time (and who, quite frankly, do horrible things to him) is cute, dramatic and emotionally charged until the very end. The dragon itself is weird, but in a fun and interesting way, and the later reveals might not be for everyone but I quite liked them - same with the ending twist.
All in all a fun reading experience, but you do have to struggle a bit through the first quarter or so that's really tough to read due to its brutality and bleakness. Perfectly fine 3 stars.
Many thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the arc!
Well, not much to be honest. This was well-written, thematically complex, simply a lot of fun at times but also incredibly bleak and horrifying, especially in the beginning when George first travels back to the year 1300 by more or less passing out in a very emotional situation. There's more to it but we won't find that out for a while.
Admittedly, the pacing is a little slow, made even more stark by George constantly reminiscing about his life in modern times as compared to his life now. But he's an interesting enough character to not be all too bothered by it, and his budding romance with one of the men who find him newly travelled back in time (and who, quite frankly, do horrible things to him) is cute, dramatic and emotionally charged until the very end. The dragon itself is weird, but in a fun and interesting way, and the later reveals might not be for everyone but I quite liked them - same with the ending twist.
All in all a fun reading experience, but you do have to struggle a bit through the first quarter or so that's really tough to read due to its brutality and bleakness. Perfectly fine 3 stars.
Many thanks to William Morrow and Netgalley for the arc!
July 27, 2025
A good time travel book has to deal with time winding around, and getting to the right place, no matter how many weird paraxodes there are. This one works, but it is a bit of a slog to get there, which is really the point of the story, so it all works.
George, who lives in Greenwich, London, has a total breakdown. He has been reduced to dog walking, because he has lost his job and his boyfriend, and the world is going to hell in a hand basket. And the next thing he knows, he is in 1300, in the time of Edward I. And if you say, hey what was going on then, because I only know about Henry the VIII, and Elizabeth the I, and stuff like that, then you are in the same boat as George. He can’t remember what was special about Edward I or his son, Edward II, so although he is from the future, he can’t tell the king or his son what will happen to them.
Oh and there is a dragon. George knows that is impossible. And yet he sees it.
I mostly liked the story, though George does moan on about both missing 2026 and being thankful he is in 1300.
I do love the dragon, who spits up artifacts from the future. I do also like how hard it was for George to communicate at first, because everyone would be speaking middle English. Bit like trying to read Chacer in the original. You can sort of understand it, when you hear it, but it mixes in bits of other languages too, the way English does to this day.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 20th of January 2026
George, who lives in Greenwich, London, has a total breakdown. He has been reduced to dog walking, because he has lost his job and his boyfriend, and the world is going to hell in a hand basket. And the next thing he knows, he is in 1300, in the time of Edward I. And if you say, hey what was going on then, because I only know about Henry the VIII, and Elizabeth the I, and stuff like that, then you are in the same boat as George. He can’t remember what was special about Edward I or his son, Edward II, so although he is from the future, he can’t tell the king or his son what will happen to them.
Oh and there is a dragon. George knows that is impossible. And yet he sees it.
I mostly liked the story, though George does moan on about both missing 2026 and being thankful he is in 1300.
I do love the dragon, who spits up artifacts from the future. I do also like how hard it was for George to communicate at first, because everyone would be speaking middle English. Bit like trying to read Chacer in the original. You can sort of understand it, when you hear it, but it mixes in bits of other languages too, the way English does to this day.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 20th of January 2026
July 19, 2025
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
3.5/5 stars
i came away from this book with a very mixed bag of feelings.
i flip flopped between finding the prose either witty and punchy or dully overwrought. there were certainly points while reading where the story felt like it was ambling aimlessly, which you'll understand is the point if you choose to pick this book up.
there are moments of great self-reflection to be found by the reader within george falls through time. i trudged through the book and took days-long breaks between reading because of how heavy the content can be. you can feel the crushing weight of george's cynicism and despair as he describes the emptiness of his modern life. but he feels just as empty and pointless while living in the past? this whole sensation that nothing matters and everything sucks definitely makes it hard to say whether or not i actually enjoyed the act of reading this book. there were several visceral moments where the prose felt like a weapon wielded against me as the reader, and i liked that a lot. but there were also moments where the stream-of-consciousness style was overdone to the point where my eyes were glazing over.
george falls through time certainly has a message about modernity and humanity. those of us caught up in the hustle and bustle of modern life may yearn for a simpler time, blinded by nostalgia for a point in history we've never experienced. but this book holds up a mirror to that desire, and reflects that your misery begins and ends with you, and cannot be solved by running away, for you'll only be toting it along with you.
it's a fine message, one that i think would resonate better with others than with me. i don't think i'm disillusioned enough with my life to tear open a hole in reality just yet. however, during those breaks between reading sessions, i did find myself frequently thinking about the pocket of time and space that i occupy. this book inspired self-reflection in me that not many other fiction novels have accomplished, so i can't disparage it too much. even if i didn't resonate completely by george's total disillusionment, it's still important to be more thoughtful about those methodical daily rituals we're so saturated in. there are so many instinctual social thoughts and habits we experience every day that i never even think about, self-consciousness and judgement and anxiety that are present even as i type this, because i know it'll be published online for anyone to read.
overall, i mostly liked it. there's an important message there that i'm sure all of us can benefit from in some way.
3.5/5 stars
i came away from this book with a very mixed bag of feelings.
i flip flopped between finding the prose either witty and punchy or dully overwrought. there were certainly points while reading where the story felt like it was ambling aimlessly, which you'll understand is the point if you choose to pick this book up.
there are moments of great self-reflection to be found by the reader within george falls through time. i trudged through the book and took days-long breaks between reading because of how heavy the content can be. you can feel the crushing weight of george's cynicism and despair as he describes the emptiness of his modern life. but he feels just as empty and pointless while living in the past? this whole sensation that nothing matters and everything sucks definitely makes it hard to say whether or not i actually enjoyed the act of reading this book. there were several visceral moments where the prose felt like a weapon wielded against me as the reader, and i liked that a lot. but there were also moments where the stream-of-consciousness style was overdone to the point where my eyes were glazing over.
george falls through time certainly has a message about modernity and humanity. those of us caught up in the hustle and bustle of modern life may yearn for a simpler time, blinded by nostalgia for a point in history we've never experienced. but this book holds up a mirror to that desire, and reflects that your misery begins and ends with you, and cannot be solved by running away, for you'll only be toting it along with you.
it's a fine message, one that i think would resonate better with others than with me. i don't think i'm disillusioned enough with my life to tear open a hole in reality just yet. however, during those breaks between reading sessions, i did find myself frequently thinking about the pocket of time and space that i occupy. this book inspired self-reflection in me that not many other fiction novels have accomplished, so i can't disparage it too much. even if i didn't resonate completely by george's total disillusionment, it's still important to be more thoughtful about those methodical daily rituals we're so saturated in. there are so many instinctual social thoughts and habits we experience every day that i never even think about, self-consciousness and judgement and anxiety that are present even as i type this, because i know it'll be published online for anyone to read.
overall, i mostly liked it. there's an important message there that i'm sure all of us can benefit from in some way.
July 16, 2025
I quite enjoyed this book! I’m a sucker for time travel and modern characters ending up in Medieval/fantasy situations. And GFTT does a really good job navigating that particular sub genre without falling into the common issues of idealizing the past that you sometimes see in time travel romance. The past is just another place with its own pros and cons, and people have always just been people. The core relationship in this book is really sweet in how it builds over the course of the novel, surprising the reader in its intensity just as much as it surprises George.
I also love that this book doesn’t just completely ditch the fact that the main character is fully from another millennium, we get frequent flashbacks (Flashforwards?) to George’s life in 21st century London and get a real sense of how unhappy he was there, but also how reluctant he is to completely abandon the world he knows. It plays into what an emotional clusterfuck of a situation this is for him, giving the whole thing more of a sense of depth.
I will say, aside from the whole traveling through time thing, this does read more like a literary fiction book than a fantasy, which isn’t necessarily bad but it felt worth noting. There’s just more of a focus on internal angst and character-driven motivations rather than worldbuilding and situation-driven motivations. Not sure how to describe it but has more of that literary fiction flavoring to it.
All in all, 4/5 stars from me! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I also love that this book doesn’t just completely ditch the fact that the main character is fully from another millennium, we get frequent flashbacks (Flashforwards?) to George’s life in 21st century London and get a real sense of how unhappy he was there, but also how reluctant he is to completely abandon the world he knows. It plays into what an emotional clusterfuck of a situation this is for him, giving the whole thing more of a sense of depth.
I will say, aside from the whole traveling through time thing, this does read more like a literary fiction book than a fantasy, which isn’t necessarily bad but it felt worth noting. There’s just more of a focus on internal angst and character-driven motivations rather than worldbuilding and situation-driven motivations. Not sure how to describe it but has more of that literary fiction flavoring to it.
All in all, 4/5 stars from me! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
November 8, 2025
4.5 stars
Definitely one of my top reading experiences of 2025. It's a type of time traveling story I wish more time traveling stories were like.
I can't decide if this is the best book to read while having an existential crisis or the maybe-not-best, but either way, I was riveted—emotionally, introspectively, and narratively.
While the story has some of the common time traveller experiences of the protagonist not knowing enough of history to be helpful to himself or anyone, the actual psychological and experiential shock/disorientation/mindf@%k of time travel plays out here in such bare, honest, and exposing ways that it frequently took my breath away. George's coming to grips with his own self consciousness and the judgements (self and other) that come with it sort of IS the story and feels inextricable from a time-travel-fish-out-of-water story, and yet this is the first time I've seen it done like this. That a character thrown back in time wouldn't just be disoriented, their entire 21st century identity and self-concept would be shaken, shattered, and have to be remade. And in that process, the repeated pendulum swings from protective narcissism to self-contemptuous idealization of all those who have been spared your 21st century life makes sense in a harrowingly recognizable way. As frustrated as you have to be with George so much of the time, his frailty is startlingly authentic.
I was captivated by the emotional arc of what George puts himself and others through in order to understand his own existence, but I also loved the actual time travelness, history, and plot of it all. I love a book that leaves me guessing until the final sentence. I also loved that I didn't catch on for a long time to the rather rewarding reveal of a number of things at play— some great A-ha moments that felt organic rather than manipulated.
For literary fiction, I loved how narratively driven and full of warm feeling this was without losing its sense of ambiguity and the unresolved. I loved getting lost (and found and lost...) with George.
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for the ARC of this forthcoming novel.
Definitely one of my top reading experiences of 2025. It's a type of time traveling story I wish more time traveling stories were like.
I can't decide if this is the best book to read while having an existential crisis or the maybe-not-best, but either way, I was riveted—emotionally, introspectively, and narratively.
While the story has some of the common time traveller experiences of the protagonist not knowing enough of history to be helpful to himself or anyone, the actual psychological and experiential shock/disorientation/mindf@%k of time travel plays out here in such bare, honest, and exposing ways that it frequently took my breath away. George's coming to grips with his own self consciousness and the judgements (self and other) that come with it sort of IS the story and feels inextricable from a time-travel-fish-out-of-water story, and yet this is the first time I've seen it done like this. That a character thrown back in time wouldn't just be disoriented, their entire 21st century identity and self-concept would be shaken, shattered, and have to be remade. And in that process, the repeated pendulum swings from protective narcissism to self-contemptuous idealization of all those who have been spared your 21st century life makes sense in a harrowingly recognizable way. As frustrated as you have to be with George so much of the time, his frailty is startlingly authentic.
I was captivated by the emotional arc of what George puts himself and others through in order to understand his own existence, but I also loved the actual time travelness, history, and plot of it all. I love a book that leaves me guessing until the final sentence. I also loved that I didn't catch on for a long time to the rather rewarding reveal of a number of things at play— some great A-ha moments that felt organic rather than manipulated.
For literary fiction, I loved how narratively driven and full of warm feeling this was without losing its sense of ambiguity and the unresolved. I loved getting lost (and found and lost...) with George.
Thank you Goodreads Giveaways for the ARC of this forthcoming novel.
November 14, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
The start of the book grabbed me with George's snarky narration style. When we meet George, everything is going wrong for him, then boom - time travel.
It almost seemed like satire at first, "here's this completely unlikeable main character." I thought of the MC from TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door and was thinking we'd get to see Georgie boy grow as a character by the end of the book. Which, uhh, not really. A redemption arc would've been nice. I never really rooted for him or felt emotionally invested by the end.
The tone of the book quickly shifted once George ~fell through time. This book is more serious and dark than I thought it would be. I can see how some readers may be put off by that, thinking they're getting a whismical, lighthearted story but this is not that. It is a quick read, at least.
George is very reflective and we get a lot of introspection from him (which I enjoyed, I'm just a sucker when characters go down memory lane and you learn about what made them who they are), but then he'd gloss over or summarize what was going on in 1300, especially after he escaped with Simon. I feel like that made me connect less with Simon. It didn't help that there's telling vs. showing.
I think this text I sent my friend also sums up my feelings: "The only character who has depth in this book is a talking time traveling dragon with a hoard of trash."
For the most part, I really liked the narrator. My only con was that I wish they put a little more personality in Simon's dialogue, though they just worked with what they had.
All in all, solid 3 stars with maybe 3.5 to the audiobook.
The start of the book grabbed me with George's snarky narration style. When we meet George, everything is going wrong for him, then boom - time travel.
It almost seemed like satire at first, "here's this completely unlikeable main character." I thought of the MC from TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door and was thinking we'd get to see Georgie boy grow as a character by the end of the book. Which, uhh, not really. A redemption arc would've been nice. I never really rooted for him or felt emotionally invested by the end.
The tone of the book quickly shifted once George ~fell through time. This book is more serious and dark than I thought it would be. I can see how some readers may be put off by that, thinking they're getting a whismical, lighthearted story but this is not that. It is a quick read, at least.
George is very reflective and we get a lot of introspection from him (which I enjoyed, I'm just a sucker when characters go down memory lane and you learn about what made them who they are), but then he'd gloss over or summarize what was going on in 1300, especially after he escaped with Simon. I feel like that made me connect less with Simon. It didn't help that there's telling vs. showing.
I think this text I sent my friend also sums up my feelings: "The only character who has depth in this book is a talking time traveling dragon with a hoard of trash."
For the most part, I really liked the narrator. My only con was that I wish they put a little more personality in Simon's dialogue, though they just worked with what they had.
All in all, solid 3 stars with maybe 3.5 to the audiobook.
September 12, 2025
Oh boy, where do I start with this one?
I think I may have struggled with genre shifts, as this read like literary fiction that really wanted to be fantasy, but stream-of-consciousness just really doesn’t fit fantasy tonally. There were some sections that were so sharp and witty, but others that dredged and make me not want to pick up this book at times. The flashbacks to George's prior life had me scratching my head at times, as I felt they did not actually correlate or add anything to what he was dealing with in the moment.
I enjoyed that the central theme of this is that even with all of the comforts and safety that modern safety provides us, we can still yearn for a less complicated world with different difficulties. This had a cute love story, but I don't know if I was ever fully committed due to the instalove feelings I got.
I'm willing to suspend disbelief quite a bit in most time-travel stories, but a lot of this had me rolling my eyes, particularly what the dragon eats...lol.
A big thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for giving me access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Look out for George Falls Through Time on January 20th, 2026!
I think I may have struggled with genre shifts, as this read like literary fiction that really wanted to be fantasy, but stream-of-consciousness just really doesn’t fit fantasy tonally. There were some sections that were so sharp and witty, but others that dredged and make me not want to pick up this book at times. The flashbacks to George's prior life had me scratching my head at times, as I felt they did not actually correlate or add anything to what he was dealing with in the moment.
I enjoyed that the central theme of this is that even with all of the comforts and safety that modern safety provides us, we can still yearn for a less complicated world with different difficulties. This had a cute love story, but I don't know if I was ever fully committed due to the instalove feelings I got.
I'm willing to suspend disbelief quite a bit in most time-travel stories, but a lot of this had me rolling my eyes, particularly what the dragon eats...lol.
A big thank you to William Morrow and Netgalley for giving me access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Look out for George Falls Through Time on January 20th, 2026!
October 16, 2025
This is really a science fiction love story more than anything, about the lengths one will go to in order to be reunited with the person they love.
George recently was broken up with, has been dog walking after losing his job and is now just trying to stay afloat. So, when he stumbles into the year 1300 while chasing down a loose dog and finds himself imprisoned, he feels as adrift as he already was. However, when a villager, Simon, helps to break him out and they begin traveling together, George feels a sense of belonging he hasn't in a long time. So, a knock on the door and a summons from the king to disrupt the life he and Simon have built is less than ideal, especially when the King informs them that he wants George to kill a dragon. I won't say much more to avoid spoilers, but this is a cute easy read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an aARC of this novel.
George recently was broken up with, has been dog walking after losing his job and is now just trying to stay afloat. So, when he stumbles into the year 1300 while chasing down a loose dog and finds himself imprisoned, he feels as adrift as he already was. However, when a villager, Simon, helps to break him out and they begin traveling together, George feels a sense of belonging he hasn't in a long time. So, a knock on the door and a summons from the king to disrupt the life he and Simon have built is less than ideal, especially when the King informs them that he wants George to kill a dragon. I won't say much more to avoid spoilers, but this is a cute easy read.
Thank you to NetGalley for an aARC of this novel.
December 26, 2025
An absolute whirlwind of a book. I was continuously surprised by the direction that the plot took. Somehow this book encompassed the emotional implications of unexpected time travel, the complexity of love in our modern mindsets, and the simplicity of living in the present no matter where that might be. George wasn’t the most likable character but that was one of the things I appreciated about his story. It was at once hilarious, cringey, and unabashedly honest. His intentions weren’t always pure and he was far from the standard protagonist. The exploration of what it means to be gay in our modern day as opposed to the past as portrayed in this book was a fascinating take. This book doesn’t fit neatly into a box or category but maybe for that reason I was super invested and really enjoyed it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced audiobook copy of this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advanced audiobook copy of this book!
December 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! It had some really magical twists that made George’s journey to finding himself, his place in the world, and true love very fun. George is definitely a character! This book was described as a Less - like book and I felt that (and I loved Less, if that helps). While this book does involve time travel, I really felt that more than anything, this is a book about finding yourself and loving where you are versus being solely about time travel. You can miss what you had - even if it wasn’t that great for you. And you can dislike where you are and it can be the perfect spot with the right people.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 29, 2025
Things aren't going great for George. A recent break-up and job loss he seems to be losing control of his life. While working his dog walking job and trying to walk way too many dogs he starts to have a bit of a break down and as the title states suddenly falls through time into the 1300s.
I think the cover of this book is a little misleading, thinking this was going to be a bit more of a silly, fun, fish-out-of-water time travel with a sprinkle of romance. Reader, do not be fooled. George spends a heck a lot of this book being absolutely miserable and making sure we know it. The story meanders through what's currently happening to George in the 1300s and his memories of his life in the 2020s. Seems like no matter what timeline he's in he's not super happy.
The story was a little more violent and real than I was expecting. George certainly goes through quite a bit of abuse and torture when he hits the past. He does make some allies and an eventual friend/lover, Simon. I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. Admittedly I got a little frustrated with George and some of the decisions he made in regards to Simon at some points.
The story does have a very cool concept and did have some enjoyable moments, especially between Simon and George. Overall the ending felt really open ended and a bit unclear. I think had the ending been a little more focused and maybe clearly happy it might have been more for me. I wanted to love this book so much and while I overall enjoyed it I did find the ending overall disappointing.
If you're looking for something a little different this may be the right book for you!
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARCH in exchange for an honest review.
I think the cover of this book is a little misleading, thinking this was going to be a bit more of a silly, fun, fish-out-of-water time travel with a sprinkle of romance. Reader, do not be fooled. George spends a heck a lot of this book being absolutely miserable and making sure we know it. The story meanders through what's currently happening to George in the 1300s and his memories of his life in the 2020s. Seems like no matter what timeline he's in he's not super happy.
The story was a little more violent and real than I was expecting. George certainly goes through quite a bit of abuse and torture when he hits the past. He does make some allies and an eventual friend/lover, Simon. I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. Admittedly I got a little frustrated with George and some of the decisions he made in regards to Simon at some points.
The story does have a very cool concept and did have some enjoyable moments, especially between Simon and George. Overall the ending felt really open ended and a bit unclear. I think had the ending been a little more focused and maybe clearly happy it might have been more for me. I wanted to love this book so much and while I overall enjoyed it I did find the ending overall disappointing.
If you're looking for something a little different this may be the right book for you!
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARCH in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2025
Three and a half stars rounded up to four. George has lost his job, can't afford the rent on his flat, his boyfriend broke up with him, and he has lost two of the dogs that he walks. Due to this extreme level of stress, he time travels back to the year 1300.
This was an interesting book. I'm not sure I understood where the author was going with it, but it definitely kept my attention. Not your typical time travel novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
This was an interesting book. I'm not sure I understood where the author was going with it, but it definitely kept my attention. Not your typical time travel novel.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
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November 29, 2025*Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Audio and William Morrow fir early copy for review*
I need a win. This was not it. They say don't judge a book by its cover. This is a good example of that. This begins with a depressed character going through a break up and losing a job and that is the good things that happened. Then he is transported through time and is tortured on and off for the next third of the book. When the cover gives you fun portal fantasy, but the book is looking grim dark in the eye and waving it over. So this isn't for me. Oh well.
I need a win. This was not it. They say don't judge a book by its cover. This is a good example of that. This begins with a depressed character going through a break up and losing a job and that is the good things that happened. Then he is transported through time and is tortured on and off for the next third of the book. When the cover gives you fun portal fantasy, but the book is looking grim dark in the eye and waving it over. So this isn't for me. Oh well.
August 15, 2025
ARC edition
What is George going to do?
This seems to be a question that has followed George for most of his adult life.
"This is the story of how one man lost everything, then still managed to find more things to lose. Job gone. Boyfriend gone. Gone like the sands of time itself."
What is George going to do?
In a moment of pure undiluted distress, being pulled in multiple impossible directions at once, George falls through time. Now all if those lost things are gone forever.
What is George going to do?
In the year 1300, rumors of dragons abound, but George knows dragons aren't real. Or so he believes. Until he meets one.
A deeply introspective storyline, surrounding the tale of George & The Dragon.
What is George going to do?
This seems to be a question that has followed George for most of his adult life.
"This is the story of how one man lost everything, then still managed to find more things to lose. Job gone. Boyfriend gone. Gone like the sands of time itself."
What is George going to do?
In a moment of pure undiluted distress, being pulled in multiple impossible directions at once, George falls through time. Now all if those lost things are gone forever.
What is George going to do?
In the year 1300, rumors of dragons abound, but George knows dragons aren't real. Or so he believes. Until he meets one.
A deeply introspective storyline, surrounding the tale of George & The Dragon.
November 24, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and HarperAudio for the ALC.
This book has everything - romance (m/m), a talking dragon & time travel!
It was a very fun listen! Nothing too deep, but a nice book for someone who enjoys a fantasy romcom that mixes in a bit of historical fiction and a lesson on putting your phone down.
Audio narrator did a great job.
This book has everything - romance (m/m), a talking dragon & time travel!
It was a very fun listen! Nothing too deep, but a nice book for someone who enjoys a fantasy romcom that mixes in a bit of historical fiction and a lesson on putting your phone down.
Audio narrator did a great job.
July 11, 2025
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So...this book. It started slow for me. It took quite a bit of time to get into the meat of the story. This was mostly due to a lot of the book being spent on George's inner monologues or memory flashbacks. This persisted throughout the length of the book, but at least the story held a lot of interest for with with the introduction of Simon and their travels and the dragon. Simon was so sweet. I wanted so much more of him. He brought a softness and light that the story really benefitted from. I wish we had gotten so much more from him. His presence and the continued growth of his and George's relationship would have really helped with the reader's connection and emotional investment to the story.
I also really liked the conflict George with translating his modern day life and views to 1300. I felt his time traveling experience and reaction was quite unique compared to how time travel is typically handled in stories. And the concept of the dragon was also really fresh and inventive.
Another highlight for me was George's experience of a history being vastly different than what modern day teachings of history would like to paint history. Especially in terms of queerness and religion. Because no matter what, history can be washed to fit a country's ideal narrative, even though that squanders the idea of what history is supposed to be as a whole; which unbiased facts.
Ultimately, I enjoyed a lot of this book, but was also left wanting in pretty important areas. I wish we had spent less time on George's head and more time in his life, and the ending, unfortunately, left me quite dissatisfied.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So...this book. It started slow for me. It took quite a bit of time to get into the meat of the story. This was mostly due to a lot of the book being spent on George's inner monologues or memory flashbacks. This persisted throughout the length of the book, but at least the story held a lot of interest for with with the introduction of Simon and their travels and the dragon. Simon was so sweet. I wanted so much more of him. He brought a softness and light that the story really benefitted from. I wish we had gotten so much more from him. His presence and the continued growth of his and George's relationship would have really helped with the reader's connection and emotional investment to the story.
I also really liked the conflict George with translating his modern day life and views to 1300. I felt his time traveling experience and reaction was quite unique compared to how time travel is typically handled in stories. And the concept of the dragon was also really fresh and inventive.
Another highlight for me was George's experience of a history being vastly different than what modern day teachings of history would like to paint history. Especially in terms of queerness and religion. Because no matter what, history can be washed to fit a country's ideal narrative, even though that squanders the idea of what history is supposed to be as a whole; which unbiased facts.
Ultimately, I enjoyed a lot of this book, but was also left wanting in pretty important areas. I wish we had spent less time on George's head and more time in his life, and the ending, unfortunately, left me quite dissatisfied.
October 8, 2025
George Falls Through Time
Ryan Collett
George is at a tough spot in his life. He’s lost his job, his boyfriend, and overall aim in life and has randomly ended up in 1300 England.
There are some interesting things happening in this book but it feels like a patchwork of story ideas. At first the novel feels reluctant to fall into fantasy writing or genre fiction and every time it seems like it might let itself free it reigns it back in (until the last 1/5). George spends time reflecting on the life he had in 2026 and the prose falls into a pattern of stream of consciousness which doesn’t seem to serve any function to the story because at the point where it starts the reader has a grasp on how and why he feels the way he does. There’s a story of George in 2026 and then there’s a story of man time traveling that seems smushed together.
It’s a quick read and the characters were interesting but picking such a removed point in time feels like there should be more culture clash happening. There probably would be more misunderstandings and there were many clashing anachronisms that started to intrude in on my suspension of disbelief. Once the mystery of time traveling is explained and a few other things happen a door is opened up to possibilities of stories that shockingly are never explored.
If you’re able to look over those things I think people wanting a brief queer read with some elements of fantasy and reflections on modernity may be satisfied with this.
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing a free eARC for review.
Ryan Collett
George is at a tough spot in his life. He’s lost his job, his boyfriend, and overall aim in life and has randomly ended up in 1300 England.
There are some interesting things happening in this book but it feels like a patchwork of story ideas. At first the novel feels reluctant to fall into fantasy writing or genre fiction and every time it seems like it might let itself free it reigns it back in (until the last 1/5). George spends time reflecting on the life he had in 2026 and the prose falls into a pattern of stream of consciousness which doesn’t seem to serve any function to the story because at the point where it starts the reader has a grasp on how and why he feels the way he does. There’s a story of George in 2026 and then there’s a story of man time traveling that seems smushed together.
It’s a quick read and the characters were interesting but picking such a removed point in time feels like there should be more culture clash happening. There probably would be more misunderstandings and there were many clashing anachronisms that started to intrude in on my suspension of disbelief. Once the mystery of time traveling is explained and a few other things happen a door is opened up to possibilities of stories that shockingly are never explored.
If you’re able to look over those things I think people wanting a brief queer read with some elements of fantasy and reflections on modernity may be satisfied with this.
Thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing a free eARC for review.
October 28, 2025
Spice Level: Closed-Door / Fade-to-Black
All George wants to do is get the internet bill changed from his ex-boyfriend’s name to his name. He wants to move on from the relationship but the company’s inability to change this one detail has George in a tailspin. Everyone knows that when dealing with companies, they always call back at inconvenient times and that happens when George is taking many dogs on his dog walking job out for a walk.
Some end up escaping while he’s on the call and in his moment of intense panic and stress, he finds himself falling through time only to find himself in the same spot he stood but in the 1300s. Through all the trials and tribulations he endures, he begins to find happiness, something he never had in the 2020s. Some of that happiness he finds is in a man named Simon. Does George find his forever in the 1300s with Simon or will he want to get back to the now?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. This was a refreshing take on a romance, for me. Usually, the PoV is from the person who was jilted by their partner. This isn’t a spoiler but as you go through the story and learn more about George, he was the one who caused most of the turmoil in his relationship in the now.
In my opinion, the author hits the nail on the head with how technology is a huge stressor in our everyday lives. Even though things are a bit harder for George in the 1300s, he is able to find happiness because he didn’t have a phone in his pocket he felt obliged to and had to pay attention to every few minutes. Go read this book, it will be one you don’t want to put down or stop listening to. Also, there may or may not be a dragon in the book.
Samuel Barnett is the narrator for this audiobook. He drew me into the story and made me feel all of George’s emotions. He was an excellent narrator for this audiobook.
🐉 MM Romance
⚔️ Time Travel
🐉 Violence
⚔️ Imprisonment
🐉 Culture Shock
⚔️ Historical Romance
All George wants to do is get the internet bill changed from his ex-boyfriend’s name to his name. He wants to move on from the relationship but the company’s inability to change this one detail has George in a tailspin. Everyone knows that when dealing with companies, they always call back at inconvenient times and that happens when George is taking many dogs on his dog walking job out for a walk.
Some end up escaping while he’s on the call and in his moment of intense panic and stress, he finds himself falling through time only to find himself in the same spot he stood but in the 1300s. Through all the trials and tribulations he endures, he begins to find happiness, something he never had in the 2020s. Some of that happiness he finds is in a man named Simon. Does George find his forever in the 1300s with Simon or will he want to get back to the now?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. This was a refreshing take on a romance, for me. Usually, the PoV is from the person who was jilted by their partner. This isn’t a spoiler but as you go through the story and learn more about George, he was the one who caused most of the turmoil in his relationship in the now.
In my opinion, the author hits the nail on the head with how technology is a huge stressor in our everyday lives. Even though things are a bit harder for George in the 1300s, he is able to find happiness because he didn’t have a phone in his pocket he felt obliged to and had to pay attention to every few minutes. Go read this book, it will be one you don’t want to put down or stop listening to. Also, there may or may not be a dragon in the book.
Samuel Barnett is the narrator for this audiobook. He drew me into the story and made me feel all of George’s emotions. He was an excellent narrator for this audiobook.
🐉 MM Romance
⚔️ Time Travel
🐉 Violence
⚔️ Imprisonment
🐉 Culture Shock
⚔️ Historical Romance
October 29, 2025
Wow! This book grabbed my attention from the very first page and didn’t let go until the final line. It has a little bit of everything — adventure, romance, introspection, and heart. It feels like a classic storybook from childhood that’s grown up with you, layered with depth and maturity.
The story asks a fascinating question: what would you do if your modern, busy life suddenly vanished and you found yourself transported to a time before all our modern problems — but also before our modern comforts and solutions?
George Falls Through Time explores love across eras, same-sex attraction, and how history may have quietly rewritten the truth about its own past. The writing is heartfelt and immersive, with a rhythm that makes you feel as if you’re falling through time right alongside George. I absolutely loved the writing style — it’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original.
The story asks a fascinating question: what would you do if your modern, busy life suddenly vanished and you found yourself transported to a time before all our modern problems — but also before our modern comforts and solutions?
George Falls Through Time explores love across eras, same-sex attraction, and how history may have quietly rewritten the truth about its own past. The writing is heartfelt and immersive, with a rhythm that makes you feel as if you’re falling through time right alongside George. I absolutely loved the writing style — it’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original.
October 15, 2025
4 out of 5 stars
Before I begin my review, I'd like to thank HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
INTRODUCTION
Ryan Collett’s George Falls Through Time isn’t the whimsical, dragon-filled adventure its cover implies. Instead, it’s a slow, introspective descent into heartbreak, self-loathing, and the futility—and faint hope—of trying to escape oneself. At its core is George, a thirty-four-year-old Londoner whose modern life has unraveled: his boyfriend has left, his job has vanished, and his purpose has dissolved. Reduced to dog walking and despair, George accidentally slips through time to 1300 England. From there, the novel becomes less about time travel and more about the claustrophobic persistence of grief across centuries.
WRITING STYLE:
Collett’s prose is first-person stream of consciousness, often chaotic, looping, and comma-heavy. It can feel overwrought, but I think that’s precisely the point at times, in that George’s voice mirrors a mind in endless self-recrimination. Once you surrender to the rhythm, it becomes hypnotic: a portrait of language fraying under the weight of thought.
THE SETTING:
Medieval Greenwich is less historical than hallucinatory, some sort of a fever dream of mud, devotion, and incomprehension. The anachronisms and blurred realism seem deliberate: this isn’t history, but psychological allegory. George’s time-slip reads more as purgatory than adventure, a space where the past becomes a mirror for his failures. There are constant contrasts to George's past (2026) and his present (1300s) that can be annoying at times, but it felt needed in order for George to retain memories of who he once was.
THE RELATIONSHIPS:
George’s relationship with Simon, a medieval man of fierce loyalty (read: extreme devotion), forms the novel’s emotional axis. Their connection is tender yet unsettling—Simon’s devotion borders on submission, leaving George torn between longing and guilt. Through them, Collett examines the modern hunger to be “seen,” even when that visibility becomes suffocating. In that sense, it’s not a love story so much as an exploration of how affection can both heal and imprison.
THEMES & SYMBOLISM:
When a dragon enters the narrative, it feels absurd at first before starting to make sense. The beast, spewing relics from the future, becomes a symbol of memory and guilt, echoing the legend of Saint George. The dragon isn’t fantasy; it’s a metaphor, embodying everything George cannot escape.
CONCLUSION:
The conclusion is quiet, ambiguous, and deeply human. George doesn’t find redemption or return home; he finds awareness. Here, time, Collett suggests, is not an escape route but a mirror. Overall, it's not a clear-cut book by far, but I do think it's a meditative read cloaked in a fun historical premise. I would recommend it, but only to very certain people. George is a very fundamentally unhappy character, and I think that's what ultimately makes the book so meaningful but also difficult to finish.
“If you are what you say you are, then erase this history from whatever future awaits us.”
― Ryan Collett, George Falls Through Time
Before I begin my review, I'd like to thank HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
INTRODUCTION
Ryan Collett’s George Falls Through Time isn’t the whimsical, dragon-filled adventure its cover implies. Instead, it’s a slow, introspective descent into heartbreak, self-loathing, and the futility—and faint hope—of trying to escape oneself. At its core is George, a thirty-four-year-old Londoner whose modern life has unraveled: his boyfriend has left, his job has vanished, and his purpose has dissolved. Reduced to dog walking and despair, George accidentally slips through time to 1300 England. From there, the novel becomes less about time travel and more about the claustrophobic persistence of grief across centuries.
WRITING STYLE:
Collett’s prose is first-person stream of consciousness, often chaotic, looping, and comma-heavy. It can feel overwrought, but I think that’s precisely the point at times, in that George’s voice mirrors a mind in endless self-recrimination. Once you surrender to the rhythm, it becomes hypnotic: a portrait of language fraying under the weight of thought.
THE SETTING:
Medieval Greenwich is less historical than hallucinatory, some sort of a fever dream of mud, devotion, and incomprehension. The anachronisms and blurred realism seem deliberate: this isn’t history, but psychological allegory. George’s time-slip reads more as purgatory than adventure, a space where the past becomes a mirror for his failures. There are constant contrasts to George's past (2026) and his present (1300s) that can be annoying at times, but it felt needed in order for George to retain memories of who he once was.
THE RELATIONSHIPS:
George’s relationship with Simon, a medieval man of fierce loyalty (read: extreme devotion), forms the novel’s emotional axis. Their connection is tender yet unsettling—Simon’s devotion borders on submission, leaving George torn between longing and guilt. Through them, Collett examines the modern hunger to be “seen,” even when that visibility becomes suffocating. In that sense, it’s not a love story so much as an exploration of how affection can both heal and imprison.
THEMES & SYMBOLISM:
When a dragon enters the narrative, it feels absurd at first before starting to make sense. The beast, spewing relics from the future, becomes a symbol of memory and guilt, echoing the legend of Saint George. The dragon isn’t fantasy; it’s a metaphor, embodying everything George cannot escape.
CONCLUSION:
The conclusion is quiet, ambiguous, and deeply human. George doesn’t find redemption or return home; he finds awareness. Here, time, Collett suggests, is not an escape route but a mirror. Overall, it's not a clear-cut book by far, but I do think it's a meditative read cloaked in a fun historical premise. I would recommend it, but only to very certain people. George is a very fundamentally unhappy character, and I think that's what ultimately makes the book so meaningful but also difficult to finish.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
Thank you William Morrow for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The Short Version:
- George Falls Through Time is a queer time-travel novel full of introspection, stream-of-conscious humor, dog-walking, historical references, royalty, peasants, dragons (maybe?), and surprises. A solid 4-star read for me and one I’d quickly recommend to friends looking for an enjoyable book.
The Long Version:
- Ryan Collett has given us a queer time-traveling, fanastical adventure-meets-historical romance in a genre-blending novel that pulled me in for laughs and lessons in the two short days it took me to read “George Falls Through Time”
- For fans of Steven Rowley, TJ Klune, and the Late Middle Ages in Europe, this book presents an innovative mix of settings and stressors for readers to enjoy.
- Our main character, George, is a dog-walker who lost a mundane job, a messy ex and friend group, and is facing a growing pile of bills. His intro and narration are relatable, accessible, and hilarious.
- Things take a turn when, during a stressful series of events, he is snapped back to the year 1300 in his modern clothing. This sets off a chain of events among locals and quite the story of development for George as he encounters lowly villagers, royalty, vicars, soldiers, and the rumors of a mythical beast threatening the land.
- George’s modern sensibilities are pitted against the harsh reality of the dark ages at every turn, making for a big-hearted story that kept me pulled in from start to finish.
My Honest Thoughts:
- I’m a lover of queer fiction and fantasy. I immediately requested this ARC when I read the synopsis and am thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review this for William Morrow at HarperCollins. I truly enjoyed the adventure Ryan Collett took us on with our conflicted and imperfect main character, George. He was highly relatable for me—caught between not feeling good enough but knowing he can do better.
- The plot was unique and intriguing, with enough conflict and resolution to equally hold my interest and surprise me throughout the story. As I mentioned, I devoured this book in two days, when I’m usually a slower reader.
- I will note that there were occasional paragraphs or even pages of exposition that jumped back to George’s present-day experiences that took me out of the story and seemed like the author was trying to make statements about the gay community or queer relationships that felt forced into the book. The story could have been stronger if these were categorized in their own chapter or weaved into the narrator’s thoughts a bit more fluidly. Otherwise, the stream-of-consciousness style and thoughts were refreshing and humorous.
Overall, a great read and a pleasant surprise for me to encounter. I look forward to the book’s successful release and will keep it as a recommendation for friends looking for fun, queer reads in the future.
The Short Version:
- George Falls Through Time is a queer time-travel novel full of introspection, stream-of-conscious humor, dog-walking, historical references, royalty, peasants, dragons (maybe?), and surprises. A solid 4-star read for me and one I’d quickly recommend to friends looking for an enjoyable book.
The Long Version:
- Ryan Collett has given us a queer time-traveling, fanastical adventure-meets-historical romance in a genre-blending novel that pulled me in for laughs and lessons in the two short days it took me to read “George Falls Through Time”
- For fans of Steven Rowley, TJ Klune, and the Late Middle Ages in Europe, this book presents an innovative mix of settings and stressors for readers to enjoy.
- Our main character, George, is a dog-walker who lost a mundane job, a messy ex and friend group, and is facing a growing pile of bills. His intro and narration are relatable, accessible, and hilarious.
- Things take a turn when, during a stressful series of events, he is snapped back to the year 1300 in his modern clothing. This sets off a chain of events among locals and quite the story of development for George as he encounters lowly villagers, royalty, vicars, soldiers, and the rumors of a mythical beast threatening the land.
- George’s modern sensibilities are pitted against the harsh reality of the dark ages at every turn, making for a big-hearted story that kept me pulled in from start to finish.
My Honest Thoughts:
- I’m a lover of queer fiction and fantasy. I immediately requested this ARC when I read the synopsis and am thankful to have had the opportunity to read and review this for William Morrow at HarperCollins. I truly enjoyed the adventure Ryan Collett took us on with our conflicted and imperfect main character, George. He was highly relatable for me—caught between not feeling good enough but knowing he can do better.
- The plot was unique and intriguing, with enough conflict and resolution to equally hold my interest and surprise me throughout the story. As I mentioned, I devoured this book in two days, when I’m usually a slower reader.
- I will note that there were occasional paragraphs or even pages of exposition that jumped back to George’s present-day experiences that took me out of the story and seemed like the author was trying to make statements about the gay community or queer relationships that felt forced into the book. The story could have been stronger if these were categorized in their own chapter or weaved into the narrator’s thoughts a bit more fluidly. Otherwise, the stream-of-consciousness style and thoughts were refreshing and humorous.
Overall, a great read and a pleasant surprise for me to encounter. I look forward to the book’s successful release and will keep it as a recommendation for friends looking for fun, queer reads in the future.
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