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Linear Shift #1-4
Linear Shift
No one said time travel would be easy.
Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time. The repercussions will almost certainly alter the conclusion of World War II. But will the ripple effects stop there? And what kind of life will Peter return to?
Unknown Consequences:
A successful mission may not have the success he had intended.
Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time. The repercussions will almost certainly alter the conclusion of World War II. But will the ripple effects stop there? And what kind of life will Peter return to?
Unknown Consequences:
A successful mission may not have the success he had intended.
450 pages, Paperback
First published April 7, 2015
92 people are currently reading
443 people want to read
About the author
Paul B. Kohler
39 books203 followersPaul B Kohler is the International Bestselling author of the highly acclaimed novel Linear Shift. His recent work includes Turn, Detour, and Reversion, from The Humanity's Edge Trilogy, along with several short stories. His short story, Rememorations, was included in The Immortality Chronicles - The Best Anthology of the Year as voted in the 2016 Preditors and Editors Readers Poll. Rememorations was also nominated for Best American Science Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 31, 2015
Linear Shift is a fantasy novel about time travel. From the first page I was hooked and didn't want to put it down. I finished out in just two days. Peter and Julie's adventures going back to and in 1942 were riveting. So was the return to 2013. I will be recommending this book to all my reading friends and family, even the non fantasy readers as I feel it has a universal appeal. I am very glad I got to read the book as a whole and not in the parts as each was published, as I would have gone crazy waiting to find out what happened next. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Kohler's work.
May 29, 2015
https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/05/1...
Publisher: Global
Publishing Date: April 2015
ISBN: 9781940740065
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.3
Publisher Description: No one said time travel would be easy. Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time.
Review: The first 30% is really slow as the “countdown” to departure nears. So slow as to be near maudlin in design. For instance, our two time travelers to be are whining about their training and are always seeking ways to go see people they shouldn’t. Of course they get caught at it, are reprimanded and that’s it. Cooper’s friends are abducted by the General because Cooper talked to them. Huh? If the General wanted to limit Cooper’s interaction to others once he was informed of a possible mission into the past, wouldn’t he have abducted Cooper’s kids as well? Why tell him the mission parameters in the first place? Get him interested first with the carrot (money), then sign a non-disclosure agreement (the stick), then brief him on the mission. If he says no then confine him to the base until the mission is over. But at no point during this process is he allowed to call or contact anyone. Additionally Cooper and Julie are given classified documents that they can take home and read at their leisure. Huh? The hiccups continue, when in 1942, Peter is able to break into the U.S. Mint and blackmail a guy into giving him some bronze pennies. Wha?
The story line was not that believable. The big question is why would Peter and Co. agree to go time traveling when there is no evidence presented that such a thing is possible? Additionally, the risk of losing his family is very high when he returns due to the temporal shift.
Even if you can get over the logic flaws in the story-line and the sometimes juvenile writing processes, the story line still moves sporadically and without tension.
Read this while waiting to get a bot fly larvae removed from your back.
Publisher: Global
Publishing Date: April 2015
ISBN: 9781940740065
Genre: SciFi
Rating: 1.3
Publisher Description: No one said time travel would be easy. Peter Cooper, a widowed father of two whose life is crumbling around him—until a bizarre encounter with a desperate Army general launches him on a risky mission: to go back to 1942 and change a moment in time.
Review: The first 30% is really slow as the “countdown” to departure nears. So slow as to be near maudlin in design. For instance, our two time travelers to be are whining about their training and are always seeking ways to go see people they shouldn’t. Of course they get caught at it, are reprimanded and that’s it. Cooper’s friends are abducted by the General because Cooper talked to them. Huh? If the General wanted to limit Cooper’s interaction to others once he was informed of a possible mission into the past, wouldn’t he have abducted Cooper’s kids as well? Why tell him the mission parameters in the first place? Get him interested first with the carrot (money), then sign a non-disclosure agreement (the stick), then brief him on the mission. If he says no then confine him to the base until the mission is over. But at no point during this process is he allowed to call or contact anyone. Additionally Cooper and Julie are given classified documents that they can take home and read at their leisure. Huh? The hiccups continue, when in 1942, Peter is able to break into the U.S. Mint and blackmail a guy into giving him some bronze pennies. Wha?
The story line was not that believable. The big question is why would Peter and Co. agree to go time traveling when there is no evidence presented that such a thing is possible? Additionally, the risk of losing his family is very high when he returns due to the temporal shift.
Even if you can get over the logic flaws in the story-line and the sometimes juvenile writing processes, the story line still moves sporadically and without tension.
Read this while waiting to get a bot fly larvae removed from your back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2015
I had echoes of Michael J. Sullivan's Hollow world with this book, but there were a few issues...
First, whether there were 7 or 8 days to go to the event, the author couldn't quite make up his mind. Then there were a handful of cludges, such as:
"moonlight cascaded through the partially open drapes, saving Peter from utter obscurity." It's dark, but is it really utter obscurity?
"he began to feel remorse for how he had acted. Regurgitating the information from Applegate, he..." Regurgitating? It can mean to repeat, yes, but there are plenty of other words.
"He smiled internally." He's alone, he can surely just smile? There's nobody to see!
The quotes in chapter 9 mysteriously revert to straights, not smarts, just for a bit.
On the second visit underground this guy decides not to use a map. he gets lost, so uses the map after all. The map was available to start with, there's no rationale given for him not using it.
"As he and Julie sat privately waltzing with the possibilities" is such an odd, odd phrase. I'm a man for metaphor,but to a point...
"It was the quintessential impulse purchase, but with so much going on with the mission, he’d felt he needed to record some of his thoughts." You can't have this both ways: either he bought it on an impulse, or thought about it beforehand.
The girl says "maybe." He rejoins, "Only if you promise." How on earth does that work?
Manstein's English is very good, until the author gives him a very erratic German accent. Weird.
There's a countdown; but it doesn't start at 10, or 5, or whatever. it starts... at 8.
A cow "churns" its cud. Every other cow I know chews.
"Dr. Epson passed him on the left, a look of passion and fear etched through his eyebrows, on his lips." Just, WTF?
And, a US military general uses a tape recorder to liberally edit an interview debriefing. In 2013. Seriously?
So if you can set all that aside, what you actually have here is one of those twiddle something in the Second World War and history changes stories. However, everything we are trying to affect corkscrews around a single character and nothing is done to show us any benefits the changes he's going for would have. Nor is any remotely plausible attempt made to tell us how the science works, or indeed why this guy is involved. there's an insanely idiotic subplot about pennies, gratuitous sex, considerable historical license and if the French is as bad as the English in some parts, I wouldn't be surprised.
First, whether there were 7 or 8 days to go to the event, the author couldn't quite make up his mind. Then there were a handful of cludges, such as:
"moonlight cascaded through the partially open drapes, saving Peter from utter obscurity." It's dark, but is it really utter obscurity?
"he began to feel remorse for how he had acted. Regurgitating the information from Applegate, he..." Regurgitating? It can mean to repeat, yes, but there are plenty of other words.
"He smiled internally." He's alone, he can surely just smile? There's nobody to see!
The quotes in chapter 9 mysteriously revert to straights, not smarts, just for a bit.
On the second visit underground this guy decides not to use a map. he gets lost, so uses the map after all. The map was available to start with, there's no rationale given for him not using it.
"As he and Julie sat privately waltzing with the possibilities" is such an odd, odd phrase. I'm a man for metaphor,but to a point...
"It was the quintessential impulse purchase, but with so much going on with the mission, he’d felt he needed to record some of his thoughts." You can't have this both ways: either he bought it on an impulse, or thought about it beforehand.
The girl says "maybe." He rejoins, "Only if you promise." How on earth does that work?
Manstein's English is very good, until the author gives him a very erratic German accent. Weird.
There's a countdown; but it doesn't start at 10, or 5, or whatever. it starts... at 8.
A cow "churns" its cud. Every other cow I know chews.
"Dr. Epson passed him on the left, a look of passion and fear etched through his eyebrows, on his lips." Just, WTF?
And, a US military general uses a tape recorder to liberally edit an interview debriefing. In 2013. Seriously?
So if you can set all that aside, what you actually have here is one of those twiddle something in the Second World War and history changes stories. However, everything we are trying to affect corkscrews around a single character and nothing is done to show us any benefits the changes he's going for would have. Nor is any remotely plausible attempt made to tell us how the science works, or indeed why this guy is involved. there's an insanely idiotic subplot about pennies, gratuitous sex, considerable historical license and if the French is as bad as the English in some parts, I wouldn't be surprised.
May 7, 2015
Loved it! Time travel is one of my fave genres and this one works! Read the story synopsis and it will pull you in. Read through the first chapter and you'll be hooked.
Recommended!
I received an e-ARC from the author. A review was requested but not required. This in no way affects the honest comments I have made in this review. It really is a lot of fun. Thanks!
Recommended!
I received an e-ARC from the author. A review was requested but not required. This in no way affects the honest comments I have made in this review. It really is a lot of fun. Thanks!
April 8, 2015
I liked very much this series. This is a particular kind of time travel novel with characters you will care of.
November 11, 2019
An unemployed widower with two children and financial problems, Peter Cooper in “Linear Shift” is offered a deal by Brigadier General Harrison Applegate that will get is life back on track. The mission if accepted will mean he has to travel back in time to 1942 France where he must destroy a document that will affect a military operation in WWII. Hesitant at first although the foreclosure of his house is imminent, and his kids are rebelling against any move away from the neighborhood Peter agrees and is thrust into a assignment with a team of two scientists and a beautiful woman that will have him travelling across time, searching for a mole, confronting the leader of a secret organization, being stalked by thugs and facing German aggression in France.
Fast-paced, action-packed and filled with mystery and intrigue in a well-written heart-stopping plot, Peter Cooper must keep his identity and the team’s secret to decrease changes in the future while uncovering the mole in Dr. Epson’s research lab, finishing the mission and returning to his own time. Intensity and suspense never stop building with the murder of two of Peter’s friends, General Applegate’s secretiveness, and as he and Julie Frey dodge pursuers and face a German attack in a village in France. With twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end the plot all too quickly progresses to a surprising ending.
Included among the compelling cast of characters that infuse the story with excitement, tension and high energy are Peter Cooper a down-on-his-luck architect who’s smart, perceptive and resourceful but has a tendency to drink to excess at times; attractive, feisty and clever Julie Frey who’s guarded about her past; the brilliant, work- obsessed Dr. Epson and his deceitful, disloyal assistant Michael Gallagher.
I thoroughly enjoyed “ Linear Shift”, a well-developed, thrilling time travel adventure, and hope this is not the first and last of Peter Cooper’s missions.
Fast-paced, action-packed and filled with mystery and intrigue in a well-written heart-stopping plot, Peter Cooper must keep his identity and the team’s secret to decrease changes in the future while uncovering the mole in Dr. Epson’s research lab, finishing the mission and returning to his own time. Intensity and suspense never stop building with the murder of two of Peter’s friends, General Applegate’s secretiveness, and as he and Julie Frey dodge pursuers and face a German attack in a village in France. With twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end the plot all too quickly progresses to a surprising ending.
Included among the compelling cast of characters that infuse the story with excitement, tension and high energy are Peter Cooper a down-on-his-luck architect who’s smart, perceptive and resourceful but has a tendency to drink to excess at times; attractive, feisty and clever Julie Frey who’s guarded about her past; the brilliant, work- obsessed Dr. Epson and his deceitful, disloyal assistant Michael Gallagher.
I thoroughly enjoyed “ Linear Shift”, a well-developed, thrilling time travel adventure, and hope this is not the first and last of Peter Cooper’s missions.
July 11, 2019
A thoroughly engrossing storyline
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Linear Shift! It’s a well written book with interesting characters that keeps you anxiously turning pages
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Linear Shift! It’s a well written book with interesting characters that keeps you anxiously turning pages
June 18, 2019
Fun read
Fun read taking you back to 1942. Makes you consider all the paradoxes that occur, not simply in changing the past and how timelines change from there, but are they the same when you return. Could make for a nightmare.
Fun read taking you back to 1942. Makes you consider all the paradoxes that occur, not simply in changing the past and how timelines change from there, but are they the same when you return. Could make for a nightmare.
September 8, 2016
Peter Cooper is a widower, has no work, has two teenage children to support and has just learned that his house is to be repossessed due to being behind with the mortgage payments. Then, out of the blue, an army general turns up on his doorstep and offers him a chance to get everything back on track. As is often the case, this is not without risk, but after considering the alternatives, Peter agrees to give it a try and even manages to provide for the children should it all go horribly wrong for him.
The (top secret) mission is to go back in time and correct a mistake that was made in 1942, something which could considerably shorten the war and save a lot of lives at the same time.
In the course of the book we are introduced to the team and see how Peter begins his training at a secret location. Here we get to meet Julie who is to partner Peter back to 1942 along with two scientists who are there to make sure they can get back to the present day. They know from reading doctor Epsons notes that there is someone on his staff who appears to be sabotaging the time machine which Epson has developed. All the theoretical work has been done, but the components are costly. Somehow, with every test, settings have been subtly altered and the most expensive components fail.
So, Peter and Julie have to get back to San Francisco in 1942 and sort out any problems there, arrange their transport to France, find their way through occupied territory, avoid capture, locate members of the resistance and intercept a vital message before coming back to San Francisco to return to the future. Not exactly peanuts! Add to all of that a mysterious organisation, various villains and quite a few characters whose allegiances and intentions are far from clear and you have all the elements of a first class story.
It is full of twists and surprises, the characters involved are very real and suffer from their fair share of human strengths and weaknesses. The book is well written and keeps you involved and wanting to know what will happen next.
I enjoy time travel novels, especially those which are as well written as this one. Paul Kohler is a very accomplished writer and knows how to put a good story together. I thought that I'd come across just about all the ideas about time travel but he has managed to find a couple of new angles.
This is a totally honest review of a copy which I received from the author.
The (top secret) mission is to go back in time and correct a mistake that was made in 1942, something which could considerably shorten the war and save a lot of lives at the same time.
In the course of the book we are introduced to the team and see how Peter begins his training at a secret location. Here we get to meet Julie who is to partner Peter back to 1942 along with two scientists who are there to make sure they can get back to the present day. They know from reading doctor Epsons notes that there is someone on his staff who appears to be sabotaging the time machine which Epson has developed. All the theoretical work has been done, but the components are costly. Somehow, with every test, settings have been subtly altered and the most expensive components fail.
So, Peter and Julie have to get back to San Francisco in 1942 and sort out any problems there, arrange their transport to France, find their way through occupied territory, avoid capture, locate members of the resistance and intercept a vital message before coming back to San Francisco to return to the future. Not exactly peanuts! Add to all of that a mysterious organisation, various villains and quite a few characters whose allegiances and intentions are far from clear and you have all the elements of a first class story.
It is full of twists and surprises, the characters involved are very real and suffer from their fair share of human strengths and weaknesses. The book is well written and keeps you involved and wanting to know what will happen next.
I enjoy time travel novels, especially those which are as well written as this one. Paul Kohler is a very accomplished writer and knows how to put a good story together. I thought that I'd come across just about all the ideas about time travel but he has managed to find a couple of new angles.
This is a totally honest review of a copy which I received from the author.
May 22, 2015
“Linear Shift” eBook was published in 2015 and was written by Paul B. Kohler (http://paul-kohler.net). This is Mr. Kohler’s first novel.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are a few instances of Mature Language and Mature Situations. This Science Fiction/Time Travel novel is set in contemporary times as well as in the 1940s, mostly in San Francisco and France.
The main character is Peter Cooper. Cooper is unemployed, drinks too much, is a widower and has two children still at home. He has many bills and is about to loose his home when he is approached by General Applegate, whom he vaguely remembers from his enlistment in the Army many years earlier.
Applegate recruits Cooper to join in a secret mission. A mission that will take Cooper and three others back in time to 1942. The mission is planned to slightly alter the timeline and shorten World War II. A secret society, the Global Nation Initiative, is aware of work on time travel and have been doing their best for decades to see that research into time travel is not successful. But the Society would like to see World War II end sooner.
I found the plot to be very interesting and different. Unfortunately I found the story to be a little on the dull side with some facets of the story difficult to accept, such as the trip by steamer from New York to an occupied France, then back. There were many sub plots, not all of which were really addressed in this story. Perhaps they are the seeds for a sequel. So many things happened to Cooper and his fellow travelers that the contemporary time line would be heavily disrupted. I felt that this novel had far more potential than resulted with the end product. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained a galley of this novel for review through https://www.netgalley.com. I would categorize this novel as ‘PG’ as there are a few instances of Mature Language and Mature Situations. This Science Fiction/Time Travel novel is set in contemporary times as well as in the 1940s, mostly in San Francisco and France.
The main character is Peter Cooper. Cooper is unemployed, drinks too much, is a widower and has two children still at home. He has many bills and is about to loose his home when he is approached by General Applegate, whom he vaguely remembers from his enlistment in the Army many years earlier.
Applegate recruits Cooper to join in a secret mission. A mission that will take Cooper and three others back in time to 1942. The mission is planned to slightly alter the timeline and shorten World War II. A secret society, the Global Nation Initiative, is aware of work on time travel and have been doing their best for decades to see that research into time travel is not successful. But the Society would like to see World War II end sooner.
I found the plot to be very interesting and different. Unfortunately I found the story to be a little on the dull side with some facets of the story difficult to accept, such as the trip by steamer from New York to an occupied France, then back. There were many sub plots, not all of which were really addressed in this story. Perhaps they are the seeds for a sequel. So many things happened to Cooper and his fellow travelers that the contemporary time line would be heavily disrupted. I felt that this novel had far more potential than resulted with the end product. I give this novel a 3.5 (rounded up to 4) out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
August 18, 2016
Linear Shift by Paul B. Kohler, published by Global Endeavor is intriguing. I gave it four stars. This segment deals primarily with character development.
In 1942 Doctor Bernard Epson is studying time travel. Michael Gallagher is his assistant who's loyalties lie with the Society. He had been subtly sabotaging the experiments. Miss Stewart works with them both to remind them to eat when they get preoccupied with their project.
Peter Cooper's wife Minnie was killed in a car accident. He is dealing with Brett, his son & Tori, his daughter. They're both teenagers. He had to trade in their Mercedes for an older Chevrolet Van. His house is in foreclosure & they have to move.
"He pulled out the bottle of Glenfiddich and two glasses. He returned to his seat and poured out two fingers each. “Peter, this is not the answer to your problems,” said the General as he took the glass from Peter.
“It might not be the answer, but it might help ease the process.”
A group from 2013 traveled to the past & met Dr. Epson. They planned to stay several months to do research. Epson was upset because he believed any of their actions could alter the future in a catastrophic way.
I look forward to reading Linear Shift, Part 2.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Linear-Shift-Pa...
In 1942 Doctor Bernard Epson is studying time travel. Michael Gallagher is his assistant who's loyalties lie with the Society. He had been subtly sabotaging the experiments. Miss Stewart works with them both to remind them to eat when they get preoccupied with their project.
Peter Cooper's wife Minnie was killed in a car accident. He is dealing with Brett, his son & Tori, his daughter. They're both teenagers. He had to trade in their Mercedes for an older Chevrolet Van. His house is in foreclosure & they have to move.
"He pulled out the bottle of Glenfiddich and two glasses. He returned to his seat and poured out two fingers each. “Peter, this is not the answer to your problems,” said the General as he took the glass from Peter.
“It might not be the answer, but it might help ease the process.”
A group from 2013 traveled to the past & met Dr. Epson. They planned to stay several months to do research. Epson was upset because he believed any of their actions could alter the future in a catastrophic way.
I look forward to reading Linear Shift, Part 2.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/Linear-Shift-Pa...
April 18, 2015
I love a well-written time travel novel and this story did not disappoint. The writing pulled me into the story quickly and once there I just could not stop reading.
The primary protagonist, Peter, is sometimes a bit difficult to like – occasionally coming off overly sarcastic and brash. However, as an unemployed widowed father of two precocious teens, struggling financially, I tried my best to give him some slack. There were other times, especially when he was interacting patiently and lovingly with his kids, that I felt he always tried his best to guide them; subtlety shaping their young minds in positive ways.
There is suspense and mystery as Peter and his team train for their mission and learn more about the jobs they have been tasked with. The author kept the story flowing well and kept the tension tight to the end.
The characters provided interesting personality contrasts and all had hidden agendas. Sometimes the agendas clashed with the mission objectives, sometimes people made surprising decisions; helping or hindering at unexpected times. All in all, it is an entertaining, thought-provoking, and fun read. I was left content and smiling when I finished it.
I received this book through the Kindle Unlimited program on Amazon.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
The primary protagonist, Peter, is sometimes a bit difficult to like – occasionally coming off overly sarcastic and brash. However, as an unemployed widowed father of two precocious teens, struggling financially, I tried my best to give him some slack. There were other times, especially when he was interacting patiently and lovingly with his kids, that I felt he always tried his best to guide them; subtlety shaping their young minds in positive ways.
There is suspense and mystery as Peter and his team train for their mission and learn more about the jobs they have been tasked with. The author kept the story flowing well and kept the tension tight to the end.
The characters provided interesting personality contrasts and all had hidden agendas. Sometimes the agendas clashed with the mission objectives, sometimes people made surprising decisions; helping or hindering at unexpected times. All in all, it is an entertaining, thought-provoking, and fun read. I was left content and smiling when I finished it.
I received this book through the Kindle Unlimited program on Amazon.
Reviewed by Laurie-J
April 3, 2015
Kindle Copy for Review from author
Peter Cooper a widow with two children finds his world falling apart. Jobless and about to lose his house, he is not sure what to do as his kids ignores him as well.
Things quickly changes as he meets a strange Army general who offers him money to pay his bills for his a risky mission to go back in time. To go back to 1942 and change a moment in time, which will effect World War II.
Before he leaves he ends up telling his best friend and a female friend who ends up being hostage in the basement where he is daily does research for his mission since he was not supposed to mention to anyone of this mission.
Things are not what it seems as knowledge is kept secret until they start the mission. Time travel could have been found in 1942 but due to people not wanting it known it was being sabotage. As the group enters the past, they must minimize their footprints since whatever they do will affect the present.
We watch as things do not go as plan as lives are threatened. One wrong little shift can make their return improbable. A fascinating look of what can go wrong on going back in time.
Peter Cooper a widow with two children finds his world falling apart. Jobless and about to lose his house, he is not sure what to do as his kids ignores him as well.
Things quickly changes as he meets a strange Army general who offers him money to pay his bills for his a risky mission to go back in time. To go back to 1942 and change a moment in time, which will effect World War II.
Before he leaves he ends up telling his best friend and a female friend who ends up being hostage in the basement where he is daily does research for his mission since he was not supposed to mention to anyone of this mission.
Things are not what it seems as knowledge is kept secret until they start the mission. Time travel could have been found in 1942 but due to people not wanting it known it was being sabotage. As the group enters the past, they must minimize their footprints since whatever they do will affect the present.
We watch as things do not go as plan as lives are threatened. One wrong little shift can make their return improbable. A fascinating look of what can go wrong on going back in time.
April 30, 2015
Linear Shift by Paul B. Kohler
Peter Cooper is a widowed father. He is having financial problems, his children are distant, he seems to be losing everything. Then an Army General confronts him with a bizarre and unbelievable offer. He wants Peter to go back in time, to 1942 and change a moment (during that) time.
There is also the chance this can change the end of World War II. But Peter has no idea what he will return to. Is he willing to take the risk? Peter seems to have an offer he can't refuse.
I liked Peter, the problems he faced in real time, and the past were not easy. He has difficult choices to make. Knowing his choices could alter the future made the story intense. Going back to 1942 in occupied France really added to the suspense.
The story is well written, the plot is original and moves at an even pace. I liked the mix of drama, thriller, suspense, fast action and a touch of romance. Overall I really enjoyed Linear Shift and feel those who like a great time travel, will enjoy it as well.
Peter Cooper is a widowed father. He is having financial problems, his children are distant, he seems to be losing everything. Then an Army General confronts him with a bizarre and unbelievable offer. He wants Peter to go back in time, to 1942 and change a moment (during that) time.
There is also the chance this can change the end of World War II. But Peter has no idea what he will return to. Is he willing to take the risk? Peter seems to have an offer he can't refuse.
I liked Peter, the problems he faced in real time, and the past were not easy. He has difficult choices to make. Knowing his choices could alter the future made the story intense. Going back to 1942 in occupied France really added to the suspense.
The story is well written, the plot is original and moves at an even pace. I liked the mix of drama, thriller, suspense, fast action and a touch of romance. Overall I really enjoyed Linear Shift and feel those who like a great time travel, will enjoy it as well.
July 6, 2015
I’m a sucker for time travel stories. When I saw this on NetGalley, I had to read it. Linear Shift marries historical fiction with time travel sci-fi in a paradoxical look at governments, time, and history.
The ultimate ending was woefully predictable, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the read. Fans of intrigue, war, and conspiracies will enjoy this story. The historical aspect wasn’t as detailed as say a book by Harry Turtledove, but sometimes Turtledove lays it on pretty thick. There is enough history to give the story context, but not enough to bog the reader down.
I did find the villainous organization policing the timeline to be clichéd, as was the General that recruited the protagonist. The story did have a long beginning that at times had me wondering where the action was, but the investment in part one pays off in the rest of the book.
When deciding what star rating to give this, I couldn’t decide between four or five stars. I don’t give fractional star ratings, so I’m going to be generous and award five stars. Read Linear Shift.
The ultimate ending was woefully predictable, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the read. Fans of intrigue, war, and conspiracies will enjoy this story. The historical aspect wasn’t as detailed as say a book by Harry Turtledove, but sometimes Turtledove lays it on pretty thick. There is enough history to give the story context, but not enough to bog the reader down.
I did find the villainous organization policing the timeline to be clichéd, as was the General that recruited the protagonist. The story did have a long beginning that at times had me wondering where the action was, but the investment in part one pays off in the rest of the book.
When deciding what star rating to give this, I couldn’t decide between four or five stars. I don’t give fractional star ratings, so I’m going to be generous and award five stars. Read Linear Shift.
February 24, 2017
OVERSOLD
There are how many books in this series? Ten?
Judging from the writing, predictability of characters and plot, and the stilted dialogue and narrative style, not to mention the ninth-grade vocabulary and obvious use of a thesaurus to keep from replicating word choices, the author is angling for a cable TV series!
The blurbs for this initial book in the series vastly oversell the capacity of this author to engage any but a young adult reader, and that is how this book should be positioned, in my opinion. It harkens back to my first attraction and experiences in the spec fiction genre, back in the early 1960s, when I couldn't get enough of this stuff, but Linear Shift even pales in comparison to Heinlein's YA bibliography.
I lasted through about 2/3 of this novel before setting it aside. I don't plan on getting back to it anytime soon, if at all. I wish to be challenged, and this doesn't provide that important attribute of good fiction.
There are how many books in this series? Ten?
Judging from the writing, predictability of characters and plot, and the stilted dialogue and narrative style, not to mention the ninth-grade vocabulary and obvious use of a thesaurus to keep from replicating word choices, the author is angling for a cable TV series!
The blurbs for this initial book in the series vastly oversell the capacity of this author to engage any but a young adult reader, and that is how this book should be positioned, in my opinion. It harkens back to my first attraction and experiences in the spec fiction genre, back in the early 1960s, when I couldn't get enough of this stuff, but Linear Shift even pales in comparison to Heinlein's YA bibliography.
I lasted through about 2/3 of this novel before setting it aside. I don't plan on getting back to it anytime soon, if at all. I wish to be challenged, and this doesn't provide that important attribute of good fiction.
April 15, 2015
Something happened back in 1942, and now Peter Cooper, who has lost his wife in a tragic accident and is raising his 2 children alone, is called on to find something from the past. General Applegate appears one day to inform Peter that he has to travel back in time to retrieve something from the past. I enjoyed this tim traveling suspense. I was lucky to get this edition which combined the series and made for a continuous read. The author added in a lot of background information and it took me a few chapters to get into the story, but felt this an interesting read.
May 3, 2015
One of the best books i have ever read.. Everything went smoothly and consistently creating curiosity..
Linear Shift is a fantastic book. I can't put into words how much I adored it. If you love a Mystery/Thriller , read Linear Shift.
I went into this book thinking "oh, this seems like it will be a nice story." And, wow, this book exceed my expectations and blow me away. This smartly written, thought-provoking novel is a must read for any fan of fiction.
5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!
Linear Shift is a fantastic book. I can't put into words how much I adored it. If you love a Mystery/Thriller , read Linear Shift.
I went into this book thinking "oh, this seems like it will be a nice story." And, wow, this book exceed my expectations and blow me away. This smartly written, thought-provoking novel is a must read for any fan of fiction.
5/5
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!
April 7, 2015
This is a wonderful adventure of time travel. The tale starts with a low point in Peter Cooper’s life. He is offered a job like no other, and then is thrown into a mysterious journey. I enjoyed the delightful characters, the highs, low, twists and turns, as Peter transforms into a brilliant man. The second half explodes with excitement. Linear Shift is a pleasure to read.
I received an advanced copy of Linear Shift… but previously purchased the prior parts separately.
I received an advanced copy of Linear Shift… but previously purchased the prior parts separately.
January 17, 2017
I didn't enjoy this book. It didn't make much sense to me. I like sci fi and time travel books but this just rambled on and some of the character's actions were beyond credibility.
May 29, 2019
I'm giving it two stars simply because I'm a sucker for time travel stories; even the tired, "go back to WWII and fix it" stories... but Holy Hanna this thing borders on retarded.
I can't tell if it was written BY a ninth grader or FOR a ninth grader. There are so many little, eye-rolling, "why would anyone do or think this way?" moments that by about the halfway mark, I was continuing on with the story just out of morbid curiosity as to what these idiotic characters would do or get upset about next.
Moments that should be big or momentous are barely a footnote, moments that should be a passing thought or mundane action take three pages. For what should be a fairly complex storyline, I was continuously shaking my head at the child-like simplicity of almost everything: emotions, actions, dialogue, science, action, relationships, settings, time (as in, the pacing of the book), etc. etc.
Had I read this when I was in sixth grade I probably would've loved it.
I can't tell if it was written BY a ninth grader or FOR a ninth grader. There are so many little, eye-rolling, "why would anyone do or think this way?" moments that by about the halfway mark, I was continuing on with the story just out of morbid curiosity as to what these idiotic characters would do or get upset about next.
Moments that should be big or momentous are barely a footnote, moments that should be a passing thought or mundane action take three pages. For what should be a fairly complex storyline, I was continuously shaking my head at the child-like simplicity of almost everything: emotions, actions, dialogue, science, action, relationships, settings, time (as in, the pacing of the book), etc. etc.
Had I read this when I was in sixth grade I probably would've loved it.
January 24, 2021
What a mess!
OK, the basic idea behind this story is a good one. But the wordiness ND poor word choices were very tiring. The main character is a complete jerk. He's a sloppy drunk who nearly jeopardizes the important mission he's been selected for by talking about top secret highly confidential matters with a drinking buddy. He is supposed to be a very intelligent man but acts like a moody adolescent.
Then there's the part of the book that takes place in wartorn France in 1942. The attempts at French and German dialog are laughable. The description of a German military car as a jeep is beyond ridiculous. The book is just so clumsy... I would have given it 1 star but actually finished reading it because I had to see where it would end up. So that counts for something.
OK, the basic idea behind this story is a good one. But the wordiness ND poor word choices were very tiring. The main character is a complete jerk. He's a sloppy drunk who nearly jeopardizes the important mission he's been selected for by talking about top secret highly confidential matters with a drinking buddy. He is supposed to be a very intelligent man but acts like a moody adolescent.
Then there's the part of the book that takes place in wartorn France in 1942. The attempts at French and German dialog are laughable. The description of a German military car as a jeep is beyond ridiculous. The book is just so clumsy... I would have given it 1 star but actually finished reading it because I had to see where it would end up. So that counts for something.
May 10, 2019
The language is 10th grade, the main character is dumb, there are so many logic holes ... In the first few pages we meet a general who a few promotions and about 20 years ago was a staff sergeant. The main character had scored 94 on a test to enter the army where passing is 31 and is made assistant cook.
It goes on like this.
It goes on like this.
February 16, 2021
Peter sees his life turning for the worst.
His wife died a few years ago and he is raising two children in his own. He has lost his job and his house is in foreclosure.
A general shows up at his doorstep and offer a Peter a chance to time travel back to 1942 on a mission.
This book ends with Peter agreeing to the mission
His wife died a few years ago and he is raising two children in his own. He has lost his job and his house is in foreclosure.
A general shows up at his doorstep and offer a Peter a chance to time travel back to 1942 on a mission.
This book ends with Peter agreeing to the mission
January 6, 2017
This is a reasonably competent adventure story that involved travel through time. I liked, but did not love, the characters. The prose is good, but not great.
I read the story because it was billed as a time travel story. I really didn't feel that the novel exploited the concept of time travel all that well. I did not find anything that was new or novel in the story. I have very high expectations for world building in such novels, but this novel did not seem to have fully worked out its notion of how time travel worked. Indeed the novel raised a couple of questions about time travel that it did not answer.
The first question that it raised but did not answer involved what happens when the protagonist attempts to change the timeline. There is a scene in the book where the protagonist starts to change the timeline, then seems to shift into an alternate timeline for a few minutes and then shifts back into the original timeline. This only happened once. It seems to have had no effect on the subsequent plot other than to raise the level of anxiety in the protagonist. There is no explanation of the mechanism involved. As I read the rest of the book, I kept waiting for this type of situation to repeat itself or to be explained. I was left wondering, what was going on here?
The second question that the novel raised but did not answer involved how the antagonist organization knew what the protagonist was going to do. There are several instances where the antagonists show up unexpectedly at a place and time to bedevil the protagonist. The narration of the story strongly implies that the antagonists have some form of advanced knowledge; otherwise, how could they know where to show up. This is not strange in a time travel story, but the antagonists are never shown to have any access to time travel technology. Inquiring minds want to know how they got that information, but the novel never answers that question.
A quick read at a reasonable price.
I read the story because it was billed as a time travel story. I really didn't feel that the novel exploited the concept of time travel all that well. I did not find anything that was new or novel in the story. I have very high expectations for world building in such novels, but this novel did not seem to have fully worked out its notion of how time travel worked. Indeed the novel raised a couple of questions about time travel that it did not answer.
The first question that it raised but did not answer involved what happens when the protagonist attempts to change the timeline. There is a scene in the book where the protagonist starts to change the timeline, then seems to shift into an alternate timeline for a few minutes and then shifts back into the original timeline. This only happened once. It seems to have had no effect on the subsequent plot other than to raise the level of anxiety in the protagonist. There is no explanation of the mechanism involved. As I read the rest of the book, I kept waiting for this type of situation to repeat itself or to be explained. I was left wondering, what was going on here?
The second question that the novel raised but did not answer involved how the antagonist organization knew what the protagonist was going to do. There are several instances where the antagonists show up unexpectedly at a place and time to bedevil the protagonist. The narration of the story strongly implies that the antagonists have some form of advanced knowledge; otherwise, how could they know where to show up. This is not strange in a time travel story, but the antagonists are never shown to have any access to time travel technology. Inquiring minds want to know how they got that information, but the novel never answers that question.
A quick read at a reasonable price.
January 24, 2017
decent time travel story
This story is just okay. The reality is that a man who has experienced the loss of his wife and the loss of his job and the coming loss of his home would never risk losing his children, especially a 45% chance. He doesn't even trust the government agency hiring him.. And his training attempts are so poor and his language skills so dismal, wht wouldn't they prefer a government or military agent for the job? Someone smart and committed, not just some desperate and depressed guy?
This story is just okay. The reality is that a man who has experienced the loss of his wife and the loss of his job and the coming loss of his home would never risk losing his children, especially a 45% chance. He doesn't even trust the government agency hiring him.. And his training attempts are so poor and his language skills so dismal, wht wouldn't they prefer a government or military agent for the job? Someone smart and committed, not just some desperate and depressed guy?
July 29, 2015
I love the idea of time travel, and this book had a good basic story but would benefit enormously from a thorough editing. Apart from the fact that at the end I still didn't know why Peter was chosen for this mission, nor why he agreed to go on it, there are many odd word choices, clumsy sentences, and inconsistencies which often distract the reader.
Reviewed in exchange for a preview copy.
Reviewed in exchange for a preview copy.
January 4, 2017
1942 Back in time.
They had to go back in time. They could change not how the war ended, but they could end it sooner. But then things started changing around them. Did they change the future? Did their life's also change? Would they be alive.
They had to go back in time. They could change not how the war ended, but they could end it sooner. But then things started changing around them. Did they change the future? Did their life's also change? Would they be alive.
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