What do you think?
Rate this book
The Visitor
On a rural Georgia farm in 1899, a lazy summer afternoon is interrupted by the arrival of a man claiming to be from the future. The stranger intended to provide the nation's forefathers with a letter detailing future events that lead to the demise of America in the 21st Century, but ending up in the wrong place at the wrong time, he has no choice but to leave the letter with the farmer.
Although no one ever believed the farmer's story about the visitor, he's afforded one last opportunity to recount the event with Theodore Garfield, a reporter for a local newspaper. But like everyone else, Theodore rejects the farmer's story and dismisses the letter's ominous warnings, including the prediction that America's gradual collapse will begin with the murder of a future American president named John F. Kennedy.
Years later, Theodore's encounter with the farmer is all but forgotten until a young senator named Kennedy is elected president. With the old farmer and his letter now long gone, will Theodore Garfield be able to prevent one of the most tragic days in American history?
Although no one ever believed the farmer's story about the visitor, he's afforded one last opportunity to recount the event with Theodore Garfield, a reporter for a local newspaper. But like everyone else, Theodore rejects the farmer's story and dismisses the letter's ominous warnings, including the prediction that America's gradual collapse will begin with the murder of a future American president named John F. Kennedy.
Years later, Theodore's encounter with the farmer is all but forgotten until a young senator named Kennedy is elected president. With the old farmer and his letter now long gone, will Theodore Garfield be able to prevent one of the most tragic days in American history?
57 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2015
About the author
J.L. Pattison
7 books31 followersJ.L. Pattison is the author of suspenseful contemporary speculative fiction for modern-day thought criminals.
J.L. Pattison won Libertopia’s “Best Libertarian Fiction” award two years in a row, and his uniquely clever tales with twist endings have garnered him favorable comparisons to Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, and M. Night Shyamalan. His latest book, The Monster In The Well, is now available.
Connect with J.L. Pattison via ChainBush (his version of LinkTree): https://jlpattison.wordpress.com/conn...
J.L. Pattison won Libertopia’s “Best Libertarian Fiction” award two years in a row, and his uniquely clever tales with twist endings have garnered him favorable comparisons to Ray Bradbury, Rod Serling, and M. Night Shyamalan. His latest book, The Monster In The Well, is now available.
Connect with J.L. Pattison via ChainBush (his version of LinkTree): https://jlpattison.wordpress.com/conn...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 28, 2016
Thanks to the author for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
What if we knew everything or anything about our future? We would certainly try to alter and reconstruct it the way we want.
This short story has been compared to Twilight Zone a lot but I have never watched it or didn't even know it existed. I'm a lover of sci-fi books and I haven't read many of the books about time-travel but I have always been fascinated by the idea so when the author approached me to read his story, I couldn't refuse.
The story starts when Leroy Jenkins meets a man in his field who has appeared out of nowhere. According to him, he's a time traveler and is accidently transported to a wrong place at a wrong time. He knows everything that's going to happen in the future and he hands over the task of preventing all those events - including World Wars, the assassination of President Kennedy - from happening to Leroy.
This story has a lot of American History. Half of which I was already familiar with but I didn't know the exact history - I'm not an American. Anyway, it doesn't really matter if you're an American or not because you'll understand everything easily.
This story consists of 31 pages and it took me less than half an hour to finish it. I love how the author has captured everything so perfectly in only 30 pages. I was really surprised the way the author has penned the whole story in only 30 pages. The pace was moderate and the writing praise-worthy. I'm glad that I got the chance to read this book because I enjoyed immensely and I recommend it to everyone especially the fans of sci-fi and time travel books.
What if we knew everything or anything about our future? We would certainly try to alter and reconstruct it the way we want.
This short story has been compared to Twilight Zone a lot but I have never watched it or didn't even know it existed. I'm a lover of sci-fi books and I haven't read many of the books about time-travel but I have always been fascinated by the idea so when the author approached me to read his story, I couldn't refuse.
The story starts when Leroy Jenkins meets a man in his field who has appeared out of nowhere. According to him, he's a time traveler and is accidently transported to a wrong place at a wrong time. He knows everything that's going to happen in the future and he hands over the task of preventing all those events - including World Wars, the assassination of President Kennedy - from happening to Leroy.
This story has a lot of American History. Half of which I was already familiar with but I didn't know the exact history - I'm not an American. Anyway, it doesn't really matter if you're an American or not because you'll understand everything easily.
This story consists of 31 pages and it took me less than half an hour to finish it. I love how the author has captured everything so perfectly in only 30 pages. I was really surprised the way the author has penned the whole story in only 30 pages. The pace was moderate and the writing praise-worthy. I'm glad that I got the chance to read this book because I enjoyed immensely and I recommend it to everyone especially the fans of sci-fi and time travel books.
November 18, 2015
Disclaimer: This book was sent to me by the author, J. L. Pattison, for an honest review.
Opinion: This is a wonderfully paced and written short story that surrounds the idea of what man might do if he was given a glimpse into the future. I am not huge on science fiction, and admittedly I do not read many short stories, but I found The Visitor rather entertaining and it left me with my mind reeling. I have found that if a story or book can keep you thinking after you have put it down, then there is something special to it.
This short story starts out with a farmer named Leroy coming into contact with a man in his cornfield, who claims he was from the future. He explains to Leroy that he had attempted to go back in time to warn the founding fathers of the mistakes that would be made in America in the ongoing years, in an attempt to change history. Years later, Leroy attempts to convince a local reporter by the name of Theodore of the events that happened the day he met the stranger and that many events that were listed in the letter had come true. After Leroy passes the letter on to Theodore, who hardly believes the claims that Leroy has made, Theodore must decide what to do.
We have all watched/read many works that deal with time travel and characters wanting to change events of history, but of course the main premise is always a variation of someone yelling “DON’T CHANGE THE PAST”. The idea of taking the standard Hollywood time travel plot and spinning it to make the reader think about the possibilities of how you can improve history is rather genius in its simplicity. Characters always want to change personal bad things that have happened or natural disasters, but it doesn’t seem like the focus is ever on changing history to improve mankind. I found this to be a new concept for this genre and actually left me pondering what I would change if I could go back and warn others.
Overall, a very thoughtful and entertaining read. The writing and pace was perfect, there wasn’t too much speeding through the story and there were no points where it was being dragged on. I enjoyed that instead of the author blatantly writing into the story how many years had passed (ex: 25 YEARS LATER…), he tied the information into the story so it flowed easily and kept the reader on their toes. I found this very enjoyable and though provoking, you guys should give it a try!
August 19, 2015
Read this review along with others on my blog by following this link: https://bibliomad.wordpress.com/
Yesterday, I was e-approached by the wonderful author, J.L Pattison, of this short story. He is an independent author, who has spent the last 15 months working to publish his very first story, The Visitor. I am honoured to be approached by such a fantastic writer, and also very happy to know that he is a fellow blogger, also.
I have always been very interested in novels relating to time travel, especially those regarding historical aspects, too. However, I have never been very encouraged to pick up a novel of this genre, in fear it may not interest me as much as I'd hoped. Pattison's ability to craft a story like this in just 7000 words is astounding, captivating, and essentially everything you could ever want in a full novel, just shorter. This was perfect for me, because it is a short story, and thus supplies the premise and content of a lengthy time-travel book, without being too long, or boring at any moment. I read this is half an hour - half an hour well spent - and was completely engrossed in the storyline, that when I saw "The End." at the bottom of the page, my heart dropped, for I was truly sad the story had finished.
Generally, I love what Pattison has achieved through this short story; in just 30 pages, Pattison made me question society and it's ultimate naivety, as well as exemplifying the ever-present predatory nature of humanity. In basing this story around past events, he uses dramatic irony to display how dewy-eyed many people have been in the past, and will continue to be in the future. All characters do not believe the worst could happen, which is so baffling to us as the reader, for it already has.
I could lie and say 7000 words wasn't enough, yet, frankly, it was. This book is a short burst, a quick snippet into the lives of 3 people, almost like a behind-the-scenes video clip on past historical events. This book was the perfect length, for it succeeded in everything it set out to: it interested me, captivated me, and concluded on a cliff-hanger so as to ensure you leave with questions. Don't get me wrong here - it's good that I've left with questions. They are not questions about the book, or the character's fates, but are instead inner questions about my personal morals, and outer questions about the overall morals of society. I have no questions for the fates of the characters, for I don't care for them, nor do I think I should; this is less a short story crafted to invest you in the characters, and more a social calling for change, so as to prevent Pattison's predictions coming true.
Yesterday, I was e-approached by the wonderful author, J.L Pattison, of this short story. He is an independent author, who has spent the last 15 months working to publish his very first story, The Visitor. I am honoured to be approached by such a fantastic writer, and also very happy to know that he is a fellow blogger, also.
I have always been very interested in novels relating to time travel, especially those regarding historical aspects, too. However, I have never been very encouraged to pick up a novel of this genre, in fear it may not interest me as much as I'd hoped. Pattison's ability to craft a story like this in just 7000 words is astounding, captivating, and essentially everything you could ever want in a full novel, just shorter. This was perfect for me, because it is a short story, and thus supplies the premise and content of a lengthy time-travel book, without being too long, or boring at any moment. I read this is half an hour - half an hour well spent - and was completely engrossed in the storyline, that when I saw "The End." at the bottom of the page, my heart dropped, for I was truly sad the story had finished.
Generally, I love what Pattison has achieved through this short story; in just 30 pages, Pattison made me question society and it's ultimate naivety, as well as exemplifying the ever-present predatory nature of humanity. In basing this story around past events, he uses dramatic irony to display how dewy-eyed many people have been in the past, and will continue to be in the future. All characters do not believe the worst could happen, which is so baffling to us as the reader, for it already has.
I could lie and say 7000 words wasn't enough, yet, frankly, it was. This book is a short burst, a quick snippet into the lives of 3 people, almost like a behind-the-scenes video clip on past historical events. This book was the perfect length, for it succeeded in everything it set out to: it interested me, captivated me, and concluded on a cliff-hanger so as to ensure you leave with questions. Don't get me wrong here - it's good that I've left with questions. They are not questions about the book, or the character's fates, but are instead inner questions about my personal morals, and outer questions about the overall morals of society. I have no questions for the fates of the characters, for I don't care for them, nor do I think I should; this is less a short story crafted to invest you in the characters, and more a social calling for change, so as to prevent Pattison's predictions coming true.
October 24, 2016
OVERALL OPINION
For a short story, it packs a punch. The story flowed well--no jarring elements--and the author used some interesting techniques that I felt strengthened the story overall. (More on that under THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED) Without spoiling the ending, I'll say that it resolves but not perhaps in the way that you would hope, though in a way that feels realistic and believable.
THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
In the beginning, the writing is a little adjective-heavy, but once the story picks up its pace, the writing feels clean and fine-tuned. The little we know about the time traveler, why he went back in time, and how he showed up in the corn field felt just a little vague and cliche (steals his boss's time machine but loses control somehow and ends up in the wrong time). It would probably feel less cliche if this part of the story had been just a little more developed.
THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED
It makes you think. There are events happening today and societal norms today that our Founding Fathers must have thought, "That could never happen in our America." Through the story, characters struggle with the same disbelief and it becomes their--and the nation's--undoing. You come away from the story sober and thoughtful.
I enjoyed the technique of almost never showing the mysterious Mr. Blair "onscreen." He remains someone that you only know through the other characters and that helps him to retain his atmosphere of mystery and suspense. This technique also helped keep the pace moving forward and avoided redundancies in the story.
Overall, I'd recommend this short story for speculative fiction readers who appreciate books that challenge the political and societal status quo.
For a short story, it packs a punch. The story flowed well--no jarring elements--and the author used some interesting techniques that I felt strengthened the story overall. (More on that under THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED) Without spoiling the ending, I'll say that it resolves but not perhaps in the way that you would hope, though in a way that feels realistic and believable.
THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
In the beginning, the writing is a little adjective-heavy, but once the story picks up its pace, the writing feels clean and fine-tuned. The little we know about the time traveler, why he went back in time, and how he showed up in the corn field felt just a little vague and cliche (steals his boss's time machine but loses control somehow and ends up in the wrong time). It would probably feel less cliche if this part of the story had been just a little more developed.
THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED
It makes you think. There are events happening today and societal norms today that our Founding Fathers must have thought, "That could never happen in our America." Through the story, characters struggle with the same disbelief and it becomes their--and the nation's--undoing. You come away from the story sober and thoughtful.
I enjoyed the technique of almost never showing the mysterious Mr. Blair "onscreen." He remains someone that you only know through the other characters and that helps him to retain his atmosphere of mystery and suspense. This technique also helped keep the pace moving forward and avoided redundancies in the story.
Overall, I'd recommend this short story for speculative fiction readers who appreciate books that challenge the political and societal status quo.
September 5, 2015
An excellent short story.
Imagine if you had all the answers to the future and did not believe it yourself and imagine that when you finally believe it, it is too late for you to do something about it. Imagine the regret you would feel and trying to tell someone that information to still change the future and they do not believe it either.
If the Twilight Zone still existed, this short story would be an episode, it is that good. J.L. Pattison has managed to pull off believable mundane characters in a short story and it is the focus on his characters that makes this an enjoyable read.
The Visitor is great read and it renews my love for the short story. I highly recommend this story. I look forward to more in the future.
Imagine if you had all the answers to the future and did not believe it yourself and imagine that when you finally believe it, it is too late for you to do something about it. Imagine the regret you would feel and trying to tell someone that information to still change the future and they do not believe it either.
If the Twilight Zone still existed, this short story would be an episode, it is that good. J.L. Pattison has managed to pull off believable mundane characters in a short story and it is the focus on his characters that makes this an enjoyable read.
The Visitor is great read and it renews my love for the short story. I highly recommend this story. I look forward to more in the future.
October 22, 2016
I love time travel novels. It was this that attracted me to this short story. The plot was also another factor, of course. Usually a time travel novel has its plot designed to alter history and its events. Such is the case with The Visitor. The author has a fascination with the assassination of President John F Kennedy and this is very nicely portrayed through the main character and the plot. It draws you in and you find yourself accepting the challenge of preventing JFK's assassination just as the main character has.
This is a great example of what makes fiction speculative: the what if of the story; what if I could alter history? Would I do it? In this short story, Pattison portrays this very well and it is a compelling read. Apart from his fascination with the assassination of JFK being one motive for making this short story speculative, Pattison gives evidence of a greater motive. He seems to be concerned with what is developing to American society ripped from today's headlines or implied from those headlines,
(Theodore): “I'm telling you because I don't want to take this to my grave and you're the only person I can trust. I am not sure how much of a difference you can make, but I know you can do more than I can now. I implore you to do whatever you can to prevent Kennedy's assassination because once that happens, everything will change.”
Theodore spoke of a future where their government would engage in surveilling its own citizens— cataloguing their every move, action, and thought— all under the guise of keeping them safe. A future where Americans will not only tolerate the intrusion, but welcome it. Quade rolled his eyes when Theodore muttered something while drifting in and out of consciousness about millions of parents murdering their children in utero. Then Theodore's final sentence arrived. He pieced together a disjointed string of slurred words about internment camps and a great culling of American citizens, then fell silent.
And a few pages later,
...within the next couple generations, Americans will become so distracted by various gratifications that they won't even realize their government revoked most of their liberties. And by the time they recognize what's happening, it will be too late. They'll awaken to discover that they've amused themselves to death.” “There would be resistance.” “There will be no resistance to the boot on their necks. And eventually they will grow to love the boot.” Theodore paused as he struggled to swallow before continuing.
And yet, there seems to be a third motive for Pattison writing this short, that even if we could travel back in time, we would have to deal with the sovereignty of God,
"Let me get this straight,” Theodore said smirking while shooing a persistent fly away from his face. “During the years this letter’s validity could have been proven, it went missing, only to reappear after those events passed?
I'm afraid so. You see, I believe God is sovereign, and if man develops a way to travel through time to change the outcome of certain past events— events that God has ordained to take place— then no matter what we do, we will not be able to change them. This could explain Mr. Blair showing up at the wrong time and place, and how I misplaced the letter for over forty years.
It is these motives that forms the backbone to this short. It adds depth and strength to the plot and its action. It strengthens the characterisation of Quade when he realises (too late) the truth of what Theodore told him and realises that the future of society is not going to be a safe one.
I have read a few time travel novels where the technology of time travel is described in some detail, but due to the shortness of this story, this is absent. Pattison gives very few details of how the Visitor at the beginning of the story arrives in the year 1899. Having now read this short, it is just not necessary to have this technology included. Not only due to the shortness of this story but this absence gives the author more time (and words) to concentrate on the main story line as I have outlined above. I guess this backs up the saying that less is more!
When I read this short, I was hooked on Pattison's writing and imagination. I now follow him on Amazon and Goodreads. I have read his second novel, Alibi Interrupted (also a time travel short concerning JFK's assassination) and this just adds to Pattison's talent as a gifted author and story teller. I am looking forward to him writing his first full length novel.
Thoroughly enjoyed this short while giving me something to think about concerning the future path society seems to be taking when ignoring God's sovereignty and taking matters into their own hands.
Highly Recommended. 5/5
This is a great example of what makes fiction speculative: the what if of the story; what if I could alter history? Would I do it? In this short story, Pattison portrays this very well and it is a compelling read. Apart from his fascination with the assassination of JFK being one motive for making this short story speculative, Pattison gives evidence of a greater motive. He seems to be concerned with what is developing to American society ripped from today's headlines or implied from those headlines,
(Theodore): “I'm telling you because I don't want to take this to my grave and you're the only person I can trust. I am not sure how much of a difference you can make, but I know you can do more than I can now. I implore you to do whatever you can to prevent Kennedy's assassination because once that happens, everything will change.”
Theodore spoke of a future where their government would engage in surveilling its own citizens— cataloguing their every move, action, and thought— all under the guise of keeping them safe. A future where Americans will not only tolerate the intrusion, but welcome it. Quade rolled his eyes when Theodore muttered something while drifting in and out of consciousness about millions of parents murdering their children in utero. Then Theodore's final sentence arrived. He pieced together a disjointed string of slurred words about internment camps and a great culling of American citizens, then fell silent.
And a few pages later,
...within the next couple generations, Americans will become so distracted by various gratifications that they won't even realize their government revoked most of their liberties. And by the time they recognize what's happening, it will be too late. They'll awaken to discover that they've amused themselves to death.” “There would be resistance.” “There will be no resistance to the boot on their necks. And eventually they will grow to love the boot.” Theodore paused as he struggled to swallow before continuing.
And yet, there seems to be a third motive for Pattison writing this short, that even if we could travel back in time, we would have to deal with the sovereignty of God,
"Let me get this straight,” Theodore said smirking while shooing a persistent fly away from his face. “During the years this letter’s validity could have been proven, it went missing, only to reappear after those events passed?
I'm afraid so. You see, I believe God is sovereign, and if man develops a way to travel through time to change the outcome of certain past events— events that God has ordained to take place— then no matter what we do, we will not be able to change them. This could explain Mr. Blair showing up at the wrong time and place, and how I misplaced the letter for over forty years.
It is these motives that forms the backbone to this short. It adds depth and strength to the plot and its action. It strengthens the characterisation of Quade when he realises (too late) the truth of what Theodore told him and realises that the future of society is not going to be a safe one.
I have read a few time travel novels where the technology of time travel is described in some detail, but due to the shortness of this story, this is absent. Pattison gives very few details of how the Visitor at the beginning of the story arrives in the year 1899. Having now read this short, it is just not necessary to have this technology included. Not only due to the shortness of this story but this absence gives the author more time (and words) to concentrate on the main story line as I have outlined above. I guess this backs up the saying that less is more!
When I read this short, I was hooked on Pattison's writing and imagination. I now follow him on Amazon and Goodreads. I have read his second novel, Alibi Interrupted (also a time travel short concerning JFK's assassination) and this just adds to Pattison's talent as a gifted author and story teller. I am looking forward to him writing his first full length novel.
Thoroughly enjoyed this short while giving me something to think about concerning the future path society seems to be taking when ignoring God's sovereignty and taking matters into their own hands.
Highly Recommended. 5/5
January 23, 2016
4.5 Stars!
The Visitor is well written and engaged me right from the beginning. Though short, the story was not at all rushed and it moved along at a nice, steady pace. The premise is interesting and I enjoyed how each character progressed from nonbeliever to believer in what the visitor had to say about the future of the USA. You could definitely relate to their initial skepticism, and you could really feel their anger as they came to believe in the information they received.
Enjoyable reading, and I look forward to more from the author.
The Visitor is well written and engaged me right from the beginning. Though short, the story was not at all rushed and it moved along at a nice, steady pace. The premise is interesting and I enjoyed how each character progressed from nonbeliever to believer in what the visitor had to say about the future of the USA. You could definitely relate to their initial skepticism, and you could really feel their anger as they came to believe in the information they received.
Enjoyable reading, and I look forward to more from the author.
October 21, 2015
I really liked everything about this story. Other reviewers have said everything that I would say about it and l'm sure they have said it better than I could so I won't even try. Just know that this may be the best short story I have read.
June 12, 2021
A gripping little story
The Visitor ties an interesting premise into real history, turning the entire thing into a warning about the future. It's a page turner, and with its short length it'll be over before you know it.
A part of me wishes it went a little longer and maybe explored its intended direction a bit more. However, it chooses to stop before it enters the realm of speculation, and it could have dragged if it had been the length of a novel, so I understand the decision to keep it short.
While The Visitor doesn't really say anything new, it seems its intention isn't to do so. It's more of a look back at how things were and how they are now, and a lament of what will be. It's well written, and contains a lot of truth, which in itself is refreshing. It's a great way to spend an hour or two; I recommend it.
The Visitor ties an interesting premise into real history, turning the entire thing into a warning about the future. It's a page turner, and with its short length it'll be over before you know it.
A part of me wishes it went a little longer and maybe explored its intended direction a bit more. However, it chooses to stop before it enters the realm of speculation, and it could have dragged if it had been the length of a novel, so I understand the decision to keep it short.
While The Visitor doesn't really say anything new, it seems its intention isn't to do so. It's more of a look back at how things were and how they are now, and a lament of what will be. It's well written, and contains a lot of truth, which in itself is refreshing. It's a great way to spend an hour or two; I recommend it.
November 9, 2015
I've read novels that had time travel as theme or sub-plot (e.g. HP, Devil's Roses). Usually, in fantasy the protagonist goes back in time to save a person they love, to change an event that will affect them in the future, or by accident. In other words, most often than not, the protagonist goes back in time for his/hers own gain.
In The Visitor, one of the characters goes back in time to save United States as a country, and humankind. Mr. Blair -the time traveler- wanted to go back to the 18th century, and warn America's Founding Fathers about the country's future. He hoped that they could've prevented certain future events, and change the history's course for the better. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.
The time in this story is not linear. It jumps from chapter to chapter, and I find it to be quite effective. I didn't spend time reading on on about each period of time; each chapter gets straight to the point.
This story has four main characters: Mr.Blair, Leroy, Theodore, and Quade. Each of this characters represent a time period, if you will: Mr.Blair - the future, Leroy - the end of 19th century, Theodore - the end of 1960s, and Quade - the beginning of 1960s.
The trouble is, besides Leroy, nobody wants to believe that such events will take place in their country. They can't believe that humans are capable of such things. In a way, they are represented by Theodore and Quade. Both of them didn't want to believe Leroy and Mr.Blair until it was too late.
The ending was both unexpected and expected. Initially I thought that somehow, one of the characters will do something to prevent the assassination of a certain president. However, after I read that people didn't want to believe, the ending didn't surprise me. I'm not saying this as a critique, rather it would've been less believable if people would've start believing Mr.Blair's letter.
This story left me with so many questions, and theories. Not about the plot or the characters, but about humans and their choice of not seeing what's right in front of their eyes. It is easier to think that things are good and nice, that all politicians will not fight against their own citizens, and so on. Why would you believe that what happened in USSR cannot happen in the West? Communism is just one for of Marxism, not the only one. How many people know that the communist experiment was meant for Western Europe, not Eastern? And so on.
Overall, I loved this short story. I am looking forward to read other stories written by Mr.Pattison.
In The Visitor, one of the characters goes back in time to save United States as a country, and humankind. Mr. Blair -the time traveler- wanted to go back to the 18th century, and warn America's Founding Fathers about the country's future. He hoped that they could've prevented certain future events, and change the history's course for the better. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen.
The time in this story is not linear. It jumps from chapter to chapter, and I find it to be quite effective. I didn't spend time reading on on about each period of time; each chapter gets straight to the point.
This story has four main characters: Mr.Blair, Leroy, Theodore, and Quade. Each of this characters represent a time period, if you will: Mr.Blair - the future, Leroy - the end of 19th century, Theodore - the end of 1960s, and Quade - the beginning of 1960s.
The trouble is, besides Leroy, nobody wants to believe that such events will take place in their country. They can't believe that humans are capable of such things. In a way, they are represented by Theodore and Quade. Both of them didn't want to believe Leroy and Mr.Blair until it was too late.
The ending was both unexpected and expected. Initially I thought that somehow, one of the characters will do something to prevent the assassination of a certain president. However, after I read that people didn't want to believe, the ending didn't surprise me. I'm not saying this as a critique, rather it would've been less believable if people would've start believing Mr.Blair's letter.
This story left me with so many questions, and theories. Not about the plot or the characters, but about humans and their choice of not seeing what's right in front of their eyes. It is easier to think that things are good and nice, that all politicians will not fight against their own citizens, and so on. Why would you believe that what happened in USSR cannot happen in the West? Communism is just one for of Marxism, not the only one. How many people know that the communist experiment was meant for Western Europe, not Eastern? And so on.
Overall, I loved this short story. I am looking forward to read other stories written by Mr.Pattison.
December 19, 2015
I have a big thing for characters. They are probably one of the most important aspects of a book to me, I need to know them and feel like they’re real in order to truly appreciate a book.
Not in The Visitor though. We barely get to really know Leroy, Theo and Quade but that doesn’t matter at all. The strong point of J. L. Pattison’s short story resides in its plot.
The Visitor won’t bring you a new story like we are used to read. It will mostly tell you historical events you already know of pretty damn well. But they will be presented intricated with a sotryline that will make you think twice about the world you are currently living in.
My reading experience resulted more in a reflective post-reading state of mind than a fangirling reaction while reading the book (also probably because since this is a short story it is pretty quick to read…).
The writing style wasn’t my favourite but that is just a detail since it was due to really really subjective reasons.
I recommend The Visitor if you would like to enjoy a quick story with a pinch of Science Fiction and which takes place in the USA between 1899 and 1963.
Not in The Visitor though. We barely get to really know Leroy, Theo and Quade but that doesn’t matter at all. The strong point of J. L. Pattison’s short story resides in its plot.
The Visitor won’t bring you a new story like we are used to read. It will mostly tell you historical events you already know of pretty damn well. But they will be presented intricated with a sotryline that will make you think twice about the world you are currently living in.
My reading experience resulted more in a reflective post-reading state of mind than a fangirling reaction while reading the book (also probably because since this is a short story it is pretty quick to read…).
The writing style wasn’t my favourite but that is just a detail since it was due to really really subjective reasons.
I recommend The Visitor if you would like to enjoy a quick story with a pinch of Science Fiction and which takes place in the USA between 1899 and 1963.
September 28, 2015
The author has crafted an excellent short story that captures your imagination and draws you in with its characters. You can find yourself asking what you would do if you had information about the future. Would you act on it, or would you refuse to believe it could happen? Well done.
March 7, 2016
The Visitor was really a surprise for me. It has a good initial hook, which keeps you reading until you uncover all of its secrets. I would definitely recommend this very interesting short story.
October 30, 2016
This was a fascinating quick read. It works as a short story and I believe the theme of God's sovereignty is clearly communicated so in that respect it really didn't need to be any longer.
We visit a few different years in history and in each one there is an individual who is given information to the future and the opportunity to attempt to do something about changing it. I had to ask myself would I try to change it? If not, why not? A belief in God's sovereignty and that He has His hands on everything no matter how challenging and dark the world may have become? Or laziness, not caring enough or some other reason for inertia?
The author appears to have a particular interest in JFK's assassination and a view that it was a significant turning point in America's self-belief and an increase in the effects of the powers of darkness on the nation.
I enjoyed it for challenging my own thoughts on such issues I've mentioned.
We visit a few different years in history and in each one there is an individual who is given information to the future and the opportunity to attempt to do something about changing it. I had to ask myself would I try to change it? If not, why not? A belief in God's sovereignty and that He has His hands on everything no matter how challenging and dark the world may have become? Or laziness, not caring enough or some other reason for inertia?
The author appears to have a particular interest in JFK's assassination and a view that it was a significant turning point in America's self-belief and an increase in the effects of the powers of darkness on the nation.
I enjoyed it for challenging my own thoughts on such issues I've mentioned.
January 30, 2023
The Visitor transported me through time, on an embarkation of viewing the history of where we have come from as a nation and where we are too obviously headed in the future. A thought provoking story that is mentally engaging and
rings clear of the woeful truths of gaslighting and how we choose to perceive what is right before our eyes each day. A most outstanding read!
rings clear of the woeful truths of gaslighting and how we choose to perceive what is right before our eyes each day. A most outstanding read!
September 8, 2020
This story is a great tale that will make you think about what you believe to be reality. Fast read. Lots of fun. I recommend it, especially if you are tired of reading the same old fiction.
January 3, 2021
Very interesting quick read. Loved the history and connections to our concerns for the present. Offers an awareness. A great read!
August 30, 2016
See the full review here on www.lilbooklovers.wordpress.com!
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this short story from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way.
In addition, I have requested, but not required, the author to subscribe and help publicize the book. I have also requested some authors for autographed bookplates and swag. These requests are outside of the trade agreement.
Rating: 8.5/10 stars
In J.L. Pattison's debut short story The Visitor, a Georgia farmer in 1899 finds himself in front of an unlikely visitor, a time traveler, who came from the future to warn the nation about impending events. Years later, that same farmer gets interviewed by a young reporter, who is given the letter the time traveler wrote, and soon he finds himself and the country approaching the next prediction on that paper, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In this thriller, the reporter will soon find out whether the course of history can change or the course of history is already set.
[...]
This really did feel like a Twilight Zone episode, especially the ending. As the story progressed, it got creepier and creepier. It made me think about morality today and in the past. I really did feel that our country is going to devolve into the nation that the time traveler warned about. I pondered over the message of the story a lot, and my view on the government and society is a little changed thanks to this story. You can actually feel the air of suspense becoming thicker, and it may give you goosebumps. That ending was probably one of the best (and creepiest) I have ever read. I love shock and twist endings (and you may or may not expect it- I know I partially did), and it felt so eerie and Twilight Zone-ish that I imagined it in black and white!
Now, it was not as great as Pattison's second story. It wasn't as suspenseful and thrilling as I thought it would be, but it was still. Because I have to compare these two works, this one, although really good, deserves a 4-star just because Alibi Interrupted was so much better! This book really focused on dialogue about issues rather than action. If there was a little more action regarding the letter and Kennedy Assassination, I might have been even more interested. Sadly, since I can choose which story was better, the rating for this book had to be lowered a bit.
[...]
Recommendation: Yes. Go read it!
If you want to purchase any of J.L. Pattison's stories, buy them here at Amazon!
Amazon
And if you want to be a visitor to his blog, then check it out!
Website
DISCLAIMER: I received a free copy of this short story from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my review in any way.
In addition, I have requested, but not required, the author to subscribe and help publicize the book. I have also requested some authors for autographed bookplates and swag. These requests are outside of the trade agreement.
Rating: 8.5/10 stars
In J.L. Pattison's debut short story The Visitor, a Georgia farmer in 1899 finds himself in front of an unlikely visitor, a time traveler, who came from the future to warn the nation about impending events. Years later, that same farmer gets interviewed by a young reporter, who is given the letter the time traveler wrote, and soon he finds himself and the country approaching the next prediction on that paper, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In this thriller, the reporter will soon find out whether the course of history can change or the course of history is already set.
[...]
This really did feel like a Twilight Zone episode, especially the ending. As the story progressed, it got creepier and creepier. It made me think about morality today and in the past. I really did feel that our country is going to devolve into the nation that the time traveler warned about. I pondered over the message of the story a lot, and my view on the government and society is a little changed thanks to this story. You can actually feel the air of suspense becoming thicker, and it may give you goosebumps. That ending was probably one of the best (and creepiest) I have ever read. I love shock and twist endings (and you may or may not expect it- I know I partially did), and it felt so eerie and Twilight Zone-ish that I imagined it in black and white!
Now, it was not as great as Pattison's second story. It wasn't as suspenseful and thrilling as I thought it would be, but it was still. Because I have to compare these two works, this one, although really good, deserves a 4-star just because Alibi Interrupted was so much better! This book really focused on dialogue about issues rather than action. If there was a little more action regarding the letter and Kennedy Assassination, I might have been even more interested. Sadly, since I can choose which story was better, the rating for this book had to be lowered a bit.
[...]
Recommendation: Yes. Go read it!
If you want to purchase any of J.L. Pattison's stories, buy them here at Amazon!
Amazon
And if you want to be a visitor to his blog, then check it out!
Website
December 28, 2016
A short story depicting one possible outcome of a time traveler ending up at the wrong place and the wrong century, however I find this scenario to be very believable. Our doomed traveler compiles a list of atrocities perpetrated by the government and wishes to hand this document to the founding fathers in order that they may change the development of our country. He instead ends up in a cornfield in middle America during the turn of the 20th century and is forced to leave his document with the farmer he meets, imploring him to try to prevent these terrible things from happening. Of course human nature takes over and the farmer's first impulse is that the traveler is a lunatic. It's not until years later, after items on the list begin to be checked off by history that the farmer, nearing death, decides to turn the document over to someone else. Each succeeding generation goes through the same steps: dismissal of the messenger as mentally unstable; incredulous as to the coincidence of the list to history; acceptance of the facts; turning the list over to someone else who thinks even if true, his generation would have the wisdom to prevent further atrocities. But the author shows that knowledge and wisdom are not the same and we as a people must be careful in whom we place our trust. I wonder if time has some built-in filter to prevent mankind from altering its' form. There is a lot packed into this very short story and I rate it a solid 4 star read. It is definitely worth the one hour of your time to read this.
June 20, 2016
Some short stories take a lot of information and parse it down into a quick, streamlined adventure. Some take a lot of information and pack it in to the point of leaving the reader to wonder why the author didn’t just go ahead and write a novel. Unfortunately, J.L. Pattison’s “The Visitor” was the latter for me.
I purchased this ebook based on a rave review on a book blog that I follow. The reviewer did not lie about this story’s good points, which include diverse characters that are easy to connect with. Unfortunately, I was left wanting to point the reviewer toward much better time travel fiction.
I was disappointed with the way the characters never did anything with the future information, such as World War II and Kennedy’s assassination, they were given. The initial message was delivered by a time traveler who screwed up his destination, and then basically everyone figured no one would believe them and trashed the original notes. I’d much rather read a story about the characters racing to prevent war and tragedy instead of shoving the information in a box with a shrug.
But in the end, I suppose that’s the point. I’d rather read an epic adventure rather than something more akin to reality–despite the fact that I’m not sure what I would do with future notes from a lost traveler that I didn’t think I could affect either.
I purchased this ebook based on a rave review on a book blog that I follow. The reviewer did not lie about this story’s good points, which include diverse characters that are easy to connect with. Unfortunately, I was left wanting to point the reviewer toward much better time travel fiction.
I was disappointed with the way the characters never did anything with the future information, such as World War II and Kennedy’s assassination, they were given. The initial message was delivered by a time traveler who screwed up his destination, and then basically everyone figured no one would believe them and trashed the original notes. I’d much rather read a story about the characters racing to prevent war and tragedy instead of shoving the information in a box with a shrug.
But in the end, I suppose that’s the point. I’d rather read an epic adventure rather than something more akin to reality–despite the fact that I’m not sure what I would do with future notes from a lost traveler that I didn’t think I could affect either.
October 29, 2015
Disclosure: I received this book directly from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Pro:
The book is short, clocking in at a mere 22 standard-sized pages - less if white space at the end of chapters is removed. As such, it is easily read in one sitting.
The plot is compelling - I imagine Rod Sterling could adapt it quite nicely for an episode of the Twilight Zone.
It is a fun escape for a few moments.
Con:
If one watches enough Twilight Zone, certain endings are predictable. I was able to guess the ending about halfway through; nevertheless this did not influence my enjoyment of the book.
There were several formatting errors in my copy - notably, the contraction "don't" was once split between lines.
Overall Impression:
I was quite satisfied with this short story and would recommend it to fans of 1950s/1960s SF.
Pro:
The book is short, clocking in at a mere 22 standard-sized pages - less if white space at the end of chapters is removed. As such, it is easily read in one sitting.
The plot is compelling - I imagine Rod Sterling could adapt it quite nicely for an episode of the Twilight Zone.
It is a fun escape for a few moments.
Con:
If one watches enough Twilight Zone, certain endings are predictable. I was able to guess the ending about halfway through; nevertheless this did not influence my enjoyment of the book.
There were several formatting errors in my copy - notably, the contraction "don't" was once split between lines.
Overall Impression:
I was quite satisfied with this short story and would recommend it to fans of 1950s/1960s SF.
September 22, 2015
This is a wonderful short story, very insightful. A must read.. Pulls you right in....
March 3, 2016
An incredible short read!
My heart is still racing after just reading this story. I don't want to ruin anything by doing a real review. I can only suggest that you read it.
My heart is still racing after just reading this story. I don't want to ruin anything by doing a real review. I can only suggest that you read it.
August 23, 2016
Good read
Short but worth the read,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,human error is a very real danger ................... ........................ .... . .. . .. .
Short but worth the read,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,human error is a very real danger ................... ........................ .... . .. . .. .
August 26, 2016
I was amazed at how well written this book was...so many twists and turns. I recommend this to anyone who loves to read books that do NOT end the way they think it should!
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews