What do you think?
Rate this book
The Bureau of Time
You cannot change fate.
Cassandra Wright is a Timewalker – a teenager with a genetic mutation that allows her to manipulate the flow of time. But her inexplicable powers have made her a target for Adjusters – monstrous assassins from a parallel universe.
Saved from almost certain death, Cassie is pulled into a secret agency sworn to defend our timeline against these threats: the Bureau of Temporal Integrity, Monitoring, and Execution. Cassie’s life soon becomes entwined with Shaun Briars – a reckless Timewalker with an alluring smile and dark suspicions about the Bureau itself.
When Cassie and Shaun cross into the parallel universe, they discover a world in the grips of nuclear winter, with a new war threatening to spill over into our universe. With time running out, they must learn the true history of Timewalkers, confront the unforgivable crimes of their future selves, and defy their own fate to save two worlds.
Cassandra Wright is a Timewalker – a teenager with a genetic mutation that allows her to manipulate the flow of time. But her inexplicable powers have made her a target for Adjusters – monstrous assassins from a parallel universe.
Saved from almost certain death, Cassie is pulled into a secret agency sworn to defend our timeline against these threats: the Bureau of Temporal Integrity, Monitoring, and Execution. Cassie’s life soon becomes entwined with Shaun Briars – a reckless Timewalker with an alluring smile and dark suspicions about the Bureau itself.
When Cassie and Shaun cross into the parallel universe, they discover a world in the grips of nuclear winter, with a new war threatening to spill over into our universe. With time running out, they must learn the true history of Timewalkers, confront the unforgivable crimes of their future selves, and defy their own fate to save two worlds.
289 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 16, 2015
1 person is currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Brett Michael Orr
2 books62 followersI'm a writer, gamer, and reviewer of manga & light novels, from Melbourne, Australia. When I'm not creating a new world, I'll be absorbed in a good JRPG, watching some anime, or reading up a storm!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 1, 2016
This review was originally posted on Happy Indulgence. Check it out, along with the exclusive author interview here!
You know what’s refreshing about The Bureau of Time? It doesn’t overcomplicate the time travel or the sci-fi. Timewalking, mutated genes and temporal shifts may be hard to grasp if it’s info dumped, but the whole concept behind the powers were integrated flawlessly into the book. New concepts are revealed on a need to know basis, and it doesn’t overload the reader with too much at the start. I loved the concept behind powerful timewalkers who can shift time, and a military organisation, The Bureau of Time set out to defend people against evil monstrous beings called the Adjusters.
The military aspect of The Bureau of Time was vivid and reminiscent of the setting in movies. From the training grounds, to hardened Generals, their weapons and military speak, it all felt really authentic and brought me back to my Call of Duty days.
I enjoyed the alternate dimension and the competing ideologies behind The Bureau and other organisations. From the get go, you can just tell there are going to be secrets – and they’re revealed in such a way that you’ll want to keep reading to find out more. The pacing is perfect, giving the reader enough time to process each bombshell before it launches into another one. It’s fast paced and full of action, always moving the goal posts from training, to field duty, to being a field operative and defeating organisations. You couldn’t predict what was going to happen, which made it really exciting.
The main villain in the book, an evil Adjuster called Zero, was one of my favourite characters in the book. He was the kind of overconfident, cocky evil that I really took pleasure in. You could just see his ridicule in interacting with the “puny humans” every time he spoke, which was actually really hilarious.
While I enjoyed the fast paced action, the military setting of the book and the flawless integration of the time walking, there were a few areas which I stumbled on. I couldn’t connect to the characters, particularly Cassie, who is a typical damsel, wondering when the males are going to save her and either screeching, yelling, crying or chucking a tantrum every time she appears. I know she’s scared, lost and completely new to the whole military thing, but even with powerful time walking powers, she just wants others to protect her. There’s also this scene where she walks into the male locker room on her own just to talk to Shaun – something which I didn’t feel was realistic.
Shaun on the other hand, was a brave soldier who did want to do the right thing. Who did challenge everything that he’s ever been told, and that did take matters into his own hands. I liked how proactive he was, striking out on his own and doing everything in his power for the greater good. His sense of justice was strong, having the confidence to stick up to Cassie while she was being picked on. Although it isn’t particularly heavy on the romance, I felt like it moved too fast in The Bureau of Time especially with the “L” word was thrown out.
If you like alternate dimension, action packed sci-fi reads, then The Bureau of Time is for you! It’s written beautifully with a unique concept, packed full of twists and turns. While the characterisation and romantic development wasn’t up my alley, the concept and the descriptive writing made up for it.
You know what’s refreshing about The Bureau of Time? It doesn’t overcomplicate the time travel or the sci-fi. Timewalking, mutated genes and temporal shifts may be hard to grasp if it’s info dumped, but the whole concept behind the powers were integrated flawlessly into the book. New concepts are revealed on a need to know basis, and it doesn’t overload the reader with too much at the start. I loved the concept behind powerful timewalkers who can shift time, and a military organisation, The Bureau of Time set out to defend people against evil monstrous beings called the Adjusters.
The military aspect of The Bureau of Time was vivid and reminiscent of the setting in movies. From the training grounds, to hardened Generals, their weapons and military speak, it all felt really authentic and brought me back to my Call of Duty days.
I enjoyed the alternate dimension and the competing ideologies behind The Bureau and other organisations. From the get go, you can just tell there are going to be secrets – and they’re revealed in such a way that you’ll want to keep reading to find out more. The pacing is perfect, giving the reader enough time to process each bombshell before it launches into another one. It’s fast paced and full of action, always moving the goal posts from training, to field duty, to being a field operative and defeating organisations. You couldn’t predict what was going to happen, which made it really exciting.
The main villain in the book, an evil Adjuster called Zero, was one of my favourite characters in the book. He was the kind of overconfident, cocky evil that I really took pleasure in. You could just see his ridicule in interacting with the “puny humans” every time he spoke, which was actually really hilarious.
While I enjoyed the fast paced action, the military setting of the book and the flawless integration of the time walking, there were a few areas which I stumbled on. I couldn’t connect to the characters, particularly Cassie, who is a typical damsel, wondering when the males are going to save her and either screeching, yelling, crying or chucking a tantrum every time she appears. I know she’s scared, lost and completely new to the whole military thing, but even with powerful time walking powers, she just wants others to protect her. There’s also this scene where she walks into the male locker room on her own just to talk to Shaun – something which I didn’t feel was realistic.
Shaun on the other hand, was a brave soldier who did want to do the right thing. Who did challenge everything that he’s ever been told, and that did take matters into his own hands. I liked how proactive he was, striking out on his own and doing everything in his power for the greater good. His sense of justice was strong, having the confidence to stick up to Cassie while she was being picked on. Although it isn’t particularly heavy on the romance, I felt like it moved too fast in The Bureau of Time especially with the “L” word was thrown out.
If you like alternate dimension, action packed sci-fi reads, then The Bureau of Time is for you! It’s written beautifully with a unique concept, packed full of twists and turns. While the characterisation and romantic development wasn’t up my alley, the concept and the descriptive writing made up for it.
July 5, 2016
After finishing this novel, I can positively say that I have been left speechless and disoriented! Brett has done an amazing job of exploring the concept of time travel and parallel universes. This novel is FULL of action and suspense and twists! While I am not wholly convinced on the relationship between Shaun and Cassie at the present moment, I can already feel that things are going to be double the EVERYTHING GOOD in the sequel.
Therefore, I pronounce The Bureau of Time a fantastic first book to a crazy intense series!
Therefore, I pronounce The Bureau of Time a fantastic first book to a crazy intense series!
January 26, 2016
This is how you can tell a young male millennial YA writer a la Taran Matharu - he's got a story jam-packed with elements borrowed from just about every other story you can think of, but thrown together in a way that still feels fresh and hyper-awesome.
Brett Michael Orr and his Bureau of Time are no exception.
First and foremost on my list of "Hey, This Sounds Like X!" comparison titles, Bureau of Time edition: Fringe. This book exists in a world of weird science words suspended in colorful gel screens, all set to the tune of an ominous piano-driven JJ Abrams theme song.
And, of course, there's more than one of everything in this book too.
Then we get a little bit of Divergent in our heroes. Here we have a girl who starts out going into a paramilitary environment more than a bit over her head, and is forced to toughen up extra fast. We also have a guy who's already quite capable of kicking major ass, and with all his scars, he looks every bit as dangerous as he is.
And let's not forget today's biggest fictional defier of the space-time continuum...the Flash. Especially with the creepy-ass villain, Zero, who feels so much like Zoom by way of Ultron. Not only that, but this book very easily compares to The Flash's famous fifteenth episode in terms of ultra-high Holy Shit Quotient.
No, seriously. The way that last scene of "Out of Time" had me screaming at the screen was the way I reacted to the final two or three chapters of this book.
And not just because a lot of the climax was set in San Francisco, but also because of the way my ship was being shelled with extreme prejudice. I love these poor characters so much, and Brett Michael Orr is not only subjecting them to a Matharu-level cliffhanger, but also to Riordan-level "This guy is not to be trusted with the lives his super-cool characters."
It's a shame there's no physical copy of this book yet. It deserves to share bookstore shelf space with the best of them. Seriously. I really hope that changes by the time Book 2 comes out.
Brett Michael Orr and his Bureau of Time are no exception.
First and foremost on my list of "Hey, This Sounds Like X!" comparison titles, Bureau of Time edition: Fringe. This book exists in a world of weird science words suspended in colorful gel screens, all set to the tune of an ominous piano-driven JJ Abrams theme song.
And, of course, there's more than one of everything in this book too.
Then we get a little bit of Divergent in our heroes. Here we have a girl who starts out going into a paramilitary environment more than a bit over her head, and is forced to toughen up extra fast. We also have a guy who's already quite capable of kicking major ass, and with all his scars, he looks every bit as dangerous as he is.
And let's not forget today's biggest fictional defier of the space-time continuum...the Flash. Especially with the creepy-ass villain, Zero, who feels so much like Zoom by way of Ultron. Not only that, but this book very easily compares to The Flash's famous fifteenth episode in terms of ultra-high Holy Shit Quotient.
No, seriously. The way that last scene of "Out of Time" had me screaming at the screen was the way I reacted to the final two or three chapters of this book.
And not just because a lot of the climax was set in San Francisco, but also because of the way my ship was being shelled with extreme prejudice. I love these poor characters so much, and Brett Michael Orr is not only subjecting them to a Matharu-level cliffhanger, but also to Riordan-level "This guy is not to be trusted with the lives his super-cool characters."
It's a shame there's no physical copy of this book yet. It deserves to share bookstore shelf space with the best of them. Seriously. I really hope that changes by the time Book 2 comes out.
April 13, 2017
This is pretty standard scifi, structurally sound but I had... issues. A lot of small but significant issues, and most of them were in the first few chapters so I almost quit it straight away.
So Cassie... is emotionally inconstant. Yeah she's a teenage girl but even teenage girls can prioritise extreme emotional response that is relevant to their situation and not their loosely constructed 'romances'. She's passive, does absolutely nothing to contribute to the story, she just exists in it, and is told that she's rare and special and powerful. There's also a scene right in chapter one where the reader learns that the adults in her life think that she's hallucinating from stress and the word schizophrenia is used suddenly; that is not how schizophrenia works?
The only other women in the story are bit characters or caricature Bond villain sidekicks (Marissa could have been SO INTERESTING but I felt like the author didn't even try there), and the POC are also bit characters with either stereotypical or potentially racist identifiers. the first person of colour is described as "a Hispanic man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose", "his words rolling with a Latino twist", then he hardly appears in the book.
Cassie has never communicated with the things that chase her or seen them do anything to prove this she just has a gut feeling that they are assassins. I've read the whole book and I still don't know what they are... that is never really explained? Or maybe I just missed it. But it's important to note that this is not how girls work, speaking of... "through the fear in her electric-blue eyes, he could see her determination to live burning brightly" that's not how eyes work, or girls (I'm reminded of that scene from Brooklyn Nine Nine; "have you even met a human woman?")
don't call your monsters faceless and then mention their faces in the same sentence... the descriptions were all over the place in this sense, and that did not stop being frustrating throughout the book. The only things I'm sure about are that Shaun should be bald at age 30 because he continually bleached his hair and Cassie's hair is red (it was mentioned eighteen times, I counted)
This was so much longer than I intended whoops.
So Cassie... is emotionally inconstant. Yeah she's a teenage girl but even teenage girls can prioritise extreme emotional response that is relevant to their situation and not their loosely constructed 'romances'. She's passive, does absolutely nothing to contribute to the story, she just exists in it, and is told that she's rare and special and powerful. There's also a scene right in chapter one where the reader learns that the adults in her life think that she's hallucinating from stress and the word schizophrenia is used suddenly; that is not how schizophrenia works?
The only other women in the story are bit characters or caricature Bond villain sidekicks (Marissa could have been SO INTERESTING but I felt like the author didn't even try there), and the POC are also bit characters with either stereotypical or potentially racist identifiers. the first person of colour is described as "a Hispanic man with greasy black hair and a hooked nose", "his words rolling with a Latino twist", then he hardly appears in the book.
Cassie has never communicated with the things that chase her or seen them do anything to prove this she just has a gut feeling that they are assassins. I've read the whole book and I still don't know what they are... that is never really explained? Or maybe I just missed it. But it's important to note that this is not how girls work, speaking of... "through the fear in her electric-blue eyes, he could see her determination to live burning brightly" that's not how eyes work, or girls (I'm reminded of that scene from Brooklyn Nine Nine; "have you even met a human woman?")
don't call your monsters faceless and then mention their faces in the same sentence... the descriptions were all over the place in this sense, and that did not stop being frustrating throughout the book. The only things I'm sure about are that Shaun should be bald at age 30 because he continually bleached his hair and Cassie's hair is red (it was mentioned eighteen times, I counted)
This was so much longer than I intended whoops.
January 11, 2016
The Bureau of Time is exciting, fresh, and habit forming from the very start and, for a novel about time travel (to put it simply) I found it incredibly clear. With things like time travel, stories can get muddy, and I'm happy to say that was not the case here.
The enemy, the adjusters, are super creepy and evil, but as the story progresses they become almost "humanized," most of them at least. Even though they were unsettling in description and their actions, I still wanted to learn about them and where they came from.
The characters are the kind I can root for, and their special abilities are awesome! I loved the caveat with Shaun's ability, because it took a very convenient situation and added something extra, and imperfection and it somehow made it more believable. Cassie's ability had one too, though I don't know if it will stay that way for long as the series progresses.
Cassie has a loyalty to her family mixed with an almost innocence at the start of the novel, while Shaun feels responsible for the deaths of others like him. Watching them fight the same battle for different reasons adds a nice tension to the mix, and I flew through the last half of the book.
I can't wait to find out what happens next in this series. That ending...oh man.
The enemy, the adjusters, are super creepy and evil, but as the story progresses they become almost "humanized," most of them at least. Even though they were unsettling in description and their actions, I still wanted to learn about them and where they came from.
The characters are the kind I can root for, and their special abilities are awesome! I loved the caveat with Shaun's ability, because it took a very convenient situation and added something extra, and imperfection and it somehow made it more believable. Cassie's ability had one too, though I don't know if it will stay that way for long as the series progresses.
Cassie has a loyalty to her family mixed with an almost innocence at the start of the novel, while Shaun feels responsible for the deaths of others like him. Watching them fight the same battle for different reasons adds a nice tension to the mix, and I flew through the last half of the book.
I can't wait to find out what happens next in this series. That ending...oh man.
March 15, 2016
I was so impressed by this book! I've read plenty of YA fiction in my life, but this one blew almost all of them out of the water.
The characters were well-developed, complex, and highly likable. The story world was so unique and engrossing, anything but the cliche secret gov. organizations and distant dystopian worlds you see in many popular books and movies. And the plot? I was on the edge of my seat the entire read. I tore through this book in two sittings, and my only regret is that I didn't do it in one.
From my own perspective as a writer, I have so much respect for the work Orr has done with both the storytelling and the prose. Both were tight, captivating, and highly impressive for a debut author. I definitely recommend checking out this series ASAP.
The characters were well-developed, complex, and highly likable. The story world was so unique and engrossing, anything but the cliche secret gov. organizations and distant dystopian worlds you see in many popular books and movies. And the plot? I was on the edge of my seat the entire read. I tore through this book in two sittings, and my only regret is that I didn't do it in one.
From my own perspective as a writer, I have so much respect for the work Orr has done with both the storytelling and the prose. Both were tight, captivating, and highly impressive for a debut author. I definitely recommend checking out this series ASAP.
February 5, 2017
Wow, I really, really enjoyed this.
- Classic sci-fiction with a simple but compelling story.
- A great debut that features time-travel, alternate universes, and war.
- The plot develops wonderfully with characters falling into opposite sides of the war and questioning who they are and can become.
- And dammit Brett, 'TO BE CONTINUED?!' You are so cruel.
- Classic sci-fiction with a simple but compelling story.
- A great debut that features time-travel, alternate universes, and war.
- The plot develops wonderfully with characters falling into opposite sides of the war and questioning who they are and can become.
- And dammit Brett, 'TO BE CONTINUED?!' You are so cruel.
February 22, 2016
In case you are unsure about what The Bureau of Time is about, let me sum it up for you quickly. It’s about this teenage girl, Cassandra, who finds out she is a Timewalker, able to manipulate time. She is then thrust into a program to help her become stronger to fight of the Adjusters, monsters that are out to kill Timewalkers. But there is more to the story then just that. Two worlds on on the verge of war, which will leave one world left standing. Which one will it be?
Intriguing, right? I’m a big sucker for parallel universes. They are my favorite. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of those books out there. So when I won a copy of The Bureau of Time, I could not wait to read it. And much to my excitement, I found myself unable to put it down after reading the first chapter. I was gripped from the beginning, and tore through the rest of the book. I would have finished it sooner if I didn’t have to work. Each chapter left me wanting to know more about the world. Where it was going, how it was going to end. It was amazing.
I also liked the romance in this book. It wasn’t heavy! There was no teenage angst between the two lovers. Their main concern wasn’t about each other, but rather on the world that was on the threat of extinction. Of course at times their thoughts were wonder to each other, but it was within reason. I won’t say, as it interferes with some big plot points towards the end, and I don’t give away spoilers on purpose!
This book had just enough action to satisfy me in every way. I love a good fight scene or ten. Each scene was well written and easy to follow. It felt like I was watching it live through my own eyes.
The characters are also real. They are teenagers, so of course they are going to be naive about things and quick to judge. Most people hate these kinds of thing about characters, and tend to find them annoying, but hello! That’s how teenagers are today, considering I am one and know how I am. But you need realism to set the scene. To make it as realistic as possible. But I have no doubt that in the next book, our main characters will learn and grow from their experience and decisions they made in the past, and become more mature in the process.
I can’t wait for the sequel, The Fate of Us.
Speaking of which, this book ends with a GINORMOUS cliffhanger, so if you hate those, well . . . sucks! When I read it, I screeched lowly and said to myself, “Did he really just–WHY–WHY WOULD HE DO THAT TO ME!?” *cries until the sequel comes out*
I recommend this book for those looking for action, small romance, slight mysteries, and plot twists!
Intriguing, right? I’m a big sucker for parallel universes. They are my favorite. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of those books out there. So when I won a copy of The Bureau of Time, I could not wait to read it. And much to my excitement, I found myself unable to put it down after reading the first chapter. I was gripped from the beginning, and tore through the rest of the book. I would have finished it sooner if I didn’t have to work. Each chapter left me wanting to know more about the world. Where it was going, how it was going to end. It was amazing.
I also liked the romance in this book. It wasn’t heavy! There was no teenage angst between the two lovers. Their main concern wasn’t about each other, but rather on the world that was on the threat of extinction. Of course at times their thoughts were wonder to each other, but it was within reason. I won’t say, as it interferes with some big plot points towards the end, and I don’t give away spoilers on purpose!
This book had just enough action to satisfy me in every way. I love a good fight scene or ten. Each scene was well written and easy to follow. It felt like I was watching it live through my own eyes.
The characters are also real. They are teenagers, so of course they are going to be naive about things and quick to judge. Most people hate these kinds of thing about characters, and tend to find them annoying, but hello! That’s how teenagers are today, considering I am one and know how I am. But you need realism to set the scene. To make it as realistic as possible. But I have no doubt that in the next book, our main characters will learn and grow from their experience and decisions they made in the past, and become more mature in the process.
I can’t wait for the sequel, The Fate of Us.
Speaking of which, this book ends with a GINORMOUS cliffhanger, so if you hate those, well . . . sucks! When I read it, I screeched lowly and said to myself, “Did he really just–WHY–WHY WOULD HE DO THAT TO ME!?” *cries until the sequel comes out*
I recommend this book for those looking for action, small romance, slight mysteries, and plot twists!
May 9, 2016
Brett Michael Orr delivers time traveling teens battling corporeal Death Eaters across two dimensions in this, the 1st of the Timewalker Trilogy. I have not enjoyed time travel as a major plot since Back To The Future but having the power originate in the genetically modified minds of teens rather than the engine of a Delorean took a little for my 80’s brain to accept.
As most who know me can attest, I am not a fan of shared POV novels, but it is essential in Orr’s novel as the main characters Shaun and Cassie are led down separate paths towards the seemingly shared future. Orr does not overlap the stories which saves the reader from reliving every event again but through the others POV, this is what makes it work so well.
I was often reminded of Buffy during Cassie’s chapters and wonder if the popular TV series was an influence when creating this strong, yet sometimes fragile character. Or, perhaps my Buffy Love simply clouded my view of the female lead, Cassie does have red hair after all.
I found a few errors that should have been picked up before going to print, but what book now days doesn’t have one or two.
TO BE CONTINUED – The most hated words you can ever read at the end of a book I enjoyed as much as this. If I had not been reading on my kindle I may have thrown it at the wall. I knew this was a trilogy, but expected an end, not to be left with so many questions.
Ultimately The Bureau of Tome is a well crafted novel that will easily please. The characters are likable and the world Orr has created – or rather two worlds, will have you on the edge of your seat till the very end. But be warned… Book two is not out for a while and you may find yourself wishing you too could manipulate the fabric of time to bring it’s release date to yesterday.
As most who know me can attest, I am not a fan of shared POV novels, but it is essential in Orr’s novel as the main characters Shaun and Cassie are led down separate paths towards the seemingly shared future. Orr does not overlap the stories which saves the reader from reliving every event again but through the others POV, this is what makes it work so well.
I was often reminded of Buffy during Cassie’s chapters and wonder if the popular TV series was an influence when creating this strong, yet sometimes fragile character. Or, perhaps my Buffy Love simply clouded my view of the female lead, Cassie does have red hair after all.
I found a few errors that should have been picked up before going to print, but what book now days doesn’t have one or two.
TO BE CONTINUED – The most hated words you can ever read at the end of a book I enjoyed as much as this. If I had not been reading on my kindle I may have thrown it at the wall. I knew this was a trilogy, but expected an end, not to be left with so many questions.
Ultimately The Bureau of Tome is a well crafted novel that will easily please. The characters are likable and the world Orr has created – or rather two worlds, will have you on the edge of your seat till the very end. But be warned… Book two is not out for a while and you may find yourself wishing you too could manipulate the fabric of time to bring it’s release date to yesterday.
January 22, 2016
I beta read this book a while back and let me tell you it was SO amazing! Had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and I'm pretty sure I pulled an all nighter to finish that thing once I started. I honestly don't remember how quickly I read this book but that doesn't really matter.... ANYWAYS. I'm rambling. My point it FANTASTIC novel and you should drop what you are doing and get this book right now!...and then read it too!
January 7, 2016
3.5 stars.
I actually read this in June or something as part of a BETA read. I really enjoyed the story and I can't wait for book two! I ship Caryan <3
I actually read this in June or something as part of a BETA read. I really enjoyed the story and I can't wait for book two! I ship Caryan <3
January 8, 2020
Pretty much the usual sci-fi parallel worlds, special powers in the don't-know-how-to-use-them category. And obviously these special powers have uncontrollable side effects. There's so many verbs! So many over-blown emotions. Remove the teenage angst and the story would be cut by half. It's a writer's job to make the story fast, gruesome and as uncomfortable as possible for the protagonist but in a fresh new way, not movie reruns of the cruel drill sergeant and tired old set-ups with bully boys. Then there's the omnipotent 'Directors'...
I am not the target audience but I so wanted to enjoy this book. However, the mash-up of genres and contrivances, like the Bureau relaxing regulations so Shaun can gel and dye his hair, takes improbability to another level. If he got into trouble for it, yes, because even sci-fi has to have a plausible core.
Conversation between Shaun and Miller regarding Adjusters. Shaun "Where do Adjusters go when they die?" and Miller "They were human once, but the process to becoming like they are, well - their bodies are now intrinsically tied to the universe itself. When they die, they can no longer maintain control over TE, and suffer the full effects of Temporal Dissolution. They become one with spacetime itself." Yeah, well, eventually don't we all.
I am not the target audience but I so wanted to enjoy this book. However, the mash-up of genres and contrivances, like the Bureau relaxing regulations so Shaun can gel and dye his hair, takes improbability to another level. If he got into trouble for it, yes, because even sci-fi has to have a plausible core.
Conversation between Shaun and Miller regarding Adjusters. Shaun "Where do Adjusters go when they die?" and Miller "They were human once, but the process to becoming like they are, well - their bodies are now intrinsically tied to the universe itself. When they die, they can no longer maintain control over TE, and suffer the full effects of Temporal Dissolution. They become one with spacetime itself." Yeah, well, eventually don't we all.
August 1, 2017
This was a fast read, and I mostly enjoyed it, though action isn't really my thing. Orr has lots of confusing things going on, and to be honest, I wasn't always following it that much. It is a testament to his writing ability that I never felt very confused. His action scenes are snappy and easy to follow, and the fact that there were a lot of questions I had didn't impede the narrative. There are quite a few tropes in this one, but the plot races, and it's consistently exciting. However, I wish that I had gotten to know the characters and their relationships a bit more, and the ending was a little too unresolved for my liking. There are all sorts of questions, such as the role of violencee and social and political criticism which I wished had been explored rather than having more shoot outs. All in all, an entertaining book which works at face value.
July 2, 2021
Overly complicated in places, but good premise and rounded characters
May 24, 2016
Well, sadly, I think my brain is just not cut out to follow all the leaps in time in this book. But I did like the concept behind it, and the idea that humans will entirely stuff up their world and create genetic mutants in an attempt to solve their problems. Yep, I'd believe that.
The character of Cassie starts out as a nice, normal young girl who has been haunted by strange monsters that seem out to kill her, but no-one believes her. She's that kid at school who's spent a lot of time talking to psychiatrists. But then the monsters really come after her and she's on the run for her life.
The first couple of chapters left me breathless and interested as she starts to discover her timewalking powers, but once she finds herself caught up with military factions, I began to stumble. This is partly because I'm really not into constant army/soldier fighting action and the blood letting gets right up there (not as high as Illuminae, but still). But also because Cassie does a lot of screaming and shouting - I didn't expect her to be a perfect action hero from the get-go, but having her shriek and lose it a number of times through the plot was off-putting
I enjoyed the writing and the pace but in the end found it difficult to relate to Cassie & Shaun & the others, especially as people died a lot but then sometimes were saved. Plus I couldn't keep up with all the leaps in time/worlds as they increased, and especially not with the shifting allegiances - this was probably just my inability to concentrate on who was on whose side when.
Here's a pet hate for me with sci-fi/futuristic/dystopian stories written by Aussie authors - why do they HAVE to be set in America, with American characters, using American English? We will end up with a world of bland books, all set in the States with U.S. English. By catering to the (admittedly enormous & lucrative) U.S. market, you are also not allowing them to try reading about other countries, other versions of English - let them read something different! It doesn't even have to be really Aussie, full of Strine sayings, but there's no reason why Cassie (in this instance) couldn't have been living in Melbourne, having moved from Sydney. We have Google these days if there's a bit of slang the overseas readers don't get. That's partly why we all read - to escape elsewhere, to imagine other worlds, to learn new stuff. If you're saying that our future world WILL be America, then you're helping us all head that way! Phew, okay, rant over ;)
People who enjoy sci-fi with lots of action, shooting and fighting will love this, and I have to say that both the first line and the final line were fantastic. On the cliff-hanger alone I would check out the second novel to find out what happens in Orr's bleak futuristic parallel worlds.
The character of Cassie starts out as a nice, normal young girl who has been haunted by strange monsters that seem out to kill her, but no-one believes her. She's that kid at school who's spent a lot of time talking to psychiatrists. But then the monsters really come after her and she's on the run for her life.
The first couple of chapters left me breathless and interested as she starts to discover her timewalking powers, but once she finds herself caught up with military factions, I began to stumble. This is partly because I'm really not into constant army/soldier fighting action and the blood letting gets right up there (not as high as Illuminae, but still). But also because Cassie does a lot of screaming and shouting - I didn't expect her to be a perfect action hero from the get-go, but having her shriek and lose it a number of times through the plot was off-putting
I enjoyed the writing and the pace but in the end found it difficult to relate to Cassie & Shaun & the others, especially as people died a lot but then sometimes were saved. Plus I couldn't keep up with all the leaps in time/worlds as they increased, and especially not with the shifting allegiances - this was probably just my inability to concentrate on who was on whose side when.
Here's a pet hate for me with sci-fi/futuristic/dystopian stories written by Aussie authors - why do they HAVE to be set in America, with American characters, using American English? We will end up with a world of bland books, all set in the States with U.S. English. By catering to the (admittedly enormous & lucrative) U.S. market, you are also not allowing them to try reading about other countries, other versions of English - let them read something different! It doesn't even have to be really Aussie, full of Strine sayings, but there's no reason why Cassie (in this instance) couldn't have been living in Melbourne, having moved from Sydney. We have Google these days if there's a bit of slang the overseas readers don't get. That's partly why we all read - to escape elsewhere, to imagine other worlds, to learn new stuff. If you're saying that our future world WILL be America, then you're helping us all head that way! Phew, okay, rant over ;)
People who enjoy sci-fi with lots of action, shooting and fighting will love this, and I have to say that both the first line and the final line were fantastic. On the cliff-hanger alone I would check out the second novel to find out what happens in Orr's bleak futuristic parallel worlds.
February 23, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book for free through a giveaway. I was also one of the beta readers for an earlier draft of this novel. This does not affect the honesty of my review.
I write bookish discussions, esp about diverse representation, at The Devil Orders Takeout!
Speaking generally: a solid and quick read if you’re in the mood for military sci-fi and time travel. (Actual rating: 3.5 stars.)
Let’s talk about the characters! Shaun is one of our MCs — I didn’t find him relatable, but I understood his motivations. He’s definitely more complex than he first seems, although his personality could shine through a little more. I did love his internal struggles, though — that was even more defined than the main plot, IMO.
Cassie is our other MC, who is Shaun’s love interest. Admittedly, I didn’t get the chemistry between the two of them at all, but of course I’m the most unromantic Vulcan in the city, so. I connected with her way more than I did in the older draft I beta’d!
The other characters were rather flat. Again, they were solidly defined, but they didn’t stand out much to me. For example, the villains. Zero was the typical idealistic-goals-gone-wrong kind of guy, he acted and spoke like that, but I definitely got the shivers when he was around. The lady antagonist (her identity is a spoiler) was again, fairly typical — a little bit gloat-y, heartless towards her own love interests.
As for the plot, clearly I knew about the plot twists beforehand. But I loved that — seeing as this is a time travel book — there were so many parallels between the present and the future. Plus the two MC’s plotlines were nicely paralleled, and I flailed so much for that.
I feel like I’m going back to the word “solid” again for worldbuilding. It was quite well-researched, and the military aspect felt realistic to me. I wish there could have been more of a thrill in stepping into this book, but overall it was a fulfilling time travel book.
I write bookish discussions, esp about diverse representation, at The Devil Orders Takeout!
Speaking generally: a solid and quick read if you’re in the mood for military sci-fi and time travel. (Actual rating: 3.5 stars.)
Let’s talk about the characters! Shaun is one of our MCs — I didn’t find him relatable, but I understood his motivations. He’s definitely more complex than he first seems, although his personality could shine through a little more. I did love his internal struggles, though — that was even more defined than the main plot, IMO.
Cassie is our other MC, who is Shaun’s love interest. Admittedly, I didn’t get the chemistry between the two of them at all, but of course I’m the most unromantic Vulcan in the city, so. I connected with her way more than I did in the older draft I beta’d!
The other characters were rather flat. Again, they were solidly defined, but they didn’t stand out much to me. For example, the villains. Zero was the typical idealistic-goals-gone-wrong kind of guy, he acted and spoke like that, but I definitely got the shivers when he was around. The lady antagonist (her identity is a spoiler) was again, fairly typical — a little bit gloat-y, heartless towards her own love interests.
As for the plot, clearly I knew about the plot twists beforehand. But I loved that — seeing as this is a time travel book — there were so many parallels between the present and the future. Plus the two MC’s plotlines were nicely paralleled, and I flailed so much for that.
I feel like I’m going back to the word “solid” again for worldbuilding. It was quite well-researched, and the military aspect felt realistic to me. I wish there could have been more of a thrill in stepping into this book, but overall it was a fulfilling time travel book.
January 31, 2016
The Bureau of Time
Without any context, this book is amazing enough. But when you take into account the fact that this is his first published novel, it shines a little brighter. He's avoided a lot of the mistakes common for new writers. His characters are likeable and compelling, and very easy to root for. No gaping plot holes stared at me. The pacing felt solid, like he actually spent time on it -- highs and lows, but never going slack.
Something I particularly liked was his handling of his antagonists. They were detailed enough to have /reasons/ for what they did. They weren't mindless tools doing evil for the heroes to stop. Even at the end, I wasn't quite sure who was the force of good and who was the force of evil.
His themes were strong, too, and I can't wait to read the next book and see how he continues them.
The twist at the end was enough to make me gasp, but once I looked, I could see all the foreshadowing leading up to it.
My only complaint is the cliffhanger this book ends on. It's intense, and it's tough waiting a year or two (or three) to see how it's resolved.
Overall, this is a well written book. I'd suggest it for anyone who likes a good story with terrifying monsters, action, and moral dilemmas.
Without any context, this book is amazing enough. But when you take into account the fact that this is his first published novel, it shines a little brighter. He's avoided a lot of the mistakes common for new writers. His characters are likeable and compelling, and very easy to root for. No gaping plot holes stared at me. The pacing felt solid, like he actually spent time on it -- highs and lows, but never going slack.
Something I particularly liked was his handling of his antagonists. They were detailed enough to have /reasons/ for what they did. They weren't mindless tools doing evil for the heroes to stop. Even at the end, I wasn't quite sure who was the force of good and who was the force of evil.
His themes were strong, too, and I can't wait to read the next book and see how he continues them.
The twist at the end was enough to make me gasp, but once I looked, I could see all the foreshadowing leading up to it.
My only complaint is the cliffhanger this book ends on. It's intense, and it's tough waiting a year or two (or three) to see how it's resolved.
Overall, this is a well written book. I'd suggest it for anyone who likes a good story with terrifying monsters, action, and moral dilemmas.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews