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Area 51: Time Patrol #4
Independence Day
"Same date; six different years, the Time Patrol must save our timeline from the Shadow by preserving our past.
On the 4th of July 362 B.C. is the Battle of Mantinea in Greece, in which Sparta is defeated by Thebes in a Pyrrhic victory, leading to a third party uniting Greece: Philip II, father of a man who would change history: Alexander The Great. But what if Sparta wins the battle?
The 4th of July, 1776 is one of the most important dates in American history, but there is also the 4th of July exactly 50 years later, in 1826, when two of the architects of that document and the country, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, die within hours of each other. What secrets do they hold close on their deathbeds? And who else might know about them?
At Gettysburg, the Confederacy reaches its ‘high water mark’ with Pickett’s charge on the 3rd of July 1863. But on the 4th, both armies stare at each other on a rainy day, waiting for the other to make a move. What if the Union attacks?
In the same war, on the same day, in a victory that is over-shadowed by Gettysburg in terms of publicity, but of more value strategically, Grant takes Vicksburg on the 4th of July, 1863. But what if he fails?
All of these events, and others on the same day, are being attacked by the SHADOW.
It is up to the Time Patrol to send an agent back to six different years on the 4th of July and make sure our timeline remains intact. If they fail, our present will snap out of existence!
"
On the 4th of July 362 B.C. is the Battle of Mantinea in Greece, in which Sparta is defeated by Thebes in a Pyrrhic victory, leading to a third party uniting Greece: Philip II, father of a man who would change history: Alexander The Great. But what if Sparta wins the battle?
The 4th of July, 1776 is one of the most important dates in American history, but there is also the 4th of July exactly 50 years later, in 1826, when two of the architects of that document and the country, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, die within hours of each other. What secrets do they hold close on their deathbeds? And who else might know about them?
At Gettysburg, the Confederacy reaches its ‘high water mark’ with Pickett’s charge on the 3rd of July 1863. But on the 4th, both armies stare at each other on a rainy day, waiting for the other to make a move. What if the Union attacks?
In the same war, on the same day, in a victory that is over-shadowed by Gettysburg in terms of publicity, but of more value strategically, Grant takes Vicksburg on the 4th of July, 1863. But what if he fails?
All of these events, and others on the same day, are being attacked by the SHADOW.
It is up to the Time Patrol to send an agent back to six different years on the 4th of July and make sure our timeline remains intact. If they fail, our present will snap out of existence!
"
242 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2016
115 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
Bob Mayer
210 books47.9k followersBesides my own interests, I read whatever my wife tells me to read-- she's a voracious reader and has wide-ranging tastes as my reviews show (she also always has the TV remote and she's always right about what to watch). I read a lot of nonfiction, mostly for research. Some of my favorite books are Lonesome Dove, Mystic River, LOTR, and an array of science fiction classics including the Foundation series. Our house is covered with books, although I finally broke down and started reading eBooks, strangely enough on my iPhone. Since I carry it pretty much everywhere, it means I always have an entire library of books with me.
I'm a West Point graduate, former Green Beret and a New York Times Bestselling Author. I've sold over five million books. My newest series begins with New York Minute, a thriller set in New York City in 1977.
I love using history and science in my books. My Area 51 series pretty much had me rewriting our entire history of civilization.
I'm a West Point graduate, former Green Beret and a New York Times Bestselling Author. I've sold over five million books. My newest series begins with New York Minute, a thriller set in New York City in 1977.
I love using history and science in my books. My Area 51 series pretty much had me rewriting our entire history of civilization.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 20, 2017
New York Times best-selling author Bob Mayer is a multi-genre writer, penning military thrillers, historical thrillers, political thrillers, and sci-fi thrillers. In his Time Patrol series, Mayer manages to combine all those genres into each book.
An enemy called the Shadow destroys established timelines by disrupting key historical events that occur on the same date throughout history. The mission of the Time Patrol is to prevent the Shadow from changing those events and destroying the current timeline.
In Independence Day, the date in question is—as the title suggests—July 4. On that date, a number of key historic events occurred: the 362BC Battle of Mantinea in Greece; the American Declaration of Independence in 1776; the death of the Declaration’s author, Thomas Jefferson, and friend and political rival, Samuel Adams, on the same day 50 years later; and the Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg in 1863. If the Shadow can change the outcome of any or all of those events, it will destroy our timeline.
Mayer populates this series with characters from many of his other series, including The Cellar, Atlantis, Area 51, and The Nightstalkers.
A West Point graduate and former Green Beret, Mayer is at his best writing about covert operations. However, he is also an astute student of history. Independence Day is an entertaining sci-fi read as well as an in depth history lesson, and a novel an aficionado of any genre will enjoy.
An enemy called the Shadow destroys established timelines by disrupting key historical events that occur on the same date throughout history. The mission of the Time Patrol is to prevent the Shadow from changing those events and destroying the current timeline.
In Independence Day, the date in question is—as the title suggests—July 4. On that date, a number of key historic events occurred: the 362BC Battle of Mantinea in Greece; the American Declaration of Independence in 1776; the death of the Declaration’s author, Thomas Jefferson, and friend and political rival, Samuel Adams, on the same day 50 years later; and the Union victories at Vicksburg and Gettysburg in 1863. If the Shadow can change the outcome of any or all of those events, it will destroy our timeline.
Mayer populates this series with characters from many of his other series, including The Cellar, Atlantis, Area 51, and The Nightstalkers.
A West Point graduate and former Green Beret, Mayer is at his best writing about covert operations. However, he is also an astute student of history. Independence Day is an entertaining sci-fi read as well as an in depth history lesson, and a novel an aficionado of any genre will enjoy.
July 19, 2018
I picked this up as a free book because I’ve long been interested in time travel stories. Unfortunately, this is the fifth book in the series and another series (Nightstalkers) is a precursor to this one. The author doesn’t find it necessary to introduce either the members of the Time Patrol team or the adversary in the series, which made it confusing as a first read.
Apparently, there’s an entity called the Shadow who is attempting to disrupt the timeline in which the Time Patrol exists in an attempt to derail history. This involves changing events in multiple time periods, but all happening on the same day, in this case, the Fourth of July. The events and interactions were interesting, but it was difficult for me to really understand what was going on. Despite that, I was drawn to finish it all the way to the end. In retrospect, I think I’d like to go back to the beginning and read the whole series.
The book could have used a good copy editor. Now, I’m guessing Bob Mayer paid an editor of some sort because he’s been around long enough to know that you should do that, but the one who edited this book missed a lot. The errors were annoying, and since simple grammatical and punctuation errors are a pet peeve with me, I downgraded the rating I gave the book significantly.
Apparently, there’s an entity called the Shadow who is attempting to disrupt the timeline in which the Time Patrol exists in an attempt to derail history. This involves changing events in multiple time periods, but all happening on the same day, in this case, the Fourth of July. The events and interactions were interesting, but it was difficult for me to really understand what was going on. Despite that, I was drawn to finish it all the way to the end. In retrospect, I think I’d like to go back to the beginning and read the whole series.
The book could have used a good copy editor. Now, I’m guessing Bob Mayer paid an editor of some sort because he’s been around long enough to know that you should do that, but the one who edited this book missed a lot. The errors were annoying, and since simple grammatical and punctuation errors are a pet peeve with me, I downgraded the rating I gave the book significantly.
August 4, 2024
The possibility Palace perches predominately for each person's problem
This continues Bob Mayer's of time traipsing to stop the Shadow. The interactions with historical figures is incentive and creative. In a bigger sense, the Shadow is really about how far current democrats will strive to recreate history, until of conforms to a shape they figure agrees with their current mantra. As in the book, the shadow and their puppeteers seek absolute control so they control all discourse as well as future outcomes.
This continues Bob Mayer's of time traipsing to stop the Shadow. The interactions with historical figures is incentive and creative. In a bigger sense, the Shadow is really about how far current democrats will strive to recreate history, until of conforms to a shape they figure agrees with their current mantra. As in the book, the shadow and their puppeteers seek absolute control so they control all discourse as well as future outcomes.
January 30, 2020
I love time travel and the wild possibilities for alternate time lines authors can come up with. Bob Mayer has an incredible imagination and the historical facts to back up that imagination. This one was particularly well worth the read. Loved it.
October 28, 2020
A Fragile Timeline Worth Saving
An intriguing story demonstrating the interconnectedness of many historical events that occurred on July Fourth. The Shadows are thwarted once again by members of the Time Patrol. Hard to put down once you start reading it!
An intriguing story demonstrating the interconnectedness of many historical events that occurred on July Fourth. The Shadows are thwarted once again by members of the Time Patrol. Hard to put down once you start reading it!
June 29, 2017
Another excellent story in this series.
November 7, 2020
It is what is
The intercanation of time missions is base if series but I didn’t like how it was done in this novel has felt to mugg on lucky chances for the right actions.
The intercanation of time missions is base if series but I didn’t like how it was done in this novel has felt to mugg on lucky chances for the right actions.
September 29, 2016
Interesting twist on alternate history from Harry Harrison. this gets into the why things may or may not be changed. A bit slow to get into since this is the first book in the Time Patrol series I have read. But it became addictive as I got further into it and began to make sense of what was happening and who the characters were. Going for another in series now.
September 19, 2016
Did not enjoy this book. Quite boring. Cannot give a recommdation
November 2, 2019
This book had some interesting historical information. It really was not a page turner. I may read more of the series, but it appears to be more history lessons then an action thrillers.
December 11, 2016
The date is July 4th in six very different times. From The Declaration of Independence being signed, to exactly 50 years later when Thomas Jefferson and John Adams die within hours of each other, to Gettysburg, to the Battle of Matinea in Greece where Philip ll will rise, making way for his son, Alexander the Great.
Battered and beaten over the last couple of missions, the team is struggling. Add to it the death of Mac, who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve history. Each member is struggling in their own way: questions of who they are, what they stand for. Imagine being from the future, having the gift (or curse) of hindsight, knowing the effects of things like slavery, yet history dictates you have to not only stand down, but worse, fight against a possible change of course. This is what our Time Patrol is up against.
Once again Mayer takes history, Sci-fi, and mythology, rolls into an intriguing tale of 'what if', while keeping the pages turning. I read this long into the night and immediately started the next.
Battered and beaten over the last couple of missions, the team is struggling. Add to it the death of Mac, who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve history. Each member is struggling in their own way: questions of who they are, what they stand for. Imagine being from the future, having the gift (or curse) of hindsight, knowing the effects of things like slavery, yet history dictates you have to not only stand down, but worse, fight against a possible change of course. This is what our Time Patrol is up against.
Once again Mayer takes history, Sci-fi, and mythology, rolls into an intriguing tale of 'what if', while keeping the pages turning. I read this long into the night and immediately started the next.
August 11, 2016
Nothing is secure; nothing is carved in granite. The Time Patrol is even more not only unsure of the rules, but unsure of the playing field, wherever (whenever?) that might be.
The overall story still illustrates the Time Patrol looking for the ultimate answers to the larger questions of the Shadow and the Timelines, but it includes the personal questions each member struggles with; who am I really, and what are the ultimate consequences of the missions? I think the story shows that they all bear the burden of the choices made in the past, knowing that they must let those who died, die again, or suffer again, even if they are good people who didn’t deserve their fate.
I really enjoyed the brief ‘who what’ breakdown at the beginning of each mission; as a history geek it was fun to read each synopsis. As always, tight, clear writing, an excellent book.
I received a copy for an honest review; but, truly, I ain’t that good of a liar, anyway.
The overall story still illustrates the Time Patrol looking for the ultimate answers to the larger questions of the Shadow and the Timelines, but it includes the personal questions each member struggles with; who am I really, and what are the ultimate consequences of the missions? I think the story shows that they all bear the burden of the choices made in the past, knowing that they must let those who died, die again, or suffer again, even if they are good people who didn’t deserve their fate.
I really enjoyed the brief ‘who what’ breakdown at the beginning of each mission; as a history geek it was fun to read each synopsis. As always, tight, clear writing, an excellent book.
I received a copy for an honest review; but, truly, I ain’t that good of a liar, anyway.
July 6, 2016
Wow! I am new to this series, but, having read other books by Bob Mayer, I was eager to read this. Mayer has such an excellent sense of history that all his books are an education in addition to great entertainment. But in this book he takes us farther, going back into ancient Greece. Also, though I am quite familiar with the Battle of Gettysburg, I was intrigued by his use of Grant's victory at Vicksburg which took place at the same time.
Of course, in addition to the history there are some very wonderful characters. I must confess a great fondness for Moms, though all of them are excellent. This is a real adventure--an adventure not to be missed. It's hard to say much without giving away plot points. Suffice it to say, I had a great time reading this.
Of course, in addition to the history there are some very wonderful characters. I must confess a great fondness for Moms, though all of them are excellent. This is a real adventure--an adventure not to be missed. It's hard to say much without giving away plot points. Suffice it to say, I had a great time reading this.
November 19, 2016
The 4th book in a great military Sci-fi series that is as good as the first novel. It's part mystery, part alternative history, and part action-packed drama. If you enjoy the other ones in this series, you will enjoy this installment too. The memorable characters are all back (with one exception) and the historical research is still impressive. For fans of Sci-fi time travel works and readers who like military fiction. Recommended.
LT Early Reviewer
LT Early Reviewer
November 14, 2016
Intriguing
Mayer's Time Patrol series continues what must feel like a losing war to the team's elite members as they hold our timeline together by an increasingly thinner and thinner thread. Well crafted story.
Mayer's Time Patrol series continues what must feel like a losing war to the team's elite members as they hold our timeline together by an increasingly thinner and thinner thread. Well crafted story.
December 3, 2016
As stated previous it was a great story but poorly edited.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews