What do you think?
Rate this book
The Time for Alexander #1
The Road to Alexander
After winning a prestigious award, Ashley is chosen to travel through time and interview a historical figure. Choosing her childhood hero Alexander the Great, she is sent back in time for less than a day. He mistakes her for Persephone, goddess of the dead, and kidnaps her, stranding her in his own time. What follows, after she awakes under the pomegranate tree, is a hilarious, mind-bending tale of a modern woman immersed in the ancient throes of sex, love, quite a bit of vino, war, death and ever so much more.
244 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
67 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Macaire
37 books136 followersJennifer Macaire lives in France with her husband, three children, & various dogs & horses. She loves cooking, eating French chocolate, growing herbs and flowering plants on her balcony, and playing golf. She grew up in upstate New York, Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. She graduated from St. Peter and Paul high school in St. Thomas and moved to NYC where she modeled for five years for Elite. She went to France and met her husband at the polo club. All that is true. But she mostly likes to make up stories.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
January 14, 2019
This turned out to be quite an interesting read about time travel and love. I wasn't sure about Ashley to start with but by the end of the book I was really rooting for her. I loved the polygamous angle with her being in love with both Alexander and Plexis but then all they all seemed to be in love with about 3 other people so you have to pay attention to keep up. I liked this though, it made sure I paid attention to the story.
This is a book 1 and I am interested in seeing how the story plays out. It mentions that if you change history bad things happen but then babies happen that were not part of the original history and so far hasn't affected anything so I'm intrigued to see what happens there.
For me one of the things i enjoyed most was the lack of war. It's covered, you can't not write a story about Alexander and miss out wars but thankfully the battles mostly take place off-screen (off-book?) and Ashley mostly plays nursemaid and offers an empathetic angle.
Once I got into it the book moved really fast and a lot happens in what feels like a short space of time but is actually a bit of skipping over several weeks of marching (yay) to focus on core relationships. Overall I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one.
This is a book 1 and I am interested in seeing how the story plays out. It mentions that if you change history bad things happen but then babies happen that were not part of the original history and so far hasn't affected anything so I'm intrigued to see what happens there.
For me one of the things i enjoyed most was the lack of war. It's covered, you can't not write a story about Alexander and miss out wars but thankfully the battles mostly take place off-screen (off-book?) and Ashley mostly plays nursemaid and offers an empathetic angle.
Once I got into it the book moved really fast and a lot happens in what feels like a short space of time but is actually a bit of skipping over several weeks of marching (yay) to focus on core relationships. Overall I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to the next one.
May 14, 2018
This isn't something I'd normally read, but it proved to be very interesting and very different. A time-travelling journalist who has been intrigued with Alexander the Great and works towards being chosen to be the one to travel back through time to 'interview' him, without upsetting history or letting on who she is.
I feel as though I stepped into the ancient Greek world and could see everything that was happening to the characters. It is certainly different in that the heroine isn't the only wife to Alexander, and indeed becomes friends with one of the other wives. The relationship between Alexander and Ashley spreads across the ancient world of Greece and battles as well as political power. It brings to light many historical people mentioned in different texts (okay, soIi went to Wikipedia, all right? I had to check out Alexander the Great myself!) There is also mention of his affairs with other men and women.
An excellent job of twining a romance with many historical facts and figures, and also showing the difference between two different cultures and times. If you're looking for something different, factual in many areas, historical and an enthralling story, this might be right up your alley! This author definitely knows her history.
I feel as though I stepped into the ancient Greek world and could see everything that was happening to the characters. It is certainly different in that the heroine isn't the only wife to Alexander, and indeed becomes friends with one of the other wives. The relationship between Alexander and Ashley spreads across the ancient world of Greece and battles as well as political power. It brings to light many historical people mentioned in different texts (okay, soIi went to Wikipedia, all right? I had to check out Alexander the Great myself!) There is also mention of his affairs with other men and women.
An excellent job of twining a romance with many historical facts and figures, and also showing the difference between two different cultures and times. If you're looking for something different, factual in many areas, historical and an enthralling story, this might be right up your alley! This author definitely knows her history.
January 17, 2019
Purchase Link – Click Here
My Thoughts:
This is the story of Ashley and how she travels back in time to meet one of her heroes, Alexander the Great, to interview him. Alexander unwittingly prevents Ashley from returning back to her time and she is left stranded in history and decides to embrace the predicament in which she finds herself.
Now I did wonder how I would get on this story, time travel and ancient history. I really should not wonder when it comes to reading as this author did an absolutely cracking job with the story and completely won me over. I will mention that the author stated in her notes at the end, that she has moved somethings and people around to help with her story. I am aware of something from the days of Alexander but I am not au fait with much of it so I just enjoyed the story as the author saw it.
I would definitely say this is a historical romance as well as being a historical fiction read. It is about two people from very different times, backgrounds, interests, and experiences. The author has managed to inject some humorous aspects into the story that had me smirking, Ashley uses phrases and words that would not have been around at that time, and it gets some of the historical characters scratching their heads. For them, it adds to the mystery behind who or what they believe her to be.
I really liked the way a lot of historical facts has been mixed in with the fiction it made reading details much more interesting. Essentially turning a list of dates, people and places into something a lot lighter reading. There are mentions of battles, gods, religion, philosophy and the beliefs of the time. There is so much from the daily life, health, hygiene pretty much everything you would expect and a lot I didn’t even think about.
While Ashley is the main part of the story, her focus is on Alexander, the man, and the legendary historical figure. By the end of the story, I realised that this author really knows her stuff and has an obvious love of this time period, as it really does show in her writing. I came away knowing so much more than when I started this book, that is a big bonus for me.
I did mention it had a romantic aspect to it. Ashley initially is a little aloof and comes across as cold, where as Alexander is definitely a hot blooded male… thats all I am saying at this point, it does make for some very interesting reading! As the story develops Ashley then seems to thaw a little and others start to see a change in her, she becomes more emotionally engaged.
This is the first book in a series and I cannot wait to see what comes next. This is a really good book and one that I think would definitely appeal to readers of historical fiction and romance readers. It is one I would definitely recommend.
My Thoughts:
This is the story of Ashley and how she travels back in time to meet one of her heroes, Alexander the Great, to interview him. Alexander unwittingly prevents Ashley from returning back to her time and she is left stranded in history and decides to embrace the predicament in which she finds herself.
Now I did wonder how I would get on this story, time travel and ancient history. I really should not wonder when it comes to reading as this author did an absolutely cracking job with the story and completely won me over. I will mention that the author stated in her notes at the end, that she has moved somethings and people around to help with her story. I am aware of something from the days of Alexander but I am not au fait with much of it so I just enjoyed the story as the author saw it.
I would definitely say this is a historical romance as well as being a historical fiction read. It is about two people from very different times, backgrounds, interests, and experiences. The author has managed to inject some humorous aspects into the story that had me smirking, Ashley uses phrases and words that would not have been around at that time, and it gets some of the historical characters scratching their heads. For them, it adds to the mystery behind who or what they believe her to be.
I really liked the way a lot of historical facts has been mixed in with the fiction it made reading details much more interesting. Essentially turning a list of dates, people and places into something a lot lighter reading. There are mentions of battles, gods, religion, philosophy and the beliefs of the time. There is so much from the daily life, health, hygiene pretty much everything you would expect and a lot I didn’t even think about.
While Ashley is the main part of the story, her focus is on Alexander, the man, and the legendary historical figure. By the end of the story, I realised that this author really knows her stuff and has an obvious love of this time period, as it really does show in her writing. I came away knowing so much more than when I started this book, that is a big bonus for me.
I did mention it had a romantic aspect to it. Ashley initially is a little aloof and comes across as cold, where as Alexander is definitely a hot blooded male… thats all I am saying at this point, it does make for some very interesting reading! As the story develops Ashley then seems to thaw a little and others start to see a change in her, she becomes more emotionally engaged.
This is the first book in a series and I cannot wait to see what comes next. This is a really good book and one that I think would definitely appeal to readers of historical fiction and romance readers. It is one I would definitely recommend.
July 17, 2017
Ashley comes from the future where they have time travel. She has the chance to travel back in time to meet one famous character and interview him. She has always had a crush on Alexander the Great so she chooses to go back to meet her hero. She is supposed to spend just twenty hours in the past but something goes wrong and she finds herself trapped in 333 BC. Fortunately Alexander has taken a shine to her and she finds herself travelling with his army, first as his concubine and later as one of his several wives.
I found this one of those books that was easy to read, but easy to put down for quite long periods. In part, this is because the story, though full of incident, is pretty much summed up in the first paragraph of this review. Alexander and Ashley have explicit and amazing sex, she travels with the army, something happens, Alexander and Ashley have explicit and amazing sex, they travel on, something happens… You get the picture.
Part of the problem, for me, was Ashley's character. She is, by her own account, an ice maiden. Apart from her ability to fall madly in love with Alexander (did I mention the explicit and amazing sex?), and, later, Alexander’s best friend/lover, Ashley finds human relationships difficult. She is hampered, too, by the fact that she can't open up honestly to anybody as no one must ever know that she is from the future. It is only when she finally admits the truth to Alexander and lets her emotions show in a tearful outburst that I begin to warm to her as a character, but unfortunately this is the climax of the book. It does bode well for the second novel in what is set to be quite a long series.
While Ashley is cold and aloof, Alexander is very emotional and very open (cue lots of explicit and amazing etc etc). He is also spectacularly good at everything and almost godlike. Macaire does make him a spectacularly bad singer, which we are reminded of from time to time to give him his single human frailty, but he remains a difficult figure to identify with, even if he’s not about to win Pop Idol any time soon.
This isn't really a story about Ashley at all. It's a story about Alexander the Great and his astonishing achievements. Like Ashley, Macaire seems more than a little in love with Alexander and she certainly knows a lot about him. She claims, in an end-note, not to be a historian, but she's the only blogger I've read who can post in Ancient Greek and it's clear that she knows her stuff. Enormous quantities of historical detail are incorporated in a thoroughly readable way. Everything from military tactics to medicine to diet to feminine hygiene products is covered in an easy prose style. Macaire’s prose does carry you along, free from any jarring notes.
Macaire makes her period vibrant and alive. If you are interested in Alexander the Great, you will find much to interest you in this book. If you like historical fiction because you enjoy learning about daily life in the past, this is definitely a rewarding read. There is also no doubt that if Macaire ever wants to branch out into erotic fiction, she will be up there with the best of them, so that’s another potential attraction.
Overall, it's clear that I have mixed feelings about The Road to Alexander but I did enjoy it. If you're into well researched historical novels, you'll probably enjoy it too. I suspect that now that the characters are established and Ashley has begun to open up as a human being (and even Alexander is becoming a more rounded character), the second book in the series will be even better than this one.
I found this one of those books that was easy to read, but easy to put down for quite long periods. In part, this is because the story, though full of incident, is pretty much summed up in the first paragraph of this review. Alexander and Ashley have explicit and amazing sex, she travels with the army, something happens, Alexander and Ashley have explicit and amazing sex, they travel on, something happens… You get the picture.
Part of the problem, for me, was Ashley's character. She is, by her own account, an ice maiden. Apart from her ability to fall madly in love with Alexander (did I mention the explicit and amazing sex?), and, later, Alexander’s best friend/lover, Ashley finds human relationships difficult. She is hampered, too, by the fact that she can't open up honestly to anybody as no one must ever know that she is from the future. It is only when she finally admits the truth to Alexander and lets her emotions show in a tearful outburst that I begin to warm to her as a character, but unfortunately this is the climax of the book. It does bode well for the second novel in what is set to be quite a long series.
While Ashley is cold and aloof, Alexander is very emotional and very open (cue lots of explicit and amazing etc etc). He is also spectacularly good at everything and almost godlike. Macaire does make him a spectacularly bad singer, which we are reminded of from time to time to give him his single human frailty, but he remains a difficult figure to identify with, even if he’s not about to win Pop Idol any time soon.
This isn't really a story about Ashley at all. It's a story about Alexander the Great and his astonishing achievements. Like Ashley, Macaire seems more than a little in love with Alexander and she certainly knows a lot about him. She claims, in an end-note, not to be a historian, but she's the only blogger I've read who can post in Ancient Greek and it's clear that she knows her stuff. Enormous quantities of historical detail are incorporated in a thoroughly readable way. Everything from military tactics to medicine to diet to feminine hygiene products is covered in an easy prose style. Macaire’s prose does carry you along, free from any jarring notes.
Macaire makes her period vibrant and alive. If you are interested in Alexander the Great, you will find much to interest you in this book. If you like historical fiction because you enjoy learning about daily life in the past, this is definitely a rewarding read. There is also no doubt that if Macaire ever wants to branch out into erotic fiction, she will be up there with the best of them, so that’s another potential attraction.
Overall, it's clear that I have mixed feelings about The Road to Alexander but I did enjoy it. If you're into well researched historical novels, you'll probably enjoy it too. I suspect that now that the characters are established and Ashley has begun to open up as a human being (and even Alexander is becoming a more rounded character), the second book in the series will be even better than this one.
November 27, 2018
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started reading these books - I just knew that I had to check them out because I am a HUGE fan of this type of historical fiction and Alexander the Great is a very elusive character in history. I definitely did not expect a time-travel series, but it's almost like you just naturally start reading and it's over 3600 years since Alexander was alive. Immediately we discover that the main character of the books is in a Time-Travel university, and she is going back in time in order to interview the amazing Alexander the Great. And of course they ask her WHY HIM? And I feel the same way - he is a very interesting character in history that we don't know a lot about. We also find out that she has been through a horrible marriage with a husband who was physically abusive, so I wondered how that might play into the series of books. She obviously is now doing something to better her life and is very fierce in her convictions to meet Alexander and inteview him. I saw a strong survivor in Ashley, and I couldn't wait to read more about her and her journey to 330 BC.
Since there are 5 books, I am going to do just a short review on each of them, but lump all of the reviews into one for the purposes of the blog tour. So within the first 3 pages Ashley is transported back in time and I had to laugh because she immediately feels uncomfortable in the Egyptian clothing as they are scratchy and you have to imagine that living 3600 years in the future, her normal clothing has to be pretty darned comfy! I do love the way the author was able to research this time period and from what I know about it, she did a great job of using 330 BC as the setting for these books. It felt real to me, and I truly enjoy that out of historical fiction. Besides that, when the author describes the scenery and especially Alexander's tent, it is rich and beautiful, even though we know back then they didn't have all of the nice things we have today. I WANTED to be there.
The one thing I noticed was that Ashley called herself an "oneirocritic" which seemed to be perfectly normal for even Alexander, whom she walks up to and just starts talking with him. She says her first impression is that he is "dangerous". But she doesn't seem scared, she is more intrigued - and the first thing we really notice is that he is SEXY and he is lustful. So throw that into the mix and it brings a whole new spin on this series - we are not told what could happen if she engages with him and what it could mean for the time travel world. We soon find out that somehow she was "kidnapped" in a sense and is not able to return home, and she is in love with Alexander or Iskander as she calls him, and he wants to marry her. What will all this mean?? He begins to really open up to Ashley and tells her all about his early life, his mother and sister, and everything she really wants to know and more. But is it REAL? Is he fooling her? And why did he have to kidnap her? I was thinking all of these things while reading the first book and wondering if he had good intentions towards her and really did love her.
I definitely found the first book very interesting and it was sexy, funny, and a really great time-travelling story. I couldn't wait after that to get onto the second book and find out what happened next. I have to give this book 4 stars, it was very good!
**I received a free copy to read
Since there are 5 books, I am going to do just a short review on each of them, but lump all of the reviews into one for the purposes of the blog tour. So within the first 3 pages Ashley is transported back in time and I had to laugh because she immediately feels uncomfortable in the Egyptian clothing as they are scratchy and you have to imagine that living 3600 years in the future, her normal clothing has to be pretty darned comfy! I do love the way the author was able to research this time period and from what I know about it, she did a great job of using 330 BC as the setting for these books. It felt real to me, and I truly enjoy that out of historical fiction. Besides that, when the author describes the scenery and especially Alexander's tent, it is rich and beautiful, even though we know back then they didn't have all of the nice things we have today. I WANTED to be there.
The one thing I noticed was that Ashley called herself an "oneirocritic" which seemed to be perfectly normal for even Alexander, whom she walks up to and just starts talking with him. She says her first impression is that he is "dangerous". But she doesn't seem scared, she is more intrigued - and the first thing we really notice is that he is SEXY and he is lustful. So throw that into the mix and it brings a whole new spin on this series - we are not told what could happen if she engages with him and what it could mean for the time travel world. We soon find out that somehow she was "kidnapped" in a sense and is not able to return home, and she is in love with Alexander or Iskander as she calls him, and he wants to marry her. What will all this mean?? He begins to really open up to Ashley and tells her all about his early life, his mother and sister, and everything she really wants to know and more. But is it REAL? Is he fooling her? And why did he have to kidnap her? I was thinking all of these things while reading the first book and wondering if he had good intentions towards her and really did love her.
I definitely found the first book very interesting and it was sexy, funny, and a really great time-travelling story. I couldn't wait after that to get onto the second book and find out what happened next. I have to give this book 4 stars, it was very good!
**I received a free copy to read
July 7, 2019
I enjoyed this book and loved the whole concept of a time traveling journalist going back to interview Alexander the Great... only to be mistaken for a goddess and stuck in that time when Alexander "rescues" the heroine from being kidnapped by Hades.
I have never read any historical fiction, but I do enjoy romance, fantasy, and adventure and this book had all of that. Ashley, the time-traveling journalist, was raised not to show emotion and had never loved before, nor shown much affection from her family while growing up. She had always been fascinated by Alexander the Great, and because of her ability to control her emotions, and after winning a prestigious award, Ashley is chosen to interview this mysterious, yet fascinating character in history.
Throughout her adventure and journey, Ashley finds love and gets in touch with her emotions with Iskander (Alexander) and another certain character or two that I will not name so not to reveal major spoilers.
But the "sword of Damocles" hangs over her head at every turn. Ashley still holds her secret of who she truly is because if she changes the course of history, she will be erased. How awful to know the date of death for the one you love and not be able to do anything to stop it!
Although, a part of me does believe she is meant to live out her days in this time.
I am in awe of the amount of research that must go into writing this, yet appreciate the wonder of imagining what such a historical figure must have been like (in and out of bed!)
A fun read, and looking forward to the next book. There is definitely more story to tell and some questions I need answers to!
I have never read any historical fiction, but I do enjoy romance, fantasy, and adventure and this book had all of that. Ashley, the time-traveling journalist, was raised not to show emotion and had never loved before, nor shown much affection from her family while growing up. She had always been fascinated by Alexander the Great, and because of her ability to control her emotions, and after winning a prestigious award, Ashley is chosen to interview this mysterious, yet fascinating character in history.
Throughout her adventure and journey, Ashley finds love and gets in touch with her emotions with Iskander (Alexander) and another certain character or two that I will not name so not to reveal major spoilers.
But the "sword of Damocles" hangs over her head at every turn. Ashley still holds her secret of who she truly is because if she changes the course of history, she will be erased. How awful to know the date of death for the one you love and not be able to do anything to stop it!
Although, a part of me does believe she is meant to live out her days in this time.
I am in awe of the amount of research that must go into writing this, yet appreciate the wonder of imagining what such a historical figure must have been like (in and out of bed!)
A fun read, and looking forward to the next book. There is definitely more story to tell and some questions I need answers to!
December 29, 2017
I liked this OK. The time travel part I liked but it was all too easy and lacked depth. There was a lot of historical content about Alexander the Great, and the geography, people etc. I thought it could have been better. I don’t think I would continue the series.
April 28, 2008
I have to admit that when I read the synopsis I was kind of skeptical about this book. We all know the story of Alexander the Great – and how he wanted to rule the world. I have always been fascinated with ancient history but mixing that with a time travel journalist from 3,000 years in the future -- well I really didn’t know how it would work out. But I have to tell you that A Time for Alexander was absolutely phenomenal. Jennifer Macaire did such an excellent job of bringing the two together that you would never know how different their worlds were.
Ashley was born to older parents who never wanted her and managed to marry her off at 16. Her husband was a wretchedly abusive man and she divorced him as soon as she could. She put herself through college with her divorce settlement, so that she could become the journalist she always dreamed of being. Working towards meeting the one true love her entire life, Alexander the Great. When she won the coveted prize to be this year’s one journalist to travel back in time to conduct her interview it took all she could to remain unemotional, worried all the time that somehow this one chance would be taken from her.
Alexander is enthralled with Ashley right away, he knows she’s different and believes her a god…and short of telling him the truth she doesn’t know how to dissuade him of that. Soon everyone in camp thinks of her as Persephone and they accept her “mistakes.”
Ashley’s feelings grow into true love and she and Alexander marry. But even with all her happiness she lives in fear that he will find out who she is, and that if she changes any part of history that she and everything she has changed will be erased. Through the multitude of ups and downs the one constant is the love that Ashley and Alexander feel for each other.
When on the final page I realized that this was just the first book out of seven and that this story does not yet come to an end I couldn’t have been happier. The second book is called Heroes in the Dust and is also available now through Calderwood Books.
There is no way I can leave this story unfinished and I will have to continue on with the series as soon as I can. It may take seven books to tell this version of history, but no history book can compare to the beautiful story of these two people.
If you are a fan of Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander Series then you will love this story. The same heart wrenching trials and tribulations that she puts her characters through happen within this gripping tale.
A Time for Alexander is a wonderful moving saga. Really more of a historical piece than a romance there is more than enough heat between Alexander and Ashley to keep the pages smoldering. Macaire’s story ties you up in knots and hangs you out to dry. There wasn’t a piece of this book that didn’t fit, it kept a quick pace, the dialogue was witty and entertaining and the beautiful descriptions of ancient lands entice you into accompanying them on Alexander’s quest to conquer the world.
Ashley was born to older parents who never wanted her and managed to marry her off at 16. Her husband was a wretchedly abusive man and she divorced him as soon as she could. She put herself through college with her divorce settlement, so that she could become the journalist she always dreamed of being. Working towards meeting the one true love her entire life, Alexander the Great. When she won the coveted prize to be this year’s one journalist to travel back in time to conduct her interview it took all she could to remain unemotional, worried all the time that somehow this one chance would be taken from her.
Alexander is enthralled with Ashley right away, he knows she’s different and believes her a god…and short of telling him the truth she doesn’t know how to dissuade him of that. Soon everyone in camp thinks of her as Persephone and they accept her “mistakes.”
Ashley’s feelings grow into true love and she and Alexander marry. But even with all her happiness she lives in fear that he will find out who she is, and that if she changes any part of history that she and everything she has changed will be erased. Through the multitude of ups and downs the one constant is the love that Ashley and Alexander feel for each other.
When on the final page I realized that this was just the first book out of seven and that this story does not yet come to an end I couldn’t have been happier. The second book is called Heroes in the Dust and is also available now through Calderwood Books.
There is no way I can leave this story unfinished and I will have to continue on with the series as soon as I can. It may take seven books to tell this version of history, but no history book can compare to the beautiful story of these two people.
If you are a fan of Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander Series then you will love this story. The same heart wrenching trials and tribulations that she puts her characters through happen within this gripping tale.
A Time for Alexander is a wonderful moving saga. Really more of a historical piece than a romance there is more than enough heat between Alexander and Ashley to keep the pages smoldering. Macaire’s story ties you up in knots and hangs you out to dry. There wasn’t a piece of this book that didn’t fit, it kept a quick pace, the dialogue was witty and entertaining and the beautiful descriptions of ancient lands entice you into accompanying them on Alexander’s quest to conquer the world.
June 26, 2017
'THE ROAD TO ALEXANDER' IS A RIVETING READ!!
Jennifer Macaire has a way with words! Her novel, the richly descriptive The Road to Alexander, sweeps you up and carries you along as it tantalises the senses.
Macaire’s protagonist Ashley is a futuristic journalist who wins a prestigious award that sees her time-travel back to 333 BC to interview a figure of her choice. Alexander the Great has it. Ashley has long idolised and idealised this hero, so much so that no man in her present-day existence can measure up.
But things go very wrong. Or, very right. Because she’s mistaken for a goddess, and her intended 20-hour stay is looking to be extended indefinitely, she has the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with Alexander, in every which way! A dream come true? Yes and no. Life is made up of dreams and nightmares. And we see the lot in this book—love, war, romance, death, sex, vengeance, courage, brutality, tragedy, comedy ...
Ashley, with her insecurities and her defences, could well be everywoman. Something that might be characteristic of many stories, you might say?
But what really sets Macaire's story apart from the rest is its symbolism that speaks to everywoman (and everyman).
There’s a sense that Ashley’s desire to return to this particular era to meet the great man, and ultimately win the approval of her peers, runs deeper than that; a suggestion that it’s as much a journey back into her own psyche to retrieve innate aspects of herself that she’s shut down in the interest of survival. (Who of us can’t relate to this?) And what better place and time to help her do this than one not bound by moralism, political correctness or inhibitions—everyone wore their heart on their sleeves (when they had sleeves. Walking around naked occasionally was the norm!)?
The characters in this book are endearing: Aristotle is adorable. And watch out for sexy Plexis, the irrepressible Barsine, and Olympias, Alexander’s wicked and inappropriate mother! The great man himself isn’t presented as a stereotypical, cardboard cut-out hero. He’s macho for sure, but he’s not afraid to show his vulnerability, which makes it safe for Ashley to open her heart. And you can’t help but cheer her on as she does.
I highly recommend The Road to Alexander to anyone needing to be reminded of what ‘real’ looks like in relation to today’s artificiality and superficiality.
Jennifer Macaire has a way with words! Her novel, the richly descriptive The Road to Alexander, sweeps you up and carries you along as it tantalises the senses.
Macaire’s protagonist Ashley is a futuristic journalist who wins a prestigious award that sees her time-travel back to 333 BC to interview a figure of her choice. Alexander the Great has it. Ashley has long idolised and idealised this hero, so much so that no man in her present-day existence can measure up.
But things go very wrong. Or, very right. Because she’s mistaken for a goddess, and her intended 20-hour stay is looking to be extended indefinitely, she has the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with Alexander, in every which way! A dream come true? Yes and no. Life is made up of dreams and nightmares. And we see the lot in this book—love, war, romance, death, sex, vengeance, courage, brutality, tragedy, comedy ...
Ashley, with her insecurities and her defences, could well be everywoman. Something that might be characteristic of many stories, you might say?
But what really sets Macaire's story apart from the rest is its symbolism that speaks to everywoman (and everyman).
There’s a sense that Ashley’s desire to return to this particular era to meet the great man, and ultimately win the approval of her peers, runs deeper than that; a suggestion that it’s as much a journey back into her own psyche to retrieve innate aspects of herself that she’s shut down in the interest of survival. (Who of us can’t relate to this?) And what better place and time to help her do this than one not bound by moralism, political correctness or inhibitions—everyone wore their heart on their sleeves (when they had sleeves. Walking around naked occasionally was the norm!)?
The characters in this book are endearing: Aristotle is adorable. And watch out for sexy Plexis, the irrepressible Barsine, and Olympias, Alexander’s wicked and inappropriate mother! The great man himself isn’t presented as a stereotypical, cardboard cut-out hero. He’s macho for sure, but he’s not afraid to show his vulnerability, which makes it safe for Ashley to open her heart. And you can’t help but cheer her on as she does.
I highly recommend The Road to Alexander to anyone needing to be reminded of what ‘real’ looks like in relation to today’s artificiality and superficiality.
January 20, 2019
The Road to Alexander has an interesting premise, and it’s what made me want to read it. Time travel is always fun, and this novel proved to be unique.
Jennifer Macaire did a wonderful job making the reader feel as though they traveled back to ancient Greece with Ashley. I loved the factual characters, I loved the humor, and I loved the romance aspect too.
If you’re looking for something different, The Road to Alexander is one I recommend checking out!!
* I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Jennifer Macaire did a wonderful job making the reader feel as though they traveled back to ancient Greece with Ashley. I loved the factual characters, I loved the humor, and I loved the romance aspect too.
If you’re looking for something different, The Road to Alexander is one I recommend checking out!!
* I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
August 14, 2018
“The Road to Alexander” is one of the strangest books I have ever been asked to review, in that it is possibly the most contrary. Ordinarily, I love books which cross genres, if done well, and this book certainly does that. It doesn’t take itself too seriously – at least, surely it can’t – and seems, for the most part, to have its tongue buried very firmly in its cheek.
The premise is an interesting one: a time-travelling journalist from the future returns to the 4th century BC, to interview Alexander the Great, and subsequently falls in love with him. Firstly, to say that Jennifer Macaire is a very entertaining and adept writer – her style simple yet educated - who tells her story at a pleasing pace; although this book is perhaps a touch too long, it is highly engaging, and I found it difficult to put down at times, telling myself: just one more chapter… The story itself seems perhaps incidental – this is foremost a factual(ish) journey through the ancient world of Alexander, which is by far the most alluring aspect of it. It would have been nice to spend a little more time in the future, at the start of this book, if just to establish the context and emphasize its sci-fi/historical cross-genre premise, which I actually like.
But here is where, I’m afraid, I need to stand up and say that it should have stayed at that. Jennifer has done a fantastic amount of research into this book, and its historical insight is fascinating - she is clearly extremely hard-working and conscientious, and very vividly paints her historical scenes and set-pieces, enough to make you feel that you are actually there. Unfortunately, she has managed to dumb down what would be by rights a tremendous 5-star book, to a cringeworthy erotic romance, with a feel of contemporary melodrama – I am sorry to say that this decision has harmed her book significantly. “The Road to Alexander” now comes across as little more than pure erotic fantasy on the part of its author; this is a huge shame, and a massive detriment. The sex scenes seem particularly inappropriate, and perhaps even disrespectful, when considering they are real people she is writing about; the modern style of dialogue – with ancient Persians entertaining conversations about teenagers and hormones – seems absurd. The main character herself, Ashley, is infuriating and strangely flippant about her situation, which raises eyebrows in the reader; she approaches love like a teenager herself, and I did find her to be immature and puerile.
Jennifer’s writing itself is well crafted and proficient. Personally, I like sentences a little longer, and would have controlled the paced with better indentations; I think a final proofread would certainly be a good idea, as many of the commas are misplaced or absent where they should be. Other than this nit-picking, though, she is an impressive author.
But, needless to say, I feel very strongly that this could have been a much better book, which paid greater respect to the huge amount of effort Jennifer clearly put into it, as well as the characters within. I feel she has not used her creative licence particularly appropriately, and it is my opinion that this book would be improved considerably if she were to do away with the sex, erotica and melodrama entirely – there are enough words that she could do this quite comfortably, and even seamlessly. The quality is undeniable, but the content just all wrong.
The premise is an interesting one: a time-travelling journalist from the future returns to the 4th century BC, to interview Alexander the Great, and subsequently falls in love with him. Firstly, to say that Jennifer Macaire is a very entertaining and adept writer – her style simple yet educated - who tells her story at a pleasing pace; although this book is perhaps a touch too long, it is highly engaging, and I found it difficult to put down at times, telling myself: just one more chapter… The story itself seems perhaps incidental – this is foremost a factual(ish) journey through the ancient world of Alexander, which is by far the most alluring aspect of it. It would have been nice to spend a little more time in the future, at the start of this book, if just to establish the context and emphasize its sci-fi/historical cross-genre premise, which I actually like.
But here is where, I’m afraid, I need to stand up and say that it should have stayed at that. Jennifer has done a fantastic amount of research into this book, and its historical insight is fascinating - she is clearly extremely hard-working and conscientious, and very vividly paints her historical scenes and set-pieces, enough to make you feel that you are actually there. Unfortunately, she has managed to dumb down what would be by rights a tremendous 5-star book, to a cringeworthy erotic romance, with a feel of contemporary melodrama – I am sorry to say that this decision has harmed her book significantly. “The Road to Alexander” now comes across as little more than pure erotic fantasy on the part of its author; this is a huge shame, and a massive detriment. The sex scenes seem particularly inappropriate, and perhaps even disrespectful, when considering they are real people she is writing about; the modern style of dialogue – with ancient Persians entertaining conversations about teenagers and hormones – seems absurd. The main character herself, Ashley, is infuriating and strangely flippant about her situation, which raises eyebrows in the reader; she approaches love like a teenager herself, and I did find her to be immature and puerile.
Jennifer’s writing itself is well crafted and proficient. Personally, I like sentences a little longer, and would have controlled the paced with better indentations; I think a final proofread would certainly be a good idea, as many of the commas are misplaced or absent where they should be. Other than this nit-picking, though, she is an impressive author.
But, needless to say, I feel very strongly that this could have been a much better book, which paid greater respect to the huge amount of effort Jennifer clearly put into it, as well as the characters within. I feel she has not used her creative licence particularly appropriately, and it is my opinion that this book would be improved considerably if she were to do away with the sex, erotica and melodrama entirely – there are enough words that she could do this quite comfortably, and even seamlessly. The quality is undeniable, but the content just all wrong.
November 28, 2018
Now here’s a new occupation that might intrigue you. How would you like to be a Time Journalist? Three hundred years from now, you could have this exciting occupation. You would have the opportunity to travel back in time and interview a real person from history. You will be well-prepared, with a detailed and accurate costume and appearance, and a chip will be installed in your brain so you can speak and understand the language of the time. The actual journey through time and back is a bit rough, but what an experience! Due to the scientific constraints, you can only spend 20 hours in the past with your interview subject.
And so this is how our heroine, Ashley, finds herself in 300 B. C. Persia searching for the historical figure that she has read about, studied and loved- Alexander the Great! She begins to walk in the hot air and soon comes to the enormous army encampment. She is able to locate Alexander and spend time with him.“I looked at the man I had read about three thousand years in the future, and he smiled at me.”
Ashley is immediately attracted to his amazing looks and his overwhelming presence and authority. Twenty hours won’t be enough time to be with him! Well, thanks to an unforeseen problem, Ashley doesn’t leave at the appointed time and she must spend the rest of her life stuck in the ancient time. She goes from big city life and all the amenities of the future, to life with a donkey, a tent, a large army and Alexander.
History geeks- this book will entrance you. The author blends the sights, and sounds of daily life with historical places and people. It’s fun to experience what we now know as ancient ruins, when they were first built. I was glad that the book didn’t get too caught up in the details of time travel, or the difficulties of life as a modern person in a vastly different time, but rather sought to explore the passion and feelings of Ancient Greece. Exciting moments mix with everyday life in this fluid and engaging story.
I will point out that the love between Alexander and Ashley is portrayed vividly and frequently. Also, the minutiae of daily life, while fascinating, does slow down the plot. Readers who enjoy history and strong characters will enjoy this story. This book is the first in what is now a six-part series.
“This was the secret behind his success. Alexander knew no limits and he made everyone around him believe in the impossible.”
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy.
And so this is how our heroine, Ashley, finds herself in 300 B. C. Persia searching for the historical figure that she has read about, studied and loved- Alexander the Great! She begins to walk in the hot air and soon comes to the enormous army encampment. She is able to locate Alexander and spend time with him.“I looked at the man I had read about three thousand years in the future, and he smiled at me.”
Ashley is immediately attracted to his amazing looks and his overwhelming presence and authority. Twenty hours won’t be enough time to be with him! Well, thanks to an unforeseen problem, Ashley doesn’t leave at the appointed time and she must spend the rest of her life stuck in the ancient time. She goes from big city life and all the amenities of the future, to life with a donkey, a tent, a large army and Alexander.
History geeks- this book will entrance you. The author blends the sights, and sounds of daily life with historical places and people. It’s fun to experience what we now know as ancient ruins, when they were first built. I was glad that the book didn’t get too caught up in the details of time travel, or the difficulties of life as a modern person in a vastly different time, but rather sought to explore the passion and feelings of Ancient Greece. Exciting moments mix with everyday life in this fluid and engaging story.
I will point out that the love between Alexander and Ashley is portrayed vividly and frequently. Also, the minutiae of daily life, while fascinating, does slow down the plot. Readers who enjoy history and strong characters will enjoy this story. This book is the first in what is now a six-part series.
“This was the secret behind his success. Alexander knew no limits and he made everyone around him believe in the impossible.”
Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy.
April 14, 2019
This is a very different book from one I normally read, but I did enjoy this historical, sci-fi, romance. Ashley is a time-travelling journalist who has been intrigued and in love with Alexander the Great since she first read about him. She has been chosen by the Time Travelling Institute to travel back in time to do an interview with an historical person. The catch is that they can only remain in the past for 20 hours, and they must not do anything that will change history. Ashley travels to 331 BC and meets Alexander, better known as Iskander. He immediately wants her and when her time is over, he "rescues her" from the beam trying to bring her back to the future.
Jennifer Macaire does a great job making the reader feel that they are right there with Alexander, his army, his slaves, his wives, his friends and Ashley. Her descriptions of what life would have been like, especially travelling with an army were wonderful. I could picture the difficulties and horror of both the travel and the fighting. This story piqued my curiosity about Alexander the Great and some of the other characters in the book. It was accurate in many cases, but with it being fiction, some things were changed and the author explains that in her end notes. I was surprised about the idea of love. The Greeks felt love between a man and a women was impossible, relationships were for procreation and real love was usually between men. There was a lot of bed hopping in the story, but it was not too graphic. I also liked how Ashley dealt with the differences in culture, language, food and other things that she came upon. Overall a very enjoyable story and I am going to continue with this series to see what happens to Ashley and Alexander next. If you're looking for something different, factual in many areas, an historical, emotional, romantic and exciting story, this might be right up your alley!
Jennifer Macaire does a great job making the reader feel that they are right there with Alexander, his army, his slaves, his wives, his friends and Ashley. Her descriptions of what life would have been like, especially travelling with an army were wonderful. I could picture the difficulties and horror of both the travel and the fighting. This story piqued my curiosity about Alexander the Great and some of the other characters in the book. It was accurate in many cases, but with it being fiction, some things were changed and the author explains that in her end notes. I was surprised about the idea of love. The Greeks felt love between a man and a women was impossible, relationships were for procreation and real love was usually between men. There was a lot of bed hopping in the story, but it was not too graphic. I also liked how Ashley dealt with the differences in culture, language, food and other things that she came upon. Overall a very enjoyable story and I am going to continue with this series to see what happens to Ashley and Alexander next. If you're looking for something different, factual in many areas, an historical, emotional, romantic and exciting story, this might be right up your alley!
January 10, 2019
This book is filled with lots of very interesting historical details. Little things that you rarely read about, like what the Greeks used for soap, how they dressed, Alexander's vision. The author obviously did a lot of research and it really added to the book.
However, there were some serious flaws that made the book less enjoyable. Putting aside that it's very unlikely that our time traveling heroine would have met, fell in love with, and married Alexander the Great, putting aside that she didn't seem to mind that he slept with men and his other wives, putting aside the sex scenes (all of which was silly), I think there were three things I couldn't get past to really like this book. First, that Ashley supposedly went to Tempus University and had been preparing for this trip for years, and didn't know what a dryad is. Or anything about the religious beliefs of the time. She didn't know what nymphs or muses were either. Really? I know about them, you know about them. Wouldn't she? Second, there are lots of long passages which try to wax philosophical about love. "If you love one person, you love the world." Whatever; it was a stretch and caused a lot of skimming. And third, I really didn't like Ashley. She was really pretty passive, always fainting and getting nosebleeds because she was upset. Nobody in the book liked her either except the two men she was sleeping with.
While the concept of the book was interesting, I don't think I'll be reading the rest.
However, there were some serious flaws that made the book less enjoyable. Putting aside that it's very unlikely that our time traveling heroine would have met, fell in love with, and married Alexander the Great, putting aside that she didn't seem to mind that he slept with men and his other wives, putting aside the sex scenes (all of which was silly), I think there were three things I couldn't get past to really like this book. First, that Ashley supposedly went to Tempus University and had been preparing for this trip for years, and didn't know what a dryad is. Or anything about the religious beliefs of the time. She didn't know what nymphs or muses were either. Really? I know about them, you know about them. Wouldn't she? Second, there are lots of long passages which try to wax philosophical about love. "If you love one person, you love the world." Whatever; it was a stretch and caused a lot of skimming. And third, I really didn't like Ashley. She was really pretty passive, always fainting and getting nosebleeds because she was upset. Nobody in the book liked her either except the two men she was sleeping with.
While the concept of the book was interesting, I don't think I'll be reading the rest.
January 26, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Although at first I found Ashley hard to identify with, I really warmed to her through the book.
The book follows Ashley, who lives in 2089. She wins a highly sought prize to travel back in time to interview a person of her choice. Ashley has always Alexander the Great so naturally decides to visit him in the past.
The rules are clear, you can’t alter time or they will eliminate you and wipe you from history. You have less than 24 hours in the past before you get returned, if you don’t make your collection point, will be left in the past and die.
Ashley is aware of all these rules and agrees to abide by them, but fate has other ideas. Alexander believes her to be a goddess that needs saving and his actions leave Ashley stranded in the past where she has to learn to survive.
This story has made me want to go and research Alexander the Great to learn more about him and the time.
The book follows Ashley, who lives in 2089. She wins a highly sought prize to travel back in time to interview a person of her choice. Ashley has always Alexander the Great so naturally decides to visit him in the past.
The rules are clear, you can’t alter time or they will eliminate you and wipe you from history. You have less than 24 hours in the past before you get returned, if you don’t make your collection point, will be left in the past and die.
Ashley is aware of all these rules and agrees to abide by them, but fate has other ideas. Alexander believes her to be a goddess that needs saving and his actions leave Ashley stranded in the past where she has to learn to survive.
This story has made me want to go and research Alexander the Great to learn more about him and the time.
February 24, 2020
The Time for Alexander series is an enthralling foray into the ancient world of Alexander the Great. The heroine Ashley slips back in time to find herself captivated by Alexander and to embark with him on a journey across the known - and unknown - worlds of the fourth century BC.
The series is populated with historical characters who, as the story unfolds, become real and begin to inspire a whole range of emotions in the reader. The settings are equally palpable. The storyline of the search for the couple's kidnapped son and then their struggle to defeat destiny is totally engrossing.
The author has researched her subject matter thoroughly and she is able to give the reader intimate glimpses of the lives of the Ancients, their surroundings, beliefs and rituals. She is particularly skilled at bringing the past to life. The series isn't just a historical account. You find there much, much more: love, sex, mystery, religion and lust for power.
The series is populated with historical characters who, as the story unfolds, become real and begin to inspire a whole range of emotions in the reader. The settings are equally palpable. The storyline of the search for the couple's kidnapped son and then their struggle to defeat destiny is totally engrossing.
The author has researched her subject matter thoroughly and she is able to give the reader intimate glimpses of the lives of the Ancients, their surroundings, beliefs and rituals. She is particularly skilled at bringing the past to life. The series isn't just a historical account. You find there much, much more: love, sex, mystery, religion and lust for power.
April 23, 2019
TERRIBLE. DON'T BUY. Mary Sue, meet Alexander. Author has no knowledge of ancient Greek history (the time-travel chick is a "Vestal Virgin"...WTF?, that's ROMAN) They're having sex by page 27, and it's not even erotica to make it interesting. Virtually nobody from Alexander's court is present except mention of his mother and Nearchus? Again, wtf? Where are the main officers of his army, starting with Parmenion? Ptolemy? Hephaistion? Except...oops, we can't have Hephaistion who *might* be Alexander's (male) lover, which would totally mess up her stupid romance. Most character appear to be made up and aren't even good Greek names. She literally knows NOTHING about Alexander's time period. This may as well be really bad fanfiction. WHY did a publisher pick this up? It's utter CRAP. DO NOT BUY.
February 15, 2019
A most enjoyable read combining a journalist from the future and a renowned figure from ancient history. The imagery was wonderful, so vivid in its detail. The main characters -,Ashley and Alexander - were interesting, one minute complex and intriguing, then funny and totally transparent. Their relationship forms the bedrock of the story as we see them travel from country to country in pursuit of their son, Paul, who was taken from them in dramatic fashion.
Of course, such a storyline would surely impact the course of history, but the author goes to great lengths to blur their relationship into the events of that time.
As their story doesn't end here, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Of course, such a storyline would surely impact the course of history, but the author goes to great lengths to blur their relationship into the events of that time.
As their story doesn't end here, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 6, 2018
Overall, interesting. I did like the history. Of course, I am assuming that it is accurate. I think this particular time travel premise is a little....well, I was going to say silly, but I’ll just say restrictive — and maybe that’s the point — it’s not a “time travel” book; it’s a historical romance (with a modern heroine).
I think Ashley’s lucky happenstance — meeting Alexander immediately and IMMEDIATELY being seduced by him was disingenuous...but the premise of the book.
It is well written and there are others in the series; however, they all are about Alexander and Ashley and, apparently, war. So it is unlikely that I read any others.
I think Ashley’s lucky happenstance — meeting Alexander immediately and IMMEDIATELY being seduced by him was disingenuous...but the premise of the book.
It is well written and there are others in the series; however, they all are about Alexander and Ashley and, apparently, war. So it is unlikely that I read any others.
July 20, 2019
Starts out with a really interesting approach to historical time travel and technology. Then all of a sudden she and Alexander are having sex. Don't get me wrong, sex is part of the human experience and I have no problem with it in literature. It's just that it does not make sense how quickly it happens and the trajectory it puts the story on so immediately. Plus, stories revolving around women wanting to be reunited with their children just do not interest me. It hits every romance novel trope in the first quarter of the book and just does not get better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2017
Ashley is a journalist who is given the opportunity to travel back in time to meet Alexander the Great. While she is supposed to be there in a strictly professional capacity, she cannot deny her feelings for him. Will she return to her own time or stay with Alexander?
An interesting read which seems well researched. Ashley is pulled into a whole new world but being with Alexander is all she wants. I would recommend it.
An interesting read which seems well researched. Ashley is pulled into a whole new world but being with Alexander is all she wants. I would recommend it.
January 28, 2019
I was recommended this as I love the Chronicles of St Mary’s. It’s quite a good read but not in the same class. I enjoyed the story of Alexander enough that I will probably read the next book but there were some irritations. I found it particularly grating that Ashley regularly discusses concepts the contemporaries don’t understand ( from potatoes to hormones) but doesn’t seem to have any difficulty finding a word for them in Ancient Greek!
June 6, 2017
The story follows Ashley, a time journalist, who goes back to see Alexander the Great and ends up falling for him. This was a good story with a lot of humour and Ashley and Alexanders relationship was strange, but they worked together. Worth a read.
July 16, 2019
This was completely inane - the characters are shallow and uninteresting, the prose wooden, I think I laughed out loud at how ridiculous some paragraphs were. I'm still on the lookout for anything to rival Chronicles of St Mary's - that's time travel done right!
December 13, 2020
I loved this book! I really like history & traveling in time stories so having the both of them in a novel was really fun! It is easy to read (English is not my mother tongue) & I learnt lots of things about Alexander the Great. I highly recommend it!
December 29, 2024
22 I have a hard time with time travelling plots. I just can’t get my head around any changes that I would expect to impact on the existence of the protagonist but then doesn’t. And then the plot seems to care little about historical fact.
February 24, 2018
Sorry, but coming up with this after extensive research???? Plexis says it all....
February 2, 2019
Listened by audio book from audible
Enjoyed it
Enjoyed it
October 11, 2018
Taking a character from the future back to an ancient time is always a bit of a gamble, sometimes it pays off and others not quite so much. In The Road to Alexander, the gamble pays off as the author has taken, Ashley, a woman journalist from the future, and delivered her back in time to the age of Alexander the Great, who happens to be Ashley's absolute hero. What then follows is a lively romp through Alexander's world, filled with all the customs and traditions of this ancient time.
The author has given her characters, particularly Alexander himself, a great sense of style and a zest for life. That Ashley finds that she is trapped in this ancient world adds the necessary excitement and intrigue, and the eventual love interest between Ashley and Alexander fairly sizzles on the page.
It's obvious from reading The Road to Alexander that the author loves writing and has done her research for this particular historical period, which must be said, I know absolutely nothing and so I came to the book with no preconceptions of history and just enjoyed the story for what it was, a light and easy historical fiction read with a feisty heroine and a dashing hero.
That the story is a fun read and not a treatise on the ancient world comes across and the author has done a good job in recreating time and place whilst at the same time not taking it all too seriously, this is fiction, after all.
The author has given her characters, particularly Alexander himself, a great sense of style and a zest for life. That Ashley finds that she is trapped in this ancient world adds the necessary excitement and intrigue, and the eventual love interest between Ashley and Alexander fairly sizzles on the page.
It's obvious from reading The Road to Alexander that the author loves writing and has done her research for this particular historical period, which must be said, I know absolutely nothing and so I came to the book with no preconceptions of history and just enjoyed the story for what it was, a light and easy historical fiction read with a feisty heroine and a dashing hero.
That the story is a fun read and not a treatise on the ancient world comes across and the author has done a good job in recreating time and place whilst at the same time not taking it all too seriously, this is fiction, after all.
February 3, 2019
Story overview
With this one we start of in the future, roughly 2300 (I don’t remember exactly), where time travel is possible to the point where they send one person once a year to go back in time to interview someone famous. Only problem with this is that you can’t do anything to change history in any
way otherwise your time there will be erased.
So our main character Ashley is sitting in the chair preparing to travel back to interview Alexander the Great before he went and conquered all the way to India. As she’s sitting there waiting for the storm and for the time travel to occur, we learn a little bit about her life up until then. And boy does it not sound pretty!
After a not so successful interview of Alexander the Great, Ashley walks back to where she came in ready to be taken back to her own time. Only problem is, Alexander decided he liked her and wouldn’t let her go and inadvertently stopped her from returning to her own time. And this is where it starts to get really interesting!
Up until this point it’s been kinda standard kind of time travel going back in history kind of themes. But now we’re solidly back in Alexander’s time with no possibility of getting back to the future, but every possibility of being erased from history forever. From this point I really felt for Ashley. It’s one thing to keep a secret for 20 hours, quite another to do it for a lifetime. Especially when she doesn’t know the customs or languages.
My thoughts
As we progress through the book, we start to learn why Alexander was so determined to travel east and conquer everyone in his path. But remember this is a work of fiction, not fact! I found it easy to get wrapped up in the story and found myself wishing I could travel back in time to see the world as it was then. But the sad reality is if that technology does get invented, it won’t be in my lifetime.
There were quite a few points in the book where Ashley’s relationship with Alexander made me wish she could tell him everything. To see how he’d react to that kind of news. I can’t even begin to image how hard it would have been keeping your entire history before you met someone a secret would be. I’m pretty sure my partner knows pretty much everything about me, including how much credit card debt I stupidly wrack up!
As I creeped towards the end of the book, I began to wonder how we could possibly get back to the point in time where the prologue was set. And I got my answer when I finished the book and it said, “End of Book 1”. So bad news was, I didn’t get all the answers I wanted. Especially to the driving force of the story. But the GOOD news is that there will be a second book! Yay! Hopefully I get to participate in that tour too!
With this one we start of in the future, roughly 2300 (I don’t remember exactly), where time travel is possible to the point where they send one person once a year to go back in time to interview someone famous. Only problem with this is that you can’t do anything to change history in any
way otherwise your time there will be erased.
So our main character Ashley is sitting in the chair preparing to travel back to interview Alexander the Great before he went and conquered all the way to India. As she’s sitting there waiting for the storm and for the time travel to occur, we learn a little bit about her life up until then. And boy does it not sound pretty!
After a not so successful interview of Alexander the Great, Ashley walks back to where she came in ready to be taken back to her own time. Only problem is, Alexander decided he liked her and wouldn’t let her go and inadvertently stopped her from returning to her own time. And this is where it starts to get really interesting!
Up until this point it’s been kinda standard kind of time travel going back in history kind of themes. But now we’re solidly back in Alexander’s time with no possibility of getting back to the future, but every possibility of being erased from history forever. From this point I really felt for Ashley. It’s one thing to keep a secret for 20 hours, quite another to do it for a lifetime. Especially when she doesn’t know the customs or languages.
My thoughts
As we progress through the book, we start to learn why Alexander was so determined to travel east and conquer everyone in his path. But remember this is a work of fiction, not fact! I found it easy to get wrapped up in the story and found myself wishing I could travel back in time to see the world as it was then. But the sad reality is if that technology does get invented, it won’t be in my lifetime.
There were quite a few points in the book where Ashley’s relationship with Alexander made me wish she could tell him everything. To see how he’d react to that kind of news. I can’t even begin to image how hard it would have been keeping your entire history before you met someone a secret would be. I’m pretty sure my partner knows pretty much everything about me, including how much credit card debt I stupidly wrack up!
As I creeped towards the end of the book, I began to wonder how we could possibly get back to the point in time where the prologue was set. And I got my answer when I finished the book and it said, “End of Book 1”. So bad news was, I didn’t get all the answers I wanted. Especially to the driving force of the story. But the GOOD news is that there will be a second book! Yay! Hopefully I get to participate in that tour too!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews