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Bicentenary
A psychologist risks her life and career to save her ‘Time-traveller’ patient.
A naked young man turns up in Haiti, claiming to have set sail from England with his parents… two centuries ago! For psychologist Dani Corby, it’s a straightforward case of Paranoid Disorder. But her professional judgement is challenged when, under hypnosis, his extraordinary tale comes to light; a vivid account of escape from his pirate captors into a terrifying world of myth and magic. The enigma deepens when a strange old woman hounds Dani with dire prophesies about her patient, and when the young man falls to a mysterious illness, she sets out on a dangerous, career-blowing mission to save his life.
This story will keep you turning pages far into the night, and its paradoxical conclusion will have you thinking long after you’ve closed the book.
A naked young man turns up in Haiti, claiming to have set sail from England with his parents… two centuries ago! For psychologist Dani Corby, it’s a straightforward case of Paranoid Disorder. But her professional judgement is challenged when, under hypnosis, his extraordinary tale comes to light; a vivid account of escape from his pirate captors into a terrifying world of myth and magic. The enigma deepens when a strange old woman hounds Dani with dire prophesies about her patient, and when the young man falls to a mysterious illness, she sets out on a dangerous, career-blowing mission to save his life.
This story will keep you turning pages far into the night, and its paradoxical conclusion will have you thinking long after you’ve closed the book.
543 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 16, 2017
1 person want to read
About the author
Mike Rothery
14 books11 followersI divide my time between working at my home in Elgin, cycling around the Highlands, and cruising the Atlantic/Caribbean islands in my yacht, Island Spirit. In past lives, I served twenty-five years in the Royal Navy and then another twenty as Director of a computer software company in the Midlands. Although I have written several novels since retirement, I consider To Run Before the Sea my first quality work. I am currently (Oct 2020) completing the sequel, The Travel Agent, to be released in December 2020. Several more Rosie Winterbourne stories will follow.
Bio: Mike Rothery was born in 1949, in Yorkshire, England, and lived his first ten years at various military bases in France, Germany and Northern Ireland. The family returned to Yorkshire when his father retired from the RAF in 1960. Mike joined the Royal Navy in 1965 and served in various ships until 1990, when he embarked on a new career in software development. Retiring in 2010 he returned to the sea where he began his writing career. He now cruises the oceans in his yacht, Island Spirit.
Bio: Mike Rothery was born in 1949, in Yorkshire, England, and lived his first ten years at various military bases in France, Germany and Northern Ireland. The family returned to Yorkshire when his father retired from the RAF in 1960. Mike joined the Royal Navy in 1965 and served in various ships until 1990, when he embarked on a new career in software development. Retiring in 2010 he returned to the sea where he began his writing career. He now cruises the oceans in his yacht, Island Spirit.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 9, 2019
I did receive a free copy of the book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for a review.
From the description, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book. On the whole, the plot was excellent. The characters were delightful. The story flowed well from one section to the next.
I will admit that I was a little confused by the Underworld, and what rules and functions governed. It makes sense in the end, but the majority of the second part of the book, I was frustrated as I tried to learn the world.
As an American reader, I was a little concerned about the use of dialectical representation, because of its racial connotations. I was equally concerned about the use of period correct terms regarding race- given current events, it may not be well received by American readers. I was also surprised by how Dani was treated as a professional woman. Never have I, as a woman, had a male supervisor or colleague listen to me the way her male colleagues did. It seems deeply unrealistic to me, and I kept waiting for them to repeat back her claims or ideas as if they were original to the man.
On the whole, good book! I deeply enjoyed reading it! I do have to wonder if there will be a sequel about Dani and her new life, though.
From the description, I wasn't sure if I'd like this book. On the whole, the plot was excellent. The characters were delightful. The story flowed well from one section to the next.
I will admit that I was a little confused by the Underworld, and what rules and functions governed. It makes sense in the end, but the majority of the second part of the book, I was frustrated as I tried to learn the world.
As an American reader, I was a little concerned about the use of dialectical representation, because of its racial connotations. I was equally concerned about the use of period correct terms regarding race- given current events, it may not be well received by American readers. I was also surprised by how Dani was treated as a professional woman. Never have I, as a woman, had a male supervisor or colleague listen to me the way her male colleagues did. It seems deeply unrealistic to me, and I kept waiting for them to repeat back her claims or ideas as if they were original to the man.
On the whole, good book! I deeply enjoyed reading it! I do have to wonder if there will be a sequel about Dani and her new life, though.
January 10, 2019
*I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review*
Genre: Adventure, time travel
I really enjoyed this book. I had recently read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, and Bicentenary Boy is definitely in the same vein. The main character, Joey, has almost Candide levels of luck where his life swings from extremely lucky to extremely unlucky. Joey begins in England training to be a doctor in the mid 1700's when his family moves to the Americas. On the way his boat is boarded by pirates and an amazing adventure through pirate and voodoo lore takes place. Somehow he ends up in Miami in the 1950's, and part of the book involves solving this mystery.
I think my favourite part of the book was the cook on the pirate ship, and how he ended every sentence with "oh, arrr."
Genre: Adventure, time travel
I really enjoyed this book. I had recently read Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, and Bicentenary Boy is definitely in the same vein. The main character, Joey, has almost Candide levels of luck where his life swings from extremely lucky to extremely unlucky. Joey begins in England training to be a doctor in the mid 1700's when his family moves to the Americas. On the way his boat is boarded by pirates and an amazing adventure through pirate and voodoo lore takes place. Somehow he ends up in Miami in the 1950's, and part of the book involves solving this mystery.
I think my favourite part of the book was the cook on the pirate ship, and how he ended every sentence with "oh, arrr."
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews