The Outcasts of Time

by Ian Mortimer

December 1348. With the country in the grip of the Black Death, brothers John and William fear that they will shortly die and go to Hell. But as the end draws near, they are given an unexpected choice: either to go home and spend their last six days in their familiar world, or to search for salvation across the forthcoming centuries – living each one of their remaining days ninety-nine years after the last.
 
John and William choose the future and find themselves in 1447, ignorant of almost everything going on around them. The year 1546 brings no more comfort, and 1645 challenges them still further. It is not just that technology is changing: things they have taken for granted all their lives prove to be short-lived.
 
As they find themselves in stranger and stranger times, the reader travels with them, seeing the world through their eyes as it shifts through disease, progress, enlightenment and war. But their time is running out – can they do something to redeem themselves before the six days are up?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Science Fiction, Audiobook

400 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2017

About the author

AKA James Forrester.

Dr Ian Mortimer is a historian and novelist, best known for his Time Traveller's Guides series. He has BA, MA, PhD and DLitt degrees from the University of Exeter and UCL. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and was awarded the Alexander Prize by the Royal Historical Society in 2004. Home is the small Dartmoor town of Moretonhampstead, which he occasioanlly introduces in his books. His most recet book, 'Medieval Horizons' looks at how life changed between the eleventh and sixteenth centuries.

He also writes in other genres: his fourth novel 'The Outcasts of Time' won the 2018 Winston Graham Prize for historical fiction. His earlier trilogy of novels set in the 1560s were published under his middle names, James Forrester. In 2017 he wrote 'Why Running Matters' - a memoir of running in the year he turned fifty.

At present he is concentrating on writing history books that have experimental perspectives on the past. One example is a study of England as it would have appeared to the people living in his house over the last thousand years. This is provisionally entitled 'The History of England through the Windows of an Ordinary House'. It is due for completion in December 2024 and publication in 2026.

Reviews

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you were told you had but six days left to live and that you could spend them with your family or you could ‘see what no living man has seen’, what would you choose? Such a choice was presented to John of Wrayment, in plague ridden 14th Century England, and he chose the latter.

So starts this entertaining romp set in and around the city of Exeter, Devon. The kicker to the choice he makes (courtesy of an encounter with a disembodied voice) is that each of his six days will be spaced 99 years after the last. Consequently, John awakes the following morning in the year 1447. Each day he is in the same spot (or close to) where he slept the night before – but, as you can imagine, each time he encounters a very different world. He is accompanied on this journey by his brother, William, who similarly heard a voice that fateful night.

The brothers were returning home after some time away, and John, in particular, is desperate to see his wife and three young children. Yet he believes that the Black Death has now visited him, and his choice is significantly driven by his determination not to pass this deadly disease on to his family. But devout John is also hoping he will find Heaven at the end of his particular road, if only he can find sufficient good deeds to complete, in the limited time available, to warrant his salvation. William is more fatalistic, and after years of warring he’s in no doubt where his destiny lies. In their remaining days the brothers discover that war seems to be a constant background, as they meet some friendly and informative people and we are provided a good deal of insight as to how Exeter and the surrounding area has changed in the intervening periods. But bad things happen to them too, and it's safe to say that the seven deadly sins are all on view.

One of the real delights for me here is that all the action takes place in my own backyard, as it were. I lived in Exeter for 10 years, and I've spent the majority of my life in close proximity. The author is a renowned historian, and at times, it felt like I was reading a potted history of this great, historic city. We witness the changes through the eyes of the protagonists: the clothes people wear, the food people eat, and the vocabulary that they use. And bigger changes, too, as the city expands, we are treated to an architectural journey through the centuries. In fact, it can be seen as fully a cultural, religious, and (to a lesser extent) political commentary on centuries of dramatic change and development.

But the author still keeps a grip on the narrative and deals competently (and sometimes amusingly) with the practical challenges facing the brothers. It's a book that's hard to categorise but if you enjoy time travel adventures, historical novels or you're open minded enough to just go with the flow then I expect you’ll find something here to enjoy here. I certainly did.

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upon completion, my first thought was, thank goddess for Kindle highlighting!



Not because the concepts were difficult to understand but because they were so meaningful. Ian Mortimer, as many know, is a wonderful historian, and he doesn't disappoint with this work.

The Outcasts of Time is indeed a work of fiction but is replete with very specific historical details. These lush historical elements run throughout every avenue of this story.



Even though this story includes a time travel element, it is not heavy in other aspects of science fiction or fantasy. Our main character is, as he puts it, 'skipping across time like a stone across water' but all other elements of the story are realistic.



The time travel element allows the author to delve into a cultural examination of place through the passing of time that wouldn't have otherwise been possible.

In a way, this reminds me of the format of Octavia Butler's, Kindred; where time travel is similarly used to examine cultural changes to a specific place over time.



Mortimer truly digs deep into the heart of society and changes over time due to systemic changes such as overall increased wealth, better living conditions, changes to transportation and the invention of more powerful and devastating weaponry.



A phrase repeated throughout the work, 'homo homini daemon', man is devil to man, speaks to the heart of this work, that seems just as much a philosophical treatise as a work of fiction. A couple of my favorite lines being:

'The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom'

'...you must see what you mean to others to know your true worth.'

The last paragraph practically made my heart explode as the narrative came to its resounding conclusion.



I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book. Thank you to the publisher, Pegasus Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review.

I appreciate the opportunity and would definitely recommend this book to history lovers of all kinds!

[Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two brothers end up being “The Outcasts of Time”. Why? Well, they were given a choice. Either stay in the year of 1348, the time of the terrible Black Death (plague) in Europe, or live 6 individual days in a consecutive 99 year interval into the future. So 1447, 1546, 1645…and so on.

With the plague around and the loss of all their family and friends, they have witnessed unbelievable wretches. As it was during those days, they believe they are destined for Hell until they hear this voice that offers them the choice.

The two brothers decide to go into the future. What else is there to lose? However, they don’t figure out until later, that they each were actually assigned a different destiny. As this novel moves through, the reader accompanies the two brothers along their different days in the future. I don’t think either of them realized, what changes all are taking place in the future! Unimaginable...

***

This book delivers a slow burn to appreciate the elemental historical moments of change. It is in parts comical, parts informative as the story unfolds its ever growing tapestry. With every new day, the advancements in all aspects of human lives are changing. From clothing, to the dialects, to behavior, to comforts, living improvements and ideals, as well as influences of literature, science and music. It is with savor to behold the details of change we so take for granted today. This book portraits a visual in your mind that leaves you more understanding of the past whilst contemplating the acceleration of change we experience today. Catapulted into the future at wits end, you can’t but feel for the characters.

Interestingly, this book leaves almost no stone unturned. Every aspect of change has been touched and the status of human thought in each of the years well explained and thought out. The brother’s belief system holds true the entirety of the novel. Their ultimate goal is to do “good”, to not go to Hell. However, they are witnessing the divergence and emergence of new branches of different believe systems, from Protestants to non-believers. It is a challenging trial from these men of a different time to hold true to their virtues and find comfort in strange places.

I really enjoyed this book. The pace is something to appreciate if you have the patience for slow reads. It simply is a measured, even paced travel though time.

(It is novels like this btw, that inspire my blog name….Through Novel Time and Distance)
You can find more of my reviews here: https://scarlettreadzandrunz.com/

[Lucy Banks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

In-depth race through history, under the guise of a novel.

Once again, this was one of those books that I started, with no idea what to expect (it's much more fun that way, isn't it?). At the start, my head was fully blown. However, there were points in the middle when I was left scratching my head a little. Allow me to explain...

The book follows two brothers at the time of the plague (I think it's 1300s?), travelling towards Exeter. They realise that they've succumbed to the disease and resign themselves to death, until a mysterious voice offers them six more days, if they're willing to travel forwards in time on each of those days.

What happens next is a mind-boggling travel through time, viewing South-West England through the ages. As someone who lives in Exeter, I loved the local reference (I believe the author lives round here too) - and the details were uncannily accurate - this is clearly a man who knows his local history. Last night, I actually happened to be out in the city, and was pacing the old city walls and thinking 'ah, here's the south gate, where they would have arrived from the Quay'... tee hee!)

Anyway, I digress. The start of the book was powerful stuff. The episode with the baby (I won't spoil the surprise) was quite painful to read, and the author captured well the emotions that must have been associated with the plague - it left me thinking more about it (I mean really thinking about it), and realising just how horrible it must have been for people back then.

The travelling through time was interesting, with lots of high points (though I found myself wondering what the Fulfords might have to say about their depiction, given they still live in the area!). At times, I was a little bit less interested - as it started to feel a little bit like a dry history lesson, and less like a novel. However, I cannot fault the author for his historical detail, he obviously knows his stuff.

I feel like I learnt something when reading this book - and I personally like that. I like books that make me ponder the details. It was also a novel take on the idea of time travel - we have plenty of books about travelling back in time - why not forwards, eh?

Overall, a really entertaining and informative read.

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 40%

Let me start by saying I love historical books. Especially ones that teach me about things I may not have known or help to bring to light nuances that I had perhaps not thought of before. However, writers absolutely must bring me into the time period in a way that is interesting and intriguing. Telling me about tin mining, church/state representation, clothing and the food is just dull.

Plot
The Outcasts of Time starts during the time of the Black Plague with two travelling brothers. The conditions are deplorable and humanity is on high alert as the plague is understood to be contagious (even if they didn't know what that word was at the time). A number of factors puts the brothers in a situation where they accept a 'deal' from a higher (or lower) power of some sort and end up agreeing to live their last 6 days out one day every 99 years.
Sounds cool right?!
It really should be. Except that when you start in the 1300's it means you're next 6 years will take you only up to 1900's. I made it far enough in the book to get to 1500's and yet it barely felt like a change over the 200 years. Ian Mortimer restricts the changes into the viewpoint of types of clothing, religious buildings and other built up infrastructure. It's just not enough.

Church and State
Without a doubt you cannot discuss the 1300's or any time period up to the 1900's without talking about the drastic changes in religion, and the eventual division of church and state. From areas changing religions entirely, merging areas of Christianity and witch hunts of 1500-1600's there is a lot of change. Normally I would be all over learning about these changes but Mortimer takes the religious tone of this book (as our brothers are looking to 'redeem' themselves in their remaining 6 days) and makes it so dull I kept feeling like I was going to fall asleep. I really tried to understand and get into the heads of the brothers experiencing this religious shock; unfortunately I never felt connected or much emotion for either of them.

Characters
Perhaps had I felt some connection with the brothers I might have been able to better appreciate some of their shock from one time period to the next. The reality was that I couldn't seem to even feel badly for the one brother when he realizes he will never see his wife and kids again. The other brother just seems to be along for the ride with no purpose and the personality of a cardboard box.
Even a boring plot can still be interesting if the reader can connect with the characters and finds them interesting. These two brothers just didn't engage me at all on a mental or emotional level.

Overall
It's really unfortunate because the end of The Outcasts of Time might be very impactful; but at the 40% mark I just didn't care anymore. I was bored reading about tin mining, changes in length and colours of clothing, or the general shock of each day they wake up in a new time period. Maybe the length of one day per time is too short to really make an impression (although I did not want this book to be longer let me assure you); but somewhere along the way Mortimer just lost me and had me falling asleep.
If I'm missing out on an amazing resolution to this story I've come to terms with it. At least by DNFing at 40% I won't spend days trying to get through the pages of the story desperately trying to stay awake and engaged.

For this and more of my reviews please visit my blog at: Epic Reading

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[K.J. Charles]

A sort of time travellers guide to history, as two brothers make a pact with the Devil to live out their last days at 99 year intervals, which in the narrator's case brings him from the Black Death to the Second World War. The opening sequence in the Black Death years is by far the strongest section: horribly vivid, visceral and powerful. Unfortunately, as we move further away, the book depends more and more on people explaining who the king is now, plus in every day we meet a bunch of new people, then don't see them again or find out what happened. It's hard to connect emotionally (which is rather the point for our temporally dislocated narrator, of course). There's lots of nice touches, like the narrator seeing a mirror for the first time and the deterioration of the cathedral over centuries, but overall the story often felt like a framing device for teaching history and didn't have the cohesion or synthesis I was hoping for. (Plus, I really stuck on the idea that a man from 1348 could speak to people in 1943 and be comprehensible.)

NB there's a *lot* of casual references to rape. There's a way cis male writers have of almost wallowing in the abuse of women (as a terrible thing don't get me wrong! bad!), and tbh it feels like trauma as set dressing, written by and for people for whom this is basically a phenomenon to be observed.

[Pamela (Here to Read Books and Chew Gum) · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the surface, Ian Mortimer’s The Outcasts of Time has everything an historical novel should have.  It was full of sumptuous description, historical accuracy, and a well-developed protagonist used to illustrate his own zeitgeist.  It is a shame then that no strength of writing could make up for the one thing that The Outcasts of Time was really lacking.  A plot.

Within the first few pages, I was already worried that Ian Mortimer would go the way of so many historians turned novelists, and my worries were ultimately well deserved.  The Outcasts of Time gets so caught up in its own historicity that it forgets what it’s actually written for.  To tell a story.  Instead of a flowing narrative that goes somewhere and means something, instead, we are treated to a set of historical vignettes that read like a morality play for the importance of the study of history.  I’m a professional historian, so I’m all for that, but the setup was just so contrived that I caught myself physically rolling my eyes at moments.

I find it difficult to write too much more about the novel because nothing happened.  What makes this book great is the way that Mortimer brings the historical periods to life (with the exception of John of Wrayment’s foray into the 19th Century, which was just full of exposition rather than any real sense of time or place), but just giving me a good sense of history isn’t enough.  The protagonists skip from day to day, century to century, never really getting to know anyone, or really do anything except give us a snapshot of life in their times.  But if I wanted that, I would have read one of Mortimer’s exceptional non-fiction books. His Time Traveller’s Guide series is excellent! But a novel is more than just beautiful prose.

Ian Mortimer’s ultimate aim in writing The Outcasts of Time is summed up by one quote, that is often repeated at the end of the novel:

“ The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom. ”

It’s a bit on the nose, but that’s the ultimate point.  History is important, and we are all the sum of what came before.  It’s an admirable thought, but it doesn’t make for gripping fiction without a strong narrative to lead us there.


Read this review and more at I Blame Wizards.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is several weeks since I finished this book and I’m still trying to decide what to make of it. I found it by turns puzzling, frustrating, impressive, thought-provoking, didactic and moving. Positioned as historical fiction, at times it seemed more like social history, political treatise, fantasy or philosophical debate. John’s and William’s journey is really a device to take the reader on a journey through time, charting changes in clothing, food, technology, architecture and religious debate. At times, this feels a little like a history lesson but an amazingly detailed and well-researched one, as you would expect from someone with the pedigree of Ian Mortimer.

Whatever period of history John and William arrive in, a constant is cruelty and inequality – plus ça change, plus c’est la mȇme chose seems to be the message. ‘I wonder what tomorrow will be like – whether the punishments of the landless and destitute will be even worse, and the haughtiness of the wealthy even greater.’ However, along the way John and William do encounter a few individuals who show them kindness or offer them assistance.

The brothers make entertaining companions on this journey through time with witty banter between the two of them masking an underlying deep affection. Their reaction to some of the new things they encounter is amusing. John and William also represent opposing sides of a debate about faith versus atheism. Although both have a desire to do good deeds, their motivation is very different.

While reading the book, I found myself pondering intertextual influences ranging from H G Wells’ The Time Machine, through Marlowe’s Dr Faustus, Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in the Court of King Arthur to Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, with William representing the character, Faithful.

The ending is both moving and thought-provoking. I think this book will divide readers.

I received an advance reader copy courtesy of NetGalley and publishers, Simon & Schuster UK, in return for an honest review.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I took a few days to think about my reaction to this, as I didn't want to say anything without consideration. But my gut reaction still stands: the structure here is repetitive and boring, and as a time travel piece, it's dull and theologically didactic. Once the narrative gets away from Mortimer's wheelhouse, even the detail and the events get rather sketchy and vague. But this is, to me, typical of writers pretending they're not working in a genre: they don't know the history of the tropes and conventions they're in dialogue with, they don't know the megatext they're working with/around/against, and the end product is rarely anything interesting at all, and at best, it rehashes an existing piece of work by a lesser-known author. It's sad. I like time travel written by historians, and I wanted to like this, but it's simply so lacklustre.

[Abbie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too many rapes.

Rapes are just... not the only way to have women in your story, bro.

I kind of hate myself for keeping on reading but I liked the idea, the general plot. Now I want to read the book with that same premise but by a woman. Or at least by someone who knows how to write women as people, rather than plot devices (that get raped).

[Johanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh I so wanted to like this book - I love the Time Traveller's Guides but sadly the fictional offering is much weaker. There is no plot to speak of just a 7 day 700 year wander through time. Secondly and probably there is far too much moralising and a surprisingly romantic view of the how much better life /people were in the past - it felt almost UKIP'y; an Anti-Whig view of history! And religion...don't start me on the treatment of religion...
On the upside there are interesting facts that make the reader think about progress and things we take for granted; date / time, bricks, concrete, guns, windows, the sheer amount of possessions we have. Any I know that with time travel you have to suspend disbelief but really there was no notion of the difficulty of understanding anyone from that period - its hard enough to read Chaucer without help. Also no-one questions John's lack of knowledge of anything..and nor does he query things: objects e.g. aeroplanes, peoples attitude's, all the discoveries of the period. This would have been better written as a non-fiction variant on the time travellers series, the subject is too large and Mortimer to poor a fiction writer to get over the huge structural issues.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is beautiful in its prose, fascinating in its historical detail, and emotive in its themes on humanity and the passing of time. I was first drawn in by the promise that renowned historian Ian Mortimer would be taking readers on an adventure through time. Finding that this book does that while also making thought provoking statements on the human condition, I was helpless to put it down once I started it.

The story of John of Wrayment and his brother begins in 1348 during a devastating outbreak of the plague. One would think that any time might be preferable as an escape from the fate of man during that time, but such does not prove the case through John's eyes. He sees the plague as 'a second Flood. God is clearing the land. Not with water but with pestilence.' Yet, he is even more horrified by what he discovers when he accepts a supernatural offer to live his remaining six days on earth, each 99 years further into the future than the last.

The brothers explore Exeter and its surrounding area through the ages, the cathedral where John has sculpted those he loves into the faces of angels and disciples, serving at their centering point regardless of the century. John at first finds comfort in finding the face of his wife there, but his fear and anxiety is enhanced as the statues that seemed so permanent crumble and wear away the further he gets from his own time. Out of all the changes he sees, this seems to impact him the most. The loss of his own work and what was supposed to be eternal memorial of his family.

When we think about traveling into the future, I think we expect to see progress and increased happiness. Certainly, we would think that one leaving the time of the plague would see that, but that is not what John notices. He is confused by what we would call advances. 'We worked long days and had straightforward pleasures. But now, so many things are easier - yet what does the world do? It revels in causing suffering and killing.' John is horrified at the loss of faith that he observes. 'We were far more united and accepting of God's will. In this new century, people are all divided and unsatisfied, hoping that God will smile on them personally.'

John wishes only to do good in order to please God, but the further he gets from his own time, the more he realizes that is no longer a key goal of the people. He is also frustrated by his inability to perform a heroic deed in any era. Due to his bedraggled state and lack of possessions, he finds himself at the mercy of others rather than able to help them. 'If Christ were living in this day and age, would He not have ended up in a workhouse?'

'Every day is composed of . . . of an unpredictable horror - no, of a horrific unpredictability.'

It seems that time travel is not all it is cracked up to be.

Each day/century brings John closer to his death and he grows eager for it. Though he is disappointed in his failure to do a great deed for God, he cannot tolerate what he witnesses occurring in the world. 'Men are starting to direct things that rightly only God should control.....Men've strived to compete and outdo one another, as if nothing is the will of God and everything is the will of man.' Instead of being impressed by progress, John sees only disintegration of faith and character.

Thankfully, there are a few bright spots included in John's six day journey. He meets at least one kind person in each time, and it is these small comforts that enable him to move forward.

I was eager to discover what would happen to John once his time was up, but I will not reveal it here. I will only say that the ending was satisfying and reiterated the message that John had already taught us, 'What is important is what does not change - that mothers and wives are so happy when they hear that their sons and husbands are alive that they run around the house yelling for joy; that men do their duty in the face of great danger not purely for themselves but for all their community.'

An amazing read - my favorite of this year.

The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom.

I received this book through NetGalley. Opinions are my own.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

All but a tiny portion of The Outcasts of Time was as wonderful as I imaged and hoped it would be.

I came to this book as a fan of historian Ian Mortimer's playful brand of everyday people's history, having read and loved The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England and The Time Traveller's Guide to Elizabethan England, so I was prepared to be entertained. What I wasn't prepared for was the gentle way that Mortimer used his fiction (was this really his first?) to challenge my perceptions our own time -- our here and now.

We follow a pair of brothers from the 14th Century. We are dropped with them into the middle of the Black Plague, and in very short order they should be dead as their bodies erupt with buboes, but that is not to be their fate. Some unidentified voice gives them a choice, and John, the younger of the two, jumps at the chance to travel forward in time -- plague free -- living one day every 99 years for six days. When those days are complete the voice will come and take them away. William, for the love of his brother, agrees, and they wake up in the 15th Century. This goes on until they reach WWII.

The conceit makes for a lovely structure and allows us to see these times through the eyes of two local men from the middle ages as their landscape and the people filling it change and morph. What Mortimer does best is to reveal to us our own biases. He doesn't beat us over the head with the message that we see our time as the most forward thinking, nor that we imagine the changes we have witnessed in our own time to be the most revolutionary, but it doesn't take long for us to marvel at how earth shattering every change has always been.

The one change that hit me hardest was the advent of clocks. The technical marvel of time keeping is amazing in and of itself, but what it meant to the people, how it was instantly used by those in charge to extend their control over the lives and movements of those "under" them was shocking in its simplicity and its culture changing influence. Suddenly people could be late when they could never be late before. Suddenly people could be punished for not reaching a place or a completing a task before the ringing of bells. Time and our conception of it are so ingrained that how can we possibly conceive of a time before time was codified? I can now, and it is all thanks to Mortimer.

And Mortimer did this again and again. Glass. Trains. Iron. Brick. Different foods (of which sugar was the most surprising). Religion. Did I mention glass? The simplest things, the most mundane made this journey through time captivating.

Then there came that tiny portion at the end. I found it a little too preachy and way too Hollywood. Around three quarters of the way through I knew what was coming, and I also had an alternative I was hoping Mortimer would deliver instead. He didn't, so I couldn't help being disappointed. But whatever. My days blasting through the book were more than worth it. I hope you like it even more than I did, fellow reader. It is a lovely read (and Jamie, I am bring this to you in June).

[Corey Woodcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I was trying to rate this more objectively, this would probably be a 4/5, as it did have one issue for me involving the ending that was probably enough to knock off a star or so, but I’m giving it a 4.5/5, rounded up, anyway because of how much fun I had with this book, and the last 4-5 pages didn’t ruin the great experience I had with the rest of the book. Hopefully that makes sense! I read the second half in one day—I just couldn’t put it down, and I’m sad it’s over.

The Outcasts of Time, by the great and powerful Ian Mortimer, is about two brothers, John and William, living in the year 1348 near Exeter, England. The Black Death is raging all around them, and the two men are trying to make it back home. They make a terrible mistake along the way, and are visited by an entity that gives them a chance to redeem themselves. Over the next six days, they will live each day 99 years into the future. They wake up the next morning in 1447, then 1546, and on and on until the last day, which takes place in 1942.

An outrageously fantastical storyline, absolutely, but the writer is a historian and each period is brought vividly to life. For someone who loves learning about these different eras, this book is a blast to read. Mortimer’s writing is entertaining and easy to read, and these pages turn lightning fast. I had tons of fun reading it, and this is why I’m rating it so highly, despite a few flaws that should knock it down a star. Flaws? Well, I would’ve liked to get to know the two main characters more. I wanted this book to be longer, it was just over way too fast. The final few pages, the big ending, didn’t really impress me too much either, but the vast majority of the book was so entertaining that I can’t get too mad at it!

There is also a focus on the church and how it’s changed over the years. I certainly wouldn’t say it’s a “Christian” book or anything, but the church is kind of used as a lens to see each time period. As John and William travel further into the future, and farther from anything that feels familiar, they discover they can’t even count on the church to keep them grounded, as Protestants and Catholics go to war with each other. And what will these two simple stone masons from the Middle Ages think of airplanes and bombs falling out of the sky? It’s here!

Ian Mortimer is probably most well known for his series of non-fiction books, the Time Traveller’s Guides. They are fun looks at various time periods in books that are written like travel guides. He covered Medieval England, Elizabethan England, Restoration England, and Regency. I read the first one and plan to check them all out. This is kind of a novelization of that idea, and I really enjoyed it.

If you have an interest in history, seen through a fun story, I highly recommend this short novel.

[Jersy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains so much I love: time travel, history (both big events and everyday life), fascinating and lovable characters, emotional but not depressing moments and a little twist (which you are encouraged to figure out, but that does not make it less effective). Even better: it delivered on all of these things and worked so incredibly well for me.

I love that we deal with characters that may be likable, but they are very much of their time (which I feel is often lacking in historical fiction) and that we really feel the passage of time in people, places and the atmosphere. While we face the hardships of all of the time periods and William basically suffers a crisis in each of them, the book has enough sweet moments that it never drags you down. Actually, there is such a good balance in everything Ian Mortimer does: he wants to teach you about history but also tell a very compelling, personal story; he wants to make it realistic but also entertaining and avoid pacing issues; and so on. The two main characters are very different in both lifestyle and philosophy, which also benefited the story.

The major themes include religion, handled in a way that is interesting to both religious and non-religious readers, what is means to be a good person, what things stand the test of time and, interestingly enough, literacy. I was really affected by the things happening in the book, especially by the little surprises, and it was a bit hard not to cry in the very end.

This novel was pretty much made for me and if Ian Mortimer ever writes more fiction I need to read it.

[Cher 'N Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - It was really good.

The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom.

Such a fascinating synopsis and start to the book - A 14th century man contracts the plague and is visited by a supernatural being that explains his soul is currently destined to go to Hell. He has 7 days left to live; he can choose to live them out in his current time with his family, or spend each remaining day in a new century (plague-less), always 99 years in the future of his “yesterday” with the chance to redeem his soul.

The execution lost some of the luster and it was not the amazing 5 star read I was initially hopeful for. However, it was still engaging and enjoyable enough, even if it didn’t meet expectations.
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Favorite Quote: Of all the bad dreams, the worst is the one that could be true.

First Sentence: The first thing you need to understand is what it means to sell your soul.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two brothers contract the plague during the Black Death and are mysteriously offered six more days to live, except they have to do it in the future, jumping forward 99 years for each day. This could have turned into an exciting time travel novel but for Mortimer, the premise allows for reflection on what we have lost spiritually over the centuries as we've become more sophisticated in our technology and standards of living. Not surprising, really, given that Mortimer's a historian.

So I can't say I was blown away, but it was very well written (as I expected) and the twist in the tale is worth hanging on for.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like social history and I enjoyed that aspect of this book, I felt however that the whole thing was just a vehicle for the author to show off his knowledge, as there was very little plot to speak of.
I must try Ian Mortimer's non-fiction as I think I would like that more.

[Amberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started and finished date - 26.06.25 to 29.06.25.
My rating - Three Stars.
This book was okay but I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either and I think people who like company of liars by Karen Maitland may like is book also the cover of book was okay but bit average. The writing was okay but the writing was hard follow and It took some time to get used to also the ending was okay. The atmosphere was okay. The paced of plot was well structured and steady paced. The characters was okay and they needed most them well flash out

[Chrissie Whitley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The journey taken by the reader throughout this book is extraordinary. One of those rare feats in the meshing of genres of fiction, Mortimer successfully combines time travel, historical fiction, road trip, and adventure with the examination of humankind, morality, religion, acceptance, and philanthropy.

The main character, John of Wrayment (whose name occasionally gets butchered by time), and his brother William are the titular outcasts of time—our time travelers. They immediately feel true and real, as if they were tertiary characters from a Ken Follett novel, brought forth through all the eras Follett would explore in the entire trilogy. Or side characters in a Connie Willis Oxford Series, who redirects our focus. John was a character, from the beginning, that you'd both want to get to know more, and immediately feel as if you've known all along.

The entire premise is exciting and rippling with possibilities. The whole of the novel feels as if it had been born of the single idea of exploring the time traveler from The Time Machine. What if, instead of staying in his time machine, the time traveler explored each period for one day? And sought out the differences 99 years had made?

Yes, there are many feelings of the places and people and mood from other works, but I think that is because what Mortimer creates here is somehow so familiar and recognizable. That is what makes this journey with John through time so special.

Now, the novel is not without its cons, despite that its pros far outweigh these. Because most of the book is observational on John's part and told through his experiences as he has them, some passages are rather lengthy and tediously presented. There are times when Mortimer describes too much or goes on for too long about what new things and wonderments John sees. The better parts are the ones where there is action or discourse mixed into the same period of newness and time for observations.

What I find truly remarkable is Mortimer's ability to make me feel every time period is unique. The trip to 1843 feels distinctly Victorian; 1744 feels like we were plunged into the the Georgian era and the time just preceding the Industrial Revolution, everything that lead to every inspiration for Charles Dickens and Thomas Gilbert; 1645 was horribly volatile and unsure, 1546, 1447, and his own 1348 were, to my modern thinking, equally dark and dangerous, but still so distinct from one another. Distinctions made so by each person from that time period and their own thinking about the past and their simple reactions to John—his dress, his religion, his misunderstandings, and his lack of current affairs knowledge.

When he visited 1843, the very month when A Christmas Carol was first published and sold out by Christmas, I was disappointed the novel wasn't referenced. But, then I saw that it was referenced in feeling and deed. For John encounters Father Edward Harington, curate of the parish of Saint David’s, who says to John, despairing in the river, “But it is my belief that no one is beyond recovery on Earth, just as no one’s soul is beyond redemption in Heaven. So I have a proposition for you. Will you grant me this one day of your time, so I might try to convince you that life is worth living? If I fail, you can come back here and throw yourself in the water tomorrow, if you must.” Harington is the embodiment of the essence of all four spirits who visited Scrooge that fateful night.

When it came time for our approach towards 1942, I felt terribly for John and what he was about to witness. Once he arrives and views the destruction, the devastation, the flattening of buildings and houses, the atmosphere is so complete—I am again in awe of Mortimer’s writing ability. And all I can think of for a moment is that John's going to start looking for or hear other people looking for the Bishop's bird stump as he wanders around.

And John? Who is John? But Everyman (another amalgamation of his would-be surname). Every man. Every man who wonders why, wherefore, when, and how. Every man who questions morality and goodness, evil and wickedness. Every man who ponders the existential and divine. A wonderful tale—I'm glad I went along for the ride.

I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, nor the content of my review.

[Lisa]

Abandoned at 34%

I will not be rating this book because I did not finish it. However, I want to say a few things about it based on what I did read. The positives first. It is rich in historical detail (which is probably not surprising considering the author is a historian) and is has a fascinating premise involving time travel across six centuries. On paper it has all the ingredients to be an amazing, thought-provoking read and I honestly thought that was what I was going to get, particularly after I read the ominous and somewhat chilling opening paragraph. Unfortunately the early promise that was shown did not carry on as I got further through the book, and I found myself enjoying it less and less as I got bogged down admist poorly developed characters, a plot that was virtually non-existent and a whole load of religion and philosophy. As someone who loves history, I am well aware that religion played a huge part in everyday life in times gone by and I am certainly not against its inclusion. It makes the setting more realistic for one thing which is always a positive in my book. However, the way it was written made it feel very heavy handed and preachy. There was just too much of it for my personal tastes and I felt as though I was reading a textbook on the subject rather than a piece of historical fiction. It's a real shame as I honestly thought I would love this book. It's received a lot of positive reviews so there are clearly people who enjoy it but it wasn't for me at all sadly. I probably would have been willing to overlook the underdeveloped characters and lack of a plot but I just could not ignore all the religious talk that was in the book as it bogged me down so much and made it a real chore to read. Oh well, I guess you can't win them all.

[Ophelia Sings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reader is accustomed to travelling through time with the wonderful Ian Mortimer. His acclaimed Time Traveller's Guides provide vivid windows on the past which are at once entertaining, sobering and endlessly informative. But Mortimer, it seems, is not content with transporting us to one era at a time; in The Outcasts of Time, the reader is taken on a whistle-stop through six centuries of tumultuous history. It's an ambitious undertaking, but a wholly successful - and powerfully moving - one.

John and brother William, desperate, far from home and ridden with plague, are given a choice by a faceless, nameless voice; they may stay six more days in 1348 and see out their lives with those they love - and, in all probability, pass their death sentence on to them. Or, the voice in the sky offers, they may live each of the last six days of their lives in the future - each day, 99 years hence from the one previous. The plague will trouble them no more, and they will be able to seek absolution for their souls before the final bell tolls. The brothers choose to spare their loved ones and instead become time travellers, seeking goodness in a world of increasing confusion and apparent barbarity. But can they save their souls and secure a place in heaven before time runs out?

The Outcasts of Time is a richly satisfying novel, dizzyingly huge in scope and beautifully crafted. It is also intensely moving, something which I was not expecting when I picked it up. The reflections on mortality, particularly when John and William are faced with death - both their own and that of others, in the form of shapeless nameless corpses littered along the roadside like so much wind-blown refuse - are powerfully affecting. We are set to thinking about what we all leave behind; our legacy to the generations which follow us, as the voices of the ones past call to us down the centuries. There is rich religious imagery and a heavy dose of superstition, all perfectly at home in the fourteenth century but increasingly jarring - and dangerous - in the ages which follow; woven deftly through the narrative, they are a constant in the ever-changing lives of the brothers. Indeed, the book feels like something of a parable, and there is much to be learned here - and not only in terms of historical detail.

There is naturally, however, much in the way of historical knowledge to be gleaned. The sights, sounds and smells of the progressing centuries are vividly evoked, as is John and William's bemusement by the mores of each era. This is history red in tooth and claw; no punches are pulled, and no concessions made to modern distaste. We meet a vast cast of detestable characters, each perfectly and hatefully rendered, yet in each era, there is a beacon of decency, preventing both the time travellers and the reader from entirely losing hope in humanity. The vile Kinner is the stuff of nightmares, and is not easily forgotten; but neither is the delightful Father Harington, wise and kind. The denouement is, quite possibly, one of the most moving and affecting endings I have ever read; it shimmers unforgettably, searing itself onto the mind.

The Outcasts of Time, as well as being a rip-roaringly fast paced and utterly compelling tale, illustrates the importance - and relevance - of history; it demonstrates the thread which links us all, inexorably, to the past. It recalls James Long's sublime Ferney, and the rich texture of that book; the same loneliness of the man forced to live through oceans of time resonate in Mortimer's beautiful novel. The reader may take much from the book: historical knowledge, impeccably researched and scattered like sequins through the narrative; the notion that we are all travellers, here but for a short time, and all of us with the ability to do good; the idea that, perhaps, we can demonstrate understanding and compassion to travellers in our own time, bemused and fearful as they may be. And, perhaps most importantly of all, the warning that those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

The Outcasts of Time is a tour de force, rich in spellbinding detail. Haunting and atmospheric, there is warmth and humour alongside fear and torment; all human life is here.

As perfect a novel as any I've ever read.

My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[M.J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free E-Arc from Netgalley.

Ian Mortimer is a fantastic historian - looking at the past with new eyes and in so doing shedding light on events that are often, erroneously, presented as a fait accompli. For this reason, I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read and review his first work of fiction.

The Outcasts of Time is a deeply intriguing novel, looking not at the past through our perception, but rather the future (which is now our past) through the eyes of a man who lived over 600 years ago. This means that instead of our own misconceptions being applied to the past, every new century is seen afresh, with old eyes that note the changes and the differences as well as the similarities. That said, the novel is not always successful in doing this in an entertaining way, there are the odd occasions where I pondered whether the novel was actually going to be able to successfully bring to a conclusion what appears, at points, as nothing more than a random collection of chance encounters in and around the area of Exeter with different people throughout the 600 year period. I must point out, however, that in the end, I was very pleased to have all the events brought together and to be given some understanding of John's 'chance' encounters.

The initial portrayal of the Black Death is as bleak as we could expect, and edged with harshness. I can understand why the events drove John to seek the option of travelling into the future as opposed to his hideous and painful death. What then transpires is a painstakingly detailed tramp through both the historical and the physical landscape. The book covers a small geographical area - wherever John and his brother could walk in a day's journey. This feels, on occasion, a little restrictive, and yet the research involved in the endeavour can not be underestimated. Ian Mortimer has either envisaged, or drawn from the historical record, painstaking detail about the way the landscape, people and places changed throughout the 600 years from the Black Death. While this detail may occasionally slow the narrative it can not be ignored. What else would you notice if you did travel through time? It would be people's clothes, haircuts, the decorations in their houses, the style of buildings and the food available to eat - not to mention the changes in bathrooms.

The grander events of history - the well known wars and kings and queens - are touched upon but they don't constitute what John is hoping to achieve. He is looking for redemption - to save a soul in order to save his own - and his comments and feelings remain those of a man born and raised in the fourteenth century, confused and beguiled by events almost beyond his comprehension, which only increases with distance from his own time.

The author works hard to bring out every naunce of change through time - right down to evolving speech and the changing of names - by the end John is no longer John of Wrayment but John Everyman - time and language mangling his name, and depriving him of almost everything apart from his brother's ring and his memories. By making John a stone carver, the author even manages to show that even something as 'permanent' as stone can be mangled and broken through time - the carvings John has made, based on his family and friends, gradually fall away and lose their shape. Nothing, it seems, is ever permanent, no matter the initial intent.

The people John meets are perhaps a little too easily convinced of his journey through time, and I do feel that the last two centuries - the 1800's and 1900's perhaps work better - but that is probably because they are more 'real' to me - they are more comprehensible to me just as those centuries closer to John seem to make more sense to him. This, I think, is to be expected.

I would also add that quite a bit of the novel is concerned with religion and religious change. This is fascinating, but also, on occasion, a little overpowering, and yet reflects the concerns of John very eloquently. It shows how recently religion has ceased to be such a major presence in the lives of many.

When John offers the opinion that "The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom" he is speaking for the rationale behind this novel and doing so very eloquently.

Recommended to all who enjoy history and historical fiction.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian Mortimer is a social historian and the author of the popular Time Traveller's Guide books that provide light hearted introductions to a range of historical periods. The Outcasts Of Time is his first essay into the world of fiction.

The book begins in 1384 with the protagonist, John, and his brother, William, wandering through a countryside devastated by the Black Death which they both contract before too long. However, through some unexplained supernatural agency, John gets to live each of the last six days of his life ninety nine years further on than the previous one. Consequently, each morning he awakes to an utterly changed world and struggles to understand what he sees around him.

As you might expect form an eminent social historian, Mortimer does an excellent job of evoking the different periods, drawing out details that highlight the character of each era and enabling us to see the world anew with the eyes of innocence.

This is an entertaining and informative read but I'm not sure it really counts as a novel. The narrative is entirely episodic, characters appear for a day and then disappear entirely, and the central agency of the plot remains unexplained. There's a powerful emotional journey, certainly, and a vivid depiction of social change, but the pattern and movement of a novel, or at least the kind of novel that I enjoy, is missing

[Raluca Daniela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten stars and multiple tears. This is a book that takes time. I read it in the span of a month to let it seep through my mind. There's no plot per se beyond the premise in the blurb and the writing style is quite slow at times (it gets much better in the latter half). But this novel made me question my life, my way of understanding people and time, plus the very essence of what it means to be human. There are some books you just need to read in a certain moment of your life and this was one of them for me. It veers towards religion at points as this is post-medieval history through the eyes of a 14th-century man, but ultimately the truth he achieves through his travel in time is a universally human experience.

I also absolutely loved how well-documented this book is. There are so many details that make each century stand out. John, the main character, tastes sugar for the first time in the 15th century and reflects whether his sons lived long enough to experience it. It's little things from our contemporary civilization that we take for granted that he sees with wonder and amazement or with fear and disdain. Ultimately, this book was a little gem that I am glad I picked up, for it was worth going through the slow start to reach the little bits and pieces of wisdom John gained.

[Ellodie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a decent book, but not really for me. Two brothers just infected with the plague in 1348 get the chance to live out their last six days each 99 years further into the future, all while seeking redemption. They do explore a little, and learn a bit about each new era they are in, but I wanted more out of that aspect of the book and less of the redemption story.

[MTK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Μια διαφορετική εκδοχή του ταξιδιού στο χρόνο, που εστιάζει στους ανθρώπους αντι για τα γεγονότα.

A very different take on time travel, focusing on humanity instead of history. Very good.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good book. I like the idea it contains, and it is well executed. The basic idea is that a pair of brothers in 1348 are infected by the plague. As they are dying, a spiritual entity informs them that they have six days to live. They can live those days in 1348, or they can live each day 99 years after the preceding one. The brothers opt for the latter rather than the former and we follow them in their travels through time.

It is interesting to have a fourteenth century perspective on developments in the six successive centuries. I like the way in which the author picks out the similarities - the position of the villages and rivers, the street layout in Exeter - as well as documenting the changes. The built environment changes greatly. Houses become more comfortable. Technology becomes more prevalent. Things that we currently take for granted, such as glazed windows, amaze the fourteenth century mind.

To the characters, what changes most dramatically in the six centuries is the role of the Church. To a fourteenth century person, the Church is more than an institution. It is the embodiment of social capital. The characters struggle to understand the Reformation of the sixteenth century and the challenge to the authority of the king in the seventeenth century. These represent two hundred years of profound change. The coming of the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century and the sheer murderous nature of the twentieth century leave the characters wondering if any progress has been made at all.

And yet this is tempered by the nature of mankind. That doesn't change across the centuries. People are consistently kind, wicked, generous, mean spirited as they always have been. I like the way that the situations in which the characters find themselves allow us to draw out this conclusion. This is a classic example of 'show, not tell'; and it works really well. It sets the scene for the final twist in the book. There is a continuous thread across the centuries - all of the characters are related to each other. The inherent kindness of the brothers flows through to their descendants.

I really liked this book. It is interesting and engaging. The writing is at just the right pace and the narrative flows from one situation to another. I just hope that my descendants have a small part of the legacy described in this book.

[Kahlia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've previously enjoyed Mortimer's non-fiction, but wasn't sure how his talents as a historian would translate to fiction.

Firstly, he writes well, which was I glad about, given that non-fiction writing is a whole different beast to fiction. There were a lot of poignant descriptions of people, places and feelings in this book, and it captures both the shock and grief experienced by John and William incredibly well. There are also no glaringly anachronistic thoughts here (as expected from a historian); John's piety was ridiculous as a modern reader, but felt very accurate to the time period. (There are some inconsistencies in what characters do/don't know, which a good editor should have picked up). There are definitely some heart in mouth moments that made me gasp/want to cry, particularly in the beginning. However, I did find the characters that John and William meet to be more of a mixed bag - some felt incredibly real to me (particularly Father Lay) and others felt like mouthpieces whose only purpose was to share a particularly point of view.

Otherwise, the plot honestly felt like a vehicle for Mortimer to wax lyrical on the differences in fashion, housing and entertainment between each century. There are a lot of long-winded and frankly dull descriptions of what people are wearing and eating. The characters' experiences of each era also followed a familiar pattern that soon became repetitive: wake up, wander the town, eat a meal with some nice strangers who are all too willing to overlook the inconsistencies in John and William's stories about their travels and explain to these bewildered wanderers who is now the King. While there's a lot to be gained from learning about the ordinary lives of people throughout history, the particular stories presented here were not all that interesting.

Ultimately, an interesting, thought-provoking novel, but not a hugely entertaining one at points.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was struggling whether it’s a 2 stars book or a 3 stars one for me. Let’s say it’s 2.5.

I had a lot of problems with this book. First, I personally hate religious talk. And for the most of the book that’s all the main character does. It gets tiring. A lot.
Second, I myself am not strong in history, let alone a British one, since I am not British. So at times I really struggled to get the picture the author was painting for us. Having little context, I was feeling the way the protagonist did - whole world is strange and I am not sure what to expect.
And lastly, there is just no plot. Gasp. Shock. There are a couple of overarching ideas to this book, but mostly it just sketches one day from six different centuries. Imagine having a suddenly free day to yourself with no plans at all and no things to get done. Just aimlessly tumbling aroung the apartment or surfing the web from one link to the next with no purpose. That is what this book mostly felt like to me.

With that being said I really liked some of the ideas revealed to us about the family of the protagonist. We get a hint somewhere in the middle of the book and in the end it all rushes in. It’s a pity this storyline wasn’t exploited more, it might have done for a much more pleasant read.

I don’t know if this book is necessarily worth a read, but it was interesting to try something new. I think I want to explore some of the nonfiction works of this author, I can imagine them being good.