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The first novel in The Restarter Series
If time shattered, taking away everything you loved, how far would you go to get it all back?...
Arriving at a lodge in Norfolk for a long weekend retreat, a group of friends meet for a thirtieth birthday celebration.
Before the weekend is over, five of them will die.
Trapped in a thirty-three-hour time-loop, only Hal and Kara have the ability to alter fate, and prevent the deaths of their friends.
But in order to unravel the secrets hidden within their own past, they must first learn how to adapt to the new rules of their reality.
Time, however, is a relentless force. One which will stop at nothing to ensure that events unfold exactly as destiny dictates.
With time no longer on their side, Hal and Kara will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to free themselves from their perpetual prison, and exactly what they are prepared to sacrifice to defeat an enemy that has already won.
Only one thing is certain…
Every action has a consequence.
Fir Lodge is a time travel adventure thriller, set amidst the unlikely backdrop of Norfolk, England.
Join Hal and Kara, as they attempt to restart the past, to change their future.
If time shattered, taking away everything you loved, how far would you go to get it all back?...
Arriving at a lodge in Norfolk for a long weekend retreat, a group of friends meet for a thirtieth birthday celebration.
Before the weekend is over, five of them will die.
Trapped in a thirty-three-hour time-loop, only Hal and Kara have the ability to alter fate, and prevent the deaths of their friends.
But in order to unravel the secrets hidden within their own past, they must first learn how to adapt to the new rules of their reality.
Time, however, is a relentless force. One which will stop at nothing to ensure that events unfold exactly as destiny dictates.
With time no longer on their side, Hal and Kara will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to free themselves from their perpetual prison, and exactly what they are prepared to sacrifice to defeat an enemy that has already won.
Only one thing is certain…
Every action has a consequence.
Fir Lodge is a time travel adventure thriller, set amidst the unlikely backdrop of Norfolk, England.
Join Hal and Kara, as they attempt to restart the past, to change their future.
559 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 20, 2018
27 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Sean McMahon
5 books39 followersSean McMahon has saved the world countless times.
From the comfort of his sofa.
Utilising a controller, as a conduit for his actions.
He also believes he invented the concept of the digital photo-frame, but has no way to prove it.
Sean lives in Essex with his family. In his spare time, he loves watching movies, reading, is an avid gamer, and enjoys walking his ridiculously-energetic Staffordshire bull terrier, Mindy. He also enjoys making contingency plans for surviving in the event of a potential zombie-apocalypse.
Sean also once took a leak standing next to Simon Pegg at a press event. To this day, nobody cares.
From the comfort of his sofa.
Utilising a controller, as a conduit for his actions.
He also believes he invented the concept of the digital photo-frame, but has no way to prove it.
Sean lives in Essex with his family. In his spare time, he loves watching movies, reading, is an avid gamer, and enjoys walking his ridiculously-energetic Staffordshire bull terrier, Mindy. He also enjoys making contingency plans for surviving in the event of a potential zombie-apocalypse.
Sean also once took a leak standing next to Simon Pegg at a press event. To this day, nobody cares.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 6, 2019
This. Book. Blew. My. Mind
No honestly. I fully neglected everyone and myself reading this masterpiece.
Where do I even begin?!
What can I even say?
I started Fir Lodge not knowing what I was walking into. Within the first couple of chapters, I was drawn to the banter which rolled off every character, I had the perfect image of Fir Lodge mapped out in my head, I had my favourites branded on my heart...then...it happened. Magic? Science? A big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff?...Yeah, let's go with that.
Without any spoilers, what I can say for certain is that this book positively slayed me. The cultural pop references had me nodding with immense respect. The one-liners were on point. The realism of Hal and Kara was everything to me.
The details were perfect, the pacing and writing style absolutely beautiful, not complex in any way, just simply fun!
There were moments--god, there were moments--where my heart all but failed on me, times where I thought Sean McMahon (that legend) was going to perform a George. R. R. Martin and completely ruin me. The suspense was beautifully executed on several occasions, the well-timed jokes were more than appropriate in dire times and of course, the emotions, the gravity which Sean managed to express so perfectly on every page was genius.
I wholeheartedly want to see this made into a TV series. In fact, I believe this WILL be made into a TV series one day! Make it a Netflix original! It has all the elements and potential to be one hell of a captivating, addictive series for anyone to obsess over.
A message for the author: You, Sean McMahon, are the champion of awesomeness. The Ultimate Restarter. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2. Please now! Thank you!
It's happened. I've become a Restarter now. There's no going back....or is there?
No honestly. I fully neglected everyone and myself reading this masterpiece.
Where do I even begin?!
What can I even say?
I started Fir Lodge not knowing what I was walking into. Within the first couple of chapters, I was drawn to the banter which rolled off every character, I had the perfect image of Fir Lodge mapped out in my head, I had my favourites branded on my heart...then...it happened. Magic? Science? A big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff?...Yeah, let's go with that.
Without any spoilers, what I can say for certain is that this book positively slayed me. The cultural pop references had me nodding with immense respect. The one-liners were on point. The realism of Hal and Kara was everything to me.
The details were perfect, the pacing and writing style absolutely beautiful, not complex in any way, just simply fun!
There were moments--god, there were moments--where my heart all but failed on me, times where I thought Sean McMahon (that legend) was going to perform a George. R. R. Martin and completely ruin me. The suspense was beautifully executed on several occasions, the well-timed jokes were more than appropriate in dire times and of course, the emotions, the gravity which Sean managed to express so perfectly on every page was genius.
I wholeheartedly want to see this made into a TV series. In fact, I believe this WILL be made into a TV series one day! Make it a Netflix original! It has all the elements and potential to be one hell of a captivating, addictive series for anyone to obsess over.
A message for the author: You, Sean McMahon, are the champion of awesomeness. The Ultimate Restarter. I absolutely cannot wait for book 2. Please now! Thank you!
It's happened. I've become a Restarter now. There's no going back....or is there?
February 5, 2021
This is one that had been sitting on my "to-read" shelf for far longer than I'd like to admit - and mostly this was due to the length of the book. Not that it's overly-long, but once a book passes the 500-page mark, I'm hesitant to pick it up as I worry it may become a bit too much of a time-suck and keep me from other, shorter reads.
Now, in keeping with the time travel in this book, I'd like to go back in time and kick myself. Others told me to read this. I KNEW I would enjoy it. Stupid me for waiting so long. Don't make the same mistake as me. Just get it now and dig in.
As for what you'll find? A fun little time-travel caper, which honestly reminded me much more of Time Crimes than Back to the Future ... with a healthy dose of Groundhog Day mixed in. It's much less of a science-fiction tale than a "what is going on and how do we fix what we broke" type story. It reads very easily, and I flew through it - likely due to the conversational style in which McMahon tells the story. It's chock-full of little pop-culture references - enough to make you smile (and to know that McMahon does know the toybox he's playing in), but not so over-the-top as to take over the story and rely on doses of nostalgia to keep the reader engaged (I'm looking at you, Ready Player One).
You don't have to like science fiction to enjoy it. You don't need to understand quantum entanglement. You don't even have to have any knowledge of 80s references. It's just a fun story in a new take on "time travel" - and I am very much looking forward to digging into the sequel (hopefully sooner rather than later, as I've learned my lesson now in what I'd been missing).
Pick it up. Read it. I think you'll dig it. I sure did.
Now, in keeping with the time travel in this book, I'd like to go back in time and kick myself. Others told me to read this. I KNEW I would enjoy it. Stupid me for waiting so long. Don't make the same mistake as me. Just get it now and dig in.
As for what you'll find? A fun little time-travel caper, which honestly reminded me much more of Time Crimes than Back to the Future ... with a healthy dose of Groundhog Day mixed in. It's much less of a science-fiction tale than a "what is going on and how do we fix what we broke" type story. It reads very easily, and I flew through it - likely due to the conversational style in which McMahon tells the story. It's chock-full of little pop-culture references - enough to make you smile (and to know that McMahon does know the toybox he's playing in), but not so over-the-top as to take over the story and rely on doses of nostalgia to keep the reader engaged (I'm looking at you, Ready Player One).
You don't have to like science fiction to enjoy it. You don't need to understand quantum entanglement. You don't even have to have any knowledge of 80s references. It's just a fun story in a new take on "time travel" - and I am very much looking forward to digging into the sequel (hopefully sooner rather than later, as I've learned my lesson now in what I'd been missing).
Pick it up. Read it. I think you'll dig it. I sure did.
August 29, 2018
Simply awesome. I loved this book. The two main characters felt real and I really enjoyed the interplay between them. So many geeky references that added to their realness. The rules of the restart were well thought out and not simply used as a plot-forwarding device. The rules actively hindered the characters which was a nice touch. There are plenty of twists, turns and surprises. The book is part of a series, but it can also be enjoyed as a standalone novel (however, once you've read it you'll be desperate for the next one.)
September 11, 2018
Okay first of all I have never read anything like this book. And while I am often squeamish about violent scenes this book had me laughing out loud the majority of the time with all of its popculture references like "But, much like Elsa, he decided to let it go..." and for that and many other reasons it was unputdownable. McMahon is clearly a wizard of time travel with his fascinating restarter concept and then all the crazy twists and turns with the plot that keep you guessing what their fate will be until the very end. And spoiler alert but not really. You don't find out because its a series. And this is only the beginning. McMahon knocks it out of the park with this 1st book in his debut series. I am chomping at the bit to find what else he has in store for Hal, Kara, Malcom and the rest! Mr. McMahon please publish the 2nd one so I can have my curiousity sated!
November 18, 2019
Started my engine...
Holy moly, I loved this book! The more I read, the more irritated I became with myself for taking so long to read it! It was SO mysterious and I became immersed with the story (feeling literally surrounded by fog while reading). It was clever, expertly crafted, unique and refreshing. And man, can this ‘wordslinger’ sling words! I re-read sentences multiple times, thoroughly amused by his wit and his talent. I did actually laugh out loud a lot too. But don’t get me wrong, I was, at moments, equally as spooked. Definitely one of my new favorite authors! Can this be a movie now?
Holy moly, I loved this book! The more I read, the more irritated I became with myself for taking so long to read it! It was SO mysterious and I became immersed with the story (feeling literally surrounded by fog while reading). It was clever, expertly crafted, unique and refreshing. And man, can this ‘wordslinger’ sling words! I re-read sentences multiple times, thoroughly amused by his wit and his talent. I did actually laugh out loud a lot too. But don’t get me wrong, I was, at moments, equally as spooked. Definitely one of my new favorite authors! Can this be a movie now?
October 31, 2018
....Just epic. The author is an absolute time wizard <3
Want to read
May 29, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/29/2020)! 🎁
August 9, 2018
What do you say about this phenomenal novel, that has already been said? Its outstanding! The twists and time-jumping dimensional grace, with which the author weaves within the pages of this book, is masterful and majestic! A grab-your-attention-and-not-let-go type of read! GO GET THIS BOOK!
April 16, 2019
Here is my review of Fir Lodge
Immersion: 4 of 5
There is a monstrous amount of time travel. Thankfully there are date/time tags at the start of each chapter to orient yourself with what day it is… and how many times its been that date. While some jumps in time broke my immersion (mine, not necessarily yours), I was re-immersed quickly.
Now… with that critique out of the way, I was very invested in the story, emotionally!
I felt Hal and Kara’s: happiness, fears, sadness, despair, and much more.
I felt everything!
It’s one thing to write a story, it’s another to make your reader feel emotions at every turn!
Though I have finished the story, I’m still feeling everything, it sunk in deep.
I can’t say that about a lot of books.
Characters: 5 of 5
There are a lot of characters, which may have also factored into my immersion
“Who is this guy again?”
That said, Hal and Kara! My goodness. I feel like I know them.
I felt their friendship grow throughout their long journey.
I understood them both, how they were going to react to situations.
They had sweet, funny, cringy (good kind), emotional moments.
I honestly was shipping them halfway through, then I stopped myself.
Why? This is the kind of friendship that doesn’t need to turn romantic.
Not quite the same, but I felt it was a Frodo & Sam kind of friendship.
Anytime you make me think LoTR’s, you’re on a solid path
Ending: 5 of 5
No spoilers…
It definitely sets up for a sequel
(which I knew going into this 😉)
Overall, I’m happy with the ending
It’s satisfying while also answering the question
“What happens next?”
Storyline: 5 of 5
This was masterful!
I’m not going to write a wall of text, simply put, this story was thought out and plan to a T
Every “What if” I could think of was answered in a dramatic life or death fashion
The stakes were high, and I was with Hal & Kara at every discovery
This is storytelling done right!
Personal Enjoyment: 5 of 5
I loved this book!
Author Sean McMahon, I can see why other authors have sited you as their inspiration
Your work is inspiring!
I enjoyed every up and down, twist and turn.
Potential reader
If you have any reservations whether to buy this book
I am here to tell you to dash them
You will enjoy this book as I have
Final Score: 24 out of 25
4.8 Stars!
Immersion: 4 of 5
There is a monstrous amount of time travel. Thankfully there are date/time tags at the start of each chapter to orient yourself with what day it is… and how many times its been that date. While some jumps in time broke my immersion (mine, not necessarily yours), I was re-immersed quickly.
Now… with that critique out of the way, I was very invested in the story, emotionally!
I felt Hal and Kara’s: happiness, fears, sadness, despair, and much more.
I felt everything!
It’s one thing to write a story, it’s another to make your reader feel emotions at every turn!
Though I have finished the story, I’m still feeling everything, it sunk in deep.
I can’t say that about a lot of books.
Characters: 5 of 5
There are a lot of characters, which may have also factored into my immersion
“Who is this guy again?”
That said, Hal and Kara! My goodness. I feel like I know them.
I felt their friendship grow throughout their long journey.
I understood them both, how they were going to react to situations.
They had sweet, funny, cringy (good kind), emotional moments.
I honestly was shipping them halfway through, then I stopped myself.
Why? This is the kind of friendship that doesn’t need to turn romantic.
Not quite the same, but I felt it was a Frodo & Sam kind of friendship.
Anytime you make me think LoTR’s, you’re on a solid path
Ending: 5 of 5
No spoilers…
It definitely sets up for a sequel
(which I knew going into this 😉)
Overall, I’m happy with the ending
It’s satisfying while also answering the question
“What happens next?”
Storyline: 5 of 5
This was masterful!
I’m not going to write a wall of text, simply put, this story was thought out and plan to a T
Every “What if” I could think of was answered in a dramatic life or death fashion
The stakes were high, and I was with Hal & Kara at every discovery
This is storytelling done right!
Personal Enjoyment: 5 of 5
I loved this book!
Author Sean McMahon, I can see why other authors have sited you as their inspiration
Your work is inspiring!
I enjoyed every up and down, twist and turn.
Potential reader
If you have any reservations whether to buy this book
I am here to tell you to dash them
You will enjoy this book as I have
Final Score: 24 out of 25
4.8 Stars!
August 5, 2019
A brilliantly written, entertaining debut novel by Sean McMahon. Fir Lodge has everything a reader could want in a book: pop culture references that made me laugh, characters that I loved, a plot that pulled me in, twists turns that kept me on the edge of my seat and guessing until the end. I loved the playful banter between the characters and the premise of time-traveling/restarts. I was worried in the beginning that I would have a hard time keeping track of all of the characters and the timeline, but McMahon was a master at making it all flow effortlessly so that it was easy to keep track of both. I look forward to reading the sequel to see what happens next with the characters I've grown to love.
June 22, 2019
Took me ages to get around to this book, and now it is finished I feel a little sad. I envy those of you who have not read it yet, I would love to enjoy it from the start again before I know what happens!
This book is badass awesome. It is right up my street, and I can not wait to read the next one. No spoilers! as always! I will say, action and excitement and leave it at that. One of my favorite books this year! (Pro or indie) it was just quality from start to finish. (Clap, clap, clap)
***** 5 stars
This book is badass awesome. It is right up my street, and I can not wait to read the next one. No spoilers! as always! I will say, action and excitement and leave it at that. One of my favorite books this year! (Pro or indie) it was just quality from start to finish. (Clap, clap, clap)
***** 5 stars
January 1, 2019
A must read! Sean McMahon's world building is amazing. His descriptions pulled me into his world. His character development is so well done that I felt like I knew his characters. A very fun aspect of the story was the usage of pop culture references. They made me laugh. His concept of a "restarter" was a different concept. I really enjoyed it. This novel is a MUST READ.
Everyone should pick up this novel!
Everyone should pick up this novel!
April 17, 2018
A brilliantly intelligent and well written book!
An incredibly well written & thought out story filled with intrigue, humorous references, and twists & turns that had me guessing right up to the fantastic finale. If you love time travel then you'll love Fir Lodge. Can't wait for book 2, keep up the good work!
An incredibly well written & thought out story filled with intrigue, humorous references, and twists & turns that had me guessing right up to the fantastic finale. If you love time travel then you'll love Fir Lodge. Can't wait for book 2, keep up the good work!
April 20, 2018
What a thoroughly enjoyable read from this new author, would highly recommend! Well thought out plot which keeps you on the edge of your seat, combined with detailed descriptions (which makes you feel as though you are in the book with them) & lots of humour (made me laugh out loud)! A real page turner, you won’t want to put it down! Can’t wait for more from this author.
May 4, 2019
This is not a book I would have picked up on my own. It came to me via Indie Book Box and at first I was skeptical. However, after about three chapters I was hooked. I loved the dorky pop culture references and really enjoyed the Groundhog’s Day-esque vibe.
April 27, 2022
There's something tricky about writing a time loop story, whether that be for TV, film, or book. And maybe not just "something", but "somethingS". Keeping a time loop story interesting for the audience where they don't feel like their investment of time is wasted by going in a loop cannot be easy when the crux of the story is indeed going around in an endless loop of the same thing. Sean McMahon is actually successful in pulling this off, and for that, I applaud him.
I always love finding a well written, well edited book. They seem rare, yet this is one of those books. What is also just as equally enjoyable is getting to see McMahon's personality come through. Clearly a a fan of film and TV from how easily you could play "Name that Movie Quote Bingo" throughout the book, he's also not shied away from infusing his own humour into the prose with gems like this keeping you looking for the next one, "Kara awoke with the grace of a startled pigeon." I literally laughed out loud.
I'll admit that at times the book felt a bit long, but time loop stories are always going to walk that fine line, and McMahon has set up the rest of the series to move at a faster pace with the "rules of the game" now being much thoroughly explored in this first book.
5-Stars. Would recommend.
I always love finding a well written, well edited book. They seem rare, yet this is one of those books. What is also just as equally enjoyable is getting to see McMahon's personality come through. Clearly a a fan of film and TV from how easily you could play "Name that Movie Quote Bingo" throughout the book, he's also not shied away from infusing his own humour into the prose with gems like this keeping you looking for the next one, "Kara awoke with the grace of a startled pigeon." I literally laughed out loud.
I'll admit that at times the book felt a bit long, but time loop stories are always going to walk that fine line, and McMahon has set up the rest of the series to move at a faster pace with the "rules of the game" now being much thoroughly explored in this first book.
5-Stars. Would recommend.
August 10, 2020
An entertaining trip into a series of time that repeats itself until a plausible sequence of events releases the MCs. Brilliant in all, a tad confusing with the multitude of names and angles for a couple of chapter, wonderful references and writing. In my Indie reviews, I like to try to sum up by adding movie ingredients to sum it all up.
How to make Fir Lodge -
Ingredients:
3 cups Groundhog Day
2 Tbsp. Ghost
1 cup Source Code
1/2 Butterfly Effect
A pinch of Hot Tub Time Machine
Directions:
Combine Groundhog Day and Source Code, squeeze out one Butterfly Effect and stir until batter is thoroughly mixed. In a separate bowl, sift out Ghost until the interaction scenes are left, then apply them to mixture. Bake at 350 until golden brown, frost with time paradoxes and garnish with Hot Tub Time Machine for color. Enjoy!
How to make Fir Lodge -
Ingredients:
3 cups Groundhog Day
2 Tbsp. Ghost
1 cup Source Code
1/2 Butterfly Effect
A pinch of Hot Tub Time Machine
Directions:
Combine Groundhog Day and Source Code, squeeze out one Butterfly Effect and stir until batter is thoroughly mixed. In a separate bowl, sift out Ghost until the interaction scenes are left, then apply them to mixture. Bake at 350 until golden brown, frost with time paradoxes and garnish with Hot Tub Time Machine for color. Enjoy!
March 30, 2019
Time travel paradox is an endlessly entertaining concept that McMahon has melded with a Groundhog Day style narrative. A slow build up kicks fully into life with the sudden onset of the reset and a horrifying revelation. Kara and Hal bonding as The Restarters is expertly written with each revolution of the fateful day adding both to the plot and their characters with genre references galore. The tense finale is crowned with a telling epilogue. A little fat could have perhaps have been trimmed, but this is a great and unusual read. Recommended
September 26, 2019
I'm horrible when it comes to giving details without spoilers, so I won't do it. But i will say that if you're ever stuck in a time loop, Kara and Hal are the people you want to be there with. This book had me stressed, but the clever banter mixed with pop culture references made it extremely entertaining. (By the end, I was a bigger Ghostbusters fan than I thought I was.) Just when I thought i had it all figured out, something more disturbing occured, but again, as horrible as it sounds being stuck in a time loop, the levity balanced out the story. Read this book!
October 8, 2019
What I Did Like:
-The entire concept of getting stuck in a time loop has been done before, but this one brings an interesting viewpoint and some cool science fiction elements that worked.
-The ending. Boy that final chapter really kicked this novel up a notch. It needed that final chapter exactly as written.
Who Should Read This One:
-Science fiction fans who enjoy the idea of a time loop will like how this one plays out.
My Rating: 3 Stars. There were some parts that dragged but overall this had a satisfying ending to an interesting story.
Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/4ppIaAlg8eM
-The entire concept of getting stuck in a time loop has been done before, but this one brings an interesting viewpoint and some cool science fiction elements that worked.
-The ending. Boy that final chapter really kicked this novel up a notch. It needed that final chapter exactly as written.
Who Should Read This One:
-Science fiction fans who enjoy the idea of a time loop will like how this one plays out.
My Rating: 3 Stars. There were some parts that dragged but overall this had a satisfying ending to an interesting story.
Full Review (including what I didn’t love): https://youtu.be/4ppIaAlg8eM
April 28, 2019
Absolutely outstanding
A truly original story that had me begging for more at the end. Off to pick up the sequel now.
A truly original story that had me begging for more at the end. Off to pick up the sequel now.
December 3, 2018
I loved the Tom Cruise movie, Edge of Tomorrow, so this was right up my alley. Fir Lodge has the same dry humor unexpectedly interjected at seemingly inappropriate moments. For me it was very relatable and I could see myself acting exactly how they did in the situation…s. Enthraling and entertaining, this is a solid 4 1/2 stars for me but I'm happy to bump up to a 5 because I am already looking forward to, and speculating upon the sequel.
January 2, 2019
Admittedly, I am a fan of time travel, and so this book proved to be my kind of read. It is full of references to other time travel classics and general geekdom. This made for great banter between the two main characters as one made these references and the other rolled her eyes at them, unable to understand them. Hal and Kara make for a perfect time travelling duo, and they each offer a balanced share of perspective to the problems they must face together. Their dialogue – and, notably, their disagreements – are realistic and provide the story with personality.
The plot itself continually moves forward. The events that will later dictate the entire rest of the book are set up right in the first chapter. And every time you think Hal and Kara have managed to figure out how to solve the time loop in which they find themselves, something goes wrong and they must rethink their situation. Sometimes, however, they seem to reach conclusions too quickly, leaving explanations skimpy and unbelievable. It also felt like there was much more dialogue than action, and the action felt too scripted, too linear. For the sake of this book it worked alright, but could have been better.
The book’s strong point is its ever increasing stakes. It doesn’t take long for the full stakes to be realized as Hal and Kara come to face an enemy that is perhaps worse than the time loop itself. They must not only think through this new challenge, but also come to terms with it and its implications. It’s honestly difficult to say more about it without avoiding spoilers. Just know that this book comes full of surprises that you’ll never see coming.
With many twists, lots of fun, and, of course, lots of danger, this book will delight any fan of time travel and leave you waiting for more.
The plot itself continually moves forward. The events that will later dictate the entire rest of the book are set up right in the first chapter. And every time you think Hal and Kara have managed to figure out how to solve the time loop in which they find themselves, something goes wrong and they must rethink their situation. Sometimes, however, they seem to reach conclusions too quickly, leaving explanations skimpy and unbelievable. It also felt like there was much more dialogue than action, and the action felt too scripted, too linear. For the sake of this book it worked alright, but could have been better.
The book’s strong point is its ever increasing stakes. It doesn’t take long for the full stakes to be realized as Hal and Kara come to face an enemy that is perhaps worse than the time loop itself. They must not only think through this new challenge, but also come to terms with it and its implications. It’s honestly difficult to say more about it without avoiding spoilers. Just know that this book comes full of surprises that you’ll never see coming.
With many twists, lots of fun, and, of course, lots of danger, this book will delight any fan of time travel and leave you waiting for more.
May 30, 2019
I received this book from Indie Book Box which offers subscribers fresh titles they're unlikely to find on bookstore shelves.
Fir Lodge is a speculative fiction mystery incorporating the science fiction element of time travel, along with some paranormal/supernatural elements. I often wondered if extraterrestrials would make an appearance, thrown off by terms like "creature" for Jerry and "unearthly" for Malcolm... maybe in the next book.
Sean McMahon takes a challenging premise and weaves an impressively comprehensive plot that is utterly unpredictable, with cleverly funny chapter titles and entertaining pop culture references.
When Hal and Kara find themselves in a time loop, they must adapt to the physics of their new existence while trying to discover how they got there and how to get back. A good array of character reactions and conjecture has the reader guessing along with the characters. I liked that Hal and Kara could have a sense of humor about their predicament.
The story begins in the 165th restart which is an effective introduction to the conundrum in which the characters find themselves and makes the book itself another time loop.
The second chapter has the cast of friends arriving at the lodge all at once which makes it hard to keep track of who is who. The group is said to be "as close as it always was," but I wonder whether some tension might have added believability.
The book was a bit long for my taste and got a little wordy as some of the references and explanations became redundant. But it picks up when Robert joins the "Restarters" and again when they consult Alex and Rachel. I really enjoyed the explosion chapter ("Ashes to Ashes") and the humorous account of the montage of deaths in "A Fistful of Restarts."
Fir Lodge is a speculative fiction mystery incorporating the science fiction element of time travel, along with some paranormal/supernatural elements. I often wondered if extraterrestrials would make an appearance, thrown off by terms like "creature" for Jerry and "unearthly" for Malcolm... maybe in the next book.
Sean McMahon takes a challenging premise and weaves an impressively comprehensive plot that is utterly unpredictable, with cleverly funny chapter titles and entertaining pop culture references.
When Hal and Kara find themselves in a time loop, they must adapt to the physics of their new existence while trying to discover how they got there and how to get back. A good array of character reactions and conjecture has the reader guessing along with the characters. I liked that Hal and Kara could have a sense of humor about their predicament.
The story begins in the 165th restart which is an effective introduction to the conundrum in which the characters find themselves and makes the book itself another time loop.
The second chapter has the cast of friends arriving at the lodge all at once which makes it hard to keep track of who is who. The group is said to be "as close as it always was," but I wonder whether some tension might have added believability.
The book was a bit long for my taste and got a little wordy as some of the references and explanations became redundant. But it picks up when Robert joins the "Restarters" and again when they consult Alex and Rachel. I really enjoyed the explosion chapter ("Ashes to Ashes") and the humorous account of the montage of deaths in "A Fistful of Restarts."
June 18, 2018
I usually run a mile from anything remotely sci-fi related, it’s just not my thing. But I was given this book as a gift and thought I’d give it a go. To my surprise, I enjoyed every minute of it! I’ve become a fact reader rather than a fiction reader because I find fiction writers these days lazy and their story lines mostly uninteresting and dragged out. It’s been a while since I’ve read a ‘page-turner’, but this book had me constantly wanting to know more. Sitting in work, I kept daydreaming about where Hal and Kara’s adventures would take them. This a great read!
March 25, 2019
4 stars. Good book. Interesting story, although it got a little confusing towards the end. Not a thriller; more like a sci-fi mystery/suspense. I'll likely read a sequel.
November 27, 2019
Loooved it! Very fun book. I got caught up in life when I was only a few short chapters from finishing...took me two days to get back to it and it drove me NUTS. McMahon does a fabulous job answering the "but how come...?" kind of questions that always come up in temporal story lines. Furthermore, despite the complexity, the lighthearted approach keeps the pace moving...and being chock full of pop culture references, it's sure to bring a nostalgic smirk to your face. Well done! can't wait to get my hands on The Dark Restarter!
May 8, 2018
I wasn't sure if I would like this book as I thought the concept of time travel could get confusing but that really wasn't the case. The book is easy to read, funny and a real page turner.
The writing style really adds to the book. There are funny pop culture references which really makes the book feel like you are hanging out with your friends. I genuinely looked forward to getting into bed with Hal and Kara every night (you know what I mean...). Give it a try... you won't be disappointed!
The writing style really adds to the book. There are funny pop culture references which really makes the book feel like you are hanging out with your friends. I genuinely looked forward to getting into bed with Hal and Kara every night (you know what I mean...). Give it a try... you won't be disappointed!
April 13, 2018
Such a great read. Filled with humour yet tense in places I could not put this down and it was always “one more chapter”!
May 31, 2018
omg... this story is crazy... in a good way.. hehehhe sooo good. cant wait to do my booktube review already hehehe
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