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A Footstep Echo #1
A Footstep Echo
Who is the Mystery Girl?
Bernard Abbey’s life was routine, stagnant, and lonely. That all changed the day she entered his life.
To save him from being killed, a mysterious young woman transports Bernard to another point in time. As he comes to grips with what has happened, Bernard realizes his new friend is unable to speak. She cannot tell him who she is, where she came from, or how she can travel through time. Even worse, she’s unable to tell him what is chasing her.
As the mystery girl takes Bernard across, they cross paths with strangers claiming to know her. Grappling with conflicting versions of her origin, the only thing he knows for certain is that the fate of humanity’s idyllic future is somehow connected with his new companion.
Bernard Abbey’s life was routine, stagnant, and lonely. That all changed the day she entered his life.
To save him from being killed, a mysterious young woman transports Bernard to another point in time. As he comes to grips with what has happened, Bernard realizes his new friend is unable to speak. She cannot tell him who she is, where she came from, or how she can travel through time. Even worse, she’s unable to tell him what is chasing her.
As the mystery girl takes Bernard across, they cross paths with strangers claiming to know her. Grappling with conflicting versions of her origin, the only thing he knows for certain is that the fate of humanity’s idyllic future is somehow connected with his new companion.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 26, 2019
10 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
January 18, 2020
Wow
This was an amazing adventure through time. It is full of mystery, and has you second guessing what you think you know. The characters were well written and likable. I just could not figure out how this was gonna play out and that was refreshing. I love the ending and can't wait to check out the next one!
There were a couple typos or double wording, it was very few and far between and in no way took from the story.
This was an amazing adventure through time. It is full of mystery, and has you second guessing what you think you know. The characters were well written and likable. I just could not figure out how this was gonna play out and that was refreshing. I love the ending and can't wait to check out the next one!
There were a couple typos or double wording, it was very few and far between and in no way took from the story.
April 8, 2023
Great Read
This is a second book that I’ve read from J.D Sanderson. I really enjoy this work. Once more his creativity shines in this well written story.
This is a second book that I’ve read from J.D Sanderson. I really enjoy this work. Once more his creativity shines in this well written story.
May 12, 2019
Time Travel Adventure!
First, sci-fi is my first love of all of fiction where your imagination is only limited by your own mind. This story not only delivers a quality story but a believable version of the future. Bernard Abbey as lonely widower slowing slipping into routine and sadness until he decides to help a desperate mysterious girl who is not who she seems to be. Bernie is taken into an adventure he did not ask for and centered in the middle a war 200 years in the future. No spoilers, I cared about the characters and the science behind it all was plausible and added to the fun of this story! Friendship and loyalty are important themes as well as important social political issues. Not so over scientific that a casual reader can’t follow along, the journey is amazing and I highly recommend!! Enjoy!
First, sci-fi is my first love of all of fiction where your imagination is only limited by your own mind. This story not only delivers a quality story but a believable version of the future. Bernard Abbey as lonely widower slowing slipping into routine and sadness until he decides to help a desperate mysterious girl who is not who she seems to be. Bernie is taken into an adventure he did not ask for and centered in the middle a war 200 years in the future. No spoilers, I cared about the characters and the science behind it all was plausible and added to the fun of this story! Friendship and loyalty are important themes as well as important social political issues. Not so over scientific that a casual reader can’t follow along, the journey is amazing and I highly recommend!! Enjoy!
June 17, 2019
Exceptional Time Travel Novel
Unlike most authors, Sanderson kept me interested till the end. I was fascinated by the concept of the story, and while it dragged in a couple places, it built a good foundation for the conclusion. I'm definitely interested in their *heh* future work.
Unlike most authors, Sanderson kept me interested till the end. I was fascinated by the concept of the story, and while it dragged in a couple places, it built a good foundation for the conclusion. I'm definitely interested in their *heh* future work.
July 19, 2018
“A Footstep Echo”: A Review
By Bob Young
Five stars for J.D. Sanderson’s new sci-fi mystery “A Footstep Echo.” With mathematical precision, the author unfolds the mystery that suddenly infests the life of an unassuming retired widower, Bernard Abbey. It isn’t until Part II of this book that enough of the science driving the plot is revealed that the reader and Bernard have an inkling regarding what is up. The meticulous control of what is going on by the writer makes this a five-star book.
Along the way, Sanderson has philosophical fish to fry. In an interview with this writer, the author reveals “most SciFi deals with how we will deal with adversity. I wanted mine to be about how we will deal with progress.” The future as Sanderson sees it has a lot to commend it. However, some of his characters aren’t having it. There are a number of bad actors who express their dissent. For some reason they fall into the lap of hapless Bernard Abbey.
Although life has worn out Abbey, his newspaper career is overtaken by automation, his wife pre-deceases him, depression plants him on his couch twenty-four hours a day, other-worldly trouble ends up bringing the best out of him despite his seventy years.
Readers will not be disappointed as this book will keep them guessing until almost the very last pages of the story. The only spoiler I’ll give you is a romance quietly develops in the midst of mayhem.
By Bob Young
Five stars for J.D. Sanderson’s new sci-fi mystery “A Footstep Echo.” With mathematical precision, the author unfolds the mystery that suddenly infests the life of an unassuming retired widower, Bernard Abbey. It isn’t until Part II of this book that enough of the science driving the plot is revealed that the reader and Bernard have an inkling regarding what is up. The meticulous control of what is going on by the writer makes this a five-star book.
Along the way, Sanderson has philosophical fish to fry. In an interview with this writer, the author reveals “most SciFi deals with how we will deal with adversity. I wanted mine to be about how we will deal with progress.” The future as Sanderson sees it has a lot to commend it. However, some of his characters aren’t having it. There are a number of bad actors who express their dissent. For some reason they fall into the lap of hapless Bernard Abbey.
Although life has worn out Abbey, his newspaper career is overtaken by automation, his wife pre-deceases him, depression plants him on his couch twenty-four hours a day, other-worldly trouble ends up bringing the best out of him despite his seventy years.
Readers will not be disappointed as this book will keep them guessing until almost the very last pages of the story. The only spoiler I’ll give you is a romance quietly develops in the midst of mayhem.
October 21, 2020
A Footstep Echo is a compelling time traveling mystery with a lovable main character. I enjoyed reading Bernie's take on an impossible situation and how, despite his age, he rose to the occasion and helped.
The book is divided in 3 parts. The first one felt like time travel thriller while the other two were more adventure focused as the mystery behind R is revealed. I liked the first one the best because of the mystery behind the girl. I couldn't guess who was bad, good, foe or friend. It was well written and he me craving for more. However, after all of this cleared out, I didn't feel as compelled to read as I did before. It was hard for me to believe all this people were interested in Bernie just because of friendship. There were far more important stuff happening in the world. Also by this time I think the author forgot stuff that had been written before and kept repeating the same info sometimes.
I liked how both sides had compelling reasons to fight. It was not a black and white story and Bernie catched up on this in how he dealt with other characters. I also found the time travel and scifi elements credible and original. The book has a satisfying ending, but with enough interesting things to go in the second book. So, if you loved Bernie, don't worry,there's more!
If you like time trave stories I think this one is a good example. Bernie is a compelling character that you'll love to read.
The book is divided in 3 parts. The first one felt like time travel thriller while the other two were more adventure focused as the mystery behind R is revealed. I liked the first one the best because of the mystery behind the girl. I couldn't guess who was bad, good, foe or friend. It was well written and he me craving for more. However, after all of this cleared out, I didn't feel as compelled to read as I did before. It was hard for me to believe all this people were interested in Bernie just because of friendship. There were far more important stuff happening in the world. Also by this time I think the author forgot stuff that had been written before and kept repeating the same info sometimes.
I liked how both sides had compelling reasons to fight. It was not a black and white story and Bernie catched up on this in how he dealt with other characters. I also found the time travel and scifi elements credible and original. The book has a satisfying ending, but with enough interesting things to go in the second book. So, if you loved Bernie, don't worry,there's more!
If you like time trave stories I think this one is a good example. Bernie is a compelling character that you'll love to read.
May 13, 2019
A Footstep Echo by J.D. Sanderson is a great story. It begins with Bernard, an elderly man whose dreary life is suddenly (and massively!) disrupted by the appearance of a young female. Bernard, who has fallen into a rut in his life – alone and clearly depressed – welcomes this disruption, despite the fact that it is jarring and frightening. It opens him up to new adventures and new opportunities, some positive, some not so much…
I don’t want to spoil the book by saying too much, but this is a relationship-driven sci fi story with plenty of twists and turns. On a related note, as a fan of the sci fi genre, I really enjoyed the cool, futuristic technologies in the book: they enhanced the story enormously.
I do have some criticisms, focused on two specific aspects: at times, I found the characters’ motivations and behaviors difficult to believe – I just didn’t buy it; secondly, the pacing of the book felt a little uneven, leading me to occasionally pause and reread a section to make sure I hadn’t missed something.
But neither of these issues spoiled this exciting, surprising story for me. I look forward to Sanderson’s next book!
I don’t want to spoil the book by saying too much, but this is a relationship-driven sci fi story with plenty of twists and turns. On a related note, as a fan of the sci fi genre, I really enjoyed the cool, futuristic technologies in the book: they enhanced the story enormously.
I do have some criticisms, focused on two specific aspects: at times, I found the characters’ motivations and behaviors difficult to believe – I just didn’t buy it; secondly, the pacing of the book felt a little uneven, leading me to occasionally pause and reread a section to make sure I hadn’t missed something.
But neither of these issues spoiled this exciting, surprising story for me. I look forward to Sanderson’s next book!
August 22, 2018
Science fiction isn't my go-to genre for reading, even though I love watching science fiction-themed shows and movies. I greatly enjoyed reading A Footstep Echo by J.D. Sanderson, though. While the time travel and future portion of the book were interesting they weren't what drove the story for me. That driving force was the characters and how they developed throughout the book, as well as how they interacted and worked together to find solutions to the problems at hand. I especially liked the story arc and development of the main character, Bernard, whose life has been at something of a standstill since the death of his wife. That all changes when a mysterious young woman comes into his life and Bernard finds himself in the midst of adventures he never imagined he would have. The cast of secondary characters are likeable as well, so it's easy to find one or more that you can root for as the book unfolds. Even if you aren't a science fiction or time travel fan, this book has much to offer.
August 31, 2018
I saw this book recommended online by somebody a few weeks ago and decided to check it out. I was surprised to see it was the authors first offering. The characters are believable, and the tech didn't go over my head too much. There were a few moments that really had me rooting for the main character.
The writer paints a really optimistic view of the future, which is a pleasant change from what I usually read. I hope he continues with another entry sometime soon!
The only thing that I wish I had gotten more with this book was a bit more character description. Some of them I know a lot about, others I don't think I even know how tall they are. But that's my minor gripe. Overall this is a fun book with a great time travel story!!
The writer paints a really optimistic view of the future, which is a pleasant change from what I usually read. I hope he continues with another entry sometime soon!
The only thing that I wish I had gotten more with this book was a bit more character description. Some of them I know a lot about, others I don't think I even know how tall they are. But that's my minor gripe. Overall this is a fun book with a great time travel story!!
July 17, 2019
An adventurous ride!
4.5/5
This was an adventurous read. I loved the unique way in which time-travel was portrayed. The characters were really memorable - Bernard, Reagan, Ruth, Maverick, Calev, Tal, Adelaide, Donner, Razlen, Nicola and Kiers. The world-building was perfect and I really felt like I was in 2201. The author has put a lot of efforts in research and has painted a commendable picture of futuristic technology. Though the narrative lost grip in a few places, it was thrilling throughout. I'd absolutely love to read a sequel.
4.5/5
This was an adventurous read. I loved the unique way in which time-travel was portrayed. The characters were really memorable - Bernard, Reagan, Ruth, Maverick, Calev, Tal, Adelaide, Donner, Razlen, Nicola and Kiers. The world-building was perfect and I really felt like I was in 2201. The author has put a lot of efforts in research and has painted a commendable picture of futuristic technology. Though the narrative lost grip in a few places, it was thrilling throughout. I'd absolutely love to read a sequel.
April 16, 2020
Not what I was expecting!
I definitely jumped into this book blindfolded. It was an enjoyable ride considering that most of the story is told by an old man who can barely run. There was so much action I almost felt sorry for him!
Read the full review on my blog!
https://www.bestbookstoday.org/post/b...
I definitely jumped into this book blindfolded. It was an enjoyable ride considering that most of the story is told by an old man who can barely run. There was so much action I almost felt sorry for him!
Read the full review on my blog!
https://www.bestbookstoday.org/post/b...
September 4, 2020
I love love loved this book! This was such a great mix of sci-fi and mystery you will not be sorry you picked this up nor will you be able to put this down. I hope to read a lot more from this author as he has so much talent!
February 25, 2020
Fantastic read! I really enjoyed trying to stay ahead of the plot.
January 24, 2022
An interesting story, enjoyed the time travel.
March 27, 2020
This was a wonderful book with a cast of lovable, realistically written characters who captured my heart. The sci-fi elements were well threaded into our own world and I loved the glimpse into the future of humanity mixed with the current time. This was a lovely read and I’d recommend it to anyone who is a fan of time travel or any exciting sci-fi story.
December 12, 2019
And just when you think you've figured it out...
Such an interesting read! The paradox of time and space takes on a whole new twist. The author keeps you guessing, as the characters, each of them, are truly complex. Nothing is at it seems. The line between good and evil is blurred and zig zags throughout the tale. My only gripe is the characterization of a 70-year old man as elderly. But I'll forgive it for the sake of the story. Truly enjoyed it and look forward to the next!
Such an interesting read! The paradox of time and space takes on a whole new twist. The author keeps you guessing, as the characters, each of them, are truly complex. Nothing is at it seems. The line between good and evil is blurred and zig zags throughout the tale. My only gripe is the characterization of a 70-year old man as elderly. But I'll forgive it for the sake of the story. Truly enjoyed it and look forward to the next!
December 5, 2019
I've been an unrepentant SciFi fan since sometime around 1962! 'Echo' blended time travel with future tech and endearing characters, particularly the author's choice of having his central character, Bernard, as a 70 year old retiree.
The story unfolds in three parts. Where some have quibbled with it, saying they felt a disconnect between parts, I thought the author's staging of the novel was positively delightful. And most of all, it is a great story!
I don't want to get into the nuts & bolts of the story line, that would spoil the fun for anyone who plans to read it. All I can say is that I've put Sanderson on my 'watch list'. As a freshman effort, I'm giving it a 5 star rating. Endearing characters, a great plot line, and just plain good storytelling. How good? Good enough to make me order both the Kindle and paperback editions of the sequel, A Clock's Knell.
The story unfolds in three parts. Where some have quibbled with it, saying they felt a disconnect between parts, I thought the author's staging of the novel was positively delightful. And most of all, it is a great story!
I don't want to get into the nuts & bolts of the story line, that would spoil the fun for anyone who plans to read it. All I can say is that I've put Sanderson on my 'watch list'. As a freshman effort, I'm giving it a 5 star rating. Endearing characters, a great plot line, and just plain good storytelling. How good? Good enough to make me order both the Kindle and paperback editions of the sequel, A Clock's Knell.
January 28, 2020
Every now and then I take a flyer on a new author. And I'm glad I did. New author Sanderson has written a superb story, filled it with memorable characters, a dash of philosophy on where we'll be in the near future, and enough time travel to keep you bouncing around nicely.
I particularly enjoyed having a kindly, retired gentleman as a central character. It is uncommon, particularly in the SciFi realm. And Sanderson pulls it off nicely.
At the risk of spoiling the story for you, I'll say that for a freshman novel, Sanderson has delivered. A fascinating plot line, a story that spans a couple centuries, memorable characters, and a beloved dog. What more could we ask for.
(Note...I originally reviewed this some months ago but apparently neglected to save it. This review is most of what I recall writing originally).
I particularly enjoyed having a kindly, retired gentleman as a central character. It is uncommon, particularly in the SciFi realm. And Sanderson pulls it off nicely.
At the risk of spoiling the story for you, I'll say that for a freshman novel, Sanderson has delivered. A fascinating plot line, a story that spans a couple centuries, memorable characters, and a beloved dog. What more could we ask for.
(Note...I originally reviewed this some months ago but apparently neglected to save it. This review is most of what I recall writing originally).
April 15, 2022
"Some qualities truly are timeless."
Bernard Abbey finds this out when he unexpectedly comes into contact with a time traveler that whisks him away into the future in J. D. Sanderson's A Footstep Echo. And like some qualities this book has a timeless feel to it that made me want to know what happened to our septuagenarian protagonist and the young time traveler he bumps into.
The time travel aspects of the story really take a backseat to the main theme of the story which is a conflict as old as time itself - those that wish to advance society and those that wish to remain the status quo. Bernard learns that even in the future "they could scrub the planet clean, bring an end to war, eradicate hunger, travel through time, and discover alien life, but they could never shake the primal instinct to lash out at something new." He quickly finds himself an unwilling pawn in this conflict.
Sanderson created a cast of wonderful characters in addition to Bernard that he interacts with including Tal, Reagan, and arguably the star of the book, Maverick, Bernard's lovable springer spaniel. These and other characters quickly become an extended family that truly care about each other.
Sanderson's writing style is such that I felt like I had known these characters for years. Although there is a lot of speculative fiction and action in the book, he took care to focus on the humanity of the story as well. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the sequel.
Bernard Abbey finds this out when he unexpectedly comes into contact with a time traveler that whisks him away into the future in J. D. Sanderson's A Footstep Echo. And like some qualities this book has a timeless feel to it that made me want to know what happened to our septuagenarian protagonist and the young time traveler he bumps into.
The time travel aspects of the story really take a backseat to the main theme of the story which is a conflict as old as time itself - those that wish to advance society and those that wish to remain the status quo. Bernard learns that even in the future "they could scrub the planet clean, bring an end to war, eradicate hunger, travel through time, and discover alien life, but they could never shake the primal instinct to lash out at something new." He quickly finds himself an unwilling pawn in this conflict.
Sanderson created a cast of wonderful characters in addition to Bernard that he interacts with including Tal, Reagan, and arguably the star of the book, Maverick, Bernard's lovable springer spaniel. These and other characters quickly become an extended family that truly care about each other.
Sanderson's writing style is such that I felt like I had known these characters for years. Although there is a lot of speculative fiction and action in the book, he took care to focus on the humanity of the story as well. I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the sequel.
March 12, 2020
Absofreakinlutely loved this book. One of the few books that I could put down because I always wanted to know what happened next. Am currently reading the sequel and excited to see where the author has taken it
April 24, 2023
Today's coffee was served with the book "A Footstep Echo" by J.D. Sanderson, which is a captivating science fiction novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey through time. The story revolves around Bernard Abbey, a man whose life was dull and uneventful until a mysterious young woman enters his life and takes him on an adventure of a lifetime. Sanderson does an excellent job of building tension as Bernard and the mystery girl travel through time, evading an unknown danger that threatens their existence.
What makes this novel stand out is the development of the main character, Bernard, who is forced to confront his past and face the reality of his present. Sanderson weaves a compelling story arc that keeps readers engaged and invested in Bernard's journey. Additionally, the author introduces conflicting versions of the mystery girl's origin, adding complexity to the narrative and keeping readers guessing until the very end.
Overall, A Footstep Echo is a well-crafted and exciting time-travel adventure that will keep readers on the edge. Sanderson's ability to create believable characters and vivid settings adds depth to the story, making it a must-read for science fiction fans.
What makes this novel stand out is the development of the main character, Bernard, who is forced to confront his past and face the reality of his present. Sanderson weaves a compelling story arc that keeps readers engaged and invested in Bernard's journey. Additionally, the author introduces conflicting versions of the mystery girl's origin, adding complexity to the narrative and keeping readers guessing until the very end.
Overall, A Footstep Echo is a well-crafted and exciting time-travel adventure that will keep readers on the edge. Sanderson's ability to create believable characters and vivid settings adds depth to the story, making it a must-read for science fiction fans.
March 17, 2020
Author J.D. Sanderson brings us the opening story in a two book series. Beginning with an explosion and the memory loss a young girl finds herself nearly being beaten until a nice old widower walked by and helped her out. From there was are introduced to Bernard and the Mistery Girl who he helped. She flashes them through time to a point where he could warn his wife about what's to come but the Mistery Girl who is suffering from a concussion warns him not to. Bernard who is a librarian and has read several time-travel books and watched several films on the subject knows that if he changes his past then the future can change too. Hot on their tale is a tall man and an other girl who clams to be a friend of the Mistery Girl but who acts like she isn't. The Girl takes Bernard to the year 2201 and he sees the progress that humanity has made as well as hearing of a splinter group that has broken away called Mossbacks. This is only the set up to the story I will not spoil it for you but I do highly recommend picking up a copy. I am looking forward to reading the second book in the series.
February 27, 2019
Little rough around the edges. Great plot. Can be so much better.
The starting of the book reminded me of the good old Dr. Who which soon developed into something like the movie Jumper. There is even a touch of Jason Bourne. I liked the lead character in the beginning but later she turned out to be like anyone else.
Why did she (not going to tell who) has to be the bad guy?
The reactions, emotions seem feeble, especially in the first half of the book. Where is the shock of time travel? Why is Bernie so important to everyone? Bernard doesn’t seem scared enough. Ruth doesn’t really seem anxious at the disappearance/kidnapping of her friend.
Everybody seems to accept the mind-boggling, life-altering revelations without the slightest hint of shock, fear, anxiety or an attempt at denying them.
The book gets better in the second half and improves a little more towards the end. The technological advancement, development, seem plausible enough to be accepted by the reader but not without surprising them.
The story has a happy and sort of unconventional ending which works in its favor but it left me wondering; what happened to Donner?
It is a great plot with a ton of potential but the books like it’s still in the draft phase. With a little bit of script writing, it even has the makes of a movie or a mini TV-series.
The starting of the book reminded me of the good old Dr. Who which soon developed into something like the movie Jumper. There is even a touch of Jason Bourne. I liked the lead character in the beginning but later she turned out to be like anyone else.
Why did she (not going to tell who) has to be the bad guy?
The reactions, emotions seem feeble, especially in the first half of the book. Where is the shock of time travel? Why is Bernie so important to everyone? Bernard doesn’t seem scared enough. Ruth doesn’t really seem anxious at the disappearance/kidnapping of her friend.
Everybody seems to accept the mind-boggling, life-altering revelations without the slightest hint of shock, fear, anxiety or an attempt at denying them.
The book gets better in the second half and improves a little more towards the end. The technological advancement, development, seem plausible enough to be accepted by the reader but not without surprising them.
The story has a happy and sort of unconventional ending which works in its favor but it left me wondering; what happened to Donner?
It is a great plot with a ton of potential but the books like it’s still in the draft phase. With a little bit of script writing, it even has the makes of a movie or a mini TV-series.
November 9, 2018
Great characters, great story. The world Sanderson builds is one of hope, optimism, and cooperative participation. It's as much of a mystery as it is a science fiction book. The time travel really forces you to pay attention, since it jumps back and forth. If you like authors in the vein of Heinlein or Kim Stanley Robinson, you should give this one a try.
There is a lot of world building in this book, but more would have been better. The characters interaction takes the front seat here. If Sanderson comes back to this world, I hope we get to see his future fleshed out a bit more. Still, a really fun story!
One final thing - and I don't think this is exactly a spoiler FYI - A Footstep Echo isn't marketed as the beginning of a series, but it really is. This book ends on a note that makes me think a sequel is coming. I hope it does.
There is a lot of world building in this book, but more would have been better. The characters interaction takes the front seat here. If Sanderson comes back to this world, I hope we get to see his future fleshed out a bit more. Still, a really fun story!
One final thing - and I don't think this is exactly a spoiler FYI - A Footstep Echo isn't marketed as the beginning of a series, but it really is. This book ends on a note that makes me think a sequel is coming. I hope it does.
May 2, 2019
Good sci-fi plot, filled with intriguing tech, likable characters, and intrigue and action. Every time you think you know who the good guys or bad guys are, something else happens to make you question yourself. I was always excited to turn the page and see what happened next.
The narration and dialogue were a bit clunky at times, but not so distracting that I didn't want to finish the book.
I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by the author!
The narration and dialogue were a bit clunky at times, but not so distracting that I didn't want to finish the book.
I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books by the author!
March 27, 2020
JD Sanderson takes you on a twisting/turning ride with this great read. I couldn't help but finding myself wanting to know more with each page. The characters are well written and the story engaging. I'm looking forward to more from this writer and highly recommend this book. What does your future hold?
April 24, 2019
A thrilling adventure!
A Footstep Echo is a wonderfully thrilling ride into the future. Sanderson tells a brilliant story of time travel and adventure, and love and friendship. I loved this book and highly recommend it!
A Footstep Echo is a wonderfully thrilling ride into the future. Sanderson tells a brilliant story of time travel and adventure, and love and friendship. I loved this book and highly recommend it!
October 24, 2022
Amazing story with a cast of cool characters. Excited to read the next one.
March 30, 2023
I enjoyed this book so much.
There is time travel, mystery and twists I never expected.
I am looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommend this book.
There is time travel, mystery and twists I never expected.
I am looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommend this book.
October 13, 2019
I was given an ecopy of this book by the author in exchange for review.
The book begins with a brilliant premise. An elderly man accidentally runs into a young amnesiac woman in danger and helps her. And for his efforts, gets thrown into a time travel mystery. Who is the woman, why did she lose her memory? And which people following her are who they say they are? It's a great set up. I loved the mystery, not knowing who you could trust. The strange phenomenon called "The Rift" that proves to be a huge danger. And Bernard is a fantastic protagonist that is set apart from most sci-fi MCs, being an elderly man that can barely work a smart phone.
The struggles come halfway through the book when things start being revealed. I wont go into depth (because spoilers) but it seems to be drastic change. The reveal of the woman's identity is a pretty awesome one, but her character seems to waver a lot past that point.
Bernard's place in the story also grows a bit more flimsy in the second half. There's less of a concrete reason for him to be included in that portion of the plot as much as he his, so his presence for major events seems less plausible. The author seemed to realize this as well, because there is a major shift in character POVs in that half. While I enjoyed the idea of the found-family-esque team of scientists introduced in the second half, I didn't feel the genuine connection with them I was hoping to, as there was so little time with them.
There are also some minor plot continuity errors that don't necessarily ruin anything, but can take the reader out. For example, Bernard explains to his neighbor Ruth why he referred to the mystery girl as "his niece" at one point, then has the same conversation again later, as if Ruth still didn't know. There's also one of the science team characters that goes on and on about "why didn't I know this person would turn against us" when later that person details an exact instant where they argued over their differing feelings, showing a distinct "I don't think like you do" mentality. There's also a major anonymous danger in the first half that seems fairly absent by the second.
All in all, the author definitely had a fantastic premise and, for awhile, followed through on it. 50 pages in, I was pretty sure this would end up being at least a 4 star, if not a 5. But things started getting just a bit too wonky for my tastes in the second half. However, I would be interested in reading what J.D. Sanderson comes up with next.
The book begins with a brilliant premise. An elderly man accidentally runs into a young amnesiac woman in danger and helps her. And for his efforts, gets thrown into a time travel mystery. Who is the woman, why did she lose her memory? And which people following her are who they say they are? It's a great set up. I loved the mystery, not knowing who you could trust. The strange phenomenon called "The Rift" that proves to be a huge danger. And Bernard is a fantastic protagonist that is set apart from most sci-fi MCs, being an elderly man that can barely work a smart phone.
The struggles come halfway through the book when things start being revealed. I wont go into depth (because spoilers) but it seems to be drastic change. The reveal of the woman's identity is a pretty awesome one, but her character seems to waver a lot past that point.
Bernard's place in the story also grows a bit more flimsy in the second half. There's less of a concrete reason for him to be included in that portion of the plot as much as he his, so his presence for major events seems less plausible. The author seemed to realize this as well, because there is a major shift in character POVs in that half. While I enjoyed the idea of the found-family-esque team of scientists introduced in the second half, I didn't feel the genuine connection with them I was hoping to, as there was so little time with them.
There are also some minor plot continuity errors that don't necessarily ruin anything, but can take the reader out. For example, Bernard explains to his neighbor Ruth why he referred to the mystery girl as "his niece" at one point, then has the same conversation again later, as if Ruth still didn't know. There's also one of the science team characters that goes on and on about "why didn't I know this person would turn against us" when later that person details an exact instant where they argued over their differing feelings, showing a distinct "I don't think like you do" mentality. There's also a major anonymous danger in the first half that seems fairly absent by the second.
All in all, the author definitely had a fantastic premise and, for awhile, followed through on it. 50 pages in, I was pretty sure this would end up being at least a 4 star, if not a 5. But things started getting just a bit too wonky for my tastes in the second half. However, I would be interested in reading what J.D. Sanderson comes up with next.
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