What do you think?
Rate this book
Chains of Time
Winner of the 2021 American Fiction Award for Historical Fantasy
Winner of the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Award for Paranormal Fiction
Finalist for the 2020 Readers' Favorite Book Award for Paranormal Fiction
SYNOPSIS: I know what’s going to happen. It is 1859, and I should be celebrating my wedding, which is only hours away, a wedding meant to end a centuries-old conflict. But I am haunted by visions: I can see the slavers coming. I can see Van Owen on the deck of his ship. I can see him stealing my power. I can see the ravages of war and the decades of running and hiding as he hunts my family for generations — from the shores of West Africa to the plantations of North Carolina to the spires of 21st Century New York City. But I also see a Harlem family there — a 13 year-old boy who doesn’t know how to fight, his younger sister who refuses to speak, his older brother who thinks he can protect them — and Van Owen somehow there, too, somehow still alive and watching them all. What does he want, and how can I stop him if no one believes me?
Winner of the 2020 Chanticleer International Book Award for Paranormal Fiction
Finalist for the 2020 Readers' Favorite Book Award for Paranormal Fiction
SYNOPSIS: I know what’s going to happen. It is 1859, and I should be celebrating my wedding, which is only hours away, a wedding meant to end a centuries-old conflict. But I am haunted by visions: I can see the slavers coming. I can see Van Owen on the deck of his ship. I can see him stealing my power. I can see the ravages of war and the decades of running and hiding as he hunts my family for generations — from the shores of West Africa to the plantations of North Carolina to the spires of 21st Century New York City. But I also see a Harlem family there — a 13 year-old boy who doesn’t know how to fight, his younger sister who refuses to speak, his older brother who thinks he can protect them — and Van Owen somehow there, too, somehow still alive and watching them all. What does he want, and how can I stop him if no one believes me?
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 14, 2020
184 people are currently reading
199 people want to read
About the author
R.B. Woodstone
1 book5 followersR.B. Woodstone is a writer, educator, and musician living in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, their child, and two nutty animals.
R.B. is fascinated by stories that blend fantasy and history. He is white and respects that some people are uncomfortable with white authors writing Black characters, but he believes that white Americans must explore and address the ramifications of slavery, one of America’s original sins. He is drawn to write these stories, some of which are seen best through the eyes of Black characters. To that end, R.B. labors to create Black protagonists who exist for their own sake and not as machinery to facilitate the emergence of white protagonists.
Half of the proceeds from this novel will be donated to Equal Justice Initiative.
R.B. is currently working on several novels including Time in Chains, the first sequel to Chains of Time. He is also writing a rock musical based on Dante’s Inferno.
R.B. is fascinated by stories that blend fantasy and history. He is white and respects that some people are uncomfortable with white authors writing Black characters, but he believes that white Americans must explore and address the ramifications of slavery, one of America’s original sins. He is drawn to write these stories, some of which are seen best through the eyes of Black characters. To that end, R.B. labors to create Black protagonists who exist for their own sake and not as machinery to facilitate the emergence of white protagonists.
Half of the proceeds from this novel will be donated to Equal Justice Initiative.
R.B. is currently working on several novels including Time in Chains, the first sequel to Chains of Time. He is also writing a rock musical based on Dante’s Inferno.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 10, 2021
This year, there has been a few books that kept me hooked, and this is another. A young girl Amara, is getting married to a man from another tribe for the posterity of the tribes, but before things can get underway, slavers come in to take folk to America. While there, the ring leader Van Owen, gets zapped by the lightning power of Kwame, the groom to be and Amara, and becomes immortal. And puts the ones living into slavery. Still he's captivated by Amara,puts her in a cage on the voyage to America, and keep her on his plantation. After slavery ended, he couldn't wont shake her off and would follow her and her descendants for years, trying desperately to take the daughters of her seed, so in reality, even though Amara is free, she can't stay in one place long enough and that will keep your glued and epic....I really enjoyed this story. It is ironic how two.families who tried to unite, unknowingly does years later. Yep, this book kept me glued.
December 27, 2020
Chains of Time Kindle Edition
by R.B. Woodstone
This is a profound book. Woodstone has entered the stage with a book as deep and as beautiful as Octavia S Butler's Patternist series. Outwardly the story of Amara and her descendants after she is kidnapped by Van Owen during her wedding. There are four generations.
On a deeper level, Chains of Time, is both an illustration and an indictment of the systemic racism and the results of enslaving People of Color. Van Owen is the stand in for the tragedy and horror inflicted on African Americans. Amara and her daughters represent the strong Black woman who must hold their family together in the roughest of times. Mr. Woodstone illustrates how enslaving an entire people for 400 years damaged them. Being kidnapped from their homes in Africa, treated as chattel which included the practice of tearing families apart for profit, the error of sharecropping that saw many formerly enslaved people sink into poverty. Jim Crow laws weren't as addressed as much, but it is clear the damage that the laws and redlining harmed all People of Color. The growing drug culture is explored on two levels. One level is that of Warren, a descendant of Amara's betrothed. Warren is an addict. The next level is the way the drugs were distributed. The final level is who provided the drugs and the infrastructure to spread the poison.
Beyond the socially conscious message, the story is awesome. Amara and her betrothed lose track of each other. It is only when children from each of them are brought together that they can destroy Van Owen and his ilk. The characters were well-balanced, and developed. Their first appearances hint at the depth and breadth of their various arcs.
Amara bears much of the narration. The unique voice and verbiage was a brilliant bit of story telling. There is a cadence of her tone that strikingly shows her heritage. When others take over the narration, mostly in third person, the royalness of Amara is replaced with a more modern storytelling voice.
The is quite a bit of action. Woodstone constructed some great action pieces.
While I read this, I had to step back a few times to digest what was going on. I also was brought to tears.
This is an enjoyable book, on both levels and I highly recommend it. This should be read in concert with any of Octavia S Butler books – primarily Kindred.
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Chains-Time-R-...
by R.B. Woodstone
This is a profound book. Woodstone has entered the stage with a book as deep and as beautiful as Octavia S Butler's Patternist series. Outwardly the story of Amara and her descendants after she is kidnapped by Van Owen during her wedding. There are four generations.
On a deeper level, Chains of Time, is both an illustration and an indictment of the systemic racism and the results of enslaving People of Color. Van Owen is the stand in for the tragedy and horror inflicted on African Americans. Amara and her daughters represent the strong Black woman who must hold their family together in the roughest of times. Mr. Woodstone illustrates how enslaving an entire people for 400 years damaged them. Being kidnapped from their homes in Africa, treated as chattel which included the practice of tearing families apart for profit, the error of sharecropping that saw many formerly enslaved people sink into poverty. Jim Crow laws weren't as addressed as much, but it is clear the damage that the laws and redlining harmed all People of Color. The growing drug culture is explored on two levels. One level is that of Warren, a descendant of Amara's betrothed. Warren is an addict. The next level is the way the drugs were distributed. The final level is who provided the drugs and the infrastructure to spread the poison.
Beyond the socially conscious message, the story is awesome. Amara and her betrothed lose track of each other. It is only when children from each of them are brought together that they can destroy Van Owen and his ilk. The characters were well-balanced, and developed. Their first appearances hint at the depth and breadth of their various arcs.
Amara bears much of the narration. The unique voice and verbiage was a brilliant bit of story telling. There is a cadence of her tone that strikingly shows her heritage. When others take over the narration, mostly in third person, the royalness of Amara is replaced with a more modern storytelling voice.
The is quite a bit of action. Woodstone constructed some great action pieces.
While I read this, I had to step back a few times to digest what was going on. I also was brought to tears.
This is an enjoyable book, on both levels and I highly recommend it. This should be read in concert with any of Octavia S Butler books – primarily Kindred.
5 stars out of 5
https://www.amazon.com/Chains-Time-R-...
May 11, 2022
Read for Octavia Book Club May 2022. I liked it, that's what the 3 stars say. And I did.
It is interestingly woven, past, present and in between. It's well done in that the narrator *knows* the future and not much is given away and things reveal proportionally, appropriately such that the story keeps moving along. And I get that when tackling the sins of the past it can be a balm to know that things, mostly, work out.
But I can't say I really liked it, which would be 4 stars. There is far too much lack of agency for most of the characters. They are driven by outside forces, buffeted and cut off because they don't tell each other their stories. In unity there is strength. But there is no unity and therefore no strength until the end. A male author writes a book about a black woman with vision and then takes away all her power except to endure, share her pain through visions and die. It's trying hard and it got stars for that but it doesn't *feel* like it should.
It is interestingly woven, past, present and in between. It's well done in that the narrator *knows* the future and not much is given away and things reveal proportionally, appropriately such that the story keeps moving along. And I get that when tackling the sins of the past it can be a balm to know that things, mostly, work out.
But I can't say I really liked it, which would be 4 stars. There is far too much lack of agency for most of the characters. They are driven by outside forces, buffeted and cut off because they don't tell each other their stories. In unity there is strength. But there is no unity and therefore no strength until the end. A male author writes a book about a black woman with vision and then takes away all her power except to endure, share her pain through visions and die. It's trying hard and it got stars for that but it doesn't *feel* like it should.
Read
March 10, 2021A novel that crosses genres of historical, contemporary, and supernatural with an imaginative, if troubling, tale of two families enslaved on the shores of Africa and their descendants living in Harlem. Racism and the perspective of white supremacy is embodied by the man who enslaved them and, supernaturally, has persisted through time to present day. I came across this novel by chance and was curious because it had good reviews. I didn’t realize it was classified as Young Adult, which I typically don’t read YA; however, it is well written.
January 27, 2021
Wow!
This story blew my mind! It is so well written and so fantastic that my eyes gobbled it up while my imagination placed me right there across decades with Amara and her family. I loved every minute of the storyline. I could appreciate the viewpoints, some misguided, of the characters. I applaud Mr. Woodstone and eagerly await the sequel. I am still in awe!!
This story blew my mind! It is so well written and so fantastic that my eyes gobbled it up while my imagination placed me right there across decades with Amara and her family. I loved every minute of the storyline. I could appreciate the viewpoints, some misguided, of the characters. I applaud Mr. Woodstone and eagerly await the sequel. I am still in awe!!
February 11, 2022
Captivating
This was one of those stories that grabbed a hold of my heart and didn't let go. Could not tear my eyes from the pages until I read every last word no matter how horrific some of the images they illicit. A story of pain, suffering and the strength that comes from conquering every obstacle no matter the sacrifice.
This was one of those stories that grabbed a hold of my heart and didn't let go. Could not tear my eyes from the pages until I read every last word no matter how horrific some of the images they illicit. A story of pain, suffering and the strength that comes from conquering every obstacle no matter the sacrifice.
Read
February 17, 2022Chains of Time
Whoa! I rarely read a book involving time travel. This is not that really at all. I was hooked on the first paragraph. I was completely captivated. At times I cried but always waiting for what was next. The last chapter in the epilogue just blew my mind! Thank you for one of the most amazing reads ever!
Whoa! I rarely read a book involving time travel. This is not that really at all. I was hooked on the first paragraph. I was completely captivated. At times I cried but always waiting for what was next. The last chapter in the epilogue just blew my mind! Thank you for one of the most amazing reads ever!
October 6, 2020
A Must Read by R.B. Woodstone
Superb, Superb, Superb. Mystically written regarding a piece of Black History, which will forever become a spell bounding force in one"s mind. Suspenseful and Thought revoking. A must read that you WONT want to end.
Superb, Superb, Superb. Mystically written regarding a piece of Black History, which will forever become a spell bounding force in one"s mind. Suspenseful and Thought revoking. A must read that you WONT want to end.
November 6, 2020
Wow
What a book. I couldn’t imagine. I really believe this is one of the best books I have read. You really have to read it, the characters come alive in your head. I couldn’t put it down, I know people say that, but it was fantastic
What a book. I couldn’t imagine. I really believe this is one of the best books I have read. You really have to read it, the characters come alive in your head. I couldn’t put it down, I know people say that, but it was fantastic
February 3, 2021
A creative and thoughtful tapestry, weaving together historical fiction with magic and fantasy. Woodstone is a clear and compelling writer and has brought to life a story you have never read before.... and that is a rare thing!
March 6, 2021
I was not sure what to expect when I chose this book. I did not expect to read a turn pager and wonder how the author put together all of the genealogy to create a great story. A mix of magic with spurts of history this is a well-put-together novel.
June 11, 2022
This novel was hard for me to stay interested to finish the book. I enjoyed the African village and how they were going to celebrate a wedding. I didn’t like the back and forth of Van Owen. I made myself to fresh the book.
I will not read another book by this author.
I will not read another book by this author.
October 25, 2020
Not what you expect
This is a wonderful book that keeps your interest and has enough plot twists to keep you guessing until the end
This is a wonderful book that keeps your interest and has enough plot twists to keep you guessing until the end
April 25, 2021
Great book
Great writing. Creativity, full of emotion, love, triumph, evil, hate, prejudice, slavery, bullying, family, mistakes and more. Definitely makes you think.
Great writing. Creativity, full of emotion, love, triumph, evil, hate, prejudice, slavery, bullying, family, mistakes and more. Definitely makes you think.
April 23, 2022
A wild ride
I could not put this book down. It introduced so many interesting ideas. I am looking forward to more from this very talented storyteller. In unity there is strength!
I could not put this book down. It introduced so many interesting ideas. I am looking forward to more from this very talented storyteller. In unity there is strength!
August 28, 2020
Chains of Time tells the generations-long conflict between Amara, an African princess with supernatural powers, and Hendrik Van Owen, a slaver who kidnaps her, destroys her people, and enslaves her on his tobacco plantation in North Carolina at the eve of the Civil War. When Van Owen attains some of her powers, he battles her and her descendants for 160 years until he confronts her descendants, the Kelly family, in modern-day Harlem.
Woodstone does an excellent job of describing the Black experience in detail, from the brutality of the Middle Passage and slave plantations to the struggles of modern Black families. In a fantasy story with telepathy and supernatural powers, he shows reality with an unflinching eye. It’s clear that he did his homework and approached this subject with sensitivity.
He also shows exceptional craftsmanship in his storytelling. Amara tells her story in present tense while the story of the 21st century Kelly family is told in past tense. In doing so, Woodstone portrays Amara as a person who sees and understands everything that will happen across the years, even when she is powerless to change it. He gives us the pleasure of watching the Kelly family discover their powers and the truth about their ancestry as they battle Van Owen.
I would have liked more development of the characters. The main characters, Amara and Van Owen, come off as personifications instead of well-rounded characters. Amara is given the role of representing the African American experience, while Van Owen is a stock evil White racist. This makes it hard to connect with them as characters, and I can see how they can be associated with offensive tropes. The Kelly family is engaging and well-rounded when we first meet them, with each member having their own flaws, conflicts, vulnerabilities, and unique personalities. However, the Kellys become less interesting and distinctive as they become more powerful.
Even though the final battle has plenty of action, the ending left me unsatisfied because I lost connection with the characters. There is also an epilogue that seemed confusing and unnecessary.
There is still much to recommend with this book. Chains of Time brings magical realism to American history and American problems. Woodstone clearly did his research and combined it with solid world building. This book will appeal to those who like fantasy and contemporary issues. If the characters had more depth, didn’t lose their humanity as they gained superhuman powers, and avoided falling into the personification trap, Chains of Time could have been a stronger book. Woodstone still deserves credit for taking on a difficult and important subject.
Woodstone does an excellent job of describing the Black experience in detail, from the brutality of the Middle Passage and slave plantations to the struggles of modern Black families. In a fantasy story with telepathy and supernatural powers, he shows reality with an unflinching eye. It’s clear that he did his homework and approached this subject with sensitivity.
He also shows exceptional craftsmanship in his storytelling. Amara tells her story in present tense while the story of the 21st century Kelly family is told in past tense. In doing so, Woodstone portrays Amara as a person who sees and understands everything that will happen across the years, even when she is powerless to change it. He gives us the pleasure of watching the Kelly family discover their powers and the truth about their ancestry as they battle Van Owen.
I would have liked more development of the characters. The main characters, Amara and Van Owen, come off as personifications instead of well-rounded characters. Amara is given the role of representing the African American experience, while Van Owen is a stock evil White racist. This makes it hard to connect with them as characters, and I can see how they can be associated with offensive tropes. The Kelly family is engaging and well-rounded when we first meet them, with each member having their own flaws, conflicts, vulnerabilities, and unique personalities. However, the Kellys become less interesting and distinctive as they become more powerful.
Even though the final battle has plenty of action, the ending left me unsatisfied because I lost connection with the characters. There is also an epilogue that seemed confusing and unnecessary.
There is still much to recommend with this book. Chains of Time brings magical realism to American history and American problems. Woodstone clearly did his research and combined it with solid world building. This book will appeal to those who like fantasy and contemporary issues. If the characters had more depth, didn’t lose their humanity as they gained superhuman powers, and avoided falling into the personification trap, Chains of Time could have been a stronger book. Woodstone still deserves credit for taking on a difficult and important subject.
April 2, 2024
Wow...
As I closed the final pages of Chains of Time by R.B. Woodstone, tears streamed down my face, my heart heavy with the weight of the emotional journey I had just experienced. This captivating novel weaves a tale of love and loss, of hope and despair, in a way that left me breathless and utterly moved.
Woodstone’s masterful storytelling drew me in from the very first page, immersing me in a world where the past and present collide in unexpected ways. The characters, so beautifully crafted and achingly real, leaped off the pages and into my heart, making me feel their joys and sorrows as if they were my own.
The theme of redemption and forgiveness is delicately woven throughout the narrative, reminding us of the power of love to heal old wounds and mend broken hearts. As the characters grapple with their own internal struggles and external challenges, I found myself on a rollercoaster of emotions, rooting for them to find solace and peace amidst the chaos of their lives.
Chains of Time is a poignant and powerful novel that will stay with me long after I have turned the final page. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring strength of love in the face of adversity. If you're looking for a gripping and emotional read that will tug at your heartstrings and linger in your thoughts, I wholeheartedly recommend diving into the world of Chains of Time.
As I closed the final pages of Chains of Time by R.B. Woodstone, tears streamed down my face, my heart heavy with the weight of the emotional journey I had just experienced. This captivating novel weaves a tale of love and loss, of hope and despair, in a way that left me breathless and utterly moved.
Woodstone’s masterful storytelling drew me in from the very first page, immersing me in a world where the past and present collide in unexpected ways. The characters, so beautifully crafted and achingly real, leaped off the pages and into my heart, making me feel their joys and sorrows as if they were my own.
The theme of redemption and forgiveness is delicately woven throughout the narrative, reminding us of the power of love to heal old wounds and mend broken hearts. As the characters grapple with their own internal struggles and external challenges, I found myself on a rollercoaster of emotions, rooting for them to find solace and peace amidst the chaos of their lives.
Chains of Time is a poignant and powerful novel that will stay with me long after I have turned the final page. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring strength of love in the face of adversity. If you're looking for a gripping and emotional read that will tug at your heartstrings and linger in your thoughts, I wholeheartedly recommend diving into the world of Chains of Time.
March 11, 2022
This was a great idea, but I just didn't enjoy it. The main character in Africa has visions and can see through time, but it is unrealistic to believe she would understand nuances of a culture a world away, such as the difference between a Kentucky and North Carolina accent. The modern day characters repeat the same conversations with no movement in plot or character development. The characters all seemed one-dimensional, and the story did not draw me in. If you can get past this, it's an intriguing examination of slavery and issues of race.
October 3, 2022
Wow, what a crazy story. It was so good. I absolutely loved it.
Amara was an amazing woman. Van Owen needed to die at the very beginning..lol... I know, there would not have been a story then. I just think of her life is she would have been married instead of the lifetime of suffering she had. One man did make a difference.
This story has magic, love, death and one man's hate that lasts against generations of one family. Though he hated all blacks during his immortal life. An immorality that Amara gave him and he used against her and her family.
Amara was an amazing woman. Van Owen needed to die at the very beginning..lol... I know, there would not have been a story then. I just think of her life is she would have been married instead of the lifetime of suffering she had. One man did make a difference.
This story has magic, love, death and one man's hate that lasts against generations of one family. Though he hated all blacks during his immortal life. An immorality that Amara gave him and he used against her and her family.
October 20, 2022
Excellent story
What a great story. The author did an excellent job of merging the past with the present/future; the back and forth between the two was easy to follow. There were a few misspelled words - which normally turn me off - but the book was so good I was able to ignore them. Tells the tale of African slavery and the continuing struggles faced by African Americans, but not in a way that is too political. Imaginative and creative, couldn't put it down.
What a great story. The author did an excellent job of merging the past with the present/future; the back and forth between the two was easy to follow. There were a few misspelled words - which normally turn me off - but the book was so good I was able to ignore them. Tells the tale of African slavery and the continuing struggles faced by African Americans, but not in a way that is too political. Imaginative and creative, couldn't put it down.
November 22, 2022
Great book
This book was very interesting and very well written. The storyline was fantastic. The intertwining of the characters through the generations was excellent. This book kept my interest throughout. I enjoyed reading this book and looked forward to what would happen next with the family of characters. The hidden magic they all possessed was an added bonus to the story.
This book was very interesting and very well written. The storyline was fantastic. The intertwining of the characters through the generations was excellent. This book kept my interest throughout. I enjoyed reading this book and looked forward to what would happen next with the family of characters. The hidden magic they all possessed was an added bonus to the story.
January 29, 2023
Awesome read
One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Kept me riveted to the end. Wasn’t sure I would like it as it jumps from past to present day. But after a few chapters, I began to understand the logistics of the narrative. Would liked to have more of Kwame’s story in the book. Was very surprised with the ending.
One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Kept me riveted to the end. Wasn’t sure I would like it as it jumps from past to present day. But after a few chapters, I began to understand the logistics of the narrative. Would liked to have more of Kwame’s story in the book. Was very surprised with the ending.
January 6, 2024
Slavery: the impacts then and now written as a historical fantasy
This was actually a good read. Time travel, slavery, history, supernatural, fantasy troupe blended into one. I would recommend. Within the undertones of the novel resides the inequalities of life that remain because of the past.
This was actually a good read. Time travel, slavery, history, supernatural, fantasy troupe blended into one. I would recommend. Within the undertones of the novel resides the inequalities of life that remain because of the past.
November 1, 2020
Interesting
I enjoyed this book, however the secrets the family kept nearly cost them their existence. The men and women should have shared there truths sooner but I am glad the family Will continue
I enjoyed this book, however the secrets the family kept nearly cost them their existence. The men and women should have shared there truths sooner but I am glad the family Will continue
November 3, 2020
Historical fiction
Not sure what to make of this thought provoking story about slavery near the end of slavery in the United States. It was not as expected, no moral, no real resolution, plenty of death and pain
Not sure what to make of this thought provoking story about slavery near the end of slavery in the United States. It was not as expected, no moral, no real resolution, plenty of death and pain
November 26, 2021
Not a favorite.
This book was not what I was expecting. I didn't care for the constant back and forth switching of the stories ,of different generations ,of this family. At best it was confusing. Adding to this the special "powers " that many characters possessed, made it feel hokey .
This book was not what I was expecting. I didn't care for the constant back and forth switching of the stories ,of different generations ,of this family. At best it was confusing. Adding to this the special "powers " that many characters possessed, made it feel hokey .
October 8, 2022
Fantastic book!
An excellent adventure/fantasy involving the struggles of the African American family and the loss of their cultural identity, and their triumph over evil in the end. I couldn't put it down.
An excellent adventure/fantasy involving the struggles of the African American family and the loss of their cultural identity, and their triumph over evil in the end. I couldn't put it down.
August 14, 2023
Attention Grabbing
This book grabbed my attention from the first words on the first page to the last words. Its emotional and engaging. I would love to see what else the author has in store for us.
This book grabbed my attention from the first words on the first page to the last words. Its emotional and engaging. I would love to see what else the author has in store for us.
February 2, 2024
While an interesting concept, all the hinting at the coming horrific abuse has me wary. Also, I really dislike the idea that a people with magical powers could be so easily defeated by evil men with guns. I'm just going to quit this one early.
January 25, 2025
Full of history, amazing characters that I will think about for quite some time. Fascinating .
I really liked how the descriptions were so great you almost felt like you were there with the characters. I think this is wonderful book for any adult. It's very thought provoking.
I really liked how the descriptions were so great you almost felt like you were there with the characters. I think this is wonderful book for any adult. It's very thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews