Time Tested

by Sam Morris

“Brock nodded slowly and followed the intern out of the tavern and back toward the hospital. He realized he was trusting Isaac with his life.” “Time Tested keeps you turning the pages, trying to figure how it all works out. The end doesn’t disappoint.” Amazon reader. Brock Sinclair regains consciousness from a head injury in a Colonial Philadelphia hospital. Not knowing how he got to Pennsylvania from Texas, where he fell, and why the year is 1787 rather than 2029, terrifies him. He assumes the primitive hospital with its lack of basic medical equipment and the dowdy staff are hallucinations. But after a night’s sleep, the depressing ward remains unchanged. Fending off the life-threatening medical practices of Ben Franklin’s day is Brock’s immediate priority. But where to go and how to live? Can he convince anyone of his true circumstances? And who can he trust? More importantly, can he get back to the only life he has ever known? To survive, it’s necessary for the recent, college dropout to quickly learn about living in 18th century America. But will he also discover who he is as a person?

372 pages, Paperback

Published December 10, 2020

About the author

Sam Morris was raised in the mountains of Virginia and graduated from the Univ. of Tennessee before heading to Texas to find work. After a year in a technical field of the oil drilling business, he began a 34 year career in chemicals.

Now retired in SE Pennsylvania, Sam writes, does volunteer work, exercises, reads and drinks good beer. He and his wife are on the staff of Skeeter, a tuxedo DSH.

Reviews

[LybGyde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a clever story! The main character is a 19-year-old male and deals with a coming-of-age theme, so I suppose the genre is YA. However, I'm a middle-aged female and was captivated by the details.

Franklin Brock Sinclair, 19, bonks his head in Texas in the year 2029 and awakens in Philadelphia in the year 1787. He is in a hospital that, albeit advanced for its time, it is primitive by Brock's standards. He barely escapes with his life once he awakens from his coma state and starts spouting "nonsense" about being from the future!

Brock is befriended by Isaac, an intern from the hospital studying to become a doctor, and Isaac's family. Without them (and later Ben Franklin, et al.), Brock would have ended up back in the basement portion of the hospital where the mental patients were housed.

Trinkets of interest from the beginning of the book include illicit drug activity and "blacking out" in 2029 followed by waking up with a lump on the head in 1787. A tattoo acquired from the future comes into play, and if you know your King James Bible verses, you can imagine what kind of trouble that might get you into! There's a possibility of romance...maybe! Gracious, the smells of 1787 come leaping off the page, and I felt Brock's pain as he wished for something akin to hand sanitizer and a toothbrush.

I would not recommend this book for a middle school library because of the amount of casual cussing by Brock. But, I am middle-aged, and times do change. It should be fine for a high school library though as the cuss words are fairly tame by my account.

I loved the relationships that Brock formed in 1787 and his earnest desire to return to his parents, in spite of their not-so-perfect relationship. The Jamison family was especially important to this story, so pay attention!

[Linda Fore Wavers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read for me! From the first chapter I knew I was going to like this book. I was not disappointed.
From Brock’s some what normal unassuming life in his current time to the last page was enjoyable.
I loved the history in the book. All the details of Brock’s adventure into the past were wonderful. I found myself going back to re-read certain parts just so I could “see” them better. And after his adventure in the past to his current day life, His struggles are much the same, as with most people.
I got this book from a Goodreads contest win. I did not know about your first book “ Coins on Franklin’s Grave” but I do now:) and I actually down loaded it as I wrote this review. I’m excited to get started reading it.
Thank you for an enjoyable novel

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a little different time travel novel. Most of it takes place after the main character has returned to the present (or, in this case, from the past to a few years later in the present) and involves some people who seem to have appeared in both time frames. It has the really nice message of acts of kindness being passed forward and influencing those around them. This is an easy and uplifting read that makes one want to be a more caring person.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.

[April Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book from Sam Morris and a continuation from Coins on Franklin's Grave does not disappoint. The story continues but many years in the future (as well as the past). Sam does a great job setting the scene and putting you right into 18th century Philadelphia. It was hard to imagine how Brock's situation was going to work out and I kept wondering through to the end. It's an adventure with strong characters and a handful of wit, wound up in a creative and unique story.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

After thoroughly enjoy the first book in this series (Coins on Franklin’s Grave), I was eager to see what the second book in the series had to offer. Although I enjoyed this book, and the many details of 1787 Philadelphia, that part of the book was far too short. The second half of the book was just OK. I’m still glad I read it, and would gladly read a 3rd installment if there is one. I felt like this book dragged a bit over the second half.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this book 3-1/2 stars. I especially liked Part One. The story was good, but it was a little hard getting used to the writer using the present tense throughout. (There were also at least three noticeable misspellings in Part One.) I won the digital copy of the book in a Goodreads Giveway.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed the storyline and read