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Time Box #1-3
Time Box: The First Three Novels
Virginia physicist Mark Lane has a problem. Weeks after privately creating two time machines, he learns his corporate partner wants to use the portable devices for nefarious purposes. Rather than give him the chance to do so, Mark takes the time boxes and escapes with his family to the past and begins a life-changing journey.
In THE LANE BETRAYAL, THE FAIR, and SEA SPRAY, the first three novels of John A. Heldt's TIME BOX saga, several intrepid souls find love, danger, and adventure as they travel through time to 1865, 1893, and 1927.
Readers' Advisory: Time Box is the first three novels in a five-part family saga that spans several decades. While some storylines are resolved, others are not. They are addressed in subsequent books.
In THE LANE BETRAYAL, THE FAIR, and SEA SPRAY, the first three novels of John A. Heldt's TIME BOX saga, several intrepid souls find love, danger, and adventure as they travel through time to 1865, 1893, and 1927.
Readers' Advisory: Time Box is the first three novels in a five-part family saga that spans several decades. While some storylines are resolved, others are not. They are addressed in subsequent books.
1367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 9, 2021
213 people are currently reading
166 people want to read
About the author
John A. Heldt
35 books232 followersJohn A. Heldt is the author of twenty-six bestselling time-travel novels. The former reference librarian and award-winning sportswriter has loved getting subjects and verbs to agree since writing book reports in grade school. A graduate of the University of Oregon and the University of Iowa, Heldt is an avid fisherman, sports fan, coin collector, and reader of thrillers and historical fiction. When not sending contemporary characters to the not-so-distant past, he weighs in on literature and life at johnheldt.blogspot.com.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 6, 2021
Love this series
I read another series by this author and very much enjoyed it. I got the 3 books of the Time Box series for 99 cents and then purchased Book 4 Kindle version. Read Book 1 on Tuesday, Book 2 on Wednesday and Book 3 on Thursday and Friday. Will start Book 4 on Friday. Very much enjoying this series. I like the characters and learning more about history. Looking forward to Book 5 when it is available in Kindle.
I read another series by this author and very much enjoyed it. I got the 3 books of the Time Box series for 99 cents and then purchased Book 4 Kindle version. Read Book 1 on Tuesday, Book 2 on Wednesday and Book 3 on Thursday and Friday. Will start Book 4 on Friday. Very much enjoying this series. I like the characters and learning more about history. Looking forward to Book 5 when it is available in Kindle.
June 29, 2021
Another great read
I’ll keep reading as long as he keeps writing. He is able to make the impossible seem real. Pretty addictive stuff. Feels like you’re with them as a time traveler.
I’ll keep reading as long as he keeps writing. He is able to make the impossible seem real. Pretty addictive stuff. Feels like you’re with them as a time traveler.
November 24, 2022
I have read quite a few of John Heldt's time travelling books. The original few were compelling, a good mix of history & drama with likeable characters and an easy writing style to follow. However, I cannot say the same about this series. In fact for the last few books I feel the writer has slid into a habit of writing to a format. All the men are either absolute heroes or totally evil & out to get the heroes. The women are all beautiful, pleasant and there to dutifully serve their menfolk - with a side order of gumption to entertain the heroes & villains alike. The kids are young, younger than their actual years -13 year olds act like 10 year olds. At one point I considered starting a drinking game, doing shots everytime a character 'gazed' at someone or something, but I was worried that I would get too hammered after the first couple of chapters.
Why did I persist, why did I read all 3 books when they annoyed me so much? I didn't. I read most of the books but skimmed many pages just to get through to the actual story. There is so much 'filling writing' that if it were removed the story could be told in one slim book. The style is thus: there is a lot of something,
a something that builds anticipation, a something that could have been said, perhaps, in one short sentence - that's right, a something said in one sentence. Which would be thrilling if they were talking about starting WW3 or planning a heist, but more often than not it's just the characters deciding to go to the fair/school/on a date, make a sandwich...
If you can handle 3 books all written in that style then go for it, but if you like to read an actually well crafted story with realistic characters & outcomes then give this series a miss.
The Lane family & an assassin trample through time, changing all sorts of historical moments & lives yet never seem to have an effect on the future, except when the villains' lives change & somehow they notice something that happened to their great, grandfather. Although if something had happened decades before they were born, why would they notice?
I truly hope Mr Heldt can return to his original, brilliant writing style & leave this format behind, in the past, where it belongs...
Why did I persist, why did I read all 3 books when they annoyed me so much? I didn't. I read most of the books but skimmed many pages just to get through to the actual story. There is so much 'filling writing' that if it were removed the story could be told in one slim book. The style is thus: there is a lot of something,
a something that builds anticipation, a something that could have been said, perhaps, in one short sentence - that's right, a something said in one sentence. Which would be thrilling if they were talking about starting WW3 or planning a heist, but more often than not it's just the characters deciding to go to the fair/school/on a date, make a sandwich...
If you can handle 3 books all written in that style then go for it, but if you like to read an actually well crafted story with realistic characters & outcomes then give this series a miss.
The Lane family & an assassin trample through time, changing all sorts of historical moments & lives yet never seem to have an effect on the future, except when the villains' lives change & somehow they notice something that happened to their great, grandfather. Although if something had happened decades before they were born, why would they notice?
I truly hope Mr Heldt can return to his original, brilliant writing style & leave this format behind, in the past, where it belongs...
January 11, 2023
I did enjoy Time Box and it was certainly a different slant on the time travel genre. It did concern me that the Lane family travelled from 2021 to 1865 and I couldn't help wondering if they took Covid with them, since there were quite a few lockdowns in that year and business meetings etc., tended to be on Zoom.
Sometimes I found conversations between characters a bit pedestrian and stretched out, but then the action would start and the story would become more interesting.
Time Box is populated with varied characters that have their own unique story to tell and each responds differently to the trials and tribulations of escaping from an assassin through different time periods. There were times when I really thought they weren't going to escape.
This is just a personal opinion, but if there was one thing I found confusing was the character names. There seemed to be too many similar names: Mark Lane, Silas Bain, Rebecca Main, Sebastian Cane. Also many of the given names started with the same letter. I kept getting mixed up between Jordan, Jessie and Jeremy. But as I said, this could be just the way my mind works.
I think Time Box is worth reading and I certainly became fond of the Lane family.
A good four-star story.
Sometimes I found conversations between characters a bit pedestrian and stretched out, but then the action would start and the story would become more interesting.
Time Box is populated with varied characters that have their own unique story to tell and each responds differently to the trials and tribulations of escaping from an assassin through different time periods. There were times when I really thought they weren't going to escape.
This is just a personal opinion, but if there was one thing I found confusing was the character names. There seemed to be too many similar names: Mark Lane, Silas Bain, Rebecca Main, Sebastian Cane. Also many of the given names started with the same letter. I kept getting mixed up between Jordan, Jessie and Jeremy. But as I said, this could be just the way my mind works.
I think Time Box is worth reading and I certainly became fond of the Lane family.
A good four-star story.
April 30, 2022
Very interesting and intriguing
These books are beautifully written and well researched. I admit to being a harsh critic when it comes to time travel and there are sections where I think - why didn’t they do this? - What was to stop anyone in the know - I’m thinking of Randy here - going to a specific time that they hadn’t previously visited? Why didn’t the family always have Go Bags ready for emergencies? Jordan was right to be proactive but didn’t take it far enough.
So, why did I give it 5 stars? Because nobody can think of all these things when writing such an intricate story. These are points that should have been picked up by others, such as beta readers.
I found myself totally caught up in the stories of the Lanes. Their triumphs and disasters, the friendships made and lost, loves found and lost. But through it all they stuck together. I hope new readers find as much to enjoy as I did.
These books are beautifully written and well researched. I admit to being a harsh critic when it comes to time travel and there are sections where I think - why didn’t they do this? - What was to stop anyone in the know - I’m thinking of Randy here - going to a specific time that they hadn’t previously visited? Why didn’t the family always have Go Bags ready for emergencies? Jordan was right to be proactive but didn’t take it far enough.
So, why did I give it 5 stars? Because nobody can think of all these things when writing such an intricate story. These are points that should have been picked up by others, such as beta readers.
I found myself totally caught up in the stories of the Lanes. Their triumphs and disasters, the friendships made and lost, loves found and lost. But through it all they stuck together. I hope new readers find as much to enjoy as I did.
August 23, 2021
Dear John, Keep on writing!
I have read many of John Heldt's novels and found them all intriguing, well researched and filled with satisfying characters and plots. The details of the eras are as wonderful as our time traveling family. This trilogy was fabulous in the normal and grounding part of the action as well as the larger issues of power and control vs security and family happiness, issues in our own lives.
I have read many of John Heldt's novels and found them all intriguing, well researched and filled with satisfying characters and plots. The details of the eras are as wonderful as our time traveling family. This trilogy was fabulous in the normal and grounding part of the action as well as the larger issues of power and control vs security and family happiness, issues in our own lives.
May 21, 2022
good but too long of a saga
I have enjoyed these books but I am to the point that I feel like it is dragging on and on. It needs to get to the end. Although it isn’t a cliffhanger per se, it is. To find out what happens to the family you have to keep reading another then another. I am over it now. I guess I won’t find out what happened. Each of these books could have been shorter without the backtracking.
I have enjoyed these books but I am to the point that I feel like it is dragging on and on. It needs to get to the end. Although it isn’t a cliffhanger per se, it is. To find out what happens to the family you have to keep reading another then another. I am over it now. I guess I won’t find out what happened. Each of these books could have been shorter without the backtracking.
May 16, 2022
A time traveling family...
is a first for me, but I really enjoyed these three books. The story was constantly changing, always surprising you with twists. I did feel like the start of book three was slower than the pace of the rest of the books. The characters were believable and likeable. The villains were really unlikable. All told it was a great read.
is a first for me, but I really enjoyed these three books. The story was constantly changing, always surprising you with twists. I did feel like the start of book three was slower than the pace of the rest of the books. The characters were believable and likeable. The villains were really unlikable. All told it was a great read.
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January 2, 2023Awesome adventures
These three books brought me to visualize the time period for each story and how it related to that time frame. The adventurous family was always in danger but always persevered. There were sad moments but not as well. Hopefully there are sequels to these books because I would continue to read these well written pieces.
These three books brought me to visualize the time period for each story and how it related to that time frame. The adventurous family was always in danger but always persevered. There were sad moments but not as well. Hopefully there are sequels to these books because I would continue to read these well written pieces.
August 29, 2024
review of Time Box by John A Heldt
Ok this has to be one of the best time travel series I have ever read, and I have read more then a few. What a great cast of characters and the most imaginative story line I could hope for. A great read and I am off looking for the next saga. I highly recommend this book
Ok this has to be one of the best time travel series I have ever read, and I have read more then a few. What a great cast of characters and the most imaginative story line I could hope for. A great read and I am off looking for the next saga. I highly recommend this book
March 28, 2021
Great set of novels
Books were action packed from the beginning. Each one held my interest and anticipation of the next adventure and crisis for the Lane family. Anticipate the next novel if there is one in the works.
Books were action packed from the beginning. Each one held my interest and anticipation of the next adventure and crisis for the Lane family. Anticipate the next novel if there is one in the works.
June 20, 2024
An adventure you can't put down.
This series of books are the best I have read. It has kept me mesmerized through the whole series. Highly recommend this book for anyone with a little imagination.
This series of books are the best I have read. It has kept me mesmerized through the whole series. Highly recommend this book for anyone with a little imagination.
August 6, 2021
Loved this series!!
I am so caught up in the lives of the Lanes it’s hard to let them go. I’m looking forward to mor
E😊
I am so caught up in the lives of the Lanes it’s hard to let them go. I’m looking forward to mor
E😊
June 14, 2022
Couldn't put down!
This was a great series! Can't wait to read what the Lanes do in the next book! It's a must read!
This was a great series! Can't wait to read what the Lanes do in the next book! It's a must read!
March 20, 2023
Time travel with a difference
It is interesting to follow the family and how they increase over the different time changes. Worth reading, I binge read them.
It is interesting to follow the family and how they increase over the different time changes. Worth reading, I binge read them.
September 4, 2024
great book! I highly recommend it.
I love books on time travel. If you do too please read this series. You won’t be disappointed at all.
I love books on time travel. If you do too please read this series. You won’t be disappointed at all.
August 19, 2021
The third instalment of the Lane family's adventure in time, trying to escape a maniac and his hired killer, is just as good as the first two. The eldest son, Jordan, has had enough and wants to take the fight to the family's pursuers. The friend in 2022, trying to keep them safe now feels he has nothing to live for. I can't wait for the next book to see if the Lanes are finally able to live free - and if the friend left behind gets a happy ending. This is the third of John A Heldt's series I've read/am reading and I find then totally absorbing
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews