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T Is for Time Travel
Take the road less time traveled.
In this collection of ten stories, author Stanlei Bellan takes you on a rollicking journey through the timestream.
* Discover a lamp on the beach holding a genie that can grant you three...trips?
* Meet a veteran soldier assisting a mad scientist who is convinced he’s created the first time machine; a harmless delusion – until it works.
* Watch a 19th century lighthouse keeper find out what she’s willing to fight for, and then find a whole new world of trouble.
* Explore the dangers of time looping aboard a spaceship with an ensign who is stuck between duty and his conscience. Would you make the same choices?
T Is for Time Travel is a fun and fast-paced collection of timely short stories that will introduce you to characters you’ll love, thrilling adventures, and thought-provoking scenarios – with plenty of laughs along the way.
Are you ready to jump in – whenever it may take you?
In this collection of ten stories, author Stanlei Bellan takes you on a rollicking journey through the timestream.
* Discover a lamp on the beach holding a genie that can grant you three...trips?
* Meet a veteran soldier assisting a mad scientist who is convinced he’s created the first time machine; a harmless delusion – until it works.
* Watch a 19th century lighthouse keeper find out what she’s willing to fight for, and then find a whole new world of trouble.
* Explore the dangers of time looping aboard a spaceship with an ensign who is stuck between duty and his conscience. Would you make the same choices?
T Is for Time Travel is a fun and fast-paced collection of timely short stories that will introduce you to characters you’ll love, thrilling adventures, and thought-provoking scenarios – with plenty of laughs along the way.
Are you ready to jump in – whenever it may take you?
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2021
114 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Stanlei Bellan
2 books12 followersStanlei Bellan, like any respectable time traveler, has many stories to tell. Some of the most fun and witty are in his book T is for Time Travel. In other timelines, Stanlei has been a physics professor, an engineering graduate, a start-up entrepreneur, and a winner of six Cannes Lions awards for his creative work in advertising and entertainment.
An immigrant from Brazil who was adopted by California, Stanlei is still learning how to bend time to fit his wife, two sons and a daughter, a cat, his business partners, and his many hobbies (like playing Dungeons & Dragons and uncovering fascinating historical facts).
Stanlei’s writing is inspired by an unquenchable desire to transcend reality into fantasy.
You can chat with Stanlei on twitter at @stanlei or visit www.stanlei.com to get a FREE STORY!
An immigrant from Brazil who was adopted by California, Stanlei is still learning how to bend time to fit his wife, two sons and a daughter, a cat, his business partners, and his many hobbies (like playing Dungeons & Dragons and uncovering fascinating historical facts).
Stanlei’s writing is inspired by an unquenchable desire to transcend reality into fantasy.
You can chat with Stanlei on twitter at @stanlei or visit www.stanlei.com to get a FREE STORY!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
March 28, 2022
An excellent anthology of ten stories set on the theme of time travel. Despite the common theme, each story stands out in its style and has something new to offer. You won’t find them getting repetitive. There's adventure, drama, comedy, tragedy, dystopian sci-fi and even one with philosophical undertones (which was, needless to say, my least favourite.)
The author's note at the end explained his inspiration for each of the stories, and in some cases, the facts intermingled in the fiction. As the note was specific to each story, I would have liked it better if the note pertaining to a story came immediately after it in the book. This would have helped make a better connection between the intent and the content.
The writing is very good for a debut work. Most of the stories go by at a brisk pace. As the book is just about 130 pages long, the stories are done within just a few pages and yet they leave a mark.
Of the ten stories, I loved six and liked three. In other words, except for one story, all passed my test of satisfaction. My favourite stories were Time Cleaners (which is about a pair of janitors set to clean up mess made by time travel agents – I promise you, you have never read this angle any time before!), Better Luck Next Time (a futuristic adventure on a spaceship – what a concept!) and Behind the Timestream (simply fabulous imagination! Every reader will love this!)
3.9 stars, based on the average of my ratings for the individual stories.
Definitely recommended for sci-fi lovers who are looking for an anthology set around that abstract concept which we all want more of but no one can control - time.
The book is available on KU.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘Voracious Readers Only’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
The author's note at the end explained his inspiration for each of the stories, and in some cases, the facts intermingled in the fiction. As the note was specific to each story, I would have liked it better if the note pertaining to a story came immediately after it in the book. This would have helped make a better connection between the intent and the content.
The writing is very good for a debut work. Most of the stories go by at a brisk pace. As the book is just about 130 pages long, the stories are done within just a few pages and yet they leave a mark.
Of the ten stories, I loved six and liked three. In other words, except for one story, all passed my test of satisfaction. My favourite stories were Time Cleaners (which is about a pair of janitors set to clean up mess made by time travel agents – I promise you, you have never read this angle any time before!), Better Luck Next Time (a futuristic adventure on a spaceship – what a concept!) and Behind the Timestream (simply fabulous imagination! Every reader will love this!)
3.9 stars, based on the average of my ratings for the individual stories.
Definitely recommended for sci-fi lovers who are looking for an anthology set around that abstract concept which we all want more of but no one can control - time.
The book is available on KU.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through ‘Voracious Readers Only’ and these are my honest thoughts about it.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
August 11, 2021
I am a firm believer that time travel is not only possible but has happened and continues to happen underneath our very noses. The idea of time travel is insanely cool and intriguing. I'm going into this book with very high hopes. I'm going to review all 10 stories separately.
1) Another Time (finished 8/6/21): This is a great start! Neat descriptions, easy to follow and very creative.
2) Time to Light (finished 8/10/21): Another neat concept! Details of some of Grida's time travel adventures would have been cool. To be honest, this could probably be a book all on its own
3) Time Cleaners (finished 8/10/21): Parts of this was hard to follow at times and I didn't care for the language. This was very well-thought-out and had some throught provoking ideas.
4) Only Time will Tell (finished 8/10/21): umm... I'm not quite sure what I just read. Not only do I love the idea of time travel, but I also find it complex and confusing. This one might require a reread to fully wrap my mind around it
5) Wishful Timing (finished 8/10/21): This really opened my eyes to the consequences of time travel
If you could travel to any time, where would you go? Whatever you decide you must be extremely specific.
6) Wild Times (finished 8/11/21): Not a satisfying ending at all. I need answers! Good story tho.
7) Time for Everything (finished 8/11/21): wow! Life is full of choices. How to react, risks to take, etc. We'll never know how the choices we make (and don't make) will effect our lives (and others) down the road. Very thought provoking. Didn't like the language tho.
8) Better Luck Next Time (finished 8/11/21): this one was the first story that lacked interest. It was over my head and slightly confusing. Not much of a Star Trek fan so that didn't help.
9) Tempus Pompeius (finished 8/11/21): This was very interesting! I would like more backstory on Lady Leda.
10) Behind the Timestream (finished 8/11/21): Dude! This was so cool! I need to go back and complete the puzzle but man, I loved the creativity! Well done!
Overall this was a great read! Recommend for all time travel enthusiasts!
1) Another Time (finished 8/6/21): This is a great start! Neat descriptions, easy to follow and very creative.
2) Time to Light (finished 8/10/21): Another neat concept! Details of some of Grida's time travel adventures would have been cool. To be honest, this could probably be a book all on its own
3) Time Cleaners (finished 8/10/21): Parts of this was hard to follow at times and I didn't care for the language. This was very well-thought-out and had some throught provoking ideas.
4) Only Time will Tell (finished 8/10/21): umm... I'm not quite sure what I just read. Not only do I love the idea of time travel, but I also find it complex and confusing. This one might require a reread to fully wrap my mind around it
5) Wishful Timing (finished 8/10/21): This really opened my eyes to the consequences of time travel
If you could travel to any time, where would you go? Whatever you decide you must be extremely specific.
6) Wild Times (finished 8/11/21): Not a satisfying ending at all. I need answers! Good story tho.
7) Time for Everything (finished 8/11/21): wow! Life is full of choices. How to react, risks to take, etc. We'll never know how the choices we make (and don't make) will effect our lives (and others) down the road. Very thought provoking. Didn't like the language tho.
8) Better Luck Next Time (finished 8/11/21): this one was the first story that lacked interest. It was over my head and slightly confusing. Not much of a Star Trek fan so that didn't help.
9) Tempus Pompeius (finished 8/11/21): This was very interesting! I would like more backstory on Lady Leda.
10) Behind the Timestream (finished 8/11/21): Dude! This was so cool! I need to go back and complete the puzzle but man, I loved the creativity! Well done!
Overall this was a great read! Recommend for all time travel enthusiasts!
May 20, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. As with most short story collections there are a couple of stories that I found a bit weaker than the rest but that doesn’t in any way, however, take away from the rest of the book.
Stories such as ‘Time to Light’, ‘Wishful Thinking’, ‘Better Luck Next Time’, and ‘Tempus Pompeius’ really shone through and I will remember the characters and plots vividly and with contentment at their being.
The last story is the one that really pushed the book from a 4 Star review to a 5 Star review. I won’t add anything here to spoil the experience for future readers, but that’s exactly what it is, an experience. One that I found exciting and can only thank the author for.
This book really is ‘greater than the sum of its parts’, as to talk about only the stories themselves would be to discount the effort that Stanlei Bellan has made with the book as a whole. I came into it expecting another short story collection but find myself leaving it with a genuine fondness for the book itself and an excitement for what else Bellan will produce in the future. What a gem of a book!
Stories such as ‘Time to Light’, ‘Wishful Thinking’, ‘Better Luck Next Time’, and ‘Tempus Pompeius’ really shone through and I will remember the characters and plots vividly and with contentment at their being.
The last story is the one that really pushed the book from a 4 Star review to a 5 Star review. I won’t add anything here to spoil the experience for future readers, but that’s exactly what it is, an experience. One that I found exciting and can only thank the author for.
This book really is ‘greater than the sum of its parts’, as to talk about only the stories themselves would be to discount the effort that Stanlei Bellan has made with the book as a whole. I came into it expecting another short story collection but find myself leaving it with a genuine fondness for the book itself and an excitement for what else Bellan will produce in the future. What a gem of a book!
March 16, 2021
With an elegant, easy and cohesive style of writing, the author efficiently provides the reader with ten beautifully developed short stories, each carrying a fair amount of psychological questions and challenges, carefully built personalities and very consistent storytelling.
As you advance reading each story, at some point you may conclude this is going to be a series of everyday-type narratives with delightfully inserted time-travel twists in each of them. This is exactly when the author throws at the reader a phenomenal curveball with a gorgeous Star-Trek-esque space adventure that not only fits perfectly into the time travel scenario, but is also a delight for the most hardcore classic sci-fi aficionados.
Don’t feel bad if you selected this book as a coffee-break source of short stories and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. It is actually that good.
As you advance reading each story, at some point you may conclude this is going to be a series of everyday-type narratives with delightfully inserted time-travel twists in each of them. This is exactly when the author throws at the reader a phenomenal curveball with a gorgeous Star-Trek-esque space adventure that not only fits perfectly into the time travel scenario, but is also a delight for the most hardcore classic sci-fi aficionados.
Don’t feel bad if you selected this book as a coffee-break source of short stories and ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. It is actually that good.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2021
~I'd like to thank the author for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!~
This was a fun collection of short stories. I liked that their lengths were varied, some of the stories as short as 4 pages, while others were up to 20. This variation in the length was a great way to keep readers engaged, as well as making it easier to read.
I also liked the creativity put into each of these stories. They were also all written in an easy going, flowy writing style that made it easy to read and follow along.
So, if you're looking for that fun collection of time travel stories for your summer TBR, this one's for you!
~Full Review To Come~
This was a fun collection of short stories. I liked that their lengths were varied, some of the stories as short as 4 pages, while others were up to 20. This variation in the length was a great way to keep readers engaged, as well as making it easier to read.
I also liked the creativity put into each of these stories. They were also all written in an easy going, flowy writing style that made it easy to read and follow along.
So, if you're looking for that fun collection of time travel stories for your summer TBR, this one's for you!
~Full Review To Come~
May 13, 2021
This little book of short stories about time travel has tales in all genres told from all view points. I didn't necessarily understand them all, but I found them all entertaining and interesting. I think my favorite was the story about the man who traveled to ancient Pompeii. This is a great book if you want light reading that features short stories that you can read in a short period of time. Please read them in the present.
May 2, 2021
Enjoyable stories about time travel
It was a lot of fun to read these short stories. All revolve around time travel viewed from different angles. They are well written and self-contained, although some stories I would have loved to continue reading.
I received a reading copy for an honest review.
It was a lot of fun to read these short stories. All revolve around time travel viewed from different angles. They are well written and self-contained, although some stories I would have loved to continue reading.
I received a reading copy for an honest review.
March 18, 2021
This book was a totally charming collection of stories related to time. All the stories are different in location and theme so I found with the variety I never got bored. A great book to curl up on the couch with!
May 7, 2021
These are short stories in its finest form... where, when you read them, you take your time to imagine... and then reflect on each story after you read them... and well worth the time to read (pun intended!)
June 1, 2021
Great read!
Loved every story. Did a great job of making the stories believable. Will definitely look for more by this author.
Loved every story. Did a great job of making the stories believable. Will definitely look for more by this author.
June 1, 2021
Super book, loved every one of the short stories, some were harder to follow than others, but that made working out the ideas more entertaining. Especially loved the Star Trek parody, the lighthouse and the Pompeii stories but there is not a bad one amongst the lot. All well written with wonderful characters, inventive plots and ideas. Some poignant, some funny all great.
I received a complimentary copy from Voracious readers and am leaving a honest voluntary review
I received a complimentary copy from Voracious readers and am leaving a honest voluntary review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 18, 2021
I finished reading this book a week back and for the first time I had to highlight so many things because of 3 reasons;
1. I have never read short stories with Time as it's the main plot.
2. The stories were science fiction mixed with normal plots. It wasn't like any normal Sci-fi book that we read in daily life with one storyline. There were 10 different storylines in just 130 pages that were too many different things to digest.
3. This book was a totally different experience for me (in a good way) so I wanted to highlight things that I liked.
So let's start with the basics. There are 10 stories in this book with an average of 20 pages dedicated to each story. The 10 stories are:
1. Another Time.
2. Time To Light.
3. Time Cleaners.
4. Only Time Will Tell.
5. Wishful Timing.
6. Wild Times.
7. Time for Everything.
8. Better Luck Next Time.
9. Tempus Pompeius.
10. Behind The Timestream.
The writing of each story is different based on the storyline but I felt it lacking in some stories, I felt like the author should have given more effort to them. The storyline of some stories was weak and some of them were very confusing for me as I didn't know the context, for example, I am not a big fan of Star Wars. As there were too many science fiction stories, I felt like some overpowered the others. The simplicity and the cleanness of the writing were what won my heart. The book took a great turn in the ending 5 stories. I loved them so much especially Tempus Pompeius and Wishful Timings. These two are downright my favorite. The book was a great read for me as I got to explore a science fiction short story genre. The whole experience was like a journey from 10 different timelines. I will suggest this book to every sci-fi lover out there as it has some great stories that hold out individually and will go great with a cup of green tea. Overall, the author did a great job choosing such great short stories and carving them so beautifully to turn them into masterpieces in which some turned out great for me whereas some left me a bit disappointed but this book won't let any reader go empty-handed so do check it out once. It definitely is worth reading as it is a short read.
1. I have never read short stories with Time as it's the main plot.
2. The stories were science fiction mixed with normal plots. It wasn't like any normal Sci-fi book that we read in daily life with one storyline. There were 10 different storylines in just 130 pages that were too many different things to digest.
3. This book was a totally different experience for me (in a good way) so I wanted to highlight things that I liked.
So let's start with the basics. There are 10 stories in this book with an average of 20 pages dedicated to each story. The 10 stories are:
1. Another Time.
2. Time To Light.
3. Time Cleaners.
4. Only Time Will Tell.
5. Wishful Timing.
6. Wild Times.
7. Time for Everything.
8. Better Luck Next Time.
9. Tempus Pompeius.
10. Behind The Timestream.
The writing of each story is different based on the storyline but I felt it lacking in some stories, I felt like the author should have given more effort to them. The storyline of some stories was weak and some of them were very confusing for me as I didn't know the context, for example, I am not a big fan of Star Wars. As there were too many science fiction stories, I felt like some overpowered the others. The simplicity and the cleanness of the writing were what won my heart. The book took a great turn in the ending 5 stories. I loved them so much especially Tempus Pompeius and Wishful Timings. These two are downright my favorite. The book was a great read for me as I got to explore a science fiction short story genre. The whole experience was like a journey from 10 different timelines. I will suggest this book to every sci-fi lover out there as it has some great stories that hold out individually and will go great with a cup of green tea. Overall, the author did a great job choosing such great short stories and carving them so beautifully to turn them into masterpieces in which some turned out great for me whereas some left me a bit disappointed but this book won't let any reader go empty-handed so do check it out once. It definitely is worth reading as it is a short read.
July 29, 2021
This was a highly entertaining book of short stories about time travel. Well written and good stories and read it all in one go.
May 7, 2021
I received a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
What a great collection of short stories! When each short hooks you within the first page, you know the writer is doing a good job! And the story behind each story at the end of the book rounds it off well!
Well impressed, will look for any novels by this author.
What a great collection of short stories! When each short hooks you within the first page, you know the writer is doing a good job! And the story behind each story at the end of the book rounds it off well!
Well impressed, will look for any novels by this author.
July 3, 2021
Interesting read
Time travel has been a fascination of mine, but never dared to write a time travel story. I felt there were two many variables to consider. However, in this collection the author explored these in several different stories. Brilliant!!!
Time travel has been a fascination of mine, but never dared to write a time travel story. I felt there were two many variables to consider. However, in this collection the author explored these in several different stories. Brilliant!!!
March 30, 2021
A stunning mix of time travel shorts
Well worth a read.
A real variety in here. Most of them you get to the end and are disappointed as there is no more - the only down side to short stories. Obviously.
Well worth a read.
A real variety in here. Most of them you get to the end and are disappointed as there is no more - the only down side to short stories. Obviously.
April 6, 2021
Very good, and fun too
I enjoyed this book, and its surprise, and the style of writing. The short stories were really nice and all resolved, which is more than I can say for some full length novels. I am glad that I had the chance to read it.
I enjoyed this book, and its surprise, and the style of writing. The short stories were really nice and all resolved, which is more than I can say for some full length novels. I am glad that I had the chance to read it.
March 26, 2021
Astoundingly good. Short stories that feel longer due to the depth of thought and care behind each.
July 1, 2021
I got a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
"T Is For Time Travel" by first-time author Stanlei Bellan is a collection of ten short stories, all revolving around the theme of time travel. The 130-page assemblage's tales range from four to 39 pages per story, and they are all quite unique and different from each other. The theme of time travel is what links them, but they are all quite different; some humourous, others bittersweet, others philosophical.
The stories are as follows:
-- Another Time (7 pg): A miniaturized man is trapped inside the face of a standard wall clock, and needs to escape in order to survive. This isn't quite what you'd expect from a time travel story, but it's a great opener in that it prepares you for the unexpected, and opens your mind up to accept pretty much anything that comes after this.
-- Time To Light (13 pg): A young lighthouse keeper in the late 19th century meets an agent from the future. This was one of the less memorable stories for me, but as they're all of above average quality, that's not a major knock. It's a little bit predictable, but there's a very good sense of time and place conveyed in the baker's dozen pages.
-- Time Cleaners (23 pg): Two workers at a time travel company find themselves in over their heads after something goes wrong before an attempted assassination. This one took my breath away. It went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. Set in 1984 at the Grand Brighton Hotel during the visit of Margaret Thatcher and the British Cabinet, I thought I would be in for a bit of a polemic, and was surprised when the politics of it were ignored in favour of some very human drama.
-- Only Time Will Tell (4 pg): Time itself applies to join the pantheon of the Lords of Physics (from website). This is a very intellectual exercise. The metaphysical and the temporal are made real in this very short, odd episode. Not one of my favourites, but an A+ for the attempt at anthropomorphism of the intangible.
-- Wishful Timing (24 pg): A woman is granted three time travelling trips by a genie. This was one of my favourites. The narrator tells her tale in a very personable way, with ample humour (and some biting social commentary) to be found. Honestly, this is pretty much as close to a perfect short story as it gets.
-- Wild Times (26 pg): An assistant to a mad scientist gets trapped in the time of the dinosaurs. The writing in this story is top notch. So why is it that I had to re-read the story to remember what it was about? Especially when it involved dinosaurs?!?!? I'm torn about my thoughts regarding this one. It's so strongly written, beautifully descriptive and really puts you in the mind of Hal ... but because I drew a complete blank when attempting to recollect this, I can't quite give it a perfect rating. Perhaps it's just where I was at the time of reading; your mileage may vary.
-- Time For Everything (8 pg): A little boy speaks out and asks a question in church, and is answered by a time angel. What would you get if you combined the Book of Ecclesiastes and A Christmas Carol? Probably something like this, and it's fantastic. This focuses not so much on time travel but on the possibilities that time (and the future) has to offer. A short, affecting tale.
-- Better Luck Next Time (24 pg): A Star Trek parody involving time loops and apathy. This could easily be an episode of Black Mirror; in fact it brought to mind the episode "USS Callister" solely due to its subject matter and self-awareness. A greatly amusing story with some real life lessons buried underneath it all.
-- Tempus Pompeiius (39 pg): A lab assistant discovers that the DNA of somebody who died in the Vesuvius explosion belongs to his daughter. This is the longest story of them all, and is by far my favourite of the bunch. Once again, Bellan nails the time and place, and lets the story breathe. A near masterpiece.
-- Behind The Timestream (8 pg): An organism named B'litk is afraid he may have broken time, and tries to make contact with the reader. Sadly, this story doesn't really work in and of itself. It's interesting, and the fact that B'litk seems to be an organism of unknown features trying to reach us through our devices is a different idea to be sure. But as a stand alone story it feels incomplete. The reason for this is that the answers to saving time lie in an online game available on Bellan's website, http://www.stanlei.com.
All in all, this is a very successful collection of short stories, very well written, with tales ranging from good to fantastic, and a couple of near-masterpieces included in the collection. Stanlei Bellan has some great ideas, and is quite proficient at putting pen to paper, and I look forward to seeing what ideas he will share with us in the future.
8.5 temporal tales out of 10.
"T Is For Time Travel" by first-time author Stanlei Bellan is a collection of ten short stories, all revolving around the theme of time travel. The 130-page assemblage's tales range from four to 39 pages per story, and they are all quite unique and different from each other. The theme of time travel is what links them, but they are all quite different; some humourous, others bittersweet, others philosophical.
The stories are as follows:
-- Another Time (7 pg): A miniaturized man is trapped inside the face of a standard wall clock, and needs to escape in order to survive. This isn't quite what you'd expect from a time travel story, but it's a great opener in that it prepares you for the unexpected, and opens your mind up to accept pretty much anything that comes after this.
-- Time To Light (13 pg): A young lighthouse keeper in the late 19th century meets an agent from the future. This was one of the less memorable stories for me, but as they're all of above average quality, that's not a major knock. It's a little bit predictable, but there's a very good sense of time and place conveyed in the baker's dozen pages.
-- Time Cleaners (23 pg): Two workers at a time travel company find themselves in over their heads after something goes wrong before an attempted assassination. This one took my breath away. It went in a completely different direction than I was expecting. Set in 1984 at the Grand Brighton Hotel during the visit of Margaret Thatcher and the British Cabinet, I thought I would be in for a bit of a polemic, and was surprised when the politics of it were ignored in favour of some very human drama.
-- Only Time Will Tell (4 pg): Time itself applies to join the pantheon of the Lords of Physics (from website). This is a very intellectual exercise. The metaphysical and the temporal are made real in this very short, odd episode. Not one of my favourites, but an A+ for the attempt at anthropomorphism of the intangible.
-- Wishful Timing (24 pg): A woman is granted three time travelling trips by a genie. This was one of my favourites. The narrator tells her tale in a very personable way, with ample humour (and some biting social commentary) to be found. Honestly, this is pretty much as close to a perfect short story as it gets.
-- Wild Times (26 pg): An assistant to a mad scientist gets trapped in the time of the dinosaurs. The writing in this story is top notch. So why is it that I had to re-read the story to remember what it was about? Especially when it involved dinosaurs?!?!? I'm torn about my thoughts regarding this one. It's so strongly written, beautifully descriptive and really puts you in the mind of Hal ... but because I drew a complete blank when attempting to recollect this, I can't quite give it a perfect rating. Perhaps it's just where I was at the time of reading; your mileage may vary.
-- Time For Everything (8 pg): A little boy speaks out and asks a question in church, and is answered by a time angel. What would you get if you combined the Book of Ecclesiastes and A Christmas Carol? Probably something like this, and it's fantastic. This focuses not so much on time travel but on the possibilities that time (and the future) has to offer. A short, affecting tale.
-- Better Luck Next Time (24 pg): A Star Trek parody involving time loops and apathy. This could easily be an episode of Black Mirror; in fact it brought to mind the episode "USS Callister" solely due to its subject matter and self-awareness. A greatly amusing story with some real life lessons buried underneath it all.
-- Tempus Pompeiius (39 pg): A lab assistant discovers that the DNA of somebody who died in the Vesuvius explosion belongs to his daughter. This is the longest story of them all, and is by far my favourite of the bunch. Once again, Bellan nails the time and place, and lets the story breathe. A near masterpiece.
-- Behind The Timestream (8 pg): An organism named B'litk is afraid he may have broken time, and tries to make contact with the reader. Sadly, this story doesn't really work in and of itself. It's interesting, and the fact that B'litk seems to be an organism of unknown features trying to reach us through our devices is a different idea to be sure. But as a stand alone story it feels incomplete. The reason for this is that the answers to saving time lie in an online game available on Bellan's website, http://www.stanlei.com.
All in all, this is a very successful collection of short stories, very well written, with tales ranging from good to fantastic, and a couple of near-masterpieces included in the collection. Stanlei Bellan has some great ideas, and is quite proficient at putting pen to paper, and I look forward to seeing what ideas he will share with us in the future.
8.5 temporal tales out of 10.
July 8, 2022
I'm genuinely not sure anymore how T is for Time Travel by Stanlei Bellan came to be in my Kindle library. I have a feeling it was offered through Voracious Readers at some point leading up to or around publication time because I wasn't swamped with blog tour reviews yet at that time and was still making well-intentioned selections from services like that. However it ended up in my collection, I've finally managed to read it! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.
I'm not sure if I knew that this was an anthology when I originally acquired the book, but when I picked it up tonight I certainly didn't remember that fact, and I temporarily thought I was getting into some sort of slipstream plotline where the characters from the first and second stories would eventually end up in the same timeline. Then a third started and I realized what was happening. Oops!
Watch: I really liked the way this was set up with the insincere command from a stranger that unleashed the plot when the lighthouse keeper's daughter refused to leave the lighthouse dark that night at the stranger's orders. If I had to pick one story in this collection to become a full length novel, or get a sequel, it would be this one.
Explore: Yes, to respond to the author's comments at the end of the collection, I did catch the Trek reference! 5 stars to this story in particular, which it genuinely deserves, but even if only to give a nod to excellent taste.
Discover: While the collection overall is great, not every story is a 4 or 5 out of 5, and this one left me feeling a little underwhelmed. I love the idea of djinn having a head office making the rules and being limited to "trips" instead of broader wishes because of how specific the wishes need to be, but then we went all no-stakes Time Traveller's Wife with it.
Overall this is a thought-provoking collection of stories tied together by the theme of time travel. It's a nice mix of totally unique plots and nods to familiar stories, and each one is packaged in a nice bite-sized/break-time short story.
I'm not sure if I knew that this was an anthology when I originally acquired the book, but when I picked it up tonight I certainly didn't remember that fact, and I temporarily thought I was getting into some sort of slipstream plotline where the characters from the first and second stories would eventually end up in the same timeline. Then a third started and I realized what was happening. Oops!
Watch: I really liked the way this was set up with the insincere command from a stranger that unleashed the plot when the lighthouse keeper's daughter refused to leave the lighthouse dark that night at the stranger's orders. If I had to pick one story in this collection to become a full length novel, or get a sequel, it would be this one.
Explore: Yes, to respond to the author's comments at the end of the collection, I did catch the Trek reference! 5 stars to this story in particular, which it genuinely deserves, but even if only to give a nod to excellent taste.
Discover: While the collection overall is great, not every story is a 4 or 5 out of 5, and this one left me feeling a little underwhelmed. I love the idea of djinn having a head office making the rules and being limited to "trips" instead of broader wishes because of how specific the wishes need to be, but then we went all no-stakes Time Traveller's Wife with it.
Overall this is a thought-provoking collection of stories tied together by the theme of time travel. It's a nice mix of totally unique plots and nods to familiar stories, and each one is packaged in a nice bite-sized/break-time short story.
August 24, 2021
i got this book for free from the author through voraciousreader in exchange of an honest review.
what can i say, who doesnt love a story about time travel?, as a science fiction fan, proud whovie and trekie fan ^_^ i can only say i did like very much, and a short stories book its almost certain that you'll will get some great stuff in there.
in here you have around 10 stories, some really have made me travel to tv shows that i love, for instance time cleaners, took me to a mix of the blacklist with loki the tv series, and i did like this story very much, it was a story with kind of a sad ending... but thats ok... love goes in memories as well... i also did like very much the time travel in pompei, it kind took me to a 10th doctor episode named the fires of pompei... well i guess i am whovian as well and it shows.
The first story in the book, reminded me of a twillight zone with a touch of doctor who :D the girl that had to light the lighthouse reminded me of an old doctor who episode with the 4th doctor, but only because of scenary, the one with a time genie was also good, and with a twist that caught me by sturprise hahah but i guess it makes sense (i wont give spoilers you'll need to read).
the boy who wanted to know the time for things, it was a nice one, and i really could relate to the author and the boy on this one hah. guys we even have a star trek kind of plot episode parody here hahah by the way, for me the female spok was Tpol, there is a whole univers of star trek out there and i havent seen all the episodes of TNG but i know who the ensign was hahah ;)
the ones i dont mention i didnt care expecially for them but that's normal in the middle of book with many stories, it has a bit for everyone, i recomend this short stories book about time travel, its fun and in most cases very lighthearted.
what can i say, who doesnt love a story about time travel?, as a science fiction fan, proud whovie and trekie fan ^_^ i can only say i did like very much, and a short stories book its almost certain that you'll will get some great stuff in there.
in here you have around 10 stories, some really have made me travel to tv shows that i love, for instance time cleaners, took me to a mix of the blacklist with loki the tv series, and i did like this story very much, it was a story with kind of a sad ending... but thats ok... love goes in memories as well... i also did like very much the time travel in pompei, it kind took me to a 10th doctor episode named the fires of pompei... well i guess i am whovian as well and it shows.
The first story in the book, reminded me of a twillight zone with a touch of doctor who :D the girl that had to light the lighthouse reminded me of an old doctor who episode with the 4th doctor, but only because of scenary, the one with a time genie was also good, and with a twist that caught me by sturprise hahah but i guess it makes sense (i wont give spoilers you'll need to read).
the boy who wanted to know the time for things, it was a nice one, and i really could relate to the author and the boy on this one hah. guys we even have a star trek kind of plot episode parody here hahah by the way, for me the female spok was Tpol, there is a whole univers of star trek out there and i havent seen all the episodes of TNG but i know who the ensign was hahah ;)
the ones i dont mention i didnt care expecially for them but that's normal in the middle of book with many stories, it has a bit for everyone, i recomend this short stories book about time travel, its fun and in most cases very lighthearted.
February 16, 2022
When it comes to short story collections, I often find a few stories which are interesting and the rest...well, they slip off and are forgotten on the side. This collection, however, was a bit of everything.
There are ten stories, each one highlighting time travel in one way or another. They take place in very different times, very different settings, and with very different plots and themes. While this collection is written by one author, the tales hit a wide spread and make it impossible to guess what will be coming next. Some are slow paced, while others speed along with continuous action and interesting situations. Some build more on emotion and deeper thought, while others allow tension to take more control. Even the plots spin with varying directions and the endings are as varied as can be.
I did enjoy most of them. Those I didn't were more due to their slower plots or simply left me with a bit of confusion. But the writing sat in all of them, and the tales were always intriguing in their own way. Especially the last tale packs a punch, and left the collection off on a wonderful note.
Time travel fans will enjoy this one and are sure to find more than a few of the stories well worth the read. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the variety quite a bit.
There are ten stories, each one highlighting time travel in one way or another. They take place in very different times, very different settings, and with very different plots and themes. While this collection is written by one author, the tales hit a wide spread and make it impossible to guess what will be coming next. Some are slow paced, while others speed along with continuous action and interesting situations. Some build more on emotion and deeper thought, while others allow tension to take more control. Even the plots spin with varying directions and the endings are as varied as can be.
I did enjoy most of them. Those I didn't were more due to their slower plots or simply left me with a bit of confusion. But the writing sat in all of them, and the tales were always intriguing in their own way. Especially the last tale packs a punch, and left the collection off on a wonderful note.
Time travel fans will enjoy this one and are sure to find more than a few of the stories well worth the read. I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed the variety quite a bit.
July 15, 2021
I received a free copy of this book via Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
T is for Time Travel is a light stroll down some interesting ideas, with nods to Star Trek, Doctor Who, the MCU, and of its ten short stories Tempus Pompeius was easily my favourite; I would have gladly read a longer novel based on this idea. That said, setting Time Cleaners during the 1984 Brighton Grand Hotel bombing didn't sit well with me for the same reasons I don't like true crime (its not entertainment), and Behind the Timestream though an interesting idea the secret decoder ring element was anticlimactic for the effort required, and sadly it then devolved into a choose-your-own-adventure book where every other choice was wrong.
T is for Time Travel is a light stroll down some interesting ideas, with nods to Star Trek, Doctor Who, the MCU, and of its ten short stories Tempus Pompeius was easily my favourite; I would have gladly read a longer novel based on this idea. That said, setting Time Cleaners during the 1984 Brighton Grand Hotel bombing didn't sit well with me for the same reasons I don't like true crime (its not entertainment), and Behind the Timestream though an interesting idea the secret decoder ring element was anticlimactic for the effort required, and sadly it then devolved into a choose-your-own-adventure book where every other choice was wrong.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2022
I received this book from Voracious Readers.
This was a fun collection of unrelated stories about time travel. I appreciated that each of the stories dealt with time travel in a different manner and in very different settings - including using a more literal definition of "time travel," scenarios that were more grounded in reality, describing more abstract interpretations, presenting the less glamorous side of it all, and one inspired by Star Trek. I'd recommend it for someone looking for quick, light-hearted reads to pique their imagination.
This was a fun collection of unrelated stories about time travel. I appreciated that each of the stories dealt with time travel in a different manner and in very different settings - including using a more literal definition of "time travel," scenarios that were more grounded in reality, describing more abstract interpretations, presenting the less glamorous side of it all, and one inspired by Star Trek. I'd recommend it for someone looking for quick, light-hearted reads to pique their imagination.
January 25, 2022
"Sprinkling pain all over him" I have thought about this line line after I finished reading this lovely collection of short stories. The line struck me because I'd never heard pain described in such a gentle, descriptive almost soothing way.
I've always loved time travel and I enjoyed this collection for the many ways each story looked at this concept. I will.be looking for more from this author.
I've always loved time travel and I enjoyed this collection for the many ways each story looked at this concept. I will.be looking for more from this author.
February 12, 2022
I’m a sucker for time travel. This collection of short stories was a fun escape that explores the more practical considerations around it. I appreciated this author’s foresight, which made me sit back and think about these concepts in a new way. Although I enjoyed the bite-sized stories that cover many places in history and on/off Earth, I didn’t enjoy them all equally. One or two of them I could have done without, but several others I enjoyed so much I wish they were full books.
August 20, 2024
3 5 stars...rounding up because I genuinely enjoyed reading this collection even though there were no real standout stories for me that I'd give 5 stars. Most were 3 or 4 stars for me and all of them were a unique take on the concept of time travel...which is what made it fun to read. My favorite story in the collection was the Time Cleaners...it's probably the only one I'll remember once I move on to the next collection. But overall I enjoyed reading this and would recommend it.
May 10, 2021
This book is a collection of short stories. The common theme amongst them is time. I found this book was a fun and easy read. I enjoyed Tempus Pompeius, how fun would it be to be able to go back in time and live amongst ancient civilization. I also really liked Time to Light. I also found that some of these stories will make you reflect on how we see time.
June 16, 2021
I really enjoyed the variety of different stories on time travel in this book. Each story was different from the last and I thought the author did a great job selecting stories for this book that really did the theme justice. Some stories I enjoyed more than others but all were well written and captivating to read.
Book courtesy from voraciousreaders
Book courtesy from voraciousreaders
November 1, 2021
This was a really good book of short stories. My personal favourite was the one with the genie in the lamp. Very thoughtful and inventive twist on the three wishes theme! I also really liked the Pompeii story.
I look forward to reading more time travel stories by this author!
I look forward to reading more time travel stories by this author!
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