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Extracted Trilogy #1
Extracted
In 2061, a young scientist invents a time machine to fix a tragedy in his past. But his good intentions turn catastrophic when an early test reveals something unexpected: the end of the world.
A desperate plan is formed. Recruit three heroes, ordinary humans capable of extraordinary things, and change the future.
Safa Patel is an elite police officer, on duty when Downing Street comes under terrorist attack. As armed men storm through the breach, she dispatches them all.
'Mad' Harry Madden is a legend of the Second World War. Not only did he complete an impossible mission—to plant charges on a heavily defended submarine base—but he also escaped with his life.
Ben Ryder is just an insurance investigator. But as a young man he witnessed a gang assaulting a woman and her child. He went to their rescue, and killed all five.
Can these three heroes, extracted from their timelines at the point of death, save the world?
A desperate plan is formed. Recruit three heroes, ordinary humans capable of extraordinary things, and change the future.
Safa Patel is an elite police officer, on duty when Downing Street comes under terrorist attack. As armed men storm through the breach, she dispatches them all.
'Mad' Harry Madden is a legend of the Second World War. Not only did he complete an impossible mission—to plant charges on a heavily defended submarine base—but he also escaped with his life.
Ben Ryder is just an insurance investigator. But as a young man he witnessed a gang assaulting a woman and her child. He went to their rescue, and killed all five.
Can these three heroes, extracted from their timelines at the point of death, save the world?
Audiobook
First published March 1, 2017
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About the author
R.R. Haywood
94 books1,234 followers"One of the most original voices of our time." - Richard Moriarty, The Sun
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
"Whether it's gritty horror, spectacular sci-fi, or insane comedy, RR Haywood delivers in style." - Chris Riches, Daily Express
RR Haywood is a Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Audible bestselling author with over 4 million books sold and more than 30 Kindle Bestsellers. As one of the top ten most downloaded indie authors in the UK, Haywood has captivated readers worldwide with his diverse storytelling.
His creations include the global sensation EXTRACTED, the riveting CODE TRILOGY narrated by Colin Morgan, the phenomenal UNDEAD Series, the blockbuster DELIO, PHASE ONE, and the chart-topping A TOWN CALLED DISCOVERY. His latest work, FICTION LAND, narrated by Game of Thrones star Gethin Anthony, has been hailed as "an outrageously funny tour de force."
A former police officer, Haywood now resides with his dogs on the north coast of the Isle of Wight. He entertains audiences and shares his expertise on TikTok with his Writing Class for the Working Class.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 967 reviews
February 10, 2017
At first I was really excited about this book - its British setting was refreshing, the pace was good, and the whole thing seemed like a pretty jolly time-travel action adventure story. F bombs don't bother me. But what did bother me was the unbelievably naive and frankly idiotic take on 1) female characters, and 2) terrorist attacks. I can just imagine this author patting himself on the back for creating such a "strong female character" as Safa. Oh sure. The character we're introduced to as she's repeatedly sexually assaulted while in the line of duty? Yes, that one. The character who a few weeks later attempts to seduce the main male character as a way to get him out of his depression? Yes that one. But no, she's not defined by her sexuality or her body at all. Or the fact that she has lovingly described perfect breasts, perfect buttocks, perfect legs, perfect whatever - described with the same relish during the scenes of sexual assault as those later on when she decides to take one for the team and sleep with a guy to get him to feel better about himself. But don't worry - the only other female character who actually has lines of dialogue turns out to be a horrible demon of a woman (for no reason we're made aware of) who - typical! - makes up that the hero raped her while in fact she's cheating on him. And we do get a really cathartic scene where Safa gets to call that woman a bitch, whore and a cunt. It's just all so refreshing and liberating and exciting. No limits at all to what women can be in this world. Nor, it seems, are there any limits on what a plausible terrorist attack would look like. Can we just, once and for all, give up this fantasy of environmental activists as terrorists? So-called "eco-terrorists" (a term made up by the CIA in the 60s, so far never ever matched in the real world by a single attack resulting in even bodily damage to a single person)? Blaming everything on a particular religion is bad enough, but to actually pretend that environmental activists are some sort of threat to the world... maybe it's just that it's February 2017, and it makes it harder to forgive these kinds of childish misconceptions, when the real world looks the way it does. I know this is just a throwaway stupid adventure story by a self-published amateur, but this book is actually getting real exposure on Amazon, and it's sort of heartbreaking that even an amateur author thinks it's ok to write this way.
So apart from the disastrous structure of character portrayals and plot events, there were some decent moments of tension, although every action sequence is way too drawn out, and the actual overarching plot amounts to no more than "they train for a long time and then fight a lot". That's sort of it.
So apart from the disastrous structure of character portrayals and plot events, there were some decent moments of tension, although every action sequence is way too drawn out, and the actual overarching plot amounts to no more than "they train for a long time and then fight a lot". That's sort of it.
February 13, 2017
This book was a tour de force of mediocrity, poor research, and casual misogyny.
May 19, 2023
I was attracted to this book by a number of rave reviews. And it was cheap (Audible daily deal). And I like time travel and apocalyptic tales – both boxes this one purported to tick. For a while I thought I'd struck gold, as three tales concerning people executing extraordinary deeds of bravery were told in quick succession. I loved these vignettes – each character was brilliantly brought to life and the accounts of the deeds themselves were expertly told. I was sucked in big time. Each of these episodes ended ambiguously: did our heroes survive, will they live to fight another day or to enjoy the life they plainly deserve? I’ll leave you guessing on that one, suffice to say at this point the story changed tack - and mood.
The next section – the final section I endured – featured a man, who had appeared in a cameo role previously, and his team of gormless assistants. The premiss of this change of direction was good but the execution was terrible. We'd gone from gripping scenes filled with tension and high drama to slapstick humour and barely credible actions. This team – a team who were out to save the world, no less – were like something out of the Keystone Cops! It was bizarre and not remotely funny.
I ploughed on thinking that it had to get better, that brilliant start surely couldn't be wasted, could it? It could. It was. I simply can't understand why such a taught, gripping start was allowed to drift into this dross. As the saying goes: less is more. That is, less of this rubbish and more of something else. A DNF for me.
The next section – the final section I endured – featured a man, who had appeared in a cameo role previously, and his team of gormless assistants. The premiss of this change of direction was good but the execution was terrible. We'd gone from gripping scenes filled with tension and high drama to slapstick humour and barely credible actions. This team – a team who were out to save the world, no less – were like something out of the Keystone Cops! It was bizarre and not remotely funny.
I ploughed on thinking that it had to get better, that brilliant start surely couldn't be wasted, could it? It could. It was. I simply can't understand why such a taught, gripping start was allowed to drift into this dross. As the saying goes: less is more. That is, less of this rubbish and more of something else. A DNF for me.
February 21, 2017
*I got this book free from the Kindle First program
This book really started great. The moments where the three main characters were introduced, their actions, and how they were taken out of their timeline were wonderful and exciting. Once all three were together, I ended up DNFing this.
I was really disappointed and hesitant to quit, but the dialogue between the three (and the other side characters too) was just imbecilic. The head guy of this whole project seemed to be a moron. The three main character's banter back and forth was elementary level (literally this: fighting over how to say the year 2111 either as twenty-one eleven or two triple one devolved into "my way is cooler" "no, my way is cooler" "no it's not, mine is" and so on). It was supposed to be played off as gallows humor to break tension in a stressful situation but it just played out as incredibly stupid and annoying.
The logic was bad too. At least the main guy didn't even try to explain the workings of time travel - "I don't know, the creator did it and didn't tell anyone, it has to do with a mathematical formula" so it avoided that. On the other hand, how other things work, or how they don't think they will affect things (or be able to survive) in the Cretaceous period where they are hiding out and other things are just laughable.
Not only that but the three main characters are basically god-like when it comes to fighting, apparently. They take on a dozen well trained soldier/guards, killing 3-4+ and hospitalizing the rest before they are put down with a tranquilizer. And the one, Ben, is notably not trained. It wasn't clear in how far I read but it sounds like he can just analyze things so well he just knows where to punch and kick at the right moments. Sounds like a X-Men super-power in what is supposed to be a [mostly] realistic [light sci-fi] book.
One more thing, wait, make that two. The writing is done in present tense. I didn't always notice it, but when I did, it was glaringly obvious. I don't know if there was a reason for this in this novel, but there is usually a reason why this is an uncommon method. The other thing, the chapters cover each of the three main characters and their point of view at the same time. It switches every paragraph or so. So it's like a non-omniscient narrator for Ben one paragraph, then switches to Safa's point-of-view, then the next paragraph it's from Harry's then the next paragraph it's an omniscient narrator overall, and it bounces around like this constantly. It's irritating to say the least.
I really wanted to like this. The premise sounded great. I just couldn't stand the writing.
This book really started great. The moments where the three main characters were introduced, their actions, and how they were taken out of their timeline were wonderful and exciting. Once all three were together, I ended up DNFing this.
I was really disappointed and hesitant to quit, but the dialogue between the three (and the other side characters too) was just imbecilic. The head guy of this whole project seemed to be a moron. The three main character's banter back and forth was elementary level (literally this: fighting over how to say the year 2111 either as twenty-one eleven or two triple one devolved into "my way is cooler" "no, my way is cooler" "no it's not, mine is" and so on). It was supposed to be played off as gallows humor to break tension in a stressful situation but it just played out as incredibly stupid and annoying.
The logic was bad too. At least the main guy didn't even try to explain the workings of time travel - "I don't know, the creator did it and didn't tell anyone, it has to do with a mathematical formula" so it avoided that. On the other hand, how other things work, or how they don't think they will affect things (or be able to survive) in the Cretaceous period where they are hiding out and other things are just laughable.
Not only that but the three main characters are basically god-like when it comes to fighting, apparently. They take on a dozen well trained soldier/guards, killing 3-4+ and hospitalizing the rest before they are put down with a tranquilizer. And the one, Ben, is notably not trained. It wasn't clear in how far I read but it sounds like he can just analyze things so well he just knows where to punch and kick at the right moments. Sounds like a X-Men super-power in what is supposed to be a [mostly] realistic [light sci-fi] book.
One more thing, wait, make that two. The writing is done in present tense. I didn't always notice it, but when I did, it was glaringly obvious. I don't know if there was a reason for this in this novel, but there is usually a reason why this is an uncommon method. The other thing, the chapters cover each of the three main characters and their point of view at the same time. It switches every paragraph or so. So it's like a non-omniscient narrator for Ben one paragraph, then switches to Safa's point-of-view, then the next paragraph it's from Harry's then the next paragraph it's an omniscient narrator overall, and it bounces around like this constantly. It's irritating to say the least.
I really wanted to like this. The premise sounded great. I just couldn't stand the writing.
March 28, 2017
This book is good. Really good!
But the narration by Carl Prekopp is great. Nothing short of brilliant! 5+++++++ stars. I could listen to this man narrate books 24/7 and never get tired of listening.
I am in love with these characters. I don't know who I love more, the characters or the narrator.
I feel like chanting "Harry and Safa and Ben! - Harry and Safa and Ben!"
The theme runs along the lines of Dark Matter, but the plot is spun differently. Extracted moves at a fast clip, with loads of dry wit from our MCs and side characters. Each one is so individual! <--- sorry, I know I'm overdoing it with the exclamations, but I'm so happy I listened to this one and sort of sad it's over, but then also happy there's more to come. So, yeah, I'm exclaiming all over the place.
I dare you! I dare you to listen to Carl narrate this story and not fall in love with it. Go on, I double dare you. ;-)
But the narration by Carl Prekopp is great. Nothing short of brilliant! 5+++++++ stars. I could listen to this man narrate books 24/7 and never get tired of listening.
I am in love with these characters. I don't know who I love more, the characters or the narrator.
I feel like chanting "Harry and Safa and Ben! - Harry and Safa and Ben!"
The theme runs along the lines of Dark Matter, but the plot is spun differently. Extracted moves at a fast clip, with loads of dry wit from our MCs and side characters. Each one is so individual! <--- sorry, I know I'm overdoing it with the exclamations, but I'm so happy I listened to this one and sort of sad it's over, but then also happy there's more to come. So, yeah, I'm exclaiming all over the place.
I dare you! I dare you to listen to Carl narrate this story and not fall in love with it. Go on, I double dare you. ;-)
February 13, 2017
A SIMPLE MAN'S REVIEW:
The one of the stars of my rating is for the idea behind this story. Who doesn't love time travel? Plus there is sort of a "Stargate" feel to the device. I went into this book with high hopes and the story starts off strong. But...
There are no more stars to give because this book is pointless. Literally. There is no point to this book (other than setting up the next book). Sure, we get to know the three main characters, but since this isn't an autobiography, there needs to be more, right? Okay, I'm going to get up on a soapbox for a moment: Tell a WHOLE F--KING story! I am so tired of sequels and trilogies. Look, if your story ends and there are more places to go, then write another book. But for your first book to be labeled "#1 of a trilogy" means that you took one story and chopped it up into three pieces. None of those pieces are actually a story because they can't end until the third book. No closure. No end to the story arc.
Okay, I'm off the soapbox now. As you can guess, this story doesn't go anywhere. There are plenty of strands that might be followed, but it seems the author is using cliffhangers to sell you the next book.
I'm done and, if I were you, I wouldn't waste my time starting it.
The one of the stars of my rating is for the idea behind this story. Who doesn't love time travel? Plus there is sort of a "Stargate" feel to the device. I went into this book with high hopes and the story starts off strong. But...
There are no more stars to give because this book is pointless. Literally. There is no point to this book (other than setting up the next book). Sure, we get to know the three main characters, but since this isn't an autobiography, there needs to be more, right? Okay, I'm going to get up on a soapbox for a moment: Tell a WHOLE F--KING story! I am so tired of sequels and trilogies. Look, if your story ends and there are more places to go, then write another book. But for your first book to be labeled "#1 of a trilogy" means that you took one story and chopped it up into three pieces. None of those pieces are actually a story because they can't end until the third book. No closure. No end to the story arc.
Okay, I'm off the soapbox now. As you can guess, this story doesn't go anywhere. There are plenty of strands that might be followed, but it seems the author is using cliffhangers to sell you the next book.
I'm done and, if I were you, I wouldn't waste my time starting it.
February 17, 2017
Two stars, only because I finished it. Nothing happened in this book. Lots of action, but no meat. Filling your book with unrealistic fight scenes does not make a plot.
The characters were unbelievable. Safa? Please. This guy is trying to write a "strong woman," but the only way he did that was to make her a potty mouth and able to fight (unrealistically well against multiple men much larger than she is). NO strong woman I know would put up being repeatedly sexually assaulted at her job, she wouldn't go out of her way to call another woman a c*nt and use the flimsy "and I really hate that word so I mean it!" *pictures three year old throwing a tantrum.* And stop with the constant references to her "Cleopatric eyes" and "perfect breasts" and "long legs." We get it, she's physically perfect. But she wants to be taken seriously (even though she tries to seduce Ben to get him out of his funk)! Sigh. Moving on Ben Ryder, why do I care about him? It seems like every other line is "But he's BEN RYDER," as though that is supposed to make him some sort of amazing super man that we all love and cherish. So he runs in when others run out; welcome to the life of a public servant. I would have found that story line more believable for Safa, since she's actually a cop. Harry was WAY too "go with the flow" for a guy who was just transported a hundred years in to the future. He was also surprisingly okay with a "woman being in charge" for a macho military man from the 1940s. Roland is a joke. Malcom and Konrad are weak secondary characters.
Interesting concept, poorly executed.
The characters were unbelievable. Safa? Please. This guy is trying to write a "strong woman," but the only way he did that was to make her a potty mouth and able to fight (unrealistically well against multiple men much larger than she is). NO strong woman I know would put up being repeatedly sexually assaulted at her job, she wouldn't go out of her way to call another woman a c*nt and use the flimsy "and I really hate that word so I mean it!" *pictures three year old throwing a tantrum.* And stop with the constant references to her "Cleopatric eyes" and "perfect breasts" and "long legs." We get it, she's physically perfect. But she wants to be taken seriously (even though she tries to seduce Ben to get him out of his funk)! Sigh. Moving on Ben Ryder, why do I care about him? It seems like every other line is "But he's BEN RYDER," as though that is supposed to make him some sort of amazing super man that we all love and cherish. So he runs in when others run out; welcome to the life of a public servant. I would have found that story line more believable for Safa, since she's actually a cop. Harry was WAY too "go with the flow" for a guy who was just transported a hundred years in to the future. He was also surprisingly okay with a "woman being in charge" for a macho military man from the 1940s. Roland is a joke. Malcom and Konrad are weak secondary characters.
Interesting concept, poorly executed.
February 27, 2017
Absolutely nothing happens in this book. Also, any girl that is mentally, emotionally, and sexually assaulted does not decide to take one for the team and throw herself at another man. She also doesn't walk around in front of other men in just her underwear that's not something that a woman who is been repeatedly assaulted does. Feels like it's been written by a 12-year-old boy who just saw his first pair of boobs.
March 5, 2017
The sad thing is that this is a book that didn't need to be written. This book is backstory for something else; it's like the first RPG game in a campaign where the party meets each other: contrived and silly but necessary to go on. (Unfortunately, no one told the author that.)
Still, despite reading like middle-aged-man wish-fulfillment, it was promising and when the editor was working, entertaining. Some of the stabs at humor are actually funny.
But. You knew there was a but, right? Here we go.
It's written in present tense (which works a lot better when you don't have 20 viewpoint characters or head hop), the character we spend the most time with is a sad sack (but the omg gorgeous strong woman just KNOWS he's a hero and believes in him to the point of incredulity), it has a midsection that would make Homer Simpson look good, and wait, did I mention the female character is ludicrous? Oh. And the pacing is off.
But can we talk about that female character again? Yeah, she really bugged me. (I don't consider anything in the first third of the book spoilers, but if you do, ignore the next part.) She's being criminally sexually harassed and assaulted by the PM. The author really dwells on this. THAT is gratuitous and creepy. (FWIW, I'm not clutching my pearls; it used to be my job to write about and read about sexual attacks in great and clinical detail. Maybe that's why I think it's weird anyone would want to read about one when the hint of an assault would be less rapey and still convey character motivation.)
Magically, however, the female police officer (who is too scared to deal with the sexual harassment/abuse issue in situ) turns into Vasquez from Aliens. That seems to be the sum total of her character development; the rest of the time she's just there as a cheerleader for the sad sack.
If only a developmental editor had been onboard (preferably someone who knows psychology). Still, the book is an online production, so perhaps the author will fix these issues in a future edition.
Still, despite reading like middle-aged-man wish-fulfillment, it was promising and when the editor was working, entertaining. Some of the stabs at humor are actually funny.
But. You knew there was a but, right? Here we go.
It's written in present tense (which works a lot better when you don't have 20 viewpoint characters or head hop), the character we spend the most time with is a sad sack (but the omg gorgeous strong woman just KNOWS he's a hero and believes in him to the point of incredulity), it has a midsection that would make Homer Simpson look good, and wait, did I mention the female character is ludicrous? Oh. And the pacing is off.
But can we talk about that female character again? Yeah, she really bugged me. (I don't consider anything in the first third of the book spoilers, but if you do, ignore the next part.) She's being criminally sexually harassed and assaulted by the PM. The author really dwells on this. THAT is gratuitous and creepy. (FWIW, I'm not clutching my pearls; it used to be my job to write about and read about sexual attacks in great and clinical detail. Maybe that's why I think it's weird anyone would want to read about one when the hint of an assault would be less rapey and still convey character motivation.)
Magically, however, the female police officer (who is too scared to deal with the sexual harassment/abuse issue in situ) turns into Vasquez from Aliens. That seems to be the sum total of her character development; the rest of the time she's just there as a cheerleader for the sad sack.
If only a developmental editor had been onboard (preferably someone who knows psychology). Still, the book is an online production, so perhaps the author will fix these issues in a future edition.
March 26, 2017
Pros: Interesting premise and snappy, humorous dialogue.
Cons: Obviously written by a man (see: casual misogyny, Safa's (completely idiotic) hero worship of Ben, and the complete disregard of the long-lasting effects of sexual assault). Honestly, Ben. As in...everything about him. Kill him off and let Safa and Harry kiss and this book would've instantly been 98% better.
I'll hang around for the sequel just because I'm interested in seeing how the whole thing plays out after that last scene.
Cons: Obviously written by a man (see: casual misogyny, Safa's (completely idiotic) hero worship of Ben, and the complete disregard of the long-lasting effects of sexual assault). Honestly, Ben. As in...everything about him. Kill him off and let Safa and Harry kiss and this book would've instantly been 98% better.
I'll hang around for the sequel just because I'm interested in seeing how the whole thing plays out after that last scene.
February 12, 2022
“The first trip fifty years into the future showed a society and species advancing as it should. The second trip, to the same point and location, revealed a post-apocalyptic wasteland.”
About : A young scientist creates a time machine and discovers that the word ends in 2111. He needs a hero—quickly. In a matter of weeks, three heroes are selected and “extracted” from their own times to save the world:
Safa Patel, a police officer stationed at Downing Street to protect the prime minister; “Mad Harry” Madden, special ops in WWI—before such a thing as “special ops” even existed; and Ben Ryder, an untrained civilian who has singlehandedly stopped two separate group attacks on innocents. And the training begins. Extracted is adult science fiction authored by R. R. Haywood and published March 1st 2017 by 47North.
Thoughts : Haywood's trilogy smashes together the sub-genres of time travel and post-apocalyptic fiction. That sounded too irresistible to pass up!
The first three chapters of book I, Extracted, introduce the three heroes by taking us through each one’s final, normal day—followed by his or her extraction. Visceral details enhance these “mini episodes” in strangely addictive and slightly uncomfortable ways: we enter the story in the midst of a fight between Ben Ryder and his fiancée, who are arguing about sex. It’s a dash of cold water right off the bat when Ben discovers that his fiancée has been cheating on him.
But Safa, one of the other heroes, suffers much worse than that in her current day-to-day life, and the crude, sometimes repetitive sexual details made her first chapter very difficult to read.
This in-your-face, very present and very character-driven style of writing brings a whole new level of intensity to the emotionally charged scenes of these first chapters (and to every emotional scene throughout the book), and although I cringed a lot, I sped through them. Some humor diffuses the tension, at times, although it occasionally feels forced and becomes wearyingly repetitive. (The descriptions in this ARC as a whole do get quite repetitive—some of that has hopefully been edited out of the finished copy.) This experience basically characterizes the whole book.
As I continued to read past these first three chapters, the plot never seemed to pick up and I soon realized that although the synopsis promises a world-saving mission, this first installment focuses entirely on characterization and team-building. It might be called a “training” book. “Extracted” is a preliminary, as if the publishers ripped apart one really big book to publish it in thirds. After the extractions, the heroes spend the rest of the book adapting to their new lifestyles and training to save the world. The characters refuse to accept the concept of time travel until 46%, and even then they don’t get started training right away. The specific nature of the training centers largely around helping Ben, the only untrained civilian among the three heroes, overcome the psychological trauma of the situation.
Overall : I enjoyed the book, despite its problems. Extracted is a compelling, crude, and strongly character-driven “episode” of a new sci-fi time travel trilogy. It reads like a speed demon! Although I wouldn’t call the book “boring” (I definitely came to care about the characters), I will say I was disappointed that we didn’t get any of the promised world-saving action, yet. If the author steps up his pacing and cuts out the filler in book two, I think his style and killer premise have a lot of potential. I might wait for the reviews to come out before reading it.
Recommended To : Anyone looking for a sci-fi time travel “training” book with strong characters. I haven’t gotten the chance to read Chuck Wendig yet, but from his blog, I gather that he writes using the same kind of searing, in-your-face style as this author, R. R. Haywood; that’s what this book reminded me of, although I think Wendig’s humor succeeds more often that Haywood’s.
Plot: 2.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Note About Misogyny : When I was writing this review, I noticed that a couple of reviewers are using phrases like “casual misogyny” to describe certain elements of the book and complaining that it only leaves two options for women: (1) Heroine! and (2) Slut! I’m not highly attuned to what might be considered sexist, but I personally didn’t get that impression. It’s a small cast with a tight focus on Ben and Safa, so that subject didn’t seem to fall within the reference of the book; I’m personally not bothered that Haywood doesn’t spell out all of the options for women. His portrayal of Safa did feel slightly "off" to me, but I could't quite put my finger on why, so I just decided to roll with it and enjoy the story.
If you liked this review, you can read more of my speculative fiction reviews on my blog
About : A young scientist creates a time machine and discovers that the word ends in 2111. He needs a hero—quickly. In a matter of weeks, three heroes are selected and “extracted” from their own times to save the world:
Safa Patel, a police officer stationed at Downing Street to protect the prime minister; “Mad Harry” Madden, special ops in WWI—before such a thing as “special ops” even existed; and Ben Ryder, an untrained civilian who has singlehandedly stopped two separate group attacks on innocents. And the training begins. Extracted is adult science fiction authored by R. R. Haywood and published March 1st 2017 by 47North.
Thoughts : Haywood's trilogy smashes together the sub-genres of time travel and post-apocalyptic fiction. That sounded too irresistible to pass up!
The first three chapters of book I, Extracted, introduce the three heroes by taking us through each one’s final, normal day—followed by his or her extraction. Visceral details enhance these “mini episodes” in strangely addictive and slightly uncomfortable ways: we enter the story in the midst of a fight between Ben Ryder and his fiancée, who are arguing about sex. It’s a dash of cold water right off the bat when Ben discovers that his fiancée has been cheating on him.
But Safa, one of the other heroes, suffers much worse than that in her current day-to-day life, and the crude, sometimes repetitive sexual details made her first chapter very difficult to read.
This in-your-face, very present and very character-driven style of writing brings a whole new level of intensity to the emotionally charged scenes of these first chapters (and to every emotional scene throughout the book), and although I cringed a lot, I sped through them. Some humor diffuses the tension, at times, although it occasionally feels forced and becomes wearyingly repetitive. (The descriptions in this ARC as a whole do get quite repetitive—some of that has hopefully been edited out of the finished copy.) This experience basically characterizes the whole book.
As I continued to read past these first three chapters, the plot never seemed to pick up and I soon realized that although the synopsis promises a world-saving mission, this first installment focuses entirely on characterization and team-building. It might be called a “training” book. “Extracted” is a preliminary, as if the publishers ripped apart one really big book to publish it in thirds. After the extractions, the heroes spend the rest of the book adapting to their new lifestyles and training to save the world. The characters refuse to accept the concept of time travel until 46%, and even then they don’t get started training right away. The specific nature of the training centers largely around helping Ben, the only untrained civilian among the three heroes, overcome the psychological trauma of the situation.
Overall : I enjoyed the book, despite its problems. Extracted is a compelling, crude, and strongly character-driven “episode” of a new sci-fi time travel trilogy. It reads like a speed demon! Although I wouldn’t call the book “boring” (I definitely came to care about the characters), I will say I was disappointed that we didn’t get any of the promised world-saving action, yet. If the author steps up his pacing and cuts out the filler in book two, I think his style and killer premise have a lot of potential. I might wait for the reviews to come out before reading it.
Recommended To : Anyone looking for a sci-fi time travel “training” book with strong characters. I haven’t gotten the chance to read Chuck Wendig yet, but from his blog, I gather that he writes using the same kind of searing, in-your-face style as this author, R. R. Haywood; that’s what this book reminded me of, although I think Wendig’s humor succeeds more often that Haywood’s.
Plot: 2.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Note About Misogyny : When I was writing this review, I noticed that a couple of reviewers are using phrases like “casual misogyny” to describe certain elements of the book and complaining that it only leaves two options for women: (1) Heroine! and (2) Slut! I’m not highly attuned to what might be considered sexist, but I personally didn’t get that impression. It’s a small cast with a tight focus on Ben and Safa, so that subject didn’t seem to fall within the reference of the book; I’m personally not bothered that Haywood doesn’t spell out all of the options for women. His portrayal of Safa did feel slightly "off" to me, but I could't quite put my finger on why, so I just decided to roll with it and enjoy the story.
If you liked this review, you can read more of my speculative fiction reviews on my blog
September 7, 2017
Okay, what we got here is a mixed bag. This book will be an individual experience I suspect (not that all books aren't individual experiences to one extent or another). For my money this could have been a much better read (and "my money" applies here as the book was offered on sale on Audible and I bought it based on the synopsis.)
There are 2 "biggish" problems with the book. The first is a characterization problem. One of the characters (I'm steering a bit close to a spoiler here so i won't say which) starts out as a rather clear thinking person . BUT the story also has a key plot point that requires this character to "melt down"...have a "mental breakdown". Thus the character does a sort of abrupt turn around in mid story-line.
That however passes more or less quickly as when the character makes the change he makes the change. The other problem actually caused me to lay the book aside...then pick it back up and skim to the end before I finally went back into it and read it more completely.
The book is (in my opinion of course) about 30% to 40% TOO LONG. The book sets up the story...
slowly.
Then begins building the plot. However we get long, long stretches of internal monologues, internal dialogues, philosophical meanderings, along with tons of whining and self pity from the above mentioned character.
So just get ready for that. It caused me to drop a star from the rating.
Now, some of you will (of course) not agree with me on that and that is (again of course) cool. We can't all agree. So try it yourself. I will say that in the end the book pulls together and fulfills MOST of the potential. Over all I (think) I liked it. I may try the next "installment".
See what you think.
There are 2 "biggish" problems with the book. The first is a characterization problem. One of the characters (I'm steering a bit close to a spoiler here so i won't say which) starts out as a rather clear thinking person . BUT the story also has a key plot point that requires this character to "melt down"...have a "mental breakdown". Thus the character does a sort of abrupt turn around in mid story-line.
That however passes more or less quickly as when the character makes the change he makes the change. The other problem actually caused me to lay the book aside...then pick it back up and skim to the end before I finally went back into it and read it more completely.
The book is (in my opinion of course) about 30% to 40% TOO LONG. The book sets up the story...
slowly.
Then begins building the plot. However we get long, long stretches of internal monologues, internal dialogues, philosophical meanderings, along with tons of whining and self pity from the above mentioned character.
So just get ready for that. It caused me to drop a star from the rating.
Now, some of you will (of course) not agree with me on that and that is (again of course) cool. We can't all agree. So try it yourself. I will say that in the end the book pulls together and fulfills MOST of the potential. Over all I (think) I liked it. I may try the next "installment".
See what you think.
April 12, 2017
What. Was. That.
The beginning was promising. Maybe not the Safa's part , but I really enjoyed others.
Then I had lots of wtf is happening? moments. And, to be fair, I think I didn't get it. The whole book. All that training part that seemed kinda forced and there were too much of it. Yeah, yeah, characters needed time to develop (but, aside Ben, did they?...) and we needed to get to know them and their stories. Still. It felt like something was building on for 350 pages and then that "something" was solved in the last 10 or so.
At least the ending was exactly what I expected. It was worth to struggle through the book to finally see what was meant to be a mind-blowing plan. To be sincere, it wasn't as mind blowing as I hoped, because it was EXACTLY what I thought. But I needed something more.
The characters were great on paper, but I didn't feel any empathy for them.
Aaaaand. I have no idea how to rate this, so I guess I'll give 2,5*, but I won't round it up this time. However, I'll try to look for the 2nd book.
The beginning was promising. Maybe not the Safa's part , but I really enjoyed others.
Then I had lots of wtf is happening? moments. And, to be fair, I think I didn't get it. The whole book. All that training part that seemed kinda forced and there were too much of it. Yeah, yeah, characters needed time to develop (but, aside Ben, did they?...) and we needed to get to know them and their stories. Still. It felt like something was building on for 350 pages and then that "something" was solved in the last 10 or so.
At least the ending was exactly what I expected. It was worth to struggle through the book to finally see what was meant to be a mind-blowing plan. To be sincere, it wasn't as mind blowing as I hoped, because it was EXACTLY what I thought. But I needed something more.
The characters were great on paper, but I didn't feel any empathy for them.
Aaaaand. I have no idea how to rate this, so I guess I'll give 2,5*, but I won't round it up this time. However, I'll try to look for the 2nd book.
March 22, 2017
I really wanted to like this. I liked the concept and I liked two of the main characters. But...oh my god, if I had to hear the words Ben Ryder one more time, I was on the verge of stomping on my phone. This book should not be titled Extracted, it should be called The Very Boring Breakdown of Some Idiot Called Ben Bloody Ryder (Very Little Time Travel Adventures Included). I mean I can see the point in showing how being thrust into a situation like that wouldn't necessarily bring out identical reactions in every person. But seriously. It did not make for enjoyable listening. On and on it went for essentially six months. There could easily have been other things going on simultaneously to that to keep the story moving. Everything about this book was just so prosaic. Ben displayed absolutely no qualities whatsoever that would make him worthy of all the pandering and hero worship. Especially from Safa. Is this the best that a man can write his idea of a 'strong women'? To have her try it on with Ben as a way to 'snap him out of it' was pretty disgusting and also made absolutely no sense for her character. Because of course the only real tool women have at their disposal to help a useless waste of space out of their manpain is their sexuality. The setting up of their romance was completely ridiculous. She'd be more likely to love Harry who is far more her equal. And then just to round off the fairly shitty treatment of women, the part at the end when we find out what Ben's fiancee did, and then Safa's subsequent over the top expletive-off about her, using only the very best pejoratives for women, well...talk about stereotypes. Of all the people in the world, she only wants to kill this women, placing her alongside her sexually assaulting former boss?? What? All because of her completely unbelievable infatuation with Ben, who I repeat is completely undeserving of this in every way. And apart from Harry and Safa, every other character is so completely annoying and incompetent that you really are baffled at how they have managed to do anything so far. The guy narrating was quite good at doing the different accents and voices, but he kind of grated on me too. But to be fair, I think it might just have been the story and the constant "You're Ben Ryder", "He's Ben Ryder", "Ben Ryder" "Ben Ryder" "Ben Ryder" ad nauseam. I'm starting the We Hate Ben Ryder Society if anyone wants to join. From the reviews I've seen around the web, I think there will be quite a few keen to sign up.
August 5, 2021
Sometimes there comes a book that you didn't know you wanted to read, but that turns out exactly what you needed, either as palate cleanser, or as life-changing wake-up call. "Extracted" was my long-needed entertainment.
I am well-aware of the flaws of this book. You get your standard-issue stereotypical heroes set - the main (and in this case very reluctant) hero, the main heroine, the humorous (somewhat) third person, you get your draw-out action scenes, you get convenient but doubtful chain of events, you get dialogues that are mostly expletives, you get dinosaurs. This is time-travel, you should have expected the dinosaurs.
But you also get fast-paced plot, you get self- (and reader-) mocking prose (Ben lurches to the next door and lurches in as she lurches out, making him lurch back), you get snappy and sarcasm filled exchanges that make you laugh out loud (think fruit scene in the bunker and "Doctor Watson" scene). And sometimes you get profoundly insightful moments that stay with you, like how it feels to have a depression.
All in all, I had fun. I was entertained. And in appreciation of that I have pre-ordered the next instalment in the series.
Time gains a whole new perspective. It does not exist but it does exist. It is not linear except it is linear. He can go back in time. He can go forward in time. But the one thing he cannot do is make time pass faster. There are still sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour and each day is filled with twenty-four hours.
I am well-aware of the flaws of this book. You get your standard-issue stereotypical heroes set - the main (and in this case very reluctant) hero, the main heroine, the humorous (somewhat) third person, you get your draw-out action scenes, you get convenient but doubtful chain of events, you get dialogues that are mostly expletives, you get dinosaurs. This is time-travel, you should have expected the dinosaurs.
But you also get fast-paced plot, you get self- (and reader-) mocking prose (Ben lurches to the next door and lurches in as she lurches out, making him lurch back), you get snappy and sarcasm filled exchanges that make you laugh out loud (think fruit scene in the bunker and "Doctor Watson" scene). And sometimes you get profoundly insightful moments that stay with you, like how it feels to have a depression.
All in all, I had fun. I was entertained. And in appreciation of that I have pre-ordered the next instalment in the series.
Time gains a whole new perspective. It does not exist but it does exist. It is not linear except it is linear. He can go back in time. He can go forward in time. But the one thing he cannot do is make time pass faster. There are still sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour and each day is filled with twenty-four hours.
June 17, 2018
3 stars to RR Haywood’s Extracted.
After reading the reviews of this I was a little conflicted. Some were positive, some hugely negative but I decided to see for myself.
The characterisation here is variable. After what is a really powerful, exciting start, it loses momentum in the middle and starts to drift. The voice of the characters is inconsistent between their action and then the sometimes very juvenile dialogue they share.
It follows Ben, Safa and Harry. Three powerful individuals in their own right. They are all ‘extracted’ from just before the moment of their deaths and transported to a safe facility elsewhere. They are then told the earth shattering fact that the world is going to end and they have been chosen to save it.
Now, what you’d expect to happen would be that the rising action would kick in and power towards a climax where the three of them kick ass and try to save the world. It doesn’t happen like this, however. For around 20% of the book the narrative stagnates and the author witters and just doesn’t get on with it. You begin to lose interest in the characters and almost give up...only for Haywood to decide to pick up where he left off and write an exciting ending to the first book.
I still found it disappointing though, because it felt like a classic ploy to force you to read the second book. I wanted to enjoy the story in its own right but this almost cons you into buying into the trilogy. As a result, I’m not sure I can be bothered to read the next one for fear that it will follow the same pattern.
After reading the reviews of this I was a little conflicted. Some were positive, some hugely negative but I decided to see for myself.
The characterisation here is variable. After what is a really powerful, exciting start, it loses momentum in the middle and starts to drift. The voice of the characters is inconsistent between their action and then the sometimes very juvenile dialogue they share.
It follows Ben, Safa and Harry. Three powerful individuals in their own right. They are all ‘extracted’ from just before the moment of their deaths and transported to a safe facility elsewhere. They are then told the earth shattering fact that the world is going to end and they have been chosen to save it.
Now, what you’d expect to happen would be that the rising action would kick in and power towards a climax where the three of them kick ass and try to save the world. It doesn’t happen like this, however. For around 20% of the book the narrative stagnates and the author witters and just doesn’t get on with it. You begin to lose interest in the characters and almost give up...only for Haywood to decide to pick up where he left off and write an exciting ending to the first book.
I still found it disappointing though, because it felt like a classic ploy to force you to read the second book. I wanted to enjoy the story in its own right but this almost cons you into buying into the trilogy. As a result, I’m not sure I can be bothered to read the next one for fear that it will follow the same pattern.
February 12, 2017
This book was hard to rate. I liked the characters, the dialogue between them was great and really funny at times. The story was based on a, time travel broke the world, we need to go and fix it, scenario but it was really well written and I found myself glued to the book at times. The times when I wasn't glued to the book was when one character had a mental breakdown that lasts over a third of the book (it seemed like more) traps the story in one place with the characters eating, sleeping, training and trying to fix their friend, failing then trying again, and again, and...well you get the idea. I almost abandoned the book at this point but it rallied and had a great ending, obviously a cliff hanger since its a trilogy but it definitely left me wanting to read more. If the author had sacrificed the page count and missed out the really bad mental illness filler this book would have easily scored 5 stars.
March 19, 2017
I loved this novel, so much I devoured it in two days. Extracted was well-paced, compelling and rang true in all the ways you want a semi-cheesy sci-fi story to resonate. For all the haters who wanted more, I wish you could have relaxed and appreciated it for what it was: a truly delicious bag of time travel mind candy. The exhilaration from reading books like this is exactly the reason I love sci-fi.
I can easily see Hollywood scooping this up and making Ben, Harry and Safa instant superheroes. (I'm imagining them becoming cult heroes like Rico's Roughnecks, from the movie version of Starship Troopers) I can also see myself scooping up the next in the trilogy, Executed 2, as soon as I can get my greedy little hands on it.
I can easily see Hollywood scooping this up and making Ben, Harry and Safa instant superheroes. (I'm imagining them becoming cult heroes like Rico's Roughnecks, from the movie version of Starship Troopers) I can also see myself scooping up the next in the trilogy, Executed 2, as soon as I can get my greedy little hands on it.
August 16, 2017
When three extraordinary people wake up in a concrete bunker, they are understandably confused but over the next few days and then weeks things will become even more surreal. Inventing a time machine is great until it interferes with the world’s ability to exist at all. What they need are three highly intelligent, highly trained individuals to right the wrongs but extracting these people isn’t as easy as it sounds and keeping them focus turns out to be even harder.
As time travel novels go this one is high action and intriguing. The science is balanced nicely with the turmoil inside the characters’ minds. Haywood has created three well-developed and emotive characters with entirely different backgrounds, cultures, and personalities and has shown all the conflict expected and more when all three are put together at a time of extreme stress. Needless to say, I’m hooked on the characters just as much as the story itself.
As time travel novels go this one is high action and intriguing. The science is balanced nicely with the turmoil inside the characters’ minds. Haywood has created three well-developed and emotive characters with entirely different backgrounds, cultures, and personalities and has shown all the conflict expected and more when all three are put together at a time of extreme stress. Needless to say, I’m hooked on the characters just as much as the story itself.
January 14, 2022
I listened to the audio book so I enjoyed the characters coming to life through the narrator who reads brilliantly, and even got a few chuckles out of me. I listen to audible while I take walks, and although I know that I wouldn't have read it through if I had to invest sitting down precious time (I'm an author too), I was entertained.
Yes of course, some of what is mentioned in the really bad reviews are mostly valid points of view, focusing on the positive, I like the time travel aspect very much, and I am curious about the sequel.
The cliff-hanger is abrupt.
It's the kind of story that would make an action film that crowds would flock to.
I choose to be kind and give R.R. Haywood 3 stars.
Yes of course, some of what is mentioned in the really bad reviews are mostly valid points of view, focusing on the positive, I like the time travel aspect very much, and I am curious about the sequel.
The cliff-hanger is abrupt.
It's the kind of story that would make an action film that crowds would flock to.
I choose to be kind and give R.R. Haywood 3 stars.
February 6, 2017
So much potential
The beginning was interesting. The end was interesting. The middle, which was way too long, was god awful. It. Was. So. Boring. A slog. Nothing to enjoy, just getting to the other side to see if it got better. It did. Not sure it was worth it though.
The beginning was interesting. The end was interesting. The middle, which was way too long, was god awful. It. Was. So. Boring. A slog. Nothing to enjoy, just getting to the other side to see if it got better. It did. Not sure it was worth it though.
July 25, 2017
This book started out so great. The first three chapters kept me up way too late, and I finally went to bed thinking what a great book it was going to be...and then it just fell apart to the point that I have to stop reading. I've actually never seen a book go from awesome to horrible so quickly. The minute the three main characters meet and start to interact, the book sinks like a rock.
I have a theory about what happened. The author wrote three amazing chapters, convinced someone to publish the book, and then choked when it came time to finish it. So he asked his eight-year-old daughter if she had any ideas. She, having just finished the magic tree house series, had lots of great ideas. She proceeded to write a grown-up version of magic tree house, but it didn't feel right. So the author asked his fourteen-year-old son if he had any ideas. He added the F word to every sentence and gave the main character a hot bod, and they shipped it.
I have a theory about what happened. The author wrote three amazing chapters, convinced someone to publish the book, and then choked when it came time to finish it. So he asked his eight-year-old daughter if she had any ideas. She, having just finished the magic tree house series, had lots of great ideas. She proceeded to write a grown-up version of magic tree house, but it didn't feel right. So the author asked his fourteen-year-old son if he had any ideas. He added the F word to every sentence and gave the main character a hot bod, and they shipped it.
March 1, 2017
I made it exactly halfway through this book and then had to stop. Once the characters' backstories ended, they became so boring to me. Their interactions feel so forced and I completely stopped caring about the plot. If the entire book had been written like the character introductions, I would have given it 5 stars. As is, I cannot finish it.
August 30, 2024
I really enjoyed this as a fan of most things Sci fi. I can't wait to read what happens in the second book (I will be having a break from the trilogy first so I can refresh my head).
October 11, 2018
Mini-Review:
1) Carl Prekopp's narration grew on me. I like his voices for the main three characters but everyone else sounds the same. It took several attempts to get into the story but I'm glad I kept trying because I enjoyed the book.
2) Be patient and gloss over some of the redundancy that happens in the audiobook. It's worth it.
Kev was right. I do like this story. Time travel has been made possible and bad guys get their hands on it. The future becomes a place of destruction and a small team of skilled individuals are gathered together to investigate & protect the time line. There's just one problem.
Once the story got going, I enjoyed the character driven plot and action. I can't wait to see how the rest of the story arc will unfold.
1) Carl Prekopp's narration grew on me. I like his voices for the main three characters but everyone else sounds the same. It took several attempts to get into the story but I'm glad I kept trying because I enjoyed the book.
2) Be patient and gloss over some of the redundancy that happens in the audiobook. It's worth it.
Kev was right. I do like this story. Time travel has been made possible and bad guys get their hands on it. The future becomes a place of destruction and a small team of skilled individuals are gathered together to investigate & protect the time line. There's just one problem.
Once the story got going, I enjoyed the character driven plot and action. I can't wait to see how the rest of the story arc will unfold.
March 13, 2020
This was a blast. So much fun.
I have to say, that's mainly because of Carl Prekopp. The guy is a narrating genius. The back and forth banter between characters couldn't have been easy - but I felt like I was right there listening.
The story is that great combination of action and humor. It does slow a bit through the middle, primarily because Haywood deals realistically with depression. Since that takes up the larger portion of the second half of the book, it's a bit of a downer - of course it is. It's depression! But for me, having dealt with depression my whole life, it was not so much that it dampened the enjoyment of the book. There were exciting shoot-outs and rescues, courage, sarcasm and wit. What's not to like?
I have to say, that's mainly because of Carl Prekopp. The guy is a narrating genius. The back and forth banter between characters couldn't have been easy - but I felt like I was right there listening.
The story is that great combination of action and humor. It does slow a bit through the middle, primarily because Haywood deals realistically with depression. Since that takes up the larger portion of the second half of the book, it's a bit of a downer - of course it is. It's depression! But for me, having dealt with depression my whole life, it was not so much that it dampened the enjoyment of the book. There were exciting shoot-outs and rescues, courage, sarcasm and wit. What's not to like?
September 6, 2017
There is one thing worse than using a female character for the sole purpose of being a sex object:
It's using a female character whose only purpose is being a sex object BUT sugarcoating it with physical prowess and sass. Wait wait! Cross that. Not sass. Anger.
And the only other female character is an absolutely despicable person.
ALSO, deliver on the premise!!! Argh
It's using a female character whose only purpose is being a sex object BUT sugarcoating it with physical prowess and sass. Wait wait! Cross that. Not sass. Anger.
And the only other female character is an absolutely despicable person.
ALSO, deliver on the premise!!! Argh
February 7, 2017
NetGalley copy in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this book! It is very original, well-written and incredibly well-researched. I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, time-travel and general great writing. It was fast-paced, with great characters and a lot of action!
I really enjoyed this book! It is very original, well-written and incredibly well-researched. I recommend it to anyone who likes fantasy, time-travel and general great writing. It was fast-paced, with great characters and a lot of action!
Read
October 30, 2019This book is a trilogy. Other than what can be inferred from the title, not much happens in book one. As it is a trilogy, I suspect you need to read all three books to get a complete story. This book cannot remotely stand alone.
September 14, 2017
This unique and luxuriantly long book takes a time travel trope and turns it into a fascinating character study that just keeps coming at you with new twists and new developments.
The basics are simple. Three extraordinary heroes are extracted from their own timelines moments before their deaths. They are taken back to an era of dinosaurs in a closed compound. They learn that time travel was finally conquered in 2061 (well after their own deaths) and was supposed to be kept secret. However, two trips were taken to 2111. In the first visit the world seemed to be progressing normally. In the second trip the world had experienced a horrible war. It seems clear that someone has created a second time machine and has altered events in a horrible way. The three are asked to travel the timeline to try to determine who changed the future and how, and to use their unique skills to neutralize the change.
The three include "Mad" Harry Madden, a legendary British commando from World War II who single-handedly brought down a Nazi submarine base in Norway.
Safa Patel is a British police officer assigned to protect the prime minister at 10 Downing Street. She manages to kill a whole squad of terrorists attempting to assassinate the PM.
Safa's great hero is Ben Ryder, an insurance investigator who is about to board the London underground when he realizes terrorists are trying to plant a bomb. In the flash of a few seconds he manages to kill all of them but dies trying to drag the body loaded with explosives off the tracks.
Harry and Safa are trained to be heroic. They agree to help the fairly oddball people who invented the time device and are now trying to fix this problem. Ben is a different story. As a teen he also managed to kill five gang members committing a horrible crime. Ben isn't trained, he simply has natural instincts that have made him an excellent investigator and, when motivated while under stress, a heroic killing machine. He has instincts but no training. He's out of shape, resistant to training, and would rather return to his own timeline and stay dead than take part in this plan.
As character studies of the three in conflict and trying to come together the book might be interesting enough. Woven through this part of the story is a mysterious group also traveling through time trying to figure out the heroes' plans, killing and torturing their way through the information search
The book has excellent written action, three-dimensional characters far above average, and a story that keeps pouring out new ideas. With an average writer the story would be flash bang with a few adventures to spice things up. Haywood was amazingly inventive here. My own experience was thinking "Oh, things are probably coming to a close soon" and then having the book take a brand new turn. I already have the sequel and can't wait to get to it.
The basics are simple. Three extraordinary heroes are extracted from their own timelines moments before their deaths. They are taken back to an era of dinosaurs in a closed compound. They learn that time travel was finally conquered in 2061 (well after their own deaths) and was supposed to be kept secret. However, two trips were taken to 2111. In the first visit the world seemed to be progressing normally. In the second trip the world had experienced a horrible war. It seems clear that someone has created a second time machine and has altered events in a horrible way. The three are asked to travel the timeline to try to determine who changed the future and how, and to use their unique skills to neutralize the change.
The three include "Mad" Harry Madden, a legendary British commando from World War II who single-handedly brought down a Nazi submarine base in Norway.
Safa Patel is a British police officer assigned to protect the prime minister at 10 Downing Street. She manages to kill a whole squad of terrorists attempting to assassinate the PM.
Safa's great hero is Ben Ryder, an insurance investigator who is about to board the London underground when he realizes terrorists are trying to plant a bomb. In the flash of a few seconds he manages to kill all of them but dies trying to drag the body loaded with explosives off the tracks.
Harry and Safa are trained to be heroic. They agree to help the fairly oddball people who invented the time device and are now trying to fix this problem. Ben is a different story. As a teen he also managed to kill five gang members committing a horrible crime. Ben isn't trained, he simply has natural instincts that have made him an excellent investigator and, when motivated while under stress, a heroic killing machine. He has instincts but no training. He's out of shape, resistant to training, and would rather return to his own timeline and stay dead than take part in this plan.
As character studies of the three in conflict and trying to come together the book might be interesting enough. Woven through this part of the story is a mysterious group also traveling through time trying to figure out the heroes' plans, killing and torturing their way through the information search
The book has excellent written action, three-dimensional characters far above average, and a story that keeps pouring out new ideas. With an average writer the story would be flash bang with a few adventures to spice things up. Haywood was amazingly inventive here. My own experience was thinking "Oh, things are probably coming to a close soon" and then having the book take a brand new turn. I already have the sequel and can't wait to get to it.
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