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Future Tense: A Time Travel Thriller Romance
Playing with genetics can go horribly wrong. Can Mercy save the future of humanity?
Mercy craves adventure, but she never expected it to come looking for her. Returning home from a miserable day at work, she finds a pair of eyes haunting her every move.
Is she mad, or is time itself the delusion?
Tancred Nine is from an apocalyptic future where genetic warfare is a reality, he knows he must risk everything to save himself and those he cares for. But he needs Mercy’s help, if he can’t make her believe him, he may cease to exist at all.
Will Mercy abandon the life she knows and take the risk for the love of a time traveller?
What readers are “It's about courage and hope in the face of impossible odds. It is, in a sense, a study of the human condition, both the good and the bad. While it is complicated (time travel always is, especially when the two characters do not always meet in sequence), it is far from boring. I was completely unable to put the book down once I reached the halfway point and actually ended up finishing it around 2:30 in the morning.” “This deftly avoided the cliché trap and nimbly danced around the future and the past, including some wonderfully descriptive visits to the Cretaceous, which had Palaeontologist, and dinosaur fossil hunter, Titus dancing on air” “This was very well written, from the beginning I was pulled in by the “mysterious eyes”, and I was excited to read this book.” “This isn't a fast-moving book, especially in the beginning, but it's not meant to be. It's meant to be read slowly and savoured, like a multi-course meal.”
Mercy craves adventure, but she never expected it to come looking for her. Returning home from a miserable day at work, she finds a pair of eyes haunting her every move.
Is she mad, or is time itself the delusion?
Tancred Nine is from an apocalyptic future where genetic warfare is a reality, he knows he must risk everything to save himself and those he cares for. But he needs Mercy’s help, if he can’t make her believe him, he may cease to exist at all.
Will Mercy abandon the life she knows and take the risk for the love of a time traveller?
What readers are “It's about courage and hope in the face of impossible odds. It is, in a sense, a study of the human condition, both the good and the bad. While it is complicated (time travel always is, especially when the two characters do not always meet in sequence), it is far from boring. I was completely unable to put the book down once I reached the halfway point and actually ended up finishing it around 2:30 in the morning.” “This deftly avoided the cliché trap and nimbly danced around the future and the past, including some wonderfully descriptive visits to the Cretaceous, which had Palaeontologist, and dinosaur fossil hunter, Titus dancing on air” “This was very well written, from the beginning I was pulled in by the “mysterious eyes”, and I was excited to read this book.” “This isn't a fast-moving book, especially in the beginning, but it's not meant to be. It's meant to be read slowly and savoured, like a multi-course meal.”
458 pages, Paperback
Published March 22, 2019
13 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Gaskell Denvil
43 books63 followersI was born approximately two hundred years ago (It sometimes feels that way) in Gloucestershire, England, right in the heart of the Cotswolds. After a few years, I moved to London and fell in love with the history which oozes through the old stones, and the medieval atmosphere leaks from the beautiful old buildings. For many years, I walked the old cobbled lanes and researched the 15th century from original sources, and the books in the British Museum. I worked there in the Department of Ancient Documents, a place which I adored, full of scrolls illuminated by medieval monks, and hordes of informative parchments.
My father was an academic and playwright, my mother was a retired teacher, and my sister was an author of fantasy. I had no other passion except the arts, and books
Already a passionate reader half-crazed by the avid consumption of literature, I had grown out of Enid Blyton when I was about six. Next came a passion for Georgette Heyer, although far too young to understand romance. Once again it was the historical details I loved and I moved quickly onto Shakespeare, Dorothy Dunnett, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and a host of others.
I started writing. Nonsense naturally! But I kept it up and eventually write articles and short stories for current magazines and newspapers. I was also a tutor for scriptwriting, and a reviewer for Books and Bookmen. That kept me busy until I married. A husband and three little girls (including identical twins) were a full-time job, and for most of the time I also worked at secretarial jobs, keeping the threat of starvation at bay and paying for the baked beans.
After leaving my husband, I started writing again but this time I was distracted by something different, as I had a wonderful 18-year romance with a man who lived on his yacht in the Mediterranean, sailing during spring, summer, and autumn, and exploring Europe by car in winter.
My partner died, and I was bereft, deciding to come to Australia for a change instead of sitting around in stagnant tears. Writing again, and seriously this time, I wrote full length books in all my favourite genres. I was accepted by one of the big top 5 publishers, and two of my historical crime/mysteries were published in the traditional manner. However, although I was reasonably well paid and sold reasonably well, I also found myself disliking the control system. I had to write as commanded, insert bucket loads more romance, accept covers I hated, and generally do as I was told.
Now, happy and free, I self-publish, and enjoy every minute of my writing. I live in Australia, adore the weather, the birds and the wildlife, and live a placid life during the day and a wonderfully exciting one in my dreams at night.
I have written fantasy and historical fiction. Very different genres, but all are crime mysteries in one way or another. I have almost finished my children’s series (Bannister’s Muster series, for middle-grade children), no crime here, but a vibrant mixture of history and fantasy. After this is complete I am moving onto a series of modern crime mysteries, and I’m looking forward to that.
Writing is and always has been my passion, now that I am able to do this full time, I am in my element and life couldn’t be better (a little more sunshine might help though).
My father was an academic and playwright, my mother was a retired teacher, and my sister was an author of fantasy. I had no other passion except the arts, and books
Already a passionate reader half-crazed by the avid consumption of literature, I had grown out of Enid Blyton when I was about six. Next came a passion for Georgette Heyer, although far too young to understand romance. Once again it was the historical details I loved and I moved quickly onto Shakespeare, Dorothy Dunnett, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and a host of others.
I started writing. Nonsense naturally! But I kept it up and eventually write articles and short stories for current magazines and newspapers. I was also a tutor for scriptwriting, and a reviewer for Books and Bookmen. That kept me busy until I married. A husband and three little girls (including identical twins) were a full-time job, and for most of the time I also worked at secretarial jobs, keeping the threat of starvation at bay and paying for the baked beans.
After leaving my husband, I started writing again but this time I was distracted by something different, as I had a wonderful 18-year romance with a man who lived on his yacht in the Mediterranean, sailing during spring, summer, and autumn, and exploring Europe by car in winter.
My partner died, and I was bereft, deciding to come to Australia for a change instead of sitting around in stagnant tears. Writing again, and seriously this time, I wrote full length books in all my favourite genres. I was accepted by one of the big top 5 publishers, and two of my historical crime/mysteries were published in the traditional manner. However, although I was reasonably well paid and sold reasonably well, I also found myself disliking the control system. I had to write as commanded, insert bucket loads more romance, accept covers I hated, and generally do as I was told.
Now, happy and free, I self-publish, and enjoy every minute of my writing. I live in Australia, adore the weather, the birds and the wildlife, and live a placid life during the day and a wonderfully exciting one in my dreams at night.
I have written fantasy and historical fiction. Very different genres, but all are crime mysteries in one way or another. I have almost finished my children’s series (Bannister’s Muster series, for middle-grade children), no crime here, but a vibrant mixture of history and fantasy. After this is complete I am moving onto a series of modern crime mysteries, and I’m looking forward to that.
Writing is and always has been my passion, now that I am able to do this full time, I am in my element and life couldn’t be better (a little more sunshine might help though).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 5, 2018
*** I was given this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ***
I thought that this book would be really interesting because I normally have like time travel books in the past. Plus this one has new ideas that involve altering genetics and strange creatures. Some you can see that look hideous, but some are invisible.
Although this book was so overwhelming with new ideas and information that every single page was just information dump after information dump. I felt confused and completely lost most of the time. Plus Tancred, the traveler talked in circles most of the time in his own language from the “future” which didn’t really make much sense to me or Mercy which was the girl from the past.
So I kind of felt like I was in a boat without paddles in the middle of a body of water. It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least. I guess I was just mainly disappointed because I know that this book could have been so great if it wouldn’t have jumped all over the place so much and if things were explained more. So maybe I wouldn’t be a flailing fish? I don’t know.
If the ideas would have been more spread out too this would have improved the book too and explained in extreme depth. We the readers cannot guess at these complicated things of your brilliant mind. At least not yet, we need some more background information, please.
I really did enjoy the part about the dinosaurs though. I thought that part was interesting and how they went to sites to dig them up. That was fascinating and also when they went back to see them. The descriptions of them was almost like I could see them and I really enjoyed that! So that was the only time I really enjoyed the vivid details in this book where I didn’t want to put the book down.
This just really wasn’t the type of book for me to read. Apparently, not all time travel books are for me.
I thought that this book would be really interesting because I normally have like time travel books in the past. Plus this one has new ideas that involve altering genetics and strange creatures. Some you can see that look hideous, but some are invisible.
Although this book was so overwhelming with new ideas and information that every single page was just information dump after information dump. I felt confused and completely lost most of the time. Plus Tancred, the traveler talked in circles most of the time in his own language from the “future” which didn’t really make much sense to me or Mercy which was the girl from the past.
So I kind of felt like I was in a boat without paddles in the middle of a body of water. It was an unpleasant feeling to say the least. I guess I was just mainly disappointed because I know that this book could have been so great if it wouldn’t have jumped all over the place so much and if things were explained more. So maybe I wouldn’t be a flailing fish? I don’t know.
If the ideas would have been more spread out too this would have improved the book too and explained in extreme depth. We the readers cannot guess at these complicated things of your brilliant mind. At least not yet, we need some more background information, please.
I really did enjoy the part about the dinosaurs though. I thought that part was interesting and how they went to sites to dig them up. That was fascinating and also when they went back to see them. The descriptions of them was almost like I could see them and I really enjoyed that! So that was the only time I really enjoyed the vivid details in this book where I didn’t want to put the book down.
This just really wasn’t the type of book for me to read. Apparently, not all time travel books are for me.
January 24, 2018
I'll admit, the first two chapters of this book had me worried that I'd have to slog through pages of flowery prose, but I couldn't have been more wrong. This isn't a fast-moving book, especially in the beginning, but it's not meant to be. It's meant to be read slowly and savored, like a multi-course meal. For someone who is used to reading intense, fast-paced books, the pace may be a bit unsettling but it's so worth it.
This is a slow-burn love story, but it's not simply a romance. It's a story about learning to love life and overcome fear. It's about courage and hope in the face of impossible odds. It is, in a sense, a study of the human condition, both the good and the bad.
That may make it sound complicated and boring. While it certainly is complicated (time travel always is, especially when the two characters do not always meet in sequence), it is far from boring. I was completely unable to put the book down once I reached the halfway point and actually ended up finishing it around 2:30 in the morning.
Future Tense is certainly not for everyone. Tancred can be completely insufferable at times and Mercy is a bit of a damsel in distress at the beginning. Additionally, it starts out slow, which will turn some people off. But if you're patient, I promise that the payoff is worth it.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
This is a slow-burn love story, but it's not simply a romance. It's a story about learning to love life and overcome fear. It's about courage and hope in the face of impossible odds. It is, in a sense, a study of the human condition, both the good and the bad.
That may make it sound complicated and boring. While it certainly is complicated (time travel always is, especially when the two characters do not always meet in sequence), it is far from boring. I was completely unable to put the book down once I reached the halfway point and actually ended up finishing it around 2:30 in the morning.
Future Tense is certainly not for everyone. Tancred can be completely insufferable at times and Mercy is a bit of a damsel in distress at the beginning. Additionally, it starts out slow, which will turn some people off. But if you're patient, I promise that the payoff is worth it.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
February 13, 2018
Compelling, very well written time travel novel that's rather different than most.
Contains the usual twistiness of time travel when the characters move through time that tends to have one on alert in case the plot falls into a paradox trap. This one deftly avoided said trap and nimbly danced around the future and the past, including some wonderfully descriptive visits to the Cretaceous, which had Palaeontologist, and dinosaur fossil hunter, Titus dancing on air. Until a carnivorous beastie decided he looked like a tasty snack, at least.
Good read overall. A bit much romance for my liking but the well penned, convoluted time travel plot and vibrant characters certainly more than made up for it.
This was an e-ARC and I chose to write a review.
Contains the usual twistiness of time travel when the characters move through time that tends to have one on alert in case the plot falls into a paradox trap. This one deftly avoided said trap and nimbly danced around the future and the past, including some wonderfully descriptive visits to the Cretaceous, which had Palaeontologist, and dinosaur fossil hunter, Titus dancing on air. Until a carnivorous beastie decided he looked like a tasty snack, at least.
Good read overall. A bit much romance for my liking but the well penned, convoluted time travel plot and vibrant characters certainly more than made up for it.
This was an e-ARC and I chose to write a review.
July 10, 2018
Utterly charming
A delightfully whimsical story about a future time traveler, his fated love, and of past, present and future that is intricately connected. At times this story feels utterly confusing, but nonetheless draws the reader in deeply. It is a fairly lengthy novel, but full of passion, romance, history, action, original characters, and love that conquers all.
A delightfully whimsical story about a future time traveler, his fated love, and of past, present and future that is intricately connected. At times this story feels utterly confusing, but nonetheless draws the reader in deeply. It is a fairly lengthy novel, but full of passion, romance, history, action, original characters, and love that conquers all.
January 31, 2018
I received an ARC copy via Hidden Gems and I have voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. I enjoyed Future Tense. It has an intriguing opening. I would recommend this book. Once I got into the intriguing story of love and time-space, I had trouble putting it down. It was a delightful read.
March 11, 2024
Well that took awhile. As another reviewer said the first half of the book is excruciating. I almost gave up many times. But at.a.little past the half way point, it kept my interest and I finished the second half in a day. Don't think I'd recommend it but I'm still glad I was stubborn enough to finish it.
February 4, 2018
2.5/5.0
A sci-fi adventure through time and space, “Future Tense” reads like a "Doctor Who" adventure gone sideways.
Read full review in the 2018 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
A sci-fi adventure through time and space, “Future Tense” reads like a "Doctor Who" adventure gone sideways.
Read full review in the 2018 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews