Lightweight imitation of Connie Willis

After listening to the compelling stories and narration of Connie Willis' time traveling historians, I couldn't get into this flippant imitation.

28 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Action Adventure Time Travel Novel w/ Good Reader

In case this bothers a reader: this is a first person point of view story. It also contains some (brief) sex and adult language. Probably I wouldn't have even thought about either factor except someone had rated it as one star because it wasn't CLEAN enough. I really hate that term applied to books, unless someone if referring to the condition of the pages rather than the content. The setting is the UK at some near future point in time.

Any way, the heroine, a woman who has completed her doctorate in history, is recruited by an old teacher who once at a pivotal moment in her life provided guidance, into a time travel project. There's lots of action and adventure as she has to cope not just with being sent back to dangerous time periods, but also with problems from the future.

People who enjoy Connie Willis' time travel books or Kage Bakers novels of the Company might enjoy at least this first book. It's complete in itself although it is part of a series. It's also science fiction rather than romance.

I would also point out that despite the enthusiasm of what I assume are fans, that Taylor hasn't yet reached the skill level of the other authors I have mentioned. If it were possible to give half stars I would give the story 3.5 stars. On at least two occasions the author dumps a load of information on the reader rather than feeding it bit by bit. Luckily the narrator, who I do not think I've encountered before, was able to wend her way through it. I'm not sure how I would have reacted had I been reading the print version at those points-- probably put it down for a while. But I'm sure I would have gone back because I've developed a bit of soft spot for the heroine.

326 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Disappointing

Would you try another book from Jodi Taylor and/or Zara Ramm?

No.

What was most disappointing about Jodi Taylor’s story?

There was hardly any time travel. The description made it sound like there would be a lot (which is why I purchased it) but the majority of the book focused on the relationships between the characters.

What three words best describe Zara Ramm’s performance?

It was okay.

15 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Does what it says on the tin

This was a moderately enjoyable read. I must admit that it made my historian's heart beat a little bit faster to read about historians living and exploring historical events. However, the characters in the story never really came alive for me. Motivations and personalities never really seemed to gel and when I finished the book I still felt like I didn't know anyone in the book, not even the protagonist. I prefer character-driven stories, and this was very much action-oriented. Not bad, but not really my cup of tea, either. I also had difficulty understanding the time span of this book. What I thought had been a few months had actually been five years and I wonder if I wasn't paying attention or if the passage of time was really glossed over. That said, the story held my interest, even with little nitpicky criticisms I had about plot points, and I don't regret the purchase. However, it isn't likely I'll pick up Book 2 in this series.

Zara Ramm did a good job narrating the book. While she did do accents, she didn't give characters distinctive voices. That, in addition to the aforementioned issues I had with characterization, plus the occasional nickname bandied about, made it difficult for me to tell some characters apart from one another.

This is a fun read, but I would only recommend it to people who want to enjoy a little bit of bubble gum reading.

140 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Just One Darned Premise After……

After I read the summary of this book, I was anticipating a great story. I tried. I really did. Jodi Taylor has a wonderful premise in the idea of historians being able to view history. I actually thought it would be something like remote-viewing. I don’t like time-travel books on principle. The whole notion of time-travel usually frustrates me. I thought this story would be different.
I was very, sadly, aggravatingly wrong.
The main problem is that “Just One Damned Thing After Another” is derivative. At alternate times a romance book; faux thriller; soft sci-fi; mild porn; and (cliché) adventure story. This book is all over the place but never completely arrives at a single destination. The story tries to be “Outlander”, “Jurassic Park”, “Raiders of The Lost Ark” and “Tomb Raider” all at the same time. Instead of being a great story about watching history, in all its glorious anguish, unfold. It’s about a group of people running around being chaotic and silly. Oh, and a power-hungry maniac.
Initially, the main character is humorous in her self-deprecation. Later, as her arrogance unfolds, she is revealed as disingenuous. The words, “false modesty” rang through the storyline. In truth, the heroine is too incredible even for fiction.
It could have been great.

8 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Adventures in Time Travel!

I know there are folks who buy a book because of its cover. I got this one because of its title--I just couldn't resist it! Besides, time travel is 'in' right now and often can be very entertaining.

Over all, I found the story enjoyable and a fun read. The heroine is surprisingly able and competent to handle herself in difficult situations and to save the day for her colleagues. I found this a bit incongruous with the narrator's particular British accent, in that I just could not imagine someone who talked like that punching someone in the face or being rough and tough enough to carry the story. Yet, Max was just that kind of heroine. I guess you just can't judge a book by its accent!

In contrast to a previous reviewer, I enjoyed this book much more than Connie Willis' two World War II time travel books, which I found very unsatisfying and frustrating. Jodi Tayor's character, Max, has actual relationships with other characters and all these characters are more developed. I found Max's adventures in time travel into the past much more engaging. The Willis books, while expertly researched, were pure drudgery for me.

If you love time travel books and are happy with a very British sounding heroine, this book will be a fun read for you. Go for it!

103 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

One Disjointed Story Line After Another

I tried this book because of all the favorable reviews here on audible and all the positive comparisons to Connie Willis' collection of books. I have enjoyed the the first two books in Willis' time travel series very much and hoped for more along that genre with this series. That was not to be. To me, this book had tons of potential--but in the end the story was too light weight, the action jumped around too much and the characters became blurred and vague.

At first, I liked the narration as Hamm's voice was pleasant--but as the reading progressed everything started sounding the same. Flat and monotone --no matter what action was occurring at the time. I agree with another reviewer that it felt like a long string of TV episodes. In the end it wasn't enough to hold my interest. I gave up due to sheer boredom. Can't recommend.

85 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Plot had great promise

Any additional comments?

This book was a terrible disappointment. The general concept behind the story really excited me. It could have been fabulous if not for the way it was written. The sarcastic main character is annoying and shallow. All the characters are shallow. This is the sort of book that Hollywood might turn into a fast paced action thriller focused on special effects. If thats your thing, than you might like this book. The narration was fine but couldn't overcome the lack of depth to the story.

33 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Interesting premise-falls flat on developing story

What disappointed you about Just One Damned Thing After Another?

I really wanted to like this starting book in the series, so I could have another good series to read.
the basic plot was interesting in the beginning, Where it floundered was in the details. I could list them, but you will have to settle for a few. An agency routinely journeys back to olde England, and not one mention of how they deal with the language? Same agency has routinely done similar journeys - and they keep anything they learn to themselves? Or shadowy "clients"? That's plain silly. One of their first adventures is when they travel to the time of construction of some big church. Right in the center of a large town. And no-one in that time notices them just show up out of the blue? etc etc etc. I like some realism in my time-travel books. I'll believe time travel exists, but you have to make the little bits make some sort of sense or you've lost me.
I lasted until around chapter 5, stopped listening when our 'hero' for no reason at all starts drawing art on a wall with a large piece of chocolate. I know what the author meant with that scene, but it was just more silliness to me.

Has Just One Damned Thing After Another turned you off from other books in this genre?

not at all

How could the performance have been better?

top notch reading

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Very dry and boring

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

People who don't like character depth and just the facts. It is written like a scientific article. Lists and results. I got very bored with it.

Has Just One Damned Thing After Another turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, I still like fantasy and time travel.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Just One Damned Thing After Another?

I would have cut most of it. It was just dry and got really boring really fast. You would think a book about time travel and dinosaurs would be great but it just fell flat.

Any additional comments?

The characters are flat, the story is dry and overall became very boring. I didn't even want to finish it, I was so bored with the book.

5 personnes ont trouvé cela utile