Lost in Time

Interesting Concepts Yet Disjointed Storytelling. This is one of those books where there is nothing objectively wrong with it, and yet it also feels a bit disjointed. Separated into several parts, it could likely have been better separated into a trilogy, with the events of Parts 1 and 2 in one book, 3 and 4 in a second book, and 5 in a final book. Then you could expand each section out beyond what was presented in even these 400 pages (since you'd arguably need at least another couple hundred or so for a third book) and really make the effort to take a good tale into the stratosphere of being among the best in scifi. Overall the specific application of time travel here was one I hadn't seen in any form since the early 2000s era Jet Li movie The One, and even here the specific direction Riddle applies is unique in my experience and intriguing overall. Ultimately this is a good tale and well told, it just seemed like it could have been better with a different editing approach. Very much recommended.

A somewhat disjointed tale. Time travel in books is tricky to deal with, but actually the time travel aspect in this story was told well. As a geologist I appreciate some of the details taken into account (eg continental drift, change in climate etc). But this time travel adventure was enclosed around a locked room murder mystery, which felt like a completely different book. The contrast was somewhat jarring and the different pace and stakes in the two adventures were often at odds with each other. The end result was that I tended to find myself reading towards one of the two plotlines whilst the other felt largely like it was getting in the way.

The murder mystery was fascinating though - it was very clever in its resolution. I wish more time could have been devoted to the adventures in the Jurassic however - everything there just felt rushed, which ultimately removed a lot of the drama and tension from the setting

Time travel is an interesting subgenre, and there are aspects that have been done extremely well here, but ultimately it all felt somewhat disjointed.

Fantastic and fast paced, emotional rollercoaster.

This is my first A G Riddle read and I will definitely be reading more.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story centres around a group of people who, with their own reasons, stumble onto building a time machine. The plot is on full of murder mystery, a whodunnit situation that leaves you disagreeing with yourself on what the hell has happened.

The story flows very well, I only started this last night and have now finished it in two sittings. If there was ever a unputdownable book, this is it.

The characters, as I've mentioned, all have their reasons to want to change their lives. Also, each one has a motive to want to murder the victim. Every time I thought I knew who done it, I was switched and left unsure. Each character felt real and were making decisions you'd expect of them.

There is a lot of time travel in this book and it sometimes went over my head, which isn't hard! There's a few scenes I would love to mention but it's much better if you experience this yourself.

4/5 stars. Great story and one I didn't want to end. I look forward to delving into the Riddle world.

You can find me @gavinreads for book chats!

A popcorny, sci-fi thriller. On the plus side, it is fast moving and manages to tie up its time-travel threads well. On the negative side, if you think about the virtually any of the key plot-drivers in any depth, it makes no sense whatsoever. So, your mileage will depend on how willing you are to suspend disbelief. Personally I made it to the end, but it was a close run thing.

If you're looking for a fast-paced time-travel story with a bunch of dinosaurs and a neatly tied up plot, you could do worse than this.

I think with time travel stories, there's only so many different twists people can come up with and it's evident in Lost in Time, because the main twist has already been done before and if you know enough time travel stories, can probably figure it out. However, the lynchpin of the conclusion, the final “twist,” I think I've seen done in time travel stories, but not the way it's done here, and gives it a very satisfying ending. Given that, I think this book is a worthwhile addition to the time travel genre. And personally just because I love time travel stories, this book was very entertaining to me and I was very invested in seeing how it all wrapped up.

My only gripe with the book is that the marketing is pretty misleading and the actual book is very different than what I expected. You're lead to believe that the time traveling to the past is very important, and that dinosaurs and everything would be a large part of the book but they really aren't. In fact you're also led to believe that Sam is the main character of the book but he really isn't. There's a line in the book's description that says "But he can't give up, because he has to save his family who are 200 million years in the future" which makes you think he would do something to save his family somehow. But in fact it's him who gets saved by Adeline, the true main character of the book. Sam doesn't really contribute to the plot at all so his time in the past is largely irrelevant. Everything about the marketing makes you think it's super important, that Sam contributes significantly, but it's Adeline the story revolves around and the present timeline that's relevant. I am not sure if this was done on purpose to hide the twist, but it was just strange having this disconnect between the description of the book and the reality.

EN/FR Review

"Lost in Time" is a novel that thoroughly captivated me with its intriguing plot twists. A.G. Riddle skillfully weaves together elements of science fiction and mystery, creating a narrative that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

The story follows characters navigating through complex timelines and alternate realities, which adds layers of suspense and excitement. I particularly enjoyed how the twists and turns were presented, constantly challenging my assumptions and keeping me engaged throughout.

While some aspects of the story could be complex, Riddle's ability to blend scientific concepts with thrilling storytelling is commendable. "Lost in Time" is a compelling read for those who enjoy thought-provoking mysteries and a touch of speculative fiction.

"Lost in Time" est un roman qui m'a vraiment captivé avec ses intrigues fascinantes. A.G. Riddle tisse habilement des éléments de science-fiction et de mystère, créant une narration qui garde les lecteurs en haleine jusqu'au bout.

L'hisoire suit des personnages naviguant à travers des lignes temporelles complexes et des réalités alternatives, ajoutant des couches de suspense et d'excitation. J'ai particulièrement apprécié la manière dont les rebondissements sont présentés, remettant constamment en question mes hypothèses et me tenant en haleine tout au long du récit.

Bien que certains aspects de l'histoire puissent être complexes, la capacité de Riddle à mêler des concepts scientifiques à une narration palpitante est remarquable. "Lost in Time" est une lecture captivante pour ceux qui aiment les mystères stimulants et une touche de fiction spéculative.

Let's get this straight, this is not a 4 star book but I enjoyed it like a 4 star book....

Yes the premise is ludicrous on so many levels and the ‘logic' is preposterous but as soon as you can silence the voice in the back of your head that says ‘thats not how that works ..... that does not make any sense .... wait what? wtf? no!... omg she said fermi paradox ...' this book is so much fun and the definition of a page turner.
Gripping from the start to the last chapter with twists and turns I did not see coming, at all.

Will most definitely read another book by Mr. Riddle.

This was a surprising read. I was honestly bored for about the first half. The book is extremely clean though, I don't recall anything vulgar. So, I kept going. The ending payoff was well worth the long build up. The time travel was very well thought out.

Read if:
-You enjoy a good time travel story.
-You don't like profanity.
-You don't like sex scenes.

Don't read if:
-You can't be patient.
-Survival stories easily creep you out. (There was only one thing I thought was gross, and it really wasn't that bad—mildly disturbing.)