Readers’ Corner, Oct, 2022: Time Travel
By Bonnie McCune & Kathleen Duhamel ~
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, by Claire North, takes us along on the mind-blowing trip of protagonist, Harry, as we trace some of his never-ending lives. He’s a Kalachakra, a term developed from Vajrayana Buddhism that means “wheel of time.” A small group of people have the ability to relive their lives, but because Harry also is a mnemonic, he remembers all the details of his past lives and carries an immense burden. Harry always returns to where he began, with the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times, until he learns to send a message that he hopes will save the future.
Outlander (Book I). Published in 1992, Diane Gabaldon’s debut novel confounded booksellers with its mix of historical fiction, time travel, and an epic love story. The blockbuster has spawned hundreds of imitations featuring steamy sex and hunky, kilt-wearing Scottish Highlanders. In Book I, the indomitable character of Claire Beauchamp Randall, a WWII Army nurse, carries the story despite its slow plot. Claire and her husband reunite after the war and stay in Scotland when she visits an ancient circle of stones and finds herself in the 18th century, pursued by British soldiers. Rescued by Scottish rebels, she meets a young outlaw and is forced to marry him. Claire and Jamie’s evolving relationship is well-written, despite scenes of violence.
How to Stop Time. Tom Hazard carries a dangerous, potentially lethal, secret. Although he looks like an ordinary 40-something, he’s been alive for centuries, aging at an excruciating slow pace. His beloved wife has long since died, and daughter Marion, who shares his affliction, has vanished. Depressed and lonely, filled with existential despair, and desperate for a reason to live, he stays alive by creating new identities while searching for Marion, avoiding emotional attachment, even the lovely French teacher he meets. Matt Haig has written a powerful story that doesn’t take itself too seriously but leaves the reader pondering how to let go of the past and embrace the present.
Author Kathleen Duhamel writes humorous contemporary romance featuring “seasoned” characters. Her newest is Fed Up. https://www.kathleenduhamel.com/ Author Bonne McCune’s latest is Never Retreat, a suspenseful romance in Colorado’s wilderness. https://BonnieMcCune.com.
