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Island in the Sea of Time | Rating | |
| A | |||
| S. M. Stirling | |||
| Series | Related Books | ||
| N/A | Island in the Sea of Time, Against the Tide of Years, On the Oceans of Eternity | ||
In the year 1998, something weird happens. A dome of fire and lightning suddenly appears over the island of Nantucket. It lasts most of an evening, plenty of time for people to notice and panic, and when it disappears the isle is in 1250 B.C. No explanation is given at all. The characters don't know how or why, and neither do the readers.
The concept is very similar to 1632, which was actually published a few years later. But only generalities are the same, due to the different eras locations the unwilling time travelers landed in. There is no church here, no organized government anywhere except around the Mediterranian. Which isn't to say there's no conflict. The plot is two-pronged: Nantucket has to somehow live through the first year (luckily, the Event happened in March, so winter is a good ways away) with the limited resources of the island, and they must make war against one of their own who heads to England for some empire building.
The plot is well thought out, if sometimes a bit gory in its details. The history and archeology involved are plausible, very plausible considering we don't really know all that much. The author has fleshed out the era nicely. The military aspects are well done, of course, with solid tactics and strategy and even logistics. All the characters felt like people, not paper cutouts, and the adaptions Nantucketeers make to their lifestyle are plausible.
The book is rarely slow, and when it is it's not for long. It is quite long, a bit over 600 pages, so this won't be a one night read. By and large, this is a good thing.
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