Review of Timewise
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Macha Marumo Mphela
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Review of Timewise
[Following is a volunteer review of "Timewise" by Robert Leet.]
Timewise is a tale told through the eyes of Ron Larsen, an orphan who lived the life of foster homes in New England. He takes us back to his teen years when he used to love playing chess at Mill Falls Commons. There he meets a beautiful woman, Regina Russo, who was in her late thirties. Like any typical hormonal teen that age he quickly developed a crush for the older woman. Her recurring presence would later completely change the course of his life and lead him to a world of mathematics and discovery. The narrator swiftly moves through the years and gives us snippets of key moments of his life. Much like when he was young when he'd move into one foster home after another, Ron's adult life would prove to be just as adventurous.
Robert Leet, the author, is a structural engineer by profession and he smartly incorporated his expertise in the world of sciences to tell this tale. His passion for science is palpable and is the centre of the story. He is a smart narrator. This comes through most with his ability to tell a story that spans almost a couple of decades without it feeling like it was being rushed. That's highly commendable. Robert Leet was also able to introduce the sci-fi component of the novel in a way that felt realistic and plausible, which is something I find endearing. I believed that such things could happen in real life. I loved the ending as well, even though it played out like some sci-fi movies I've seen already and was quite predictable.
There were times at Diner Ninety-One when it felt like Robert Leet was giving us lectures on his ideas on advanced physics using the book as an excuse to do so. The lessons would reappear later at different periods in Ron's life. As a big old nerd I didn't greatly mind this, I was even fascinated at times. However, I'd imagine that for a reader who has no interest in this field this could be arduous, even tedious, to read through. Although I understand the need for the detailed explanations and how they served the plot, I was confused most of the time trying to understand exactly what I was reading. It took a lot of rereading to fully grasp the ideas. That took the joy out of the experience of reading sometimes. The author focused entirely a lot of time formulating these lessons than giving us a more exciting, page-turning plot.
I will rate this book at 3 out of 4 stars simply because I admire Robert Leet’s direction and narration, and I can see the book translating well on film. The book however could've done with a little bit more editing; numerous errors were too obvious to not have been spotted by a professional editor. Also, I think the plot could've benefited a bit on a few more surprises (or a more colourful character or two) on the way to its peak, but overall it was a well executed end.
With Timewise sci-fi is the order of the day but one must be fully invested in almost learning about quantum physics to fully appreciate this book. If you don't want to think too much whilst reading or are generally uninterested in the technicality of science then this is a definite skip. The opposite is also true. I think that perhaps young adults and older youth would enjoy this novel better than most, at least those with a fervent interest in science.
******
Timewise
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Timewise is a tale told through the eyes of Ron Larsen, an orphan who lived the life of foster homes in New England. He takes us back to his teen years when he used to love playing chess at Mill Falls Commons. There he meets a beautiful woman, Regina Russo, who was in her late thirties. Like any typical hormonal teen that age he quickly developed a crush for the older woman. Her recurring presence would later completely change the course of his life and lead him to a world of mathematics and discovery. The narrator swiftly moves through the years and gives us snippets of key moments of his life. Much like when he was young when he'd move into one foster home after another, Ron's adult life would prove to be just as adventurous.
Robert Leet, the author, is a structural engineer by profession and he smartly incorporated his expertise in the world of sciences to tell this tale. His passion for science is palpable and is the centre of the story. He is a smart narrator. This comes through most with his ability to tell a story that spans almost a couple of decades without it feeling like it was being rushed. That's highly commendable. Robert Leet was also able to introduce the sci-fi component of the novel in a way that felt realistic and plausible, which is something I find endearing. I believed that such things could happen in real life. I loved the ending as well, even though it played out like some sci-fi movies I've seen already and was quite predictable.
There were times at Diner Ninety-One when it felt like Robert Leet was giving us lectures on his ideas on advanced physics using the book as an excuse to do so. The lessons would reappear later at different periods in Ron's life. As a big old nerd I didn't greatly mind this, I was even fascinated at times. However, I'd imagine that for a reader who has no interest in this field this could be arduous, even tedious, to read through. Although I understand the need for the detailed explanations and how they served the plot, I was confused most of the time trying to understand exactly what I was reading. It took a lot of rereading to fully grasp the ideas. That took the joy out of the experience of reading sometimes. The author focused entirely a lot of time formulating these lessons than giving us a more exciting, page-turning plot.
I will rate this book at 3 out of 4 stars simply because I admire Robert Leet’s direction and narration, and I can see the book translating well on film. The book however could've done with a little bit more editing; numerous errors were too obvious to not have been spotted by a professional editor. Also, I think the plot could've benefited a bit on a few more surprises (or a more colourful character or two) on the way to its peak, but overall it was a well executed end.
With Timewise sci-fi is the order of the day but one must be fully invested in almost learning about quantum physics to fully appreciate this book. If you don't want to think too much whilst reading or are generally uninterested in the technicality of science then this is a definite skip. The opposite is also true. I think that perhaps young adults and older youth would enjoy this novel better than most, at least those with a fervent interest in science.
******
Timewise
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Advanced Lotto Rotation System by Joseph Z Vlasic
