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4/1/2015
An enjoyable read
I have to admit, when I read the premise for this novel, I rolled my eyes and thought "Oh hells, someone has plagiarized Connie Willis", and I fully expected that this book would be a really lame, sad imitation. But as it is available on Kindle for $.99, my curiosity got the better of me, so I downloaded it.
And I was pleasantly surprised. The author is no Connie Willis, that's for sure -- (though she is actually British, whereas Willis is American, and that authenticity is apparent) but nevertheless, she has written a creditable story. Certainly many aspects of the worldbuilding are similar to the Oxford Time Travel series -- but the writing style is rather refreshingly different. (The author's approach to sex is certainly more up-front and frank than Willis' -- and not in a bad way, either.)
The worldbuilding is good, the plotting is interesting, and the characters are well-fleshed-out and real. The humor is enjoyable and not overdone.
Having read the first 4 books in the series now, I can say that I found them really enjoyable. Instead of each book being "here's another, just like the other", the author has continually found ways to keep the plotting fresh and innovative.
I can heartily recommend this series for anyone who enjoys their SF with a big dose of sly, wry humor.