Book Review: Time’s Eye (A Time Odyssey #1) by Arthur C. Clarke, Stephen Baxter

I say it up front: I loved this book. So much, in fact, I moved to read the second book in A Time Odyssey series. This book has that 50-70’s sci-fi feeling I love. It is about science, discovery, wonderment, and human nature. And Arthur C. Clarke is one of my favorite sci-fi authors. There is that.

This book is about a time shift and how present, past, and future people stranded on this strangeness cope. I don’t care for time shifts or time travel as those things frustrate me, because the characters always go back home and none of it had meant anything and had an impact. I know my dislike is weird, but I have it nevertheless. But Time’s Eye was different. The story is great. At first, I wasn’t happy about the explanation for the shift and the ending, but it grew on me. The characters are versatile and diverse. That usually is with sci-fi or that is the case with the sci-fi I read.

The pondering about time, death, entropy, and science, and what those things mean to humans was excellent. The portray of violence in the twisted historical war scenes were inspirational. They spoke to me. Are we a violent species? Is it in our nature so it is forever unavoidable? There are times I say yes as did the writers, but there are times I let hope guide me. Without hope, there is no future. If we think something is permanent and inevitable, then it is like thinking there is a pre-defined path and we cannot do but to watch and go through the motions. As much as current scientist argue that we don’t have free will, I like to disagree. Otherwise, what is the point?

Anyway, I would highly recommend Time’s Eye. Old time sci-fi is my jam despite this being published in the 21st century. Okay to some 16 years ago is a lifetime away.