In War Times

I enjoyed this story very much. I appreciated the character development. This an interesting mix of theoretical physics, jazz and alternate realities set in the late 1930's to late 1960's. Having just read The New Time Travelers I really enjoyed how Goonan incorporated theoretical physics into the story. This is on a level with Brin and Benford, but the story is more accessible as are the characters.

Its been months since I've read this, but just the other day this story popped back into my head. Its very interesting and different. From the mysterious machine, the physics of cyclotrons, and alternate dimensions... The part where the main character's best buddy is lost to another dimension, and then when they find the ability to see each other again is heartwarming. And Jazz... there are jazz references throughout this book, and the main character is a Jazz aficionado. The Jazz also plays a role in explaining the working of the mysterious machine that creates the alternate dimension, the dimension where war is past, and scientific advances abound, the alternate dimension that is not central to the plot of this book.

Every once in a while I come across a novel with characters and images so vivid that they haunt me even when I'm not reading and linger even after I finish the last page. "In War Times" is that kind of novel. This is a book that works on many levels--as a science fiction thriller and a beautifully written, metaphysical literary novel. It is also a time travel story and a World War II novel (with wonderful details of the London Blitz, the development of radar, and the Occupation after the war). Sam's quest to complete a working Hadnz device and create a world in which his brother Keenan could still be alive is gripping; scope and urgency grow when he travels to Europe and experiences the horrors of war and genocide, which with the device might be prevented. Of course there's always a price for altering the time stream... this is my favorite kind of novel, the kind that moves me emotionally, but also makes me think. A brilliant and powerful book.

Since following all of Goonan's books, I was thrilled to find she took a new turn toward combining a historical reference with a SF base. The book moved smoothly yet introduced many suprising twists and turns that kept me hooked. Her father, a WWII vet now 85 years old, helped lay the foundation and story line for the book through his experiences in Europe during the war. They have written a winning combination of SF and historical information intertwined with musical descriptions that is sure to be enjoyed by all science fiction readers.

Goonan used to do more hard science fiction -- nano- and bio-tech. This is much more alternate history, and damn it, but it's good. Part of it is how well she's researched it (I read a review somewhere that said she used her own father's diary from the war), but a lot of it is how well she integrated what she's learned into the story. It's complex, and rich, and it rewards people who re-read books in a way I haven't seen since Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates.