The Watch

I'd always enjoyed books by Dennis Danvers but had previously considered his works to be "light reading". This book has changed my mind. It has the potential to be considered one of the great works of modern literature. Comparable to 1984 and Alas, Babylon or Anthem in quality. Simply amazing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. However, it is stronger philosophically than it is on the sci fi element. Sci fi readers may be dissapointed that we don't get to know how the watch really works in great detail, but people who enjoy political commentary and are open to critical commentary on modern American culture will greatly enjoy this book. My opinion is that those who do not like the ending either did not feel the philosophical necessity of it, or understand the character of Kropotkin that Danvers presents. It is considerably darker than the rest of the book, but the only possible ending that would be consistent with the author's presentation of this remarkable man. If you spent your entire life (or both of them?) working toward a certain goal, would you choose to have someone simply hand it to you after all that time? I think not.

I haven't read any other books by this author, but I really enjoyed The Watch. This book has love, compassion, and politics. I recomend this book to anyone who likes science fiction. It is very easy to read and has a deep meaning. It defenantly made me examine the way I live my life. It made me think of how the past has affected me and how I will affect the future.

The Watch is a genuine "romantic novel" and does a nifty switcheroo on the 19th century American speculative political science fiction genre seen in Edward Bellamy's "Looking Backward," that also employs time travel.The Watch got me banging on the kitchen table on page 99, and the ending, curling back on the author and the courage of the protagonist's indefatigable spirit, was a fine finish. I believe Danvers ate and fully digested all of the Anarchist Prince's writings as he deftly dishes up a double dose of Kroptikin spirit while he unveils a detailed history of --- and genuine love for--- his own hometown, Richomond, VA.I'll bet this is the novel Danvers always wanted to write. And one you'll wish you had written about your own home town and intellectual hero.

In 1921 Russia, anarchist philosopher Peter Kropotkin is near death when a stranger Anchee Mahur offers him an opportunity to live life anew in a healthy body. Without a look back at his past or any Faustian consequences, Peter accepts the offer to live albeit in 1999 Richmond, Virginia. Peter finds a job, falls in love with Rachel Pederson, who helps immigrants adapt to the United States, and meets fellow time travelers. Peter soon sets the tone for community service by distributing food to the needy. Along with his out of time cronies, Peter concludes that Anchee is fostering his personal concept of how the future should look and that the out of time souls are the tools to create this brave new world. Peter questions what he and his peers are doing as he wonders if he should follow Anchee's vision that parallels his own desires for humanity or stop his mentor so that free will determines the future even if it is something he despises. THE WATCH is an insightful science fiction that looks closely at the question of free will vs. determinism, but from a fresh perspective. The story line contains a deep message about choices and whether any means justifies the end. The cast is believable especially the displaced Peter who struggles with an enigma between his dreams and his actions to attain what he deems is best for society. Dennis Danvers provides a powerful novel that political and social science fiction fans will savor except those fanatics who insist they have the only answer.Harriet Klausner