Timegods' World

I picked up this book a couple of years ago to replace my aging copy of "The Fires of Paratime" that I got when I was a member of the Science Fiction Book Club back in the 1970's. I got the "The Fires of Paratime" when the SciFi Book Club changed their policy and started shipping out their recommended books if did NOT tell them send it. I was actually a bit angry about getting it but I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed the book. It remains one of my favorites today. The other reviewers have given a reasonably good background on the stories. I would recommend to other SciFi readers.

Timegods' World (1993) is an omnibus edition of a duology, containing Timediver's Dawn and The Timegod. The latter novel was originally published in a significantly shorter version as The Fires of Paratime. Another novel, Hammer of Darkness, is based on a similar theme, but has an unrelated storyline. In all these novels, the characters have an inherent ability to move back and forth in time and space. In Timediver's Dawn, Sammis Arloff Olon is born as gentry on Query, with a father who is a middle level government official and a mother who is exceptionally well-educated and well-connected. In early adolescence, however, he is orphaned by the Frost Giants and struggles just to survive in a changed world where gentry is hated and stability is provided only by military might. He finds that his ability to timedive is still feared and despised as witchcraft by the common folk, but now is finally appreciated by his superiors. In The Timegod, a million or more years later, Loki is born into the world that Sammis has helped create. The population is composed of immortals, most of whom can timedive to some extent. The Temporal Guard is continuing to supply the population with high tech bought or stolen from other societies, but fewer of the Guard personnel are able to maintain this equipment. Despite the efforts of his parents to make him aware of its deficiencies, Loki follows in his grandfather's footsteps and joins the Temporal Guard. There he gains mentors, one of whom is Sammis himself. Gradually Loki begins to comprehend the defects and injustices within the system. These novels depict the rise and fall of a culture that basically becomes parasitic on other societies within reach of its timedivers. Unlike Piper's Paratime culture, the Queryans are not traders, but scavengers. These novels provide examples of other such parasitic cultures for comparision, including the Frost Giants and the Hunters of Faffnir. Unlike those cultures, the Queryans seldom intentionally perform mass killings, but miscalculations occasionally happened. As with his other writings, the author explores the ethical issues faced by a society in crisis; for example, these novels have much in common with the Parafaith duology. The basis of all ethics must be survival, but the devil is in the details. When is the cost for survival too high? Highly recommended for Modesitt fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of young people struggling to understand their society and do the right thing while attempting to survive a series of crises. -Arthur W. Jordin

One thing is definite and certain, L. E., Modesitt is a terrifically inventive writer. Hollywood could easily make a sci fi film (with a story for a change) of the TimeGod book. The possibilities of eco devastation and the intervention of god like beings who destroy the bad guys in the universe as well as save others has been around for awhile, yet I still like the notion of super beings giving a helping hand, especially when confronted with world shattering events as presented herein.The main characters, Sammis in "Time Divers Dawn" and Loki in "Time God" are engaging and sympathetic from the very get go. Because of their personal characteristics the reader is willing to follow their development as they battle themselves and others in an extremely hostile world and evolve from bumbling, ignorant young men into the realization of their power and potential and to root for them as they are manipulated by power drunk colleagues and to watch them evolve into saviors of a sort.Sammis' eventual mate, Dr. Wryan Relorn is a brilliant scientist and the true architect of change on this fantasy world of Query. She helps Sammis directly and later Loki in an indirect manner to become major league heros and slowly they grasp the realization that they are indeed immortals and (somewhat reluctantly) demi-gods.Modesitt is quite adept at weaving the strands of ecological development in a technology and resource poor world with the norse mythic themes into a logical and believable venue. He shows how barbaric people truly are by nature, under the veneer of so-called civilized behavior, and that when their chief goal is to destroy every resource they have for whatever motivation, that they also destroy their technology and ability to self sustain. Query is just such a world.His take on Loki is an especially pleasing presentation as Loki has usually been portrayed in the legends as a totally malign being and troublemaker non pareil. Yes, he is still perceived as that, but Modesitt makes Loki far more sympathetic and heroic then one has been led to believe in other tales. The bad guys in these stories are far closer to the hearth and home which is an added spice to the cosmic stew cooking here. Overall, if you enjoy a very well written sci fi yarn with the added charm of mythical gods and goddesses, then this will be a fun read for you. It was for me.

I have been reading Modesitt's work since his first release some years ago. I thought I had all of his works until I saw this reprint of two of his novels. For some reason, my eyes must have skipped his Timediver's Dawn when it was released. I had not read it! What a treat! Modesitt adds just the correct amount of fantasy, science fiction and blends of old mythology into works that are a joy to read. Get this book. Then buy up all his others; you will not regret it.

This is a re-print of "Timedivers Dawn" and "Timegod". Both are excellent books, but I made the mistake of thinking this a sequel until I looked closely at the book and realized it was the first two books put togethor and re-released. I would definately recommend this book to modesitt fans if you haven't read the timediver series...if you have, then don't buy this book "as it is not a sequel!".