Dec 5, 2012

Review: Erasing Time by CJ Hill


Title: Erasing Time
Author: CJ Hill
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Publication Date: 8.28.2012
Pages: 368
Genre: SciFi
Series: Yes (Erasing Time #1)
Source: ARC from publisher

Rating: B

Summary:
When twins Sheridan and Taylor wake up 400 years in the future, they find a changed world: domed cities, no animals, and a language that's so different, it barely sounds like English. And the worst news: They can't go back home.

The twenty-fifth-century government transported the girls to their city hoping to find a famous scientist to help perfect a devastating new weapon. The same government has implanted tracking devices in the citizens, limiting and examining everything they do. Taylor and Sheridan have to find a way out of the city before the government discovers their secrets. To complicate matters, the moblike Dakine has interest in getting hold of them too. The only way for the girls to elude their pursuers is to put their trust in Echo, a guy with secrets of his own. The trio must put their faith in the unknown to make a harrowing escape into the wilds beyond the city.

Review:
If I had to sum up my reaction at the end of this novel in one word it would be: “Huh?”

Now granted, I am not that big a fan of science fiction novels. And I don’t think I’ve read a time travel novel before this one, but the premise sounded cool and the twin spin kinda sucked me in a bit. But having finished this, I’m not entirely sure what I think about Erasing Time.

I think what first struck me as I didn’t expect Sheridan and Taylor to be so un-twin like. I figured these two would be the normal twins (bonded, partially psychic, etc.), but CJ Hill threw me for a curb when I learned very quickly these two were actually quite antagonistic towards one another. The other thing I wasn’t sure about was our lead guy—Echo. There’s something about wildly different colored hair that I just can’t accept in a story. I think it’s because I like to “cast” a book as I read it, and I can’t think of any blue-haired guys off the top of my head.

There were also a lot of unexplained things in the first half. Now, I understand leaving some things unexplained to entice the reader, but so much else was happening, I just felt frustrated by it all. Frequently. Yes, most of these things were eventually explained, but it felt like it took forever to get there,

All that being said, though, I can appreciate what Hill was going for. As a whole, the book is quite fascinating. I would love to see what society looks like 400 years in the future, but I don’t think I would like staying there forever. Everything Hill proposes in Erasing Time is something I could see happening in time. It was only when I got bogged down in the details of the story that I felt confused and uneasy.

I’ll be curious to see what happens in the next installment in the series. Yes, there were flaws in this (to me, at least), but this was very much book one in a series. There was a ton of world-building and character establishment to be done in a small timeframe. I think I’ll be better able to gauge the story and series once I can read book 2.

5 comments:

  1. I wasn't sure about this book when I first heard about it but I think I'll give it a go because it does sound like it has some interesting things going on that I would like to read. Thanks for the review!

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  2. This sounds pretty good to me, but I don't do a lot of sci-fi so if it gets too out there I am either lost or I am bored. This sounds like it might be too sci-fi for me. BUT, I still think I would try it out if given the opportunity. Thanks so much for the review, and letting me know what I might be in for if I do read this book!

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  3. I have actually seen this book here and there and have been eyeballing it! I am hesitant to pick up a copy though because I am 1. broke, and 2. have a stock pile of books I need to finish before I buy more. But it sounds so good, thanks for the review though. Might hold off til book 2/ :3

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  4. I read Erasing Time a couple months ago and really liked it. Although the twins are polar opposites in character, I didn't find that the were antagonistic toward each other. CJ Hill's world building is fascinating and she does a good job of creating intrigue. I really appreciated that she stuck with the Sheridan/Echo couple and didn't turn it into a triangle with Taylor. I'll be checking out the next book in the series as the ending really peaked my interest.

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  5. It sounds like it has some interesting world building. I agree that usually twins have that twin bond but as a mother of twins myself, I've seen many that are very competitive and complete opposites. It sounds like an interesting story. I appreciate your thoughts and have this on my to-read list even though I'm not a big sci-fi fan either:)

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