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In reply to the discussion: Do You Have a Fictional Book That You Have Read Several Times? [View all]DFW
(54,378 posts)I have never gotten my hand on this book, but the first reader review I got on Amazon on MY book mentioned Time and Again prominently, so "Time And Again" is definitely on my "to do" list.
Here was the comment I got:
As a fan of time travel stories I never thought I'd ever find a novel that could rival the classic "Time and Again" by Jack Finney. I stand corrected.
I can't compare the two stories since they are so very different in nature, but for sheer enjoyment as well as thought-provoking wonder, "The Time Cellar" is quite simply a fantastic companion to Finney.
Which is as it should be; I've seen some stories that hew too closely to Finney's model. It's a treat to read a book with an entirely different approach, but no less excitement and equal plausibility. Every permutation of the time travel paradox is addressed, often brilliantly.
The writing is delightful, with a casual tone that only a very skilled wordsmith could pull off so successfully. Like a talented dancer, (DFW) makes it look easy. But the more you read, the more you realize how hard it really is to write so well, with so many subtle hints of things to come. I was also impressed with how artfully he integrated impeccable French with translations of such dialog so that it seemed all the more real, without becoming awkward. It all flows together.
It's a book which I quite literally could not put down. I read it in one sitting, and was very sorry when I reached the end. I would have loved for it to go on for several hundred more pages. I'm glad I bought it as a hard-copy, this is a book I intend to re-read often in coming years.
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Now THAT was a review that made it all worth the effort, let me tell you!