Just One More Damned Thing by Jodi Taylor

What if?  The question is often asked and answers are rarely given.  Movies are made about time travel; TV series popularize the idea and books, as we know delve into the topic.  Jodi Taylor has combined many things in her book to enable the audience to not only believe in time travel but look forward to the journey with the characters.

This book offers science fiction, history, intrigue and espionage all wrapped up nicely with a human interest side tossed into the mix to make it believable.  While she delves into some more than others, each character is quite human. Maxwell is a loner. She has had a rough childhood but found solace in books and history.  She is fiercely independent, does not tolerate alcohol well, is slow to trust others and extremely stubborn. Each of these traits has her both competent and inept at the same time.  I was very happy when she began her relationship with Leon Farrell.  His is the only other character’s story that gets much detail.  Other seems more surface that deep. I assume each character is essentially a loner who is very intelligent and willing to give up interaction with the outside world to achieve and experience time travel.

St. Mary’s is like I imagine many secret institutions.   It is filled with intelligent people who think what they have to offer is better than anything anyone else has to offer.  The experiments are secret. Interaction with the outside world is discouraged but participants are expected to build teams.  Funding is both plentiful and tight.  The work done there is important and most likely never to be told to the world!

What I liked:  the concept to time travel. I often wonder what it would be like to see the world in a different time. I do not think I would be the least bit interested in going by 68 million years though!  I liked the technical aspects of the pods.  Not only could they blend in but the modules could tape what was happening for later investigation. I liked Maxwell’s sense of loyalty and determination to always complete the job. I liked that even though members of the group disliked one another they still worked to get the job done.

What I didn’t like: the pregnancy. Was that supposed to depict the depth of despair, that she could fall no lower? I disliked that so many were lost on the trips but recognize that if one drops into an historical event, one must expect that it might get dicey!  I dislike, but totally believe it possible, that some are willing to break the law to make a fortune, even to the point of going into history and changing it.

I really wish the book ended its story. I understand the idea of a series but would prefer something more definitive.  Now I have to read the others!