First Chapter Review: A War in Too Many Worlds by Elizabeth Crowens

 

This time travel/alternate history novel is the third in The Time Traveler Professor series. Having enjoyed the first two books, Silent Meridian and A Pocketful of Lodestones, I was eager to return to the diaries of John Patrick Scott.  

I was supposed to post a full review today, but my work schedule has made reading nearly impossible. I hope to finish this book over the weekend. Fingers crossed.

BLURB: The secret diaries of John Patrick Scott pick up at the close of 1917. British intelligence sends Scott to work undercover in Berlin with his old partner-in-crime, Wendell Mackenzie, as his outside contact in Paris. Back on the Western Front, Scott discovered his ability to see the ghosts of the dead. Unsure if that’s a blessing or a curse, he takes this one-step further, employing spirits in the world of deception and intrigue. As the Russian monarchy crumbles and the Red Baron meets his final match, for Scott, true love is always beyond arm’s reach. His long-lost patrons and paramours, Sophia and Francois Poincaré, resurface but as potential enemies of the Crown.

Arthur Conan Doyle vows to retrieve his stolen time machine from H.G. Wells. Scott is still at odds with Doyle, who still refuses to publicly acknowledge his contributions for ghostwriting Sherlock Holmes, and Doyle encounters Harry Houdini in the most unlikely of places. Get ready for a wild ride. Time Traveler Professor, Book Three: A War in Too Many Worlds, pairs murder, mayhem and mysticism in a mashup where The Lost World meets The Island of Doctor Moreau.

Stay tuned for Book Four, The Story Beyond Time, the final book in this epic series.

COVER: The branding for these books is superb. Even though the color schemes slightly change, many of the elements remain the same. They are easily recognizable. They also catch the eye. 

FIRST CHAPTER: John Patrick Scott hears rumblings his military superiors are considering transferring him to London, so on an effort to clear up any grievances with Arthur Conan Doyle, they agree to meet. His spirit guide Finneas Fertle is along for the ride. 

KEEP READING: I am already past the first chapter if that gives you any indication.  It has been three years since I read the first two books, so I read my reviews. If I hadn't, I probably would not have recalled the cliff hanger ending in the second book that carries over into A War in Too Many Worlds. Rarely a fan of this type of ending, it serves its purpose well as the series continues, and Crowens created a riveting first chapter that drew me in right away.  

What the author did well in the first two books is create an engaging cast of characters and explore alternate histories for well-known figures. That continues from the first pages of A War in Too Many Worlds. I look forward to reading the rest of the novel.

Read an excerpt!

A street urchin, clutching a loaf of bread and followed by several irate members of Simpson’s kitchen staff, rushed toward their table just as Arthur was about to elaborate. 

“Who do we have here?” Wells asked, surprised but amused at the unexpected interruption. 

“He reminds me of one of the Baker Street Irregulars whom Holmes uses as confederates to get information on his suspects.” Arthur added.  

The boy’s cap fell on the floor. Arthur bent over and picked it up.

“Alms for the poor?” the waif asked.

“Cute kid,” Arthur said, reaching in his pocket for spare change. The kitchen staff scolded the child and swiped back the bread, but when they noticed his grubby hands caked with grease and soot, they declared it ruined and unfit for their customers and gave it back with disdain. The maître d’ caught up with the gentlemen, accompanied by his security detail, who apologized and escorted the intruder pell-mell out the door. 

In the end, Arthur was no further from his objective than whence he started. He still couldn’t prove Wells had stolen his time machine and, to make matters worse, he realized their diminutive beggar was also a sly pickpocket. His wallet, along with his cherished gold timepiece, which he hadn’t secured on a chain, was gone. Wells had to pick up the tab.

Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | The Mysterious Bookshop

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Atomic Alchemist Productions LLC (August 16, 2021)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 310 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1950384071
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1950384075

I received a digital copy of this book from the author. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Reviews: Silent Meridian and A Pocketful of Lodestones by Elizabeth Crowens

If you enjoy novels that defy categorization, Silent Meridian, the first book in The Time Traveler Professor series by Elizabeth Crowens, might be worth investigating.

John Patrick Scott is a naïve but ambitious student studying music at the University of Edinburgh when he first meets Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The latter's obsession with a legendary red book and the transmigration of souls brings these two men together. While most know Scott as a concert pianist, he is also a paranormal investigator and time travel professor.

Together, these men will travel through time as detailed in Scott's diaries which fill this novel.

What drew me to Silent Meridian is its time travel aspect and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Readers have called it steampunk or alternate history, and the book's press release adds fictional memoir to the list. This may have presented a formula reader such as myself with challenges in fully appreciating the novel. Crowens wove together a unique story that introduced alternate histories for several well-known characters, like Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Houdini, Jung and others, which I found rather fascinating. Scott's dreams and his initiation in to a secret society that led him to come into possession of the red book were also elements I enjoyed. I just felt confused a good part of the time. That said, I gave the second book in the series a shot, because Silent Meridian is well written, and a reader appreciates that.

Series: The Time Traveler Professor (Book 1)
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Atomic Alchemist Productions LLC; 2nd ed. edition (June 12, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1950384047
ISBN-13: 978-1950384044

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

The second book in the series, A Pocketful of Lodestones, opens with John Patrick Scott enlisting to serve in World War I in August 1914. During basic training, he is plagued by a series of strange dreams and the odd souvenirs left behind as proof he had not simply imagined his travel. Scott is also tormented by the horrors of war and a platoon sergeant who has it in for him.

In the next book of The Time Traveler Professor series, World War I takes center stage. So, in this respect, history lovers or readers who enjoy alternative history may be more drawn to A Pocketful of Lodestones than the first book. I feel, however, that reading Silent Meridian first will help readers understand the characters and concepts better than if they pick up the second book as a stand alone.

While my confusion remained a bit of an issue with this novel, I felt disappointed with the cliff hanger ending. I'm just not a fan. Crowens creates the perfect set up for a third book, but I never like being cajoled into buying another book just to continue a character's adventures that begin in the book before it; blame television in the 70's and 80's where every issue was resolved in 30 to 60 minutes.

Still, I admire Crowens' imagination and ability to create an engaging cast of characters and explore alternate histories for well known figures. This would be a fascinating movie or television series.

Series: The Time Traveler Professor (Book 2)
Paperback: 328 pages
Publisher: Atomic Alchemist Productions LLC (August 1, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1950384055
ISBN-13: 978-1950384051

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

I received a free paperback copy of both books from the author. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.