Behind Time [Paperback]

Lynn Abbey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2001

Lynn Abbey's novels "make fantasy worth reading" (Booklist). Now, in Behind Time, Emma Merrigan-who has only recently discovered her time travel powers-must venture into the wasteland to rescue her imperiled mother.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Another compact and literate fantasy novel from Abbey that, like some of her other work, is likely to receive less attention than it deserves. To be sure, the plot is of a basic and venerable type: Emma Merrigan has received magical powers from her long-lost mother, whom she must now rescue by means of something not too far short of invading hell and engaging in a duel of magic with its denizens and overlords. Thanks to superior characterization, perspicuously detailed settings, a carefully and intelligently worked out system of good and evil magic, and brisk pacing, especially of the invasion of hell, even seasoned fantasy readers won't find it easy to put the book down until the last page is turned. Abbey gets extra credit for honorably, skillfully curbing the bloating tendency of most fantasy fiction these days. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Ace; paperback / softcover edition (July 3, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441008313
• ISBN-13: 978-0441008315
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #859,496 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, July 22, 2001

By 

Dr. Zoidberg (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind Time (Paperback)

Having really liked the previous book, "Out of Time", I was very eager to start reading "Behind Time". The book continues where the previous book left: Emma Merrigan's mother, Eleanor, is trapped in the wasteland and as a result, her real body is in a coma. Emma, along with the mysterious rogue - Blaise Raponde, tries to further explore the wasteland and rescue her mother from the curses. What complicates matters, is that one of the rogues she encounters takes on a body in her close vicinity - a girlfriend of her good friend Matt.

Sounds kind of messy? It definitely is.
I think the author really wanted to get this book done with. The first two thirds of the book should've been compacted to 50 pages; almost nothing happens, and it just feels like an attempt in filling pages. The rest of the book is not bad, but way too rushed, and more than that - a few things in the book don't really feel complete, which makes me feel cheated because most of the book was so slow - other parts just don't make sense. I guess it will be continued in another sequel..
If you liked the previous book, you can read this one - but don't expect too much: despite it being an okay book, I can't say I wasn't disappointed - I really expected more!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable read, July 17, 2001

By 

Imagine (Tampa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind Time (Paperback)

This is an author I picked up browsing the book store shelf, I fond the material intresting being from Michigan and an insomniac. Although the premise is considered typical the writing is very good and the characters believable. I love that the heroine is not some twenty year old but someone with experience, who uses both her mind, education and new found abilities. I do wish that the details of her mothers background and the organization she is involved with were explained in greater detail. I am definetly looking forward to Lynn Abbey's next book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Librarian goes to Hell....., February 7, 2005

By 

R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Behind Time (Paperback)

What would you do if your 70-something mother showed up and looked as young as the college co-eds you're used to helping in the university library where you work? There are already too many secrets in this relationship. Emma's mother had disappeared 40-some years before when Emma was only 1 and left Emma's father to raise her. Oh, and let's not forget that Mom's legacy to Emma was magic that Emma's only now learning to use. Then, her Mom goes unconscious and the only way Emma can recover her is to go to this world's equivalent of Hell to get her back.

This book is a lot slower moving than the first, but is interesting. I love the quandary that Lynn Abbey's placed our heroine in, plus I am intrigued by the atypical heroine as well.

Kudos to Abbey for making this book stand on its own. That's hard to do in a serial. Her third book "Taking Time" is not as good.