Customer Reviews

Cross-Time Engineer (Adventures of Conrad Stargard, Book 1)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the best time travel series in a realistic timeline ever written. Before these books, L. Sprague De Camp had held that title for decades with his "Lest Darkness Fall", but it was too short. Mark Twain may be the most famous with his "Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court", but that is more light hearted than serious, and disappointing at the end. The Conrad series delivers on all the promise, and even after 5 books, it still leaves you wanting more. (There is a sixth book now, but Conrad is a minor character, and I've reviewed it separately.)

I say realistic timeline, because Conrad isn't really from our timeline. I was a little suspicious right from the start, but it wasn't until Conrad reminisced about the Mongols invading France that I thought "Hey, wait a minute". It turns out that it didn't happen to us (even without Conrad). But the historians I read agree that it would have, except the great Khan died and the Mongols had a war of succession which they never recovered from. This is often used as an example of the actions of one person changing history. I never even heard the story, until Conrad got me to look it up. Go figure.

This is an action story, with fighting and sex, where Conrad overcomes insurmountable obstacles, and usually has a good time along the way. The author doesn't just ignore the time travel though. He writes a science fiction sub-plot about that too. In fact, the author is obviously an engineer, not just because it takes an engineer for Conrad to build the things he does, but also from the way the books were planned out and crafted. Obviously the author planned the Mongol invasion and built the series around it, but he also foreshadows romantic sub-plots 3 books in advance.

I love these books, and share other reviewers disbelief that they haven't been reprinted since 1993. If you've already read them, and love them too, you might want to try "The Misplaced Legion (Videssos Cycle, Book 1)" by Harry Turtledove, about elements of one of Caesar's legions travelling into Rome's future of the Byzantine Empire. Only it's not the real Byzantine Empire, it's a parallel universe where magic works. Aside from that, it's Byzantium during the 1100's written by a Byzantine historian. And of course you'll want to read the "Island in the Sea of Time" series by S. M. Stirling, about modern day Nantucket going back in time to the Trojan War. These works are different, but also 5 star time travel books.

Very decent sci-fi / time-travel / alternate timeline treatment. If you're at all technically minded, and if you can look past the author's rather abysmal treatment of anyone of the female persuasion, you'll probably enjoy this as a nice break from something deeper and harder hitting. It's fun and diverting to imagine what one expert engineer who (unlike most of us technical rabble) actually knows how things work could do with 13th century technology, culture, and a great deal of luck.
The first 2-3 books of this series are by far the best, as near the end the author seems to loose a bit of interest - or at least creativity - and begins to engage some serious Deus Ex Machina plot elements with Conrad's friends in the distant future. Still, worth a read to those not offended by the "women are property - and they *love* it" garbage scattered throughout.

I started reading this series with the second book the High-Tech Knight and only realized that I missed the first book after reading the third. It doesn't matter though as Frankowski's writing holds up very well throughout this series right up until the last two books which accelerate quickly downhill.

This book tells the tale of Conrad Stargard's (nee Schwartz) inadvertent journey back through time to medieval Poland. He there finds himself put upon to use his preponderant knowledge of engineering (and future events) to change the course of history. While he enjoys the comforts of the time (ahem) he also works to improve the lifestyle of all the people that surround him. In the process of making friends he also makes several enemies which engenders more than a few exciting moments.

The mixing of the future and the past makes for a tantalizing tale of fantasy, history and science fiction come together. This book starts it all and is well worth the effort to obtain as the information given here is referenced in several of the following books.

I have every single one of these books and excepting the last two books (Lord Conrad's Lady, only average, and Conrads Search for Rubber, which really should be avoided at all costs) they are all exceptional works.

I like time-travel stories anyway, so when I stumbled across this book, I was immediately intrigued--would it turn out to be as good as the cover blurbs promised? I am happy to say that the answer to this question is a resounding YES! I especially like the parts where Conrad is explaining to the people of Okoitz how to improve their own technology, but they don't believe him until he loses his temper! Those are some examples of the wittiest writing I've seen in SF in years! It's really too bad most of the series is out of print--I join my online voice with the reviewer from Ontario in begging Mr. Frankowski (or Del Rey) to reissue them! Don't leave us without this fine series, especially after whetting our collective appetite with such an enjoyable book as "The Cross-Time Engineer"!

I'm often amazed at the abundance of wonderful books available, and it's not often that I am so disappointed. The premise behind the book is inspired, and some great ideas come up, but the author never follows through. We get a glimpse of a fun idea, but it's quickly skimmed over, and then we're entertained in lengthy and tedious detail about all the clever items Conrad (the main character) has created, other characters are offered no depth, and to top it off, the author is a male chauvinist. At first I thought it was just the author setting the scene as his protagonist starting out as being a male chauvinist, but then you realize that it's actually the author attempting to portray a character who ISN'T sexist. The main character will often say things specifically show that he isn't sexist. Along the same lines, the character is (against his better judgment) compelled to continuously sleep with 14 year-old girls. For excellent time-travel with interesting characters, try the Island in the Sea of Time series by SM Stirling. The Cross-Time Engineer is self indulgent and very disappointing, however it's OK as a bedtime book, when you don't want something too exciting to keep you awake.

This series is a real favorite of mine. Great story line, great characters, and unique ideas. Now (as of Summer 2005) the latest Conrad book, "Conrad's Crusade" is now available from [...], on line! It is solid action on par with the best in the series. [...] and I recommend it highly.

This is a great book and a great series - taking an excellent idea and executing it perfectly. It almost certainly is aimed at a male audience, but women should enjoy it too if they aren't too offended 0:)

This book and the next four in the Conrad Stargard series are excellent. A talented and well educated 20th Century Polish engineer is accidentally dumped into 13th Century Poland. The Mongols are due to invade in 10 years!

Conrad makes a decision to try and alter history and save Poland from the Mongol invasion. To do it he will have to create the industrial revolution and something resembling a modern military in that time.

This series traces Conrads political and technological hurdles he faces to modernize a very backwards society. Fascinating reading. Read the first 5 in the series, avoid the 6th which focuses on a 13th century Polish peasant and is not nearly as good of story.

The Cross-Time Engineer is among the best time travel books I have ever read. It leaves nothing to chance even displaying that properly placed geneticly enhanced War Horses can be found in 13th century Krakow. Conrad Stargard is plagued with moden emotions and ethics in a medieval world that holds life as worth little. It is a great set of books so be sure not to stop at number one.

Similar storyline to Twain's 'Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' - only this time, it's a Polish engineer in 13th century Poland.
It's a fun read, although I found it a bit convenient that the hero was an engineer - it would have been much more fun & challenging if the hero only had a rudimentary knowledge of how things worked.
A similar book to these that I'd also reccommend is 'Enchantment' by Orson Scott Card. That book and the Stargard series are the only time-travelling in Poland fantasy books I'm aware of.