Sojourn (Time Rovers - Book 1) [Paperback]

Jana G. Oliver (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2006

London, September 1888. An aged Queen Victoria rules. The threat of anarchy hovers in the air. A new kind of evil lurks in the back alleys of Whitechapel. Enter Jacynda Lassiter, a Time Rover on a mission—find an overdue ‘tourist’ and return him to 2057 before he changes history.

Victorian London is a dangerous place for the unwary. Mysterious shape-shifters haunt the streets, making friend and foe indistinguishable. When a fellow Time Rover is murdered, Jacynda’s mission becomes personal. Can she trust the two gentlemen who come to her aid, or do they harbor their own dark secrets?

In a few days, Jack the Ripper will add to his bloody legacy. But old Jack isn’t the only threat in Whitechapel. Unless Jacynda can outwit a madman, her Victorian sojourn will rewrite history—and end at the point of a blade.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A rousing mystery-adventure..." -- Baryon Magazine

"Jana Oliver has created a complex world that combines science fiction with dark fantasy in an original refreshing novel." -- Eternal Night

"Saying that Sojourn is a thoroughly engrossing novel would be a major understatement." -- Ripper Notes

"This is a brilliant novel... Put this one on your list of absolute must-reads. " -- Coffee Time Romance (5 Coffee Cups)

"As the first of the series, all I can say is WOW!" -- Paranormal Romance Reviews

Jana has perfectly captured the [Whitechapel] atmosphere to tell a story that will stand with any of the Grand Masters. -- Jim Brock, Baryon Magazine

Sojourn is remarkable! -- Robert W. Walker, author of City for Ransom & Absolute Instinct

Sojourn's a rare, well-researched and entertaining tale set against the backdrop of Victorian England and the Whitechapel Murders. -- Casebook: Jack the Ripper

About the Author

Jana Oliver is an Iowa native who is most happy when spinning new stories, especially if they involve "research" in a pub. Currently she lives in Atlanta with her husband and a variable number of cats.

Product Details

• Paperback: 369 pages
• Publisher: Dragon Moon Press (April 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1896944302
• ISBN-13: 978-1896944302
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,738,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm older than I look. I like open-minded people, grew up in Iowa, live in Atlanta and have a healthy ego.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MORE! MORE! MORE!, February 6, 2009

By 

L. Polsue "leanne8" (Stone Mountain, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sojourn (Time Rovers - Book 1) (Paperback)

Sojourn by Jana Oliver? Never heard of it? Where have you been? Victorian England? Well, now everyone can go there! Join brassy heroine, Jacynda Lassiter as she tries to outwit a killer while hunting a madman in Jack the Ripper's Whitechapel District!

In reading this book, I was treated to a whirlwind ride through time, from 2057 to Victorian England (1888), encountering Jack the Ripper, time-travel, Victorian English society, shape-shifters, Scotland Yard, Fenians & madmen. It has something for everyone!

Sojourn is one of the most FUN reads EVER!!! Jana Oliver gives the reader a thrill ride that picks you up, slings you about, loops you upside down and around, finally leaving you breathless, flushed with excited contentment & wanting more.

"Get back in" and enjoy Virtual Evil (Time Rover Book 2) & Madman's Dance (Time Rover Book 3 and finale)! You won't regret it!

I finished the series (3 books) in 11 days while working a very busy month long night shift!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very good but..., May 22, 2007

By 

Book Worm (MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sojourn (Time Rovers - Book 1) (Paperback)

I liked this book a lot, but I don't think it's a 5-star novel. The Whitechapel portions of it are great, and from the little I know of the Ripper murders and the period, the author got it right. I also agree with an earlier review that says one of the author's strengths is dialogue. I agree 100 percent. Conversation is very natural here, one of the most natural I've read in awhile. George RR Martin quality. Well not quite but close.

Where I think the novel breaks down is in the "modern era", the time in which the main character actually lives. It's very oppressive and restrictive. Privacy is limited to the extreme, where a person can download another person's personal information on the fly, where people go to jail for seemingly very minor altercations. This in and of itself is not a problem, but to have this kind of society coupled with time travel didn't ring true with me. How could a society this restrictive allow time travel? It would be way too dangerous to allow someone the chance of going back and changing the "status quo". Luckily, little time is spent in the modern world, so you only have to deal with these conundrums for a short while.

A good book. Not great, but still, Oliver is one to watch for in the future.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun adventure, October 30, 2011

By 

Amanda (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sojourn (Time Rovers - Book 1) (Paperback)

When I had the opportunity to read Jana Oliver's Sojourn, I jumped at the opportunity -even before I had any idea what the book was about. Aside from the fact that I just love books, I also have recently fallen in love with Oliver's Demon Trappers series, so it's hard for me to say no to any of her other work. However, I'm always careful when it comes to delving into an author's past titles. While such an expedition can turn up unexpected gems, it can also turn up some titles that were just not as good.

Fortunately, I'd say Sojourn is one of these unexpected gems.

Sojourn straddles two different worlds: a futuristic world where an organization openly allows time travel, and time "tourists" are somewhat common, all policed by the time rovers -and the dark world of late 19th century England on the eve of the Jack the Ripper murders. Jacynda, also known as Cynda, is given the mission of retrieving an overdue tourist who has gone missing just before the murders begin. Cynda quickly finds that her mission isn't as easy as it seems, and that she must unravel the secrets of one of London's most famous serial killers, and how he is connected to the time rover organization.

While I must admit that I wasn't completely expecting something like this from Oliver (especially with such a strong Dr. Who vibe!), but I still found it enjoyable to read. Oliver does an excellent job of painting an accurate and well-constructed picture of 19th century London that is incredibly well-researched and tightly woven. Oddly enough, the futuristic setting wasn't as vivid or as well put together, and at times was very hazy for me, so I desperately wanted to get back to London and back into the fascinating webs of the Whitechapel underground.

Though Sojourn isn't quite as polished as the Demon Trappers series, it's a wonderful, creative series that's a fun adventure that fans of Oliver's other novels will enjoy.