13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
It could have been a great book!, August 23, 2006
This review is from: Tempus Fugit (Hardcover)
Tempus Fugit is a delightful book in conception and partly in execution, but is vastly annoying in its manifold errors. It could have been a four-star book if the author had hired a good proofreader to examine the manuscript, and a five-star one with some attention to historical detail.
The personalities of the founders were enjoyable, but not completely accurate. I doubt that Washington would engage in the easy first-name camaraderie and repartee we see in the book. I believe that it was Alexander Hamilton in real life who once called him "George" and was made to know that this informal address was out of line. Speaking of Hamilton, he accused Jefferson of breeding mulatto children, selling them on the auction block, and making a profit of his own debauchery. Indeed Jefferson was not "enlightened" regarding slavery and equality of whites and blacks, and yet, I have never found that he used the "N-word" to the exclusion of all others in referring to the Negro race. Likewise, Franklin is known to have done more than admire the feminine figure, and yet his every waking thought was not focused upon sexual conquest, as we see in Tempus Fugit.
I jotted down dozens of historical and grammatical errors as I read the book, and I allowed many errors to pass unjotted, simply because I grew weary of reaching for my pencil. On page 183 there was even an error in our national anthem, for heaven's sake!
I hasten to say that Rowe engaged in an enormous amount of historical research and did do many things right in casting the founders' interpretation of modern marvels into their historical perspective. Yet he made many errors. Washington refers to his wife as "Martha," yet no one ever called her by that name. From an infant she was known as "Patsy." All her family and friends called her "Patsy." In later life some called her "Mrs. Washington" or "Lady Washington," but never "Martha." Rowe thinks that three presidents were impeached, when only two were. He suggests that Christians have changed the Bible, when the Qumran scrolls and other ancient documents prove that the Bible has been accurately transmitted. Rowe thinks that Jefferson founded the Republican Party, when in fact history credits him with founding the Democratic Party. He thinks that FDR was elected to three terms, not four. He thinks Washington actually had wooden false teeth.
There are many linguistic anachronisms also. "Hopefully" is used adverbially as Jefferson would not have used it. Washington uses "contact" as a verb, a usage not invented until early in the 20th century and still not universally accepted. I do not believe that 18th century men referred to all women as "wenches" nor to all paper as "parchment." "Mug" was not used in the sense of attacking to rob until 1865 or thereabouts.
Possibly the most distressing errors are the grammatical ones. These fall into two categories, those made by the founders and those made by the narrator. We know that Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin were skilled writers and speakers who would not have made innumerable grammatical errors. Nowadays many people approve the use of split infinitives. Rowe is one of them. However, as Rowe portrays the founders, they can hardly open their mouths without splitting infinitives, something they would never have done in real life. Each time I hear or read a split infinitive it jars on me. Normally when I read a book I can say that it contained three split infinitives, or whatever. Tempus Fugit uses them so wantonly and profusely that I soon lost count. When Rowe and the founders used multiple split infinitives on one page, my mind reeled. Even worse is the way the founders use the nominative case again and again when they should have used the objective. Franklin says "a historian," when he actually would have said "an historian." Washington says "between" when he means "among." Something tells me that the founders did not use contractions as copiously in real life as they do in this book.
I could go on and on and on, but you get the idea. Rowe plans a sequel. I beg and plead with him that he hires a proofreader and historian to examine his manuscript. Even with the innumerable errors, I found the book lively and entertaining. I easily got three stars worth of enjoyment from it, while at the same time lamenting HOW GOOD IT COULD HAVE BEEN.
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9 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A catalyst to understanding our forefathers..., July 13, 2006
This review is from: Tempus Fugit (Hardcover)
I've always been facinated with historical fiction, more so than the encyclopedic versions. Reading these types of novels spurs me to research and learn about the people and their lives where I wouldn't otherwise.
I admit that the portrayal of Jefferson is unnerving, but I think the author was showing his own bravery on this point. Instead of massaging Jefferson into a Disneyesque ex-President, simply get into his character with what you know of him from your research and write him as you think he was. I think the author has succeeded in that I can view Jefferson in a roundabout fashion, not really adhering exactly to the manner in which he is depicted. But having shown his intellect, his racist, and "spoiled child" attitudes, it gives the reader a sense of who the man probably was.
I have always thought a motion picture of George Washington would be like Superman in real life. His physical nature seems so daunting that I can't imagine such a movie, if done well, being less than an Acadamy award sweep. Washington was an extraordinary human and to see him come to life in this book was wonderful.
The book portrays Franklin as a genius beyond compare and that is as it should be. Of course I didn't know he was a rogue and I'll happily look for more history of the man. I think I like him quite a bit more than I ever gave thought and want to research him as much as I can.
The book is wonderful, if you like this sort of thing. I think it's easy to take advantage of history when writing fiction, but Rowe seems to have done an enormous amount of research to back his writing. And the writing itself is consistent and well done. I never once felt uncomfortable with the prose. The story is light at times and dark at others, but overall, I loved it...and hope Rowe writes a sequel to compare.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A real page turner...., October 3, 2006
This review is from: Tempus Fugit (Hardcover)
A great read, held me from start to finish. A little hard to swallow the dialog, but still it's believeable considering the time which the founders came from. Can't wait for the next in the series.
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