Out of Time (Paperback)

by Lynn Abbey (Author) "Morning had the crystal clarity that came to the Mid-western town of Bower only in autumn and only after a hard freeze had put an..." (more)
Key Phrases: persistent curse, limping man, Emma Merrigan, Bran Mongomery, Merle Acalia (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
From fantasy fan favorite Lynn Abbey, co-creator of Thieves' World(tm), comes a novel of modern witchcraft and one woman's newfound powers.

The novels of Lynn Abbey are..."Brilliantly conceived."-C. J. Cherryh

"All the things that make fantasy worth reading."-Booklist

Product Details

• Paperback: 311 pages
• Publisher: Ace (June 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441007511
• ISBN-13: 978-0441007516
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #976,232 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Abbey Creates a Believable Alternate Reality, August 4, 2000

By	Shawna Lanne "Shawna" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews

Out of Time by Lynn Abbey is one of the best new fantasy novels that I have read in a long time.

Emma Merrigan, is a Librarian with a comfortable if slightly lonely and predictable life. Until she decided to help a terrified young woman who is haunted by both what we can see and what we can't. That is when Emma begins having her childhood nightmares again. Only her nightmares are manifesting themselves physically and she is losing time and waking up bloody.

It really is quite a good book, it meanders a bit in a couple of places which may be off putting to some but well worth the read. The world she has created is engrossing, fresh and just believable enough (well sort of this is a fantasy novel after all) for the suspension of disbelief to occur. I eagerly await the next book.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 18k fantasy, July 12, 2000

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Fifty-year-old librarian Emma Merrigan lives alone in a Bower, Michigan townhouse. Emma enjoys her quiet solitude, especially after two failed marriages. When Emma was one, her mother mysteriously disappeared. For decades afterward Emma suffered from severe night traumas that have eased up in recent years.

However, Emma's quiet lifestyle changes when she meets badly beaten law school student Jennifer. She provides Jennifer with a temporary home while she recovers from her injuries. The meeting sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the return of Emma's night traumas. Only this time when she awakens she sees evidence that indicate she traveled somewhere. Emma found a hidden cache of letters from her mother that tells her how to remove curses and that she has the innate ability to travel through time. When Jennifer,s boyfriend arrives, Emma believes he suffers from an ancient curse. Emma goes back in time and changes the past but she botches the job and it looks like Jennifer's boyfriend will die. To correct her error, Emma needs the help of a fellow time traveler, a person she does not trust.

Imagine a contemporary drama sprinkled with a few horror and fantasy elements. This is the essence of OUT OF TIME, a very good tale. Emma is a fabulous heroine while the support charcaters augment the plot with depth. This novel appears to be the first installment of a new modern day fantasy series in which the audience remains clueless as to the overall direction Lynn Abbey plans to take in what is an enjoyable opening act.

Harriet Klausner

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very fun fantasy novel!, October 27, 2000

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

Emma Merrigan is a 50 year old woman, living a rather dull life. But bumping into an abused teenager, and inviting her to stay with her draws her into a strange world, where curses exist, and time travel (sort off) is possible. This book is not really a time travel novel (as I thought when I bought it), it's more of a fantasy book. But I never read any other book like it. Lynn Abbey, the author, creates a believable fantasy world. It reminded me a bit of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere - a fantasy world superimposed on our modern reality. I really loved the book - and am eagerly looking for a sequel.