I liked this book a lot, for three main reasons.
First, as a fan of Robert A. Heinlein, I appreciated the technical language and understanding of physics used by the author, Steve Poling. The beginning chapters don't just make passing reference to advanced science and technology; these concepts are incorporated within the dialogue and narrative, which is a compliment to the reader. Either you already understand and appreciate some or all of the terminology (especially if you're a fan of The Big Bang Theory on TV), or you will do yourself a favour and do a quick read-up to understand them. This tells me that Poling is not talking down to his readers -- he's indicating that they are intelligent and thoughtful. I like that.
Second, I'm recommending that my son read this book, because while it makes use of advanced technological language, it's not all techno-speak. I think young adults who are sci-fi fans would get a kick out of following time travellers around history, and across galaxies. Questions about the morality of stepping in and out of timelines, human psychology, reverse engineering advanced technology, and removing individuals from their original times are worthy of discussion, and certainly my own 11-year old son likes talking about these things.
Third, I'm a history buff as well as a sci-fi fan. I really enjoyed the historical accuracy of the book, how Poling treated each episode of the time travellers' adventures in the past, how he adapted his narrative to include speech patterns and setting details, and I loved figuring out the purpose of each visit as it was revealed (and how Poling plays with historical events). The changes in perspective from chapter to chapter were refreshing. Poling writes as though he is unrolling a scroll -- everything is made clear at the perfect time. The pacing was a bit slow at the beginning, but there are several moments which are highly compelling, when you'll be prompted to ask: How the heck are they going to get out of it, this time?
If you enjoyed films like Millennium, the Back to the Future trilogy, or tv shows like Continuum and The Big Bang Theory, you will really enjoy Finding Time. I highly recommend it.
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