Time's Eye cover art

Time's Eye

Time Odyssey, Book 1

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Time's Eye

By: Stephen Baxter, Arthur C. Clarke
Narrated by: John Lee
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About this listen

For eons, Earth has been under observation by the Firstborn, beings almost as old as the universe itself. The Firstborn are unknown to humankind - until they act. In an instant, Earth is carved up and reassembled like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Suddenly the planet and every living thing on it no longer exist in a single timeline. Instead, the world becomes a patchwork of eras, from prehistory to 2037, each with its own indigenous inhabitants.

Scattered across the planet are floating silver orbs impervious to all weapons and impossible to communicate with. Are these technologically advanced devices responsible for creating and sustaining the rifts in time? Are they cameras through which inscrutable alien eyes are watching? Or are they something stranger and more terrifying still?

The answer may lie in the ancient city of Babylon, where two groups of refugees from 2037 - three cosmonauts returning to Earth from the International Space Station, and three United Nations peacekeepers on a mission in Afghanistan - have detected radio signals: the only such signals on the planet, apart from their own. The peacekeepers find allies in nineteenth-century British troops and in the armies of Alexander the Great. The astronauts, crash-landed in the steppes of Asia, join forces with the Mongol horde led by Genghis Khan. The two sides set out for Babylon, each determined to win the race for knowledge...and the power that lies within.

Yet the real power is beyond human control, perhaps even human understanding. As two great armies face off before the gates of Babylon, it watches, waiting.

©2005 Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter (P)2008 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Adventure Science Fiction Space Opera Fiction Solar System Refugee Ancient History Classics

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Critic reviews

"An exciting tale full of high-tech physics, military tactics and larger-than-life characters in the first of two novels related to the bestselling senior author's Space Odyssey series." ( Publishers Weekly)
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If you could sum up Time's Eye in three words, what would they be?

Epic Time Travel

What did you like best about this story?

The story really captures the size of the Universe and the possible way in which a distant civilisation eons older than humans can set events in motion to stop mankind.

What does John Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

John Lees narration is superb and he really brings the characters to life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment when the two characters (I'll not say which two) are separated by time and space.

Any additional comments?

Excellent story. I can't wait to read the next installments.

Great Sci FI Story ,well read

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Who might you have cast as narrator instead of John Lee?

Dr.Frasier Crane

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Laughed when I shouldn't have due to 'Daphne Moon' starring in the main role

Any additional comments?

minor spoilers.

First of all, don't read on if you haven't listened to the book, NO big spoilers.... but it might spoil the experience.

I only wanted to review this book due to the problems I had with the reader. HE WAS AWFUL.
A male voice actor doing 'female voices' is never going to sound right, fine, I accept that. My problem - this book has a lead female role but the narrator gave her such a bad accent! (Manchester/Mancunian I think) imagine trying to listen to the main character explain some pretty big science theories with deep intellectual meaning.... but with a DAPHNE MOON (from Fraiser TV show) accent! That's all I could hear! It ruined the whole experience for me and I couldn't take it seriously at all! ended up laughing the whole time!

TL;DR - Loved the book - But the narrator ruined the book for me with awful accents. Please fire him

Great book. But please fire the narrator

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Mind blowing, written with imaginations as boundless as any two humans possess. What a partnership. I can't wait to see how the story evolves.

Stunning

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And I think it's better, great idea, great premis I'd find it hard to pick fault

Second time reading

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Excelente narração.
uma forma bizarra de ver o passado, presente e futuro...
tudo bem temperado com uma história cativante.

uma forma diferente de olhar para a história

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