Time Travel discussion
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The Fold
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THE FOLD - August 2015
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Has anyone else read anything by Peter Clines? I absolutely loved 14 by him. It kept me turning the pages and I wish there were a sequel. I've read a few reviews for this book that say that they wish they could read more in the world of The Fold, so I have high hopes for this novel.
I already read this one and enjoyed it. I listened to the audiobook and would recommend it.
I checked out a copy from the library on Friday but I haven't started it yet.
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Just based on the blurb. People might have reason to distrust the DARPA scientists who invent the Albuquerque Door.
How much do you question "The Experts" when it comes to your own real lives?
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Do I need to change my oil every 3,000 miles?
What's considered healthy this week? Eggs? No Eggs? Cut out Carbs, avoid transfat?
Dad says if it tastes good its probably bad for you.
Pre-reading question #1Do everything in moderation.
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How would The Alberquerque Door change life? If it were a cheap option for lay people, what jobs would become obsolete? How could it be used for both good and evil?
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Spoiler for chapter 1
(view spoiler)
The dialogue for all three chapters in the sample feels a little overcooked with the smartass banter but it all moves along briskly.
So question to myself: worth diving in further for £10?
"click here to buy now" on my Kindle screen...do I click it? do I? I've clicked it...of course!
Unto chapter 4 :)
This feels like a Dean R Koontz thriller so far and I am suspecting formulaic...but hey, I am a sucker for a good formula.
Haven't read the synopsis so not sure what the pre-read question means but will answer when the story reveals enough.
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How would The Alberquerque Door change life? If it were a cheap option for lay people, what jobs would become obsolete? How could it be used for both good and evil?"
Great, Amy I work at the UPS Store...Not a lot of need for shipping stuff if everyone simply has a door.
No more roads, vehicles...I suppose tourist attractions could have scenic drives but that would only apply to very large areas that need to be appreciated as a whole otherwise you simply take a door there and walk around.
Can you imagine what the world would sound like without cars, helicopters, airplanes? Very quiet.
How do you think a technology like that would affect the internet? The ease of online interaction so I can chat with people in Tulsa, and London....Why would I post on the internet when we can decide to meet Tuesday's at 2 o'clock this week let's go to Paris and talk about our Book of the month.
How would it affect world health. Allowing doctors to get anywhere in the world and help some very remote villages and islands of the pacific.
What about education and teachers being able to do the same with remote areas. The affects of literacy and general education on a global scale.
What about all you authors out here...We have a taste of electronic distribution with Kindles and Nooks, but how cool would it be to submit an online order and have a hardback delivered instantaneously?
Something that came to mind would be security. I was reminded of
Travel Glasses where the protagonist is tormented by the wearer of the glasses just being able to show up anywhere or (everywhen). I suppose with any door I hope there are ways to close it, and in many cases lock it.War strategy also comes to mind...battles of the past...We have a contingent of 12,000 troops marching on Moscow they will arrive in 3 days time....The generals battle report with an Albuquerque door might be...We have 12,000 troops in Moscow...scratch that in London, they seem to be converging in Chcago?
Space travel is always one of the first things I think about when you bring up "teleportation" Do we have to get to mars to put an exit door there first? I suppose you send a spacecraft just like with the rovers and place door and than fold space and than we can finally send man to Mars. However, do we first have to send a door? It would take years but we could finally make progress, maybe send people to Europa.
The fold tech...the way its described in chapter 5 is the whole wormhole thing you put two dots on opposite side of the paper and you bend space or fold the paper in half and suddenly the two points are next to each other.
I finished Chapter 5 near midnight last night and my Kindle was the only light in the living room...I stood up and proceeded down my dark hallway imagining what might come through that door...opening a door between places its nice...but if you are using a different dimension to do so...What other worldly, transdimensional wildlife...are we potentially allowing into our world?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8TUw..."
huh...so that's the reference! Never knew about that running joke, thanks.
I'm finding the dialogue and characters very pedestrian. The banter rather forced and Mike is unrealistically unexcited. His character is a bit awful in fact. I'm hoping he will soon be spliced up across the universe to give the book a surprise narrative jolt...oh alright then, I'll give the boring git a chance for character development ;) Really though, I dont quite like how this main protagonist is written, never mind the cliche of the reluctant "consultant".
The premise is intriguing though and that's piquing my interest so far.
Answer to Pre-read question:
Can I copy Nancy's answer? Everything in moderation indeed.
As Lincoln's also excellent answer points out, experts quite often contradicts what is good and whats not good.
As a health and fitness professional and currently studying nutrition...I am taught to preach eat as natural food as possible because "experts" say chemical processing on foods are bad. But then I saw a documentary saying, the chemicals do not harm.
I say, dont stress over it. Just cook your food well. Eat lots and lots of veggie (different colours to cover the various vital nutrients) and dont worry too much if your food has gone through chemical processing which is mostly done to make the food look nice and fresher for longer. If you eat natural unprocessed food then great, it is preferable...but just dont stress over it. Stressing takes years off you more than eating the "wrong" food. But be moderate with your diet. Eat a moderate combination of good fats, protein and carbs. Reward yourself to favourite sweet stuff once or twice a week and exercise, play sports etc.
On whole, though, listen to experts, dont dismiss them, they are the ones that did the research but researches can be flawed or missing parameters so listen to different expert opinions and then apply your own logic and judgement of choice. Again, though, dont stress :)
Having said that, biggest problem I am seeing in UK is that doctors push too much unneccessary antibiotics to patients until comes to a point that the body becomes immune to the anti-biotics. In this case, you really cant trust the "doctors" as experts, have to do your own research in accompanying the doctor's diagnosis.
Answer to Question after chapter 5:
Lincoln has listed some great advantages and disadvantages already, not much to add really. I dont think would be too much a disadvantage in warfare and privacy though because can only jump to a paired off Albuquerque. However, if its as common as having a computer at home, then I guess it could be prone to hacking for burglaries and physical privacy invasion. Seems a lot of power is needed though, so not practical for mass deployment if energy resources are still an issue. Need to resolve energy resources problem before putting such an invention to world progressive use.
Assuming it becomes as everyday as using the internet, one problem deriving from it will perhaps result in an increase of obesity and lack of exercise, as people wont be even getting their normal daily walking exercise. Reminds me of Wall-E which depicted such a future!
I'm up to chapter 11 btw.
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I'm also having a hard time believing this guy's version of a photographic memory that works like a computer. All that mind power and he's not seizing upon the 2 biggest clues? Ben acting weird and (view spoiler)They showed up in 14 as well, so I know what they signify. But, really -- why isn't Mr. Super Computer Brain picking up on the same clues the reader is able to?
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Amy wrote: "Question after Chapter 5:How would The Alberquerque Door change life? If it were a cheap option for lay people, what jobs would become obsolete? How could it be used for both good and evil?"
I am almost done with the book but to answer the question I think if an actual door like this was possible and it was inexpensive for anybody to use it would probably eliminate airlines for long distance travel. I am not sure if it would eliminate jobs like UPS for local delivery but it would eliminate long distance hauling. Imagine if you could drive a truck through the door and drive it to the nearest UPS facility instead of long haul truckers.
You know something like this would be regulated and there would be doors only at specific locations. Sort of like Airports. Maybe it would replace airports all together and each terminal would open at an airport somewhere else.
Amy wrote: "I have to agree with Tej about the conversations in this book. They don't really work ve14ry well. They fall kind of flat. I'm also having a hard time believing this guy's versio..."
I am also bothered by him being able to make spreadsheets out of his memories. The author has taken a lot of liberties with eidetic memory. I know it's fiction and that is typical of writers but I think he has gone too far with this overlapping of images and making spreadsheets in his brain and cataloging the informations.
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Rant over!
I think this leads me to a new Reading Question which you dont have to have started reading the book:
Reading Question 2 (any chapter, or pre read): What are your thoughts on novels that include modern pop culture references. Do you mind it or enjoy it? or only sometimes, depending on the type of novel? When is it acceptable? If you reading this book, are you enjoying the references?
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Pop culture references work sometimes if they're broad. For example, it would work to have a person time travel to the '80s where they see the movie E.T. and listen to Michael Jackson tapes on a Walkman while drinking a Coke. I think that in this book, the reference to the Captain America movie works (except that it's unbelievable that he can watch it in his head), but I must have skimmed past any other ones.
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I agree with Amy. The references need to be either really broad or targeted to the demographic of the readers. I think there is a certain leeway I give books if they are aimed at a niche. Ready Player One was a good example. It's so jam packed with 80s pop/nerd culture that it was next to impossible to catch all the references. Luckily the story didn't suffer too much from missing them. I knew I was not catching a few but others would be. What irks me is if a writer makes a reference to some favorite poem or novel, just to make themselves seem cool. If a character has a battered copy of a favorite book in his night stand, I would expect the character to be able to quote it and I would give that a pass. It's part of that character's development. Done right, I may even want to go read the book. But even this works best if it's an author that we all should have at least heard of like Hemingway. Don't try to make the reader feel uninformed by referencing some obscure band or artist and expecting everyone to get it. Nobody likes that move in real life. Same rule should apply to books.
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I think pop culture can add some flavor to a meal...to much and you end up drowning the potatoes in salt.
I also, think pop culture works well with humorous books, as a reference point in time travel sure...but yes I agree that sometimes despite knowing and understanding a pop culture reference, it can be jarring and remove me from the story and bring me back to myself...Oh I have watched X-men 2 and Captain America...Come on Mr. Clines I am reading your book so I can leave this world...why remind me so much of it?
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I finished the book. When I have a keyboard (not my cell phone) then I will post my thoughts and answer the newest question.
I think it depends on the cultural reference and how it is being used in the book. Does it contribute to the story or not? Some references can add to the story if they help the reader learn about a character's personality. For example, I think the Star Trek t-shirts Sasha wore were supposed to say to the reader that she is trekkie and conjure up images of what kind of person is a trekkie etc but it didn't in my opinion. There was nothing in her behavior that backed that up. That was the problem with most of the cultural references in this book. They were just thrown in there. For example, Jamie had a cat named Spock as a little girl. Shouldn't it have been Sasha since she was resident Star Trek fanatic?
Ok, I had to return the book to the library today and I have been thinking what would have made this at least a four star book for me.....I think the concept of Mike having an eidetic memory could have worked a lot better if it actually tied into the story better.
What I would have liked to see is the story have Mike at the facility longer and be more a part of the experiment. It would have been nice if Mike actually participated and went through the door several times. It would have been more interesting for the reader to see more of the little discrepancies after people came back through the door. Especially if Mike went through the door and he started having discrepancies in his memory from the dimension he came from versus the dimension he was currently in. Maybe making him question his ability, causing him to have a lot of doubts and internal conflict etc.
There were a lot of other little things that could have been done differently or handled differently but maybe just changing the story like I mentioned above, I could probably forgive the other little things that bother me.
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Well, he might not be at his sharpest when having such a good time as he was having at that point, those ants of his were probably on a high at the time! :D
For all the criticism I was making with the dialogue which still stands, that last line of the Chapter 32 was probably the best one and did make me laugh. I've been warming to Mike a bit more and I no longer want him to be spliced up because I am rather enjoying him as a detective now.
This is not a very eventful book and like Amy says, its not really getting on with any story but I am unexpectedly enjoying it as just a detective novel.
The pop culture references is still getting silly with character names plucked out of thin air that would surely irritate those who dont know the references, banter is still forced with too many smartass retorts. Some are amusing though but the key is moderation and the writer has definitely lost that key!
So far this is a 3 star book as I reach the 70% mark.
I had to return the library book on Friday. I can't remember chapters by number only if someone says what is going on at that point. Darn those libraries and their return dates!
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Oh sorry, I'm sure you'll remember it by description in my spoiler as it was a turning point in the book...
Spoiler for chapter 32:
(view spoiler)
Haha!Tej, you are probably right about the ants. They were probably a little distracted at that point.
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...how did this book get nominated for a time travel book read?! This is not a time travel novel. Its not even a novel that "might suggest time travel that turns out not to be" which I completely welcome as part of the time travel genre. But this does not in any way qualify except for (view spoiler).
The logic of the scifi premise was sound until it all fell apart in that crazy final act. It would have been forgivable if it was more eventful in the first two acts. The characters were cardboard cut out caricatures. As for Mike's "superhero" style photographic memory and Excel spreadsheet computing ability, I actually found that fun but also poorly used in the narrative which went mostly nowhere. Just as Nancy mentioned.
Having said all that, the book wasnt that bad at all. What I enjoyed most was the "detective story" element. I also enjoyed some of the smartass wit that rose above the plentiful forced and often unrealistic ones. Even the shallow formulaic love/lust sub story turned out fun with an hilarious revelation that made me laugh. The whole book reminds me of the 1950s B movies which I love watching despite the often poor acting, laughable logic and frequent slow pacing. In fact that's all this book was, B movie nonsense. Michael Crichton wrote the same kind of B movie nonsense but he did it better or at least was more original, I say that giving the recent shocking turnaround on some of your rose tinted memories on Timeline! (I was shocked reading some of your reactions, lol...I loved the book when I first read it too, now you guys making wonder if I would have had the same re-read reaction!). Anyway, there was potential in The Fold but it was squandered. Pity.
There was an Author's note at the end describing how he came to write this rubbish as if it was a literary masterpiece which I found rather amusing. But to my surprise, this novel turns out to be a parallel sequel to another book called 14. Now I have no idea what 14 is about but I am suspecting now that the (view spoiler).
Amy, you read and enjoyed 14, did I guess right in my spoiler?! Were there anymore crossover references? Sounds like 14 is a much better novel? Despite my disappointment with this novel, I like the authors incentives to entertain a sci fi yarn.
But that's the problem of reading apparent standalone sequels without reading the earlier novels in the same universe. One misses out on the connections. Which is fine if references are small but problematic to the overall enjoyment if the references and connectivity are huge if one hasnt read the earlier novels. In this case, its not huge, its fine but I certainly missed a huge beat with not knowing anything about what I mentioned in the spoiler (if my suspicions are correct).
I see that most nominations for future group reads are either book one of a series or apparently standalone novels in an already established series. That's fine but I am sometimes wary of such claims. Howard Loring's books springs to mind for example. Each one are claimed standalone but when I read his second book, I didnt know what the hell was going on in some places and I understand now, that I would have pieced it together if I read the first book. I did enjoy the book btw, just annoyed me that it wasnt as standalone as promised and I dont dig that! I see that Connie's Blackout was nominated a few times but that is apparantly half a story but never ever marketed as such. (All Clear being the second book).
I just thinking we need to be wary but at the same its difficult to know until we read the books!
I am feeling a little pain paying £10 for this novel but the Kindle sample promised enough (despite the forced banter) that I thought was worth a risk as I sensed that Michael Chrichton style adventure would ensue. Sadly, this didnt pan out that way. Even though it turns out a bad investment, I dont regret it as I was hungry to continue my group read involvement with you guys anyway :)
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I think the concept of Mike having an eidetic memory coul..."
Oh I'm absolutely liking your alternative. Problem is that would have been a very complex thing for this author himself to keep track of, given he couldnt end the book by retaining the simple logical rules he already set out. Would have been too hard for him, lol. But it sure would have spiced up the narrative and give us shivers if the revelations were done well enough!
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Reading question 3 spoiler for chapter 32 (view spoiler)
Reading question 4 (no requirement to read book): What are your thoughts of jumping into a series without reading earlier novels but are promised that the book is a standalone story (which this one is, dont worry) but likely to miss out on references to earlier novels? Do you find it ok and simply makes you want to read earlier books which you wouldn't have done otherwise, or simply content with the standalone story despite missing connections? Have you been duped into reading a book marketed as standalone but end up frustrated at its over reliance on knowledge of earlier novels?
Reading question 5: Spoiler for chapter 56 onwards: (view spoiler)
Reading question 6: Spoiler for chapter 57 onwards: (view spoiler)
#5: (view spoiler)To answer the second half of the question, what reasons I would have to cross into another dimention, I am not sure. I guess that depends on the dimension. How different is it from our own dimension? What would I be learning from the other dimension? If it is too similar to our own, would going through cause problems if people who know my double see me or talk to me etc? Could I cause a significant change to their future by going through?
#6 I guess I would be shocked if a double of me just showed up from another universe. Especially if I had no knowledge of the technology. If I knew about the technology because our own world also had it, then I might not be so shocked but maybe wondering why they are there and what do they want from me.This is hard because I guess it depends on my double. What if they are trapped and can't go back? Will they want my life or would they create a new life for themselves? How do you explain your double to other people if no one knows about the technology? Long lost twin?
Amy wrote: ""Why would you get a book for someone who's not a big reader?" He's an English lit teacher. WTF? A lit teacher who doesn't read?"Bizarrely I work with a couple of lit teachers who don't get time to read as much as they would like and therefore class themselves as occasional readers. Maybe that's what is meant?
I started listening to this book on my commute some days ago. In chapter 11 or 12 by now. Seems promising.
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I thought Cline's book 14 was a 5-star book, but his one was just 3 stars for me. It lacked the greatness this author is capable of. The Fold is the only book on the list I've read this year, but I don't think I can vote for it simply because I read it.
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I speculate that because Cline already has a large following fan base, with 14, they had already given the book 5 stars before it was released as I seem to notice occurs a lot on Goodreads. Also, many fans can be in denial even after reading it and still give 5 stars as a fan moral support.
Just speculating, maybe I'm just bitch'n :)
And how did this get classed as a time travel novel!?
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I speculate that because Cline ..."
Yes, exactly! It definitely wasn't time travel. I forgot to make that point after finishing it. I guess I was too disappointed and/or busy to bother.
Actually, the whole list of sci-fi book nominees seem a little underwhelming to me, especially since several of them were #5million in a series. I would like to start the Old Man's War series and try Beacon 23: Part One: Little Noises
Another 3-star book I read this year in the historical fiction category (At the Water's Edge) made it to the nomination phase and I've read nothing but lackluster reviews of it.
I guess that's what write-in votes are for. I wrote in The Diver's Clothes Lie Empty for general fiction and Bell Weather for fantasy (for lack of a suitable category for that one).
I also gave it three stars. I was surprised to see it on the list.Amy, Old Man's War is a fun book. I want to read the other books in the series but haven't gotten to them yet.
Not sure where to post this but Peter Clines has a new time travel book coming out in September: Paradox Bound.
Time Travel
Books mentioned in this topic
Paradox Bound (other topics)Old Man's War (other topics)
At the Water's Edge (other topics)
Little Noises (other topics)
Old Man's War (other topics)
More...
STEP INTO THE FOLD.
IT’S PERFECTLY SAFE.
The folks in Mike Erikson's small New England town would say he's just your average, everyday guy. And that's exactly how Mike likes it. Sure, the life he's chosen isn’t much of a challenge to someone with his unique gifts, but he’s content with his quiet and peaceful existence.
That is, until an old friend presents him with an irresistible mystery, one that Mike is uniquely qualified to solve: far out in the California desert, a team of DARPA scientists has invented a device they affectionately call the Albuquerque Door. Using a cryptic computer equation and magnetic fields to “fold” dimensions, it shrinks distances so that a traveler can travel hundreds of feet with a single step.
The invention promises to make mankind’s dreams of teleportation a reality. And, the scientists insist, traveling through the Door is completely safe.
Yet evidence is mounting that this miraculous machine isn’t quite what it seems—and that its creators are harboring a dangerous secret.
As his investigations draw him deeper into the puzzle, Mike begins to fear there’s only one answer that makes sense. And if he’s right, it may only be a matter of time before the project destroys…everything.
A cunningly inventive mystery featuring a hero worthy of Sherlock Holmes and a terrifying final twist you’ll never see coming, The Fold is that rarest of things: a genuinely page-turning science-fiction thriller. Step inside its pages and learn why author Peter Clines has already won legions of loyal fans.
The Author
PETER CLINES has published several pieces of short fiction and countless articles on the film and television industries. He is the author of the Ex-Heroes series and the acclaimed standalone thriller 14 (which I absolutely loved). He lives in Southern California.
Where to Buy
*Kindle edition ($10.99)
*Hardback edition ($15.18)
*Used (starting at $10.97)