Time Travel discussion

The Paradox Hotel

An impossible crime. A detective on the edge of madness. The future of time travel at stake.

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

Discussion open September 1st.

Please use spoiler tags when discussing.

Happy reading!

Ok, I didn't vote for it, but it is at my library so I'll give it a go.

Me too. I still want to read "Time Chain" but maybe after this one.

I have it on hold at the library, hopefully wll get it by September 1

I jumped the gun on this because it came in at the library. I didn't like it much. (I wrote a short review.) I will watch this thread though to see what others think. There's a lot to discuss!

Great!

I've got it checked out, Might start early.

I enjoyed it when I read it. I thought it was fun. I like (view spoiler)[snarky characters though. (hide spoiler)]

Looking forward to this read!

I'll be reading it soon, too, as I already have my library copy in hand.

(The 'currently reading' on the group home page still shows Greta Wells.)

Done. Quite a ride. More thrilling than my usual choices. But it was both SF and TT, so I persevered, despite really not warming up to the bitchy character.

The climax scenes are interesting. The very end seems a bit abrupt to me, but I bet I'm not appreciating everything.

I have a quote copied into my review but I don't want to bring it here until we've had more discussion.

I kept expecting a reason for the drone's name, did I just miss it or was a reason never given?

I developed the notion it was homage to 'ruby slippers' as in 'we're not in Kansas anymore.'

Good question. Authors usually choose names with some sort of purpose.

Cheryl wrote: "I developed the notion it was homage to 'ruby slippers' as in 'we're not in Kansas anymore.'

Good question. Authors usually choose names with some sort of purpose."

I like the theory about the Ruby slippers! Also, maybe an homage to the song "Goodbye Ruby Tuesday" since the narrator is January. LOL.

I just thought it was odd to make a point about changing the voice from female to male, but still call it by a feminine name without a reason.

Well, irl we can't change the name on our assistants, can we? I'm borrowing my brother's Google Home and I can change the voice, but not the name.

Your comment raises another interesting point, though. How close are we to the level of technology in the book? If the TT was discovered right now, would most every new thing in the story be plausible? Or would it take long enough that some of the things in the story would be obsolete?

And not just technology, but social norms etc. Like Cameo, for example. Lovely person, but would they really be able to get that job in most hotels in the US today? Maybe you-all will say yes, and I only doubt because I've lived in Missouri and Oklahoma for too long.

Cheryl wrote: "Well, irl we can't change the name on our assistants, can we? I'm borrowing my brother's Google Home and I can change the voice, but not the name.

Your comment raises another interesting point, th..."

Good questions, Cheryl!

I am thinking we are very close to the technologies described in this book, except, of course, for the time travel aspects. As for the other thing, I am not so sure. I live in Florida where things are pretty backward.

I really enjoyed this book although the ending was abrupt as someone else had mentioned. I loved the blend of sci fi and time travel. I also liked the characters.

I am still waiting for my library loan to come due,

I had put a hold on the ebook, hardcopy , and audio book and the audio version came up first. I usually don't like to do time travel by audio because of shifting times can sometimes get confusing. So far this one is an engaging story line, but no actual time travel has happened yet, but I am hopeful I can follow it in audio.

:fingers crossed:
:)

I am not a fan of audio books personally but that is great you could get a copy at least!

I have finished and this book did work well in audio because there wasn't the back and forth story lines that are often found in time travel novels. It is hard to find original ideas in time travel novels, but I found the idea of becoming "unstuck" as a side effect of time travel to be an innovative idea.

I really enjoyed the character of January Cole, I didn't find her bitchy , just determined . Things started happening very fast towards the end of the novel, so I am not sure I caught is all, would still like to get ahold of a print copy and reread the last two chapters.

I thought this was a fun book. I hope more people get a chance to read it.

I agree; I do recommend it. Esp. as good SF (as opposed to literary or historical) TT seems a bit scarce atm.

I picked up as an audio book, and I'm rounding the corner (75% done) to finish by the weekend!

Sound boarding off Cheryl's questions about "When" the book takes place - I've been thinking on this as well. I took this to be "in a near future" -- but assuming the science and technology of time-travel was discovered TODAY, it would still require:
- the early research / exploration phases to be systematically conducted
- a government agency to be formed around it
- enough time with it elapsed to become a tourist attraction for the uber rich
- enough time for multi-stage side effects to be observed
- enough time after side effects have been observed for pharmaceutical treatments to be developed

A good real-world model would be the evolution of the Space Industry, which would suggest events playing out over a minimum of several decades. But to be generous to the author, in my mind this book takes place circa 2050, which still presents a few continuity problems.

Curious what anyone else thinks, or if overthinking that is just derailing enjoyment.

Thanks! Yeah, maybe it's a parallel world where TT was discovered a couple of decades ago or something. But I appreciate your post because I had some of the same questions (just not articulated so well). How fast, indeed, could we get these programs up and running? I think it's a legitimate question with any 'near future' SF.

I finished! My overall impression of it was good, but there's so many things that I want to critique or dissect for the fun of it. I'm glad to know I was not the only one that lost footing with the plot towards the end.

Wrote a review if you want to check it out (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).

Good review, thank you for refreshing my memory.