#379 ~ Time Crystal 1 - The Convergence

Time Crystal 1 - The Convergence by Ethan Somerville

My rating: 4 of 5 stars








Storm Publishing, 10th August 209
461 Pages
Reading Age:  Adult
Genre:  Fiction > Fantasy > Time Travel


This was one of my DSOA (Daily Selection for free Kindle Download on Amazon) on my Blog in March. At the time of writing this Review' (September 2013) its still available on Amazon for free HERE to pick up a copy (although I'm not sure how much longer it will be available as a free download. Having said that, it would be well worthing paying for).

It's actually the first Ethan Somerville title that I've read, and am happy to advise that I found it thoroughly enjoyable.

Without wishing too many spoilers: an effeminate-looking Alien collects together the oddest assortment of people from various time periods to help him seek out and capture a Crystal that could effect his entire planet, and stave off a power hungry Warrior from another planet.

How much use will a bi-sexual pirate, Victorian harlot, illiterate Scottish maiden, a Viking's sex slave nun and a modern teenager actually be to him, and how much trouble can they actually get into?Well, you'll just have to read it to find out, but suffice to say, I loved it.

All in all, 4 stars is highly appropriate, and I can't wait to read more in this series - I will add the details on the series on my "Review by Series" section on the blog).

EDITED TO ADD:  having sat and typed the Error/Bug Bear list (below) from my highlighted notes on Baby, I have just realised how many there were.  I was almost tempted to drop a star off the rating.  However, the overall piece was enjoyable, and the errors fairly minor, that I decided to be generous and leave the rating as it is.


Errors/Bug Bears:

With Kindle files I think it will be easier to quote the location for the start of the page (sometimes I will quote from the end of the previous page if appropriate as well) that the error/bug bear is on, rather than the percentage (as that covers 2 or 3 pages at the size of Font I use).

Loc 259:  The hira turned, looking back down alley.  Sure enough .....

Correct to:

The hira turned, looking back down the alley.  Sure enough .....

Loc 392:  For some reason he was reminded Adelrid Merylon, the Chief Time-Controller.

Correct to:

For some reason he was reminded of Adelrid Merylon, the Chief Time-Controller.

Loc 460:  Heath felt a rough poke his mindveil .....

Correct to:

Heath felt a rough poke to his mindveil .....

Loc 539:  ....answered, still at a loss for wards.

Correct to:

....answered, still at a loss for words.

Loc 725:  Rhys Kelly, so ... I suppose we can call Rhys

Correct to:

Rhys Kelly, so ... I suppose we can call you Rhys

Loc 759:  ...enabled his body to on draw on external energies to speed up the processes.

Correct to:

...enabled his body to on draw on external energies to speed up the processes.

Loc 820:  She had tied her long blonde hair hack, ....

Correct to:

She had tied her long blonde hair back, ....

Loc 829:  She made a heroic grab him as he tumbled past ...

Correct to:

She made a heroic grab for him as he tumbled past ...

Loc 866:  .....faraway oceans she had never beard of.

Correct to:

.....faraway oceans she had never heard of.

Loc 940:  Something had always stopped her from come to the rescue the afflicted party.

Correct to:

Something had always stopped her from coming to the rescue of the afflicted party.

Loc 1746:  Put Heath's lattice-key on his base of his throat.

Correct to:

Put Heath's lattice-key on the base of his throat.

Loc 1828:  He could have bitten tongue.

Correct to:

He could have bitten his tongue.

Loc 1939:  I'm sorry Heath - I guess I shouldn't have roused on you as soon as you walked in.

Bug bear with this:

I take issue with the the use of "roused" in this context.  It would have been better to use "started on" on "confronted you".

Loc 1939 (further amendment):  I knew we would be come to this eventually.

Correct to:

I knew we would be come to this eventually.

Loc 1987:  ....some settlers gambling with dice and cards in one corner ....

Bug bear:

the plural of dice is die.


Loc 2039:  ...who drank themselves insensible on Bull, a formidable cataplasm concocted from fermented sugar.

Bug bear:

As far as I'm the definition of "cataplasm" is a poultice or plaster, so therefore was this the correct word to use?

Loc 2094:  The premier doesn't seem to be doin' a thing about them ...

Premier should be an initial upper case letter.

Loc 2777:  He tried to remember what hat transpired ...

Correct to:

He tried to remember what hat transpired ...

Loc 2830:  ...squeal had made the young man feel as like his very DNA was jarring apart.

Correct to:

...squeal had made the young man feel as like his very DNA was jarring apart.

Loc 2884:  ...clustered around the back truck but didn't spare them a second glance.

Correct to:

...clustered around the back of the truck but didn't spare them a second glance.

Loc 2925:  Rhys had allowed him take both her and Kirsty around Charlotte's strange world.

Correct to:

Rhys had allowed him to take both her and Kirsty around Charlotte's strange world.

Loc 3259:  ...but kept her mouth shut as she demolished her burger in five bits and licked her fingers.

Correct to:

...but kept her mouth shut as she demolished her burger in five bites and licked her fingers.

Loc 3485:  Well, it tells me when I'm about to a fit, and warns me to restrain myself.

Correct to:

Well, it tells me when I'm about to have a fit, and warns me to restrain myself.

Loc 3870:  This crate doesn't look a spaceship to me, Heah! More like a filthy old delivery van!

Correct to:

This crate doesn't look like a spaceship to me, Heah! More like a filthy old delivery van!

Loc 3998:  ....into their time, a massive time-bubble would ensure and pop!

Correct to:

....into their time, a massive time-bubble would ensue and pop!

Loc 4173:  ...and became permanently liked to it.

Correct to:

 ...and became permanently linked to it.

Loc 4343:  He's gotten off - now where's he going?

Bug bear:

It's well known by now just how much I dislike the use of "gotten", it smacks of imagination.  However in this case as it's somebody talking, I will have to reluctantly have to let it go!

Loc 5051:  Do you have you anything else to say to me, Kirsty?

Correct to:

Do you have you anything else to say to me, Kirsty?

Loc 5353:  Dawson - he's a mate of mime, he - well he played a joke on us.

Correct to:

Dawson - he's a mate of mine, he - well he played a joke on us.

Loc 5406:  The machine's voice sounded emerged slow and slurred ...

Correct to:

Use either "sounded" or "emerged".  Personally, I would be inclined to use sounded.

Loc 5410:  ....I only banished him into cell-clusters I can no longer use ... the clusters Aidan that corrupted.

Transposed, correct to:

....I only banished him into cell-clusters I can no longer use ... the clusters that Aidan corrupted.

Loc 5444:  A rip on the left side of his shirt showered where the gang-leader had stabbed him, but the white cloth was unstained.

Correct to:

A rip on the left side of his shirt showed where the gang-leader had stabbed him, but the white cloth was unstained.

Loc 5553:  No, he told himself, I can't let myself to fall in love with this half-caste.

Correct to:

No, he told himself, I can't let myself to fall in love with this half-caste.

Loc 5785: C-come back when you've gotten rid of that bloody rock!

The good old "gotten" Bug bear:

It's well known by now just how much I dislike the use of "gotten", it smacks of imagination .... I do appreciate that I am probably banging my head against a wall with use of this word, but I will keep trying!

Happy reading.

Hugs

Kay