Lies, Damned Lies, and History

Since reading the first book in this series Ive accomplished very little else. I go almost seamlessly from the end of one book to the beginning of the next. And Im very much afraid that Im going to go into withdrawals when I get to the last currently available book.

Okay, that wont help someone wondering what these books are about so Ill give a real review a try: St. Marys is an organization that conducts historical research by visiting places and events as history is unfolding. Along the way nearly everything that can go wrong does. Fortunately St. Marys people are tough, resourceful, and have plenty of tea. They also have humor, unswerving loyalty, and resilience. Its a wild ride with Max and the gang, with both hysterical highs and heartbreaking lows and among the way you might just learn something.

For my fellow Americans, a warning. These books are not Americanized. They are stuffed to overflowing with British slang and the historical events never cross the pond. Between the two, you will need to keep your wits about you in order to keep up. If you can, you will be well rewarded. Historical events are brought alive, an adventure is always just a step away, characters will endear themselves, and you will both laugh and cry.

But before you start, do your laundry, pay your bills, and stock the pantry because you wont get much else done.

Lies, Damned Lies, and History by Jodi Taylor is just the latest in a series of books that are like potato chips. If you read one, you have to read more. I am envious of those who are just beginning this journey.

Max had a really rough start in life. Her childhood was not gentle. When she struck out on her own, difficulties continued. Then St. Mary’s came calling, and her life has been one of rollicking adventure, crazy risk and tight bonds with other Historians. Now, these historians don’t sit at their desks, surrounded by dust motes and moldy papers, they travel in time. St. Mary’s doesn’t like to call it that, of course. They are historians, studying history live and in person. They travel in pods and in small groups and record the events that we view as history. Oh, and they drink tea. Gallons of tea.

This one may have had more close calls and harrowing moments than most, specially for the very pregnant Max. Her husband is a technician at St Mary’s and so he understands . Mostly.

I won’t say anymore, in order to avoid spoiling it for you, but the ending is a doozy!

This series has really grown on me which is sorta amazing since at book 3 I was totally ready to give up on the entire thing. Not only have the plot lines gotten significantly better but the author has figured out how to cause drama in the story without making the love interest characters have some detrimental communication driven catastrophe befall them.

The best part of this story for me has always been the moments in time that the characters go back to and seeing a historic event in a new light. The most significant thus far is the trip back to the time of Arthur and his knights. For one I never realized the Author, Excalibur and the Nights of the Round table was based on a real figure from history (this is one of those times I feel like a stupid American in my utter lack of historical knowledge past the American Revolution). Seeing a possible way that he could travel in and save the day for various communities was great and I was possibly the funniest solution to fighting in a battle that the St. Marys men have ever come up with.

This series still suffers from some really choppy sequencing sometimes and Im a linear thinker so at times it is difficult for me to figure out the flow of the story when sometimes we are present day and other times we are in the past, the past past and the freaking super far past.

Max and Leon really are getting this whole marriage thing down and bravo to Leon for supporting a pregnant Max and accepting her traipsing through time with their unborn son. You know her really wants to lock her up in a room at St Marys and make sure she is safe and sound forever. But it seems that he has found a way to deal with Max his marriage and St. Marys. I think they will be okay.

As Chief Technical Officer I am angrier than I can possibly say. That you could do such a thing beggars belief.
I unfolded my arms and prepared to disembowel him.
He continued. As your husband, I am mildly exasperated at your inability to stay out of trouble. At this particular moment, I am this units CTO. Later tonight I will be your husband. All right?

Wow to some of the stuff that happened in this book though. I mean the stuff with Roland near the end was really heart stopping and I almost cheated and looked at the blurb for the next book just to get a clue as to how much trouble Max and babe were really in.

Really it has been some fantastic moments in time and Im loving the direction the series has taken.

I have snaffled up every one of this series (bar the short stories. I can never get into those). As usual this one did not disappoint. The interesting history bits are always the icing on the cake. The only reason I have rated this 4 instead of 5 is the appearance of magic in the first part of the book with the shaman/protector. I love stories involving magic but it just doesn’t work in this series.
It also looks like this book is the end of the series 🙁 Such a damn shame!

Book 7 and still a great read. I love Max and her wonky crew. Now that she is pregnant and ought to be slowing down, well let’s just say she isn’t slowing down much. How Leon can put up with her is sometimes beyond me but he knew what he was getting when he married Max. She has always been alone and Leon understands her, from the beginning he ‘got her’ so now he knows what she needs. This is just one WTF episode after another but the last jump is what grabs you. Read it from the beginning and go slow. Ha! As if going slow is even possible with these books. Be prepared to want to start over immediately. There is always risk in every jump but these seem more risky than earlier ones, especially her last jump. Be ready to laugh, want to slap her, and then want to hug her. Jodi Taylor has created a great female lead with Max.

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