A Symphony of Echoes

3.5 Stars

This was another fun and crazy romp through time with Max and the rest of the St. Mary’s gang. While I’m starting to get used to the break-neck speed with which things happen, it’s still a little jarring just how quickly things move in this story.

My main complaints with this book seem to echo everyone else’s…

What was up with Jack the Ripper? <spoiler>CLEARLY there was some kind of supernatural sci-fi thing going on there, but it was never explored. What was the creature? How did it BECOME that creature and how was it able to survive such injuries??</spoiler>

Also, the relationship between Max and the Chief is incredibly juvenile and over-the-top immature. <spoiler>I actually had to go back and check that I hadn’t missed anything because I could not for the life of me figure out why she was destroying his car. SURELY it couldn’t be because he turned her down for sex, could it?? Yep. Turns out that’s all it was. And they spent months not speaking to one another all because of a huge miscommunication. It was so middle-school and childish.</spoiler>

Outside of those two things though, I really enjoyed the story and the places they went. I’m still mixing characters up and not quite remembering who is who, but I’ll get there. I’m gonna start writing people down and marking who they are so I can keep track when I start Book #3. Maybe that’ll make things a bit easier.

Jodi Taylor’s “St. Mary’s” books present a setup similar to Connie Willis’ DOOMSDAY BOOK, BLACKOUT, ALL CLEAR, etc.: a university sponsoring trips into the past to learn more about real history via some kind of mechanical process that is not explained. However, while Willis’ books are mostly serious studies of time traveling (well, save for TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG), Taylor’s books are (occasionally madcap) action-adventures. This entry begins with her protagonist Madeleine “Max” Maxwell traveling with Kalinda Black on Kalinda’s final mission, to see/catch Jack the Ripper in the act. They are only there to observeuntil they end up being stalked.

As in all the St. Mary’s books, there are several adventures which usually culminate in them being interconnected. In this case the crew later journeys to a future version of St. Mary’s where the facility has been compromised, and a finding there will take them back in time to, as the VOYAGERS! television series used to put it, get history back on trackin this case history being altered by a rogue force.

The books are a fast, usually fun mix of action, history, and the absurd (there are dodos in this book; don’t ask why), plus following Max’s growth from an earnest but maverick operative to a trusted figureand a personal betrayal that hurts Max (and the reader) to the very quick. These books aren’t meant as serious commentary on observers returning to past history; they are adventure booksand it must be mentioned, with adult themeswith a varied cast of eccentric characters. Try the first, and, if it’s your cup of tea, journey on and enjoyI sure have!

This page-turning series has captured my attention and affection with its cast of quirky time-traveling historians who risk life and limb to research past events and, when necessary, protect the historical record from those intent on using time-travel technology for more nefarious purposes. St. Marys is not a normal historical society and its chronicles of secret activities read something like a cross between A Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and the adventures of Harry Potter and company. Im only two volumes into this newly discovered series, but already wishing I could buy the entire set all at once. I seldom fall as hard and fast for a story as I have for this brilliantly conceived and executed idea. Bring on #3!

This was a lovely, light read with quick dialogue and a fast pace of action. I found it to be a little darker than the first book, with a bit more graphic violence. I bought it in the Kindle version, and found it totally unsuitable for reading on the commute because I simply didn’t want to put it down. This second novel is episodic in nature, with a few mini-stories tied together, but I didn’t realize this until more than halfway through.

For those of you new to Ms. Taylor’s series, please read the first book before picking up this one. A Symphony of Echoes is heavily referential to Volume I. There’s enough explanation that a first time reader will understand the story, but having read the other first will give better understanding of what’s going on.

Somewhere along the line, Ms. Taylor has become a bit more repetitive with her St. Mary’s tropes than necessary, almost crossing into the annoying… yes, yes, you don’t need to tell us yet again that if St. Mary’s is involved something must be blowing up, on fire, etc.

Those minor criticisms aside, this was an amusing read. Max has grown since the last book, and continues to adapt and change as this story progresses. She realizes some hard truths about herself, relationships, and the consequences of decisions. Importantly, the other characters progress in their life journey, as well — I can’t abide stories where any of the characters, whether primary or secondary characters remain cardboard props — and Ms. Taylor’s writing satisfies nicely on this point.

As usual, my recommendations don’t deal too much with the plot of a story itself because I don’t want to inadvertently give away a spoiler. But I will say that I’m eagerly awaiting Volume III (wherein we travel to Troy!) and pleased to have this book in my collection. It is definitely worth the purchase price!

When I made my review of the first book in the series, I opened with the words ‘Jodi Taylor, never heard of her Big Mistake! How true were my words!!

I have just read the second and third books in the series and will after reading something completely different, buy the fourth and fifth books.

In a nutshell the books are formulaic. Same people, same tasks and same personality traits. But the time periods change and you could well meet someone who you know well or even intimately, but the situation deems that they don’t know you.

You have a relationship with someone you meet in the works restaurant that dynamic changes drastically when you are thrown together in a historical hotspot for 6 months obviously.

Jodi Taylor has it all in this series Humour, pathos, love and even the dreaded/not so dreaded S.E.X. personally I don’t mind it in real life, but still at the age of 65 I am not 100% comfortable reading about it. Oh the other thing this series has is it’s well written, Imagine you are in middle England today and as you turn the page you are suddenly in Prehistoric times. It would look like that on your personal timeline but it is written well enough to not be so radical a change!

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