No Time Like the Past (The Chronicles of St Mary’s #5)

I generally love the Chronicles of St. Mary’s books, but this was a series of identical stories set in different places and times. The situations were interesting and the crew had a clever escape, but each place was briefly described —–I wanted more time spent on the historical period—- then predictably something happens usually because one of the crew does something incredibly stupid and predictable. Or, one of the “evil” historians throws a wrench in the plans.

I found I was getting tired of brilliant Max, doing something totally stupid because she is such a fine person. She risks her life and the life of everyone and it’s okay because she is good hearted Max. Example, not wanting to leave London until she saved Mary in spite of the disastrous consequences and the able crew. Also, saving the little girl because she felt sorry for her. How do we know that by saving her she doesn’t grow up to be typhoid Mary. Finally, Thermopylae. Great idea couldn’t believe the ridiculous actions the historians took.

Finally, I’m getting tired of Max’s continuously being a damsel in distress. It doesn’t matter that she waves off everyone’s reasonable concern. We are told in the story that she is brilliantly competent but she acts clueless most of the time.

I know I’ll read the next one, I just hope Max grows up a bit.

I read this Kindle book the day it came out and again, yesterday. I’m biased because I have very much enjoyed all the books in the series and don’t really know why(!), the author’s touch is so light that you can’t really see or feel the gears turning, you just get swept up in the goings-on of this interesting group of weird characters and keep flowing through with them on their adventures. This book is just like the others, which is meant to be a compliment; we follow the heroine as she and the rest go on a handful of “historical research” trips back into history, where things always go wrong and somehow they manage to bumble through, more or less. (I will confess a tiny amount of lack of energy in this book, maybe, compared to the others, but this is a trivial comment.) You learn a little history along the way, but incidentally. I like the idea of time travel stories, but usually the plots are childish or plodding, and the genius of Taylor is that this has never been the case at St. Mary’s. Yes, there have been some highly doubtful plot twists between books, but none that ever seemed to really matter to enjoying the stories. You just glide along and enjoy the adventures with your friends, the characters, and are proud to be a part of such a wacky, but actually noble, group. (The author should have a better website, and think of selling “University of Thirsk” and “St Mary’s Institute for Historical Research” T-shirts.) Note: In the next book the author should consider somehow fleshing out the backstories of “the Fascists at Cardiff” and the Muse of History, perhaps.

I can’t begin to get across in words how much I love this series. I haven’t been so vested in a series since I picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the late 90’s. It’s escapism at it’s finest. Max is a grown up, female Harry Potter. A misfit with a scarred past who finds her self and her home at St. Mary’s. Ms. Taylor’s writing is so vivid, so expressive…it’s like being there. If you love history, a strong female lead with a huge heart and a smart mouth, you must read these books. Picking up book 5 is like going back to see your oldest and dearest friends after a long vacation away. Reading about the Boss, Mrs. Mack, the gang in R&D, professors Rapson and Dr. Dowson…it’s like going home again. Max & Leon are flawed and flawless together. By the end of book 1 (Just One Damned Thing After Another) you’ll long to smell the damp cabbage, hot electronics smell of the pods, decide that a good cuppa is decidedly underrated and you’ll be wishing that St. Mary’s was real, just like me. Number 6 can’t come soon enough.

I have enjoyed this series, Ms. Taylor does an admiral job in writing wonderful stories. I rarely spend more than .99 for a book, however I have bought these. I never pre-order a book, yet I did this title, and paid $5.99. The story line is good, I’m reading it now, the first day available. However the editing is so bad it is terribly distracting. Please please fix these run-words and incorrectly separated words and re-issue the book. This talented writer deserves good editing. And as a paying member of the public, I deserve a book that I can read without so many distractions.

Ive just finished (re-)reading No Time Past, Ms. Taylors fifth book in The Chronicles of St. Marys series which includes nine novels and no fewer than a dozen short stories, with another novel coming out this spring.

The stories are remarkable. They need to be read in order to make sense, but reading them chronologically shows that Ms. Taylor has not just strung stories like individual beads on a string there is both a story arc running through the series and, even more important, the characters grow and mature, and in some cases die.

While I dont know Ms. Taylors academic background, its clear that she carefully researched her writing, which is essential, given that the function of St. Marys as an academic institution is the contemporaneous study of historical events. We are asked not to refer to it as time travel, which sounds like something in a science fiction book. The staff at St. Marys Priory in made up of professional, doctorally prepared historians.

They are also disaster magnets, and the only law consistently followed is Murphys. Ms. Taylor is a marvelous comic writer in the English tradition, and I have more than once embarrassed myself in a quiet restaurant by laughing aloud, causing all eyes to turn. Shes really that good.

Start the series with Just One Damned Thing After Another (which is a pretty good description of world history!), hang on to your seat, and enjoy the ride!

Highly recommended.

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