Timeline has always been one of my favorite books because of how it blends historical fiction with cutting-edge science. Up until I read this, I'd never considered what it would be like to travel that far back in time, or deal with the events going on in 14th century France. I was about 16 when this came out, so I was at just the right age for this to become personal classic.
One of the strengths of the book is Crichton’s ability to explain complex scientific concepts in a way that is accessible and engaging. The exploration of quantum technology and its application to time travel is both fascinating and thought-provoking. I loved how they used the device to witness the Gettysburg Address, and that he decided Lincoln would have had a squeaky voice. Something about the leadup and explanation about the company's backstory and overview of time travel experiments was just as fun as the rest of the book.
If you're not into time travel, or Michael Crichton, the characters can feel a little flat or the pacing a bit uneven. Those aren't my complaints, but things I saw collecting the data for this entry. I never minded or noticed that though, I think it accomplishes what it sets out to do, and that is be a captivating time travel/historical research book about medieval France.
