Historical time travel fiction set in exotic Ancient Egypt

I’m a time travel fan and a historical fiction fan so I looked forward to reading A Time to Seek (The Time Travel Journals of Sahara Aldridge Book 1) by Tracy Higley with a double dose of expectation. For me, this Ancient Egypt time travel romance seemed to get off to a slow start as Higley lays the foundation for this captivating adventure, but it wasn't boring. It just set the scene for the past and present to collide in this captivating tale.

About the book: A Time to Seek 

The story starts in 1922 and is told in the first person by protagonist Sahara Aldridge, an Egyptologist whose parents were also Egyptologists. At the start of A Time to Seek she works in Egypt on a dig, in search of an undiscovered Pharaoh's tomb. Her parents disappeared on a trip to Venice when she was 15 and with no family ties, her life is devoted to her work. Then an attractive young reporter by the name of Jack Moretti shows up on the scene. She’s not the trusting sort, but he wins her over enough to have dinner. The story spirals with secrets uncovered from Jack’s past and her own that I won’t divulge here to spoil the read. The plot is multi-layered and I enjoyed Tracey Higley’s unique rules of time travel that offer a bit of regulation with a twist that makes things more and more intriguing as the story progresses.

Book review: A Time to Seek

A Time to Seek introduces engaging characters including a strong, daring, female protagonist. The world-building stays true to history and offers Ancient Egyptian tidbits that tie into the plot. Once I made it to chapter eight, it turned into a real page-turner filled with mystery, intrigue, and dangerous high-stakes conflicts amid skillfully drawn settings of ancient Egypt. I loved it. 

A Time to Seek is book one in a trilogy and can be read as a stand-alone, but I, for one, look forward to what happens next in the life of this young heroine. I’m happy to give it a strong 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to people who enjoy historical fiction, fiction set in exotic Ancient Egyptian locales, action and adventure, a budding romance, and elements of revenge all couched amid the ability to time travel. 

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I received a free review copy of this book from the author but was not compensated for reviewing or recommending it. Some links in this post are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliate sites.

 

 

This Soul'd World: The Rise of Consciousness - 5 stars

This Soul'd World: The Rise of Consciousness by William Disdale offers a captivating take on time travel narrated from an omniscient third-person point of view. The story opens on scientist Callison Trebla’s last day at work at Quanta. The sixty-five-year-old faces his retirement with mixed emotions. Once he walks out the door he loses all rights to his research, theories, and even his time travel device (dubbed the Trebla Eye). It will all belong to the company. He just can’t let that happen, and so takes an out-of-character risk to smuggle what he needs to continue his work at home where he lives with his wife Eleanor. Once he gets the Eye operating, the story takes off. Quanta knows what he’s done, his wife is aware, and when he’s caught by Quanta’s black suits and his former boss threatens his life, he makes the jump.

On the other side of the Trebla Eye, this science-minded protagonist journeys to a land that brings into question all he has ever known as he gains knowledge of his forgotten soul identity. Here he learns it is not about what he is but who he is. I think it’s best described as a journey of spiritual awakening in a land where the proverb “Plant an intention and grow a thought, plant that thought and grow a feeling, plant that feeling and grow an attitude, plant that attitude and grow an action, plant that action and grow a habit, plant that habit and grow a destiny,” brings thoughts into focus.

The author’s background in science, engineering, and mathematical simulation delivers some of the best techo babble I’ve ever read. The story flows and makes sense. The pacing keeps the pages turning. Only in a couple of chapters at the middle did I feel it bogged down with a lot of information, but it was a teacher/student type of situation and all the information was relevant. Over all, I enjoyed every aspect of this story. This book’s plot and sub-plots are so intricately woven that it’s hard to talk about the story without including a spoiler. The main character is complex and dynamic. He and his wife have a happy marriage but suffered the loss of their only son early in their married life. They are likeable and believable and I found myself rooting for them. 

I recommend This Soul'd World to Sci-fi time-travel enthusiasts who enjoy books like Recursion by Blake Crouch, people pondering the meaning of life, and anyone who enjoys literate ideas and futuristic concepts. It’s imaginative but believable and Disdale wraps up every plot thread. I give this book a strong 5 stars. 

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