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Time Change #1
The Jump
High school teacher Jack Riggs is having a streak of bad luck.
In a matter of hours he is arrested as a terrorist, thrown in jail, breaks up with his psycho girlfriend and is flung a century and a half into the past.
A TIME TRAVEL RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK
It’s 157 years ago in Norfolk Virginia and Jack has no money, a nearly dead iPhone in his pocket and no idea how he got there. He must assimilate if he’s to have any hope of getting back. Tormented, he tells his tale to Frances Sanger, a woman with trust issues that trusts Jack to stop a war that’s been brewing for over a hundred years. He alone holds the key to saving nearly a million people and he’s got to do it in three and a half years.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT THE CIVIL WAR FOUGHT
Abner Adkins, lawyer and cheating ex-husband of Frances represents a group of ruthless Southern terrorists that will kill anyone that tries to keep the peace—and concerning Jack, it’s personal. The Southern economy is invested in the slave trade and some 2013 ideas could reek havoc.
HELP FROM YOUNG SAMUEL CLEMENS AND RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Can Jack invent this country out of it’s bloodiest war ever while trying to stay one step ahead of those who want him dead? Jack with the help of a cast of historical superstars come up with a plan that can stop the war before it starts. Corporate spies and suicide bombers threaten to ruin it all.
Even with a real life guardian angel can Jack and his ideas survive?
EVERY CHANGE RIPPLES INTO THE FUTURE
Time Change Book One: The Jump jumps back to 1856 and an America on the verge of war . . . and discovery.
In a matter of hours he is arrested as a terrorist, thrown in jail, breaks up with his psycho girlfriend and is flung a century and a half into the past.
A TIME TRAVEL RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK
It’s 157 years ago in Norfolk Virginia and Jack has no money, a nearly dead iPhone in his pocket and no idea how he got there. He must assimilate if he’s to have any hope of getting back. Tormented, he tells his tale to Frances Sanger, a woman with trust issues that trusts Jack to stop a war that’s been brewing for over a hundred years. He alone holds the key to saving nearly a million people and he’s got to do it in three and a half years.
THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WANT THE CIVIL WAR FOUGHT
Abner Adkins, lawyer and cheating ex-husband of Frances represents a group of ruthless Southern terrorists that will kill anyone that tries to keep the peace—and concerning Jack, it’s personal. The Southern economy is invested in the slave trade and some 2013 ideas could reek havoc.
HELP FROM YOUNG SAMUEL CLEMENS AND RALPH WALDO EMERSON
Can Jack invent this country out of it’s bloodiest war ever while trying to stay one step ahead of those who want him dead? Jack with the help of a cast of historical superstars come up with a plan that can stop the war before it starts. Corporate spies and suicide bombers threaten to ruin it all.
Even with a real life guardian angel can Jack and his ideas survive?
EVERY CHANGE RIPPLES INTO THE FUTURE
Time Change Book One: The Jump jumps back to 1856 and an America on the verge of war . . . and discovery.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2013
80 people are currently reading
240 people want to read
About the author
Alex Myers
8 books190 followersAll I ever wanted to do was write books and be on the radio, so naturally I went to college to study advertising.
Four years later I find myself doing marketing for a “Chuck E Cheese want-to-be” restaurant chain. I was living in my hometown (Flint, Michigan), working eighteen hours a day, making great money and feeling like I sold my soul to the devil (or in this case, a giant kangaroo that looked exactly like Chuck E. Cheese).
Fall was in the air and so was change, so I quit my high-paying job to make $90 every two weeks working four hours a day, Monday through Friday on a radio station in Cadillac Michigan.
Only making $45 a week and only working twenty hours I had to keep busy cheaply. I did the only other thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life and that was to write.
I wrote romances and detective stories
while in high school and sent them to pulpy magazines. After 30 rejection slips, I switched to writing novels and wrote them for only me.
That is until I met my wife, who read them, loved them, and said let’s share them with the world and make ten million dollars.
Fast forward to now, I’m still at it years later, still on the radio, still writing, still sharing and still working on those millions.
I live in the coolest city in Texas, Austin, the home of Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock and a serious bunch of hipsters. I play tennis four days a week and work everyday on ways to become a better writer.
I am married and live with two kids, three fish, a lizard and two white miniature schnauzers named Max and Samsung.
I have been published on Twitter (Alex_Austin)and my work often appears in Facebook (http://bit.ly/AlexvoxFB).
You can learn a tiny bit more about me on my always needs an update blog at Alexvox.com. Or to say hello at: [email protected].
Four years later I find myself doing marketing for a “Chuck E Cheese want-to-be” restaurant chain. I was living in my hometown (Flint, Michigan), working eighteen hours a day, making great money and feeling like I sold my soul to the devil (or in this case, a giant kangaroo that looked exactly like Chuck E. Cheese).
Fall was in the air and so was change, so I quit my high-paying job to make $90 every two weeks working four hours a day, Monday through Friday on a radio station in Cadillac Michigan.
Only making $45 a week and only working twenty hours I had to keep busy cheaply. I did the only other thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life and that was to write.
I wrote romances and detective stories
while in high school and sent them to pulpy magazines. After 30 rejection slips, I switched to writing novels and wrote them for only me.
That is until I met my wife, who read them, loved them, and said let’s share them with the world and make ten million dollars.
Fast forward to now, I’m still at it years later, still on the radio, still writing, still sharing and still working on those millions.
I live in the coolest city in Texas, Austin, the home of Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock and a serious bunch of hipsters. I play tennis four days a week and work everyday on ways to become a better writer.
I am married and live with two kids, three fish, a lizard and two white miniature schnauzers named Max and Samsung.
I have been published on Twitter (Alex_Austin)and my work often appears in Facebook (http://bit.ly/AlexvoxFB).
You can learn a tiny bit more about me on my always needs an update blog at Alexvox.com. Or to say hello at: [email protected].
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 30, 2013
I particularly enjoy reading books or watching films like "Abraham lincoln" which tell about the civil war period. In this book on Time travel there are many things that I enjoyed like the author's writing style in which the protagonist is thinking about his past and present and how things were moving rapidly around him. There's a beauty in his writing and all those illustrations which are so so rare add to the feel of the book. It's racy and it seems that lot of things are happening, it sometimes overwhelms you and may be that's intended. The protagonist is not perfect unlike what always happens- has his flaws and demons and may be that's why its worth a read. Thumbs up
February 16, 2013
What a ride. Warning take tomorrow off because you will not lay this book down. I went back and read parts again after I had finished. This is such a fun read it brings the worst time period in American history to awful and scary and beautiful life. It has life in all its gritty and beautiful reality continuing in the worst of situations. The introduction of historical characters is genius. If you like time travel or the civil war period or your heart is beating you want this one. [email protected]
January 4, 2014
The book was a new and different concept for a time travel book. Finding himself in 1856, Jack Riggs has the opportunity to prevent the Civil War, but how he will do it is still a mystery in this book. He does have some interesting ideas, and hints about how he will achieve his goal. The use of well known people from this time period is also interesting. The combination of modern day items and concepts with those from the 1800s is also interesting. A good read!
August 5, 2013
I started reading this book with an anticipation of a man jumping through history. Although there is a jump this story revolves more around a man in the past seeing if he can make a difference. I wanted more sci-fi and not a history lesson. Just my preference. Book was well written but just not my cup of tea.
May 17, 2019
Time Change Book One: The Jump by Alex Myers
I loved this book. Not only was it entertaining it was educational. There are a lot of historical characters here that I might never have met without this book. It's amazing how many inventors there are that are not household names.
On the other hand there a quite a few household names in the book also. I usually call this name-dropping because an author often does not do much related with that character that seems to be totally in character when they map out stories like this. This is not that kind of story- these characters show up for a reason. This book starts out like a historical novel and then sort of morphs itself-understandably-into a sort of steam punk with just a bit less steam in it.
Instead of being an alternate universe which developed differently this is more like a time travel universe with the same potential as ours where the main character- familiar with today's technology- attempts to bring his new-old world up to date.
This has a great storyline with a great main character. Jack Riggs-maybe later we might consider him the Jack of all trades- has a vast amount of knowledge that he seems mostly to be wasting. Jack is a womanizer. He hasn't found the woman he loves- ie; one he respects long enough to actually be in a serious relationship with. This is what gets Jack into trouble and it's something he'll find himself working on in spite of himself.
Jack is teaching- which means he is using some of that knowledge. and he is presently toying with a relationship with Ashley who seems to be quite intelligent and driven and possibly a bit anal- at least from Jacks point of view. Jack has also been toying at work. He must be teaching seniors because the girl he's been cheating with, Shalah is possibly eighteen-making her somewhat legal. But, let's face it; Jack! what are you thinking. Jack has all sorts of good reasons for what he's been thinking of doing and all sorts of denial that he did that much. It seems that Shalah has thrown herself at him. This is natural since Jack is just one of those guys that women throw themselves at.
The trouble this leads to is everything beyond expected when Jack is being questioned at the police station for possible terrorism. Shalah shows up with a bomb at school-one which her terrorist boyfriend made- based on knowledge that Jack was freely tossing around. This leads to a disclosure of a relationship with Shalah that seems to be trumped up by pictures Shalah had taken after breaking into Jacks apartment. Jack naturally calls Ashley to pick him up where she proceeds to break up with him in a high speed drive away from the police station and into the center of a super storm. This is when things get really strange.
At the moment when Jack might be seeing his life flash before him. Surprise Ashley loses control of the care and the slide into an eventual accident. At the moment of Impact the super storm lightning strikes and some great vortex like force takes Jack back to the 1850's and some time just prior to the civil war.
Now I'll stop for my quibble with this book. There is a side story that figures heavily in this novel and probably makes more sense in the next novel. It shows up as a preface or prologue or such called Before. I won't say much about it because it confused me mostly and I'm not sure it's necessary. But, I didn't write this novel and I don't intend on rewriting it so it's there and it stands. I have the same feeling about the last chapter which is a chapter and could have been the epilogue. Either way I don't think they added to the story and could have been inserted somewhere in the second book if they are necessary, which I think they are and it might be that the author doesn't want to make it look like he thought of this at the last minute and inserted it into the second story. So, bottom line is the objection is just me- it probably is a good thing the two sections are there. There are more breadcrumbs related to them inside the story.
Anyway, Jack becomes a great facilitator of inventors. He needs to eventually create most of the things he thinks he needs to stop the civil war from happening. I'm not going to name drop all the inventors involved. I think the best way to read this is to have a paper handy and write names down and later check their credentials on line. You'll be surprised at what information is there and how well the characters fit into the world that Jack is building.
There's an evil group of southerners who are copying peoples patented technologies who will notice Jack and realize they need to get him on their team- not realizing that Jack is never going to be on their side. This creates the conflict. And, the woman of his dreams, Dreams Jack never knew he had, creates the pathway towards rehabilitating the womanizer. But, not before he takes an initial sampling of what's available in the past.
This is a great novel for anyone who loves historical romances and it's coming real close to the strange technology anachronism of all good Steam-punk novels. It has time travel and even some strange-mysterious group(possibly time travelers). So any one who loves Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction and those other aspects should love this novel.
I'm definitely reading the next few to get the rest of the story.
J.L. Dobias
I loved this book. Not only was it entertaining it was educational. There are a lot of historical characters here that I might never have met without this book. It's amazing how many inventors there are that are not household names.
On the other hand there a quite a few household names in the book also. I usually call this name-dropping because an author often does not do much related with that character that seems to be totally in character when they map out stories like this. This is not that kind of story- these characters show up for a reason. This book starts out like a historical novel and then sort of morphs itself-understandably-into a sort of steam punk with just a bit less steam in it.
Instead of being an alternate universe which developed differently this is more like a time travel universe with the same potential as ours where the main character- familiar with today's technology- attempts to bring his new-old world up to date.
This has a great storyline with a great main character. Jack Riggs-maybe later we might consider him the Jack of all trades- has a vast amount of knowledge that he seems mostly to be wasting. Jack is a womanizer. He hasn't found the woman he loves- ie; one he respects long enough to actually be in a serious relationship with. This is what gets Jack into trouble and it's something he'll find himself working on in spite of himself.
Jack is teaching- which means he is using some of that knowledge. and he is presently toying with a relationship with Ashley who seems to be quite intelligent and driven and possibly a bit anal- at least from Jacks point of view. Jack has also been toying at work. He must be teaching seniors because the girl he's been cheating with, Shalah is possibly eighteen-making her somewhat legal. But, let's face it; Jack! what are you thinking. Jack has all sorts of good reasons for what he's been thinking of doing and all sorts of denial that he did that much. It seems that Shalah has thrown herself at him. This is natural since Jack is just one of those guys that women throw themselves at.
The trouble this leads to is everything beyond expected when Jack is being questioned at the police station for possible terrorism. Shalah shows up with a bomb at school-one which her terrorist boyfriend made- based on knowledge that Jack was freely tossing around. This leads to a disclosure of a relationship with Shalah that seems to be trumped up by pictures Shalah had taken after breaking into Jacks apartment. Jack naturally calls Ashley to pick him up where she proceeds to break up with him in a high speed drive away from the police station and into the center of a super storm. This is when things get really strange.
At the moment when Jack might be seeing his life flash before him. Surprise Ashley loses control of the care and the slide into an eventual accident. At the moment of Impact the super storm lightning strikes and some great vortex like force takes Jack back to the 1850's and some time just prior to the civil war.
Now I'll stop for my quibble with this book. There is a side story that figures heavily in this novel and probably makes more sense in the next novel. It shows up as a preface or prologue or such called Before. I won't say much about it because it confused me mostly and I'm not sure it's necessary. But, I didn't write this novel and I don't intend on rewriting it so it's there and it stands. I have the same feeling about the last chapter which is a chapter and could have been the epilogue. Either way I don't think they added to the story and could have been inserted somewhere in the second book if they are necessary, which I think they are and it might be that the author doesn't want to make it look like he thought of this at the last minute and inserted it into the second story. So, bottom line is the objection is just me- it probably is a good thing the two sections are there. There are more breadcrumbs related to them inside the story.
Anyway, Jack becomes a great facilitator of inventors. He needs to eventually create most of the things he thinks he needs to stop the civil war from happening. I'm not going to name drop all the inventors involved. I think the best way to read this is to have a paper handy and write names down and later check their credentials on line. You'll be surprised at what information is there and how well the characters fit into the world that Jack is building.
There's an evil group of southerners who are copying peoples patented technologies who will notice Jack and realize they need to get him on their team- not realizing that Jack is never going to be on their side. This creates the conflict. And, the woman of his dreams, Dreams Jack never knew he had, creates the pathway towards rehabilitating the womanizer. But, not before he takes an initial sampling of what's available in the past.
This is a great novel for anyone who loves historical romances and it's coming real close to the strange technology anachronism of all good Steam-punk novels. It has time travel and even some strange-mysterious group(possibly time travelers). So any one who loves Science Fiction or Speculative Fiction and those other aspects should love this novel.
I'm definitely reading the next few to get the rest of the story.
J.L. Dobias
September 28, 2018
I finished this book so I'll give it 2 stars. I won't be reading the second book. The storyline is very fractured. There is little to no character development. You start out hating the main character because of his attitudes. He starts changing history and we all know how that turns out. The concept that he could invent items from the future based on the info in his iPhone seems far-fetched. I like the idea of stopping the Civil War but I don't like Jack or how he is going about it.
June 23, 2025
Ok!
I lost interest somewhere in the middle of this book, when Jack became a master inventor. Having knowledge of modern inventions doesn't mean you have intimate knowledge of every component, material, liquid, metal part etc. to piece all these things together. I know time travel is fantasy, but reality should be real and believable, within the fantasy. I really tried to persevere with it, but couldn't.
I lost interest somewhere in the middle of this book, when Jack became a master inventor. Having knowledge of modern inventions doesn't mean you have intimate knowledge of every component, material, liquid, metal part etc. to piece all these things together. I know time travel is fantasy, but reality should be real and believable, within the fantasy. I really tried to persevere with it, but couldn't.
January 24, 2018
time change
I just admit that this is the first "time travel" I have read. I do not think this is a theme I will choose in the future. This book may be interesting to some readers, just not my thing.
I just admit that this is the first "time travel" I have read. I do not think this is a theme I will choose in the future. This book may be interesting to some readers, just not my thing.
April 7, 2016
The vernacular is not consistent with the 1850s, with the characters in the past speaking and using terms that would only be heard in the 21st century. Additionally, the time line of the protagonist in 1856 is skewed. He arrived in February 1856, but when asked by another character who he had disclosed his true identity and origin to, says he celebrated his 4 month anniversary of his arrival in April 1856. Details, no matter how insignificant, truly matter to readers.
Now to the characters. Never before have I disliked a protagonist as much as I did Jack Riggs. Putting it bluntly, he was kind of a womanizing jerk. I was immediatley turned off by his character, or lack thereof, due to his attraction to an 18 year old high school girl who was taking his science class at the high school of which he was employed.
Time traveler Jack is from 2012, and does not act with caution as many other travelers from other literary works. He is reckless with his own agenda even breaking the #1 sacred time traveler's creed to never reveal too much information about one's future - by telling Samuel Clemons that he will become Mark Twain and the famous stories he will write as well as offering him a job. Jack Riggs obviously never met Doc Brown or watched an episode of Doctor Who.
Yes, Jack had ambitions to stop the Civil War, but does so in a reckless manner, compromising the entire time line of technology and weapons development. Why would any modern person mention the atomic bomb as a possible invention to consider in 1856, knowing the destruction and loss of life it caused in the 20th century? Especially when this person is bent on preventing a war that took the lives of millions? I'm still scratching my head on that one. Hooking up with notable innovators of the time, such as John Deere, Cyrus McCormick and Ralph Waldo Emerson, to make fast advancements in farming implements and other inventions that came on the scene in the last 150 years, Jack not only makes a profit on these business deals (profiteering much?), but he pumps out "ingenious" inventions like they are popcorn. In the midst of all this, he can't seem to control is sexual urges, sleeping with his landlady within his first week of arriving in 1856 to save on boarding expenses. Any pretty face that crosses his path, he remarks that he "WILL have her." Yet, has no qualms with his actions even after meeting, falling for, and confiding in business heiress Frances Sanger, satiating his lust with a prostitute living in the same boarding house as him. Thankfully the text spared the details of the affairs.
The combination of Jack's unlikable characteristics and the lack of certain details and character reactions really made navigating this novel rather difficult. However, it improved by the final few chapters, that the words just flew odd the pages ending in a rather jaw dropping cliffhanger. So even though I don't really like Jack Riggs, I truly want to know how this alternate reality now unfolds, and will likely be purchasing the next in the series.
Now to the characters. Never before have I disliked a protagonist as much as I did Jack Riggs. Putting it bluntly, he was kind of a womanizing jerk. I was immediatley turned off by his character, or lack thereof, due to his attraction to an 18 year old high school girl who was taking his science class at the high school of which he was employed.
Time traveler Jack is from 2012, and does not act with caution as many other travelers from other literary works. He is reckless with his own agenda even breaking the #1 sacred time traveler's creed to never reveal too much information about one's future - by telling Samuel Clemons that he will become Mark Twain and the famous stories he will write as well as offering him a job. Jack Riggs obviously never met Doc Brown or watched an episode of Doctor Who.
Yes, Jack had ambitions to stop the Civil War, but does so in a reckless manner, compromising the entire time line of technology and weapons development. Why would any modern person mention the atomic bomb as a possible invention to consider in 1856, knowing the destruction and loss of life it caused in the 20th century? Especially when this person is bent on preventing a war that took the lives of millions? I'm still scratching my head on that one. Hooking up with notable innovators of the time, such as John Deere, Cyrus McCormick and Ralph Waldo Emerson, to make fast advancements in farming implements and other inventions that came on the scene in the last 150 years, Jack not only makes a profit on these business deals (profiteering much?), but he pumps out "ingenious" inventions like they are popcorn. In the midst of all this, he can't seem to control is sexual urges, sleeping with his landlady within his first week of arriving in 1856 to save on boarding expenses. Any pretty face that crosses his path, he remarks that he "WILL have her." Yet, has no qualms with his actions even after meeting, falling for, and confiding in business heiress Frances Sanger, satiating his lust with a prostitute living in the same boarding house as him. Thankfully the text spared the details of the affairs.
The combination of Jack's unlikable characteristics and the lack of certain details and character reactions really made navigating this novel rather difficult. However, it improved by the final few chapters, that the words just flew odd the pages ending in a rather jaw dropping cliffhanger. So even though I don't really like Jack Riggs, I truly want to know how this alternate reality now unfolds, and will likely be purchasing the next in the series.
September 10, 2015
This book was nothing like I expected it to be. I found myself becoming lost in the book and am looking forward to reading the second part. Jack Riggs a Science teacher and womanizer living in the 21st Century is involved in a terrible car accident, when he awakens he finds that he has traveled back in time to the year 1856; the year where the infamous Civil War would take place. Trying to become a better person and make a difference he will use his knowledge from the 21st century and try to make his new found life in 1856 a better place and help to do what he can to prevent the war from happening. Along the way he will meet and make great friends with some of the most famous historical people that made a great impact in today's world, at the same time making some very powerful enemies as well.
As one would expect, the littlest of changes can have a great impact on what will happen in the future when one tries to make changes; especially when you have made some powerful enemies along the way. While attending a meeting with these powerful and famous people to try and prevent the war, they will be attacked by their vicious enemies who are hell bent on making sure the war takes place; killing some great people before their time. Jack himself is hurt and wakes up for a few minutes back in the 21st century, wondering if it was all just a dream. However, as he drifts back into that unconscious state he hears a voice telling him that he must go back, for his work is not yet done.
Will he once again wake up in the year 1856? I do not know, but I plan to find out when I read the second part to the book. Although, there are a few grammatical errors (like in all books) I still give this book a 5 star rating. You will find yourself being drawn in quickly and wanting to read more. I look forward to following this author and reading his future works.
As one would expect, the littlest of changes can have a great impact on what will happen in the future when one tries to make changes; especially when you have made some powerful enemies along the way. While attending a meeting with these powerful and famous people to try and prevent the war, they will be attacked by their vicious enemies who are hell bent on making sure the war takes place; killing some great people before their time. Jack himself is hurt and wakes up for a few minutes back in the 21st century, wondering if it was all just a dream. However, as he drifts back into that unconscious state he hears a voice telling him that he must go back, for his work is not yet done.
Will he once again wake up in the year 1856? I do not know, but I plan to find out when I read the second part to the book. Although, there are a few grammatical errors (like in all books) I still give this book a 5 star rating. You will find yourself being drawn in quickly and wanting to read more. I look forward to following this author and reading his future works.
April 16, 2014
I want to preface this by saying I didn't actually finish the book. I would encourage anyone to try. The writing style was good, but I had a problem with the characters. None really came to life for me. I just don't care what happened to them. I realized I would set this book down and may not pick it back up when I a) saw a preview of the next in the series and realized that Jack Riggs was the main character in that book as well and b) realized that I was disappointed that no one shot Jack Riggs in the face in book one. Rarely have I met a main character for whom I had NO desire to meet or read more about (and I love Jack Kursed by Glenn Bullion - the ULTIMATE soulless jerk). This guy just has no redeeming qualities for me. This doesn't even get into how he would destroy the world as we know it by throwing every invention he can figure out how to make into the Civil War. I love time travel books, and understand everything makes SOME difference, but he was putting modern weaponry into a world that has not lived through the past wars. Not that our present handles them any better, but at least we have the knowledge of the past 150+ years. Finally, the writing of most of the characters was flat and predictable. I could honestly picture the BAD BAD guy twisting his mustache as he ties a girl to the train tracks. Not for me! I gave it two stars because a-the plot writing flowed well and b-I actually liked some of the side characters.
November 18, 2014
OK, I read this book in a later version. Author Alex Myers must have changed the title to "Time Change" at some point. But "The Jump" is how it appears in Goodreads. That said this is an excellent story. Time travel books can suck. Even Heinlein has a really lame one. He also has a fantastic one. But this is engaging. At first, the hero, high school teacher Jack Riggs, just comes off as a unlikable fellow. He's more interested in chasing skirts than being somebody the reader wants to follow through time. But Riggs evolves with the time slip. He goes from modern-day Virginia back to 1856. At first, he's a little startled by it all. What the heck. And who wouldn't be. There are no freeways, no phones and no cars. People don't wear athletic shoes in neon colors. Riggs had been in a car accident when he inexplicably transferred from one era to another. Myers doesn't spend a lot of time navel gazing. Riggs picks up the pace almost immediately upon realizing he's got one heck of an opportunity. Riggs wants to change history. He wants to stop the Civil War. To do so he's got to amass a bunch of wealth so he can exert political influence. He does this by inventing things and gathering talent. He also befriends Samuel Clemens. And that's worth reading. Myers makes his novel a history lesson as well, interjecting detail about all sorts of the movers of the early industrial era. I read this in a day. I'm into his second. He's quite good.
June 16, 2015
This was a well crafted admirable, book. The idea for the plot was brilliant, the pacing was immaculate and the characters are well drawn. I particularly liked the first third of the book when Jack goes back in time. The dilemmas he was faced with were brilliantly drawn and the historical perspective he has on the period he has gone back to felt authentically empowering yet limited.
As a personal choice, I found the emergence of further plots and sub plots a little too distracting for me. This is simply because I prefer more straightforward tales. The relationship between Jack and the characters in his immediate vicinity would have sustained me easily without any of the further intrigue. But the plots themselves are well paced, superbly planned and thrilling.
This is a thought provoking and exciting read which, if you like cerebral thrillers, I would fully recommend.
As a personal choice, I found the emergence of further plots and sub plots a little too distracting for me. This is simply because I prefer more straightforward tales. The relationship between Jack and the characters in his immediate vicinity would have sustained me easily without any of the further intrigue. But the plots themselves are well paced, superbly planned and thrilling.
This is a thought provoking and exciting read which, if you like cerebral thrillers, I would fully recommend.
June 8, 2013
This started out really good. I was so so excited and curious to see what would happen. Modern era science teacher goes back in time. Can he stop the civil war? Cool. Unfortunately it got really bogged down with bad guys and "inventions". He was bringing all this stuff to the people in the past to stop the war. Some of it just didn't follow for me. The character started out seeming like a depressed lazy guy. He just felt like a bum, even if he was a science teacher. Would a bum really have so many manuals on his iphone? If he wanted to stop the war why bring the updated weapons tech into the mix? I loved all the historical figures running around.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2014
This book has a good premise but it is very poorly executed. The characters are one dimensional, with very little depth and the antagonists are mostly caricatures of what the author thinks a "bad guy" should be. Likewise the protagonist is a caricature of the author's idea of a "hero", albeit one who has absolutely no qualms about destroying the future timeline and what the consequences may be. Not very heroic at all. The author seems to think throwing in some famous inventors of the time will be enough to keep the story rolling, but unfortunately he is sadly mistaken. I gave this book one star, mostly for the idea behind the book, and Goodreads won't let me give it a zero.
August 22, 2013
This is a fantastic book. I couldn't put it down. Very easy read, great action and all the people in history referenced and used as characters in the book are great. A lot of research went into writing this and the stuff is really historically accurate.
This isn't really time travel but more a man stuck in a past time with knowledge (and an iphone) of the future.
I'm just hoping book 2 is not a cliffhanger like this one was, but since Book 2 is already available, I'm diving right into the next one.
This isn't really time travel but more a man stuck in a past time with knowledge (and an iphone) of the future.
I'm just hoping book 2 is not a cliffhanger like this one was, but since Book 2 is already available, I'm diving right into the next one.
December 30, 2013
2 Stars
I feel neutral toward Time Change Book One: The Jump. I really enjoyed the beginning, but my interest quickly drained away. I applaud the research that went into this, as it’s obvious a lot of care was taken. But, unfortunately I don’t feel that the book lived up to the blurb. I can’t help compare this to reading a historical textbook, re-written with a fictitious slant. Not my cuppa tea in the end.
September 21, 2013
This wsa an enjoyable read, rather like "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" except this time we have a modern-day high school science teacher who ends up in 1856 Virginia. He also has an iPhone with plenty of useful books and apps on it - just no way to recharge it. He does what you and I would do - he uses his knowledge of the future and technology to become rich. He also tries to stop the approaching Civil War, but we're going to have to wait for book two to see what happens there.
November 8, 2016
Really enjoyed this. Just the history & reasoning behind the character of Jack wanting to change the past. He wants to stop the civil war from happening & goes to great lengths to do so. He started as an a bit of an idiot of the 21st century. It takes him a while (as would anyone) to adjust to the time period before the civil war. Meets some amazing people of history we all know by name. Makes a difference but has enemies.
Great read & have continued on in 2nd now 3rd book.
Great read & have continued on in 2nd now 3rd book.
March 28, 2013
I was a bit disappointed in this book. There was a lot of anachronistic behavior on the part of the female protagonist. Maybe just my idea of how people behaved just before the Civil War, but for her social class, she was just a bit free-thinking. Also, the male protagonist was just too full of himself. Don't think I will be reading any sequels.
July 3, 2013
I did not plan on reading the sequel but the author did the one thing I hatred on novels....a stupid cliffhanger. Thank goodness they are free on Amazon prime. I love all things time travel so the book was ok...just not a great one. I think it is mainly because I find the main character a little unbelievable and very obtuse.
May 24, 2015
I'm a big fan of time travel novels and enjoyed this one. I was however disappointed the story wasn't concluded after one book. I was a little lost with some of the indepth American history, but that was my problem not Alex's. I've already downloaded books two and three and hope to get to them soon.
October 2, 2013
This was a very intriguing book. It's almost like an alternate history type of book with a person from the future going to the past. The attempt to stop the Civil War is intriguing and as plausible as this kind of story could be. The book is well written. There were a few typos in the Kindle edition, but all in all it was a well told story and I am looking forward to the second book.
June 30, 2013
What a great book. Alex Myers get cracking as I can't wait for the next in the series.
Maybe it was the introduction of Sam Clemmens but from that point on I was reminded of Riverworld. Only the pace was three times that of the P J Farmer classics. Role on the next one.
Maybe it was the introduction of Sam Clemmens but from that point on I was reminded of Riverworld. Only the pace was three times that of the P J Farmer classics. Role on the next one.
July 19, 2013
The author sometimes tries too hard to get in every detail about the time period involved into the book which can really slow down the story in some places but overall it is an interesting concept and worth the read.
August 22, 2013
I recommend this book to anybody who either enjoys time travel stories, enjoys reading fiction involving historical characters, or enjoys action adventures. I loved this book. Warning: this is the first book in a trilogy.
September 1, 2014
An entertaining read although the baddies were a little over the top in their badness. The writing was brisk and sparse, but could have benefited from some copy editing to improve the punctuation. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy
September 2, 2014
A Quick time travel read, taking us back in time to the Civil war period in America. I read the Kindle version, which I must say was badly edited. Will be interesting to see where he takes this series, hopefully he will add a bit more depth to the characters as he progresses.
March 16, 2015
Change the future?
While I did enjoy this book I think too many famous people were included in it.The basic story,can almost stand alone,with maybe a little help from some of these characters.But too much being done at once.As well as trying to stop the civil war.
While I did enjoy this book I think too many famous people were included in it.The basic story,can almost stand alone,with maybe a little help from some of these characters.But too much being done at once.As well as trying to stop the civil war.
March 29, 2015
Excellent
Time travel has always fascinated me and I have to say that I literally could not put this book down. Colorful, period appropriate, fascinating. Seems i got to meet some of the great minds of the 19th century. I can't wait to start the second installment.
Time travel has always fascinated me and I have to say that I literally could not put this book down. Colorful, period appropriate, fascinating. Seems i got to meet some of the great minds of the 19th century. I can't wait to start the second installment.
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