The Outcasts of Time by Ian Mortimer
December 1348: With the country in the grip of the Black Death, brothers John and William fear that they will shortly die and go to hell. But as the end draws near, they are given an unexpected choice: either to go home and spend their last six days in their familiar world or to search for salvation across the forthcoming centuries - living each one of their remaining days 99 years after the last.
John and William choose the future and find themselves in 1447, ignorant of almost everything going on around them. The year 1546 brings no more comfort, and 1645 challenges them still further. It is not just that technology is changing things they have taken for granted all their lives prove to be short-lived.
Review: In 1348, brothers John and William are travelling home in a country ravaged by the Black Death. As they sicken and anticipate their own death, they are given an unexpected choice: go home to spend their final six days in their own world or live each of their remaining days 99 years after the last. Not wanted to infect their families and curious to see what the future holds, the brothers choose to move in time and visit 1447, 1546, 1645 and so on until they reach the twentieth century.
This novel starts off compelling enough as the reader is anxious to see if the brothers will make it home without contracting the plague. When brother John takes pity on an orphaned infant whose parents have both succumbed to the sickness, his humanity is revealed but also revealed is the risk he is willing to take, even at the expense of getting others he loves sick.
Where this novel fell short for me was when the two brothers began to journey in time. It felt less like a novel and more like an educational video that the teacher wheels out to try to make learning history fun. Each time period reads more like a litany of historical advancements and changes from the previous 100 years. In other words, the author takes great pains to point out things the men find odd or different: "We drink a strange sort of drink that the men call beer." And later, "Mister? What sort of name is that?" "I suspect it's a form of title like Master." The brothers are shocked to learn the earth is round, to see guns, seem surprised by changes in the landscape, buildings, and wardrobes of those around them, and try to hide their ignorance of such things like clocks and the existence of the Americas.
I didn't necessarily mind that the mechanics behind the time travel were left unexplained. In fact, I think it functioned best that way. But I didn't understand the purpose of the journey other than to show off the author's historical knowledge. I've read some great time travel historical fiction novels but sadly this wasn't one of them.
Stars: 2
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