Wednesday 7 December 2016

Book Review: TimeShift

TimeShift 
It's an excellent story. It's a sci-fi, with drama, suspense, and spans 900 years over a 6 month period.

On our drive into the city last week, I regaled hubby with the plot line. Robots, using artificial intelligence (AI) are trying to take over the earth. It's not a new notion: robots taking over the world, but it is well-crafted in Kris Trudeau's debut novel. I am hoping for more.

Trudeau has strong female characters, in a future where we are equal, smart and powerful. She's included mystery and romance, and the time travel is easy to grasp. In some novels that flash back you're not sure where you are. This isn't so in this novel.


Basically, her premise is a pet peeve of mine. We, as humans, are creating technology with no means by which it can be regulated – ethically or legally. Politicians and laws do not keep up with new technology.

Artificial intelligence is certainly in the news:

Is Artificial Intelligence Taking Over Our Lives? (NYTimes, Dec. 5th)

I think of both biological and inanimate interventions. Genetic manipulation, superbugs, viruses that do not respond to antibiotics, for example, and then there is the overtreatment of health issues. We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on IVF, for example, when we artificially help families to conceive. I've had many clients who have fought family to have cancer treatments stopped.

I taught Social Studies at U. Ottawa
to student teachers.
Trudeau has a good grasp
 as the characters move through time.

In 2016 times we can see how drones, smart phones, and other technologies can cause harm, and even death, and this theme is a huge part of the novel. Trudeau has fleshed out a very interesting future, with specific tools, weapons, and creative futuristic means by which we seek food, clothing, shelter and transportation. She is brilliant!

Winnipeg River Trail 
This trail follows the Assiniboine River 
 (where the Red and Assiniboine Rivers meet; 
the hub of trade and living for over 6,000 years,).
 Trudeau has a good grasp on her settings. She uses real places, such as the Winnipeg River Trail. I love those vivid mental images I can create when a good writer paints a picture.




Kris Trudeau
Kris Trudeau lives in on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The completion of her debut novel, TimeShift, marks the end of a six-year journey that began in Winnipeg, Manitoba from where she originally hails. Owner of a website development and graphic design firm, Trudeau spends her days helping organizations across Canada grow their businesses. Writing became a passion for Trudeau in the last decade both in business and for leisure. For fiction, she finds the creative process to be a fascinating, magical experience and is looking forward to exploring several ideas for future stories.
This is just what Kris Trudeau predicts!

This is what tranportation technology should do.
Antigravity Magnetic Globe!



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@Barrie Summy

7 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

Too scary to read right now.

Red said...

This sounds like a good story with some new twists. Men and women equal? That must be interesting compared to reality.

Powell River Books said...

I'll check it out since she's a "local" and because I've been reading more science fiction thanks to Wayne's interest in it. Thanks for the link to the book review site. - Margy

William Kendall said...

Excellent review!

Sarah Laurence said...

Wow, that does sound like a timely book! I like how you tied your review to current events. Also, I love your wildlife photos in more recent posts. It's so strange to see snow since it's still very autumnal in Tokyo.

Linda McLaughlin said...

This does sound really interesting and timely. Adding to my TBR list.

Barrie said...

Added to my book list. I used to read loads of sci fi, but haven't in a while. Sounds like it's time to return to the genre. :) Oh, and thanks for all the comparisons to the real world. Thanks for reviewing!