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Here are the thoughts I wrote down as I was going through this month's selection.
I wasn't interested in this book when it was nominated, with some exceptions time travel in general doesn't normally interest me too much, but I am very glad it was selected. I was hooked from about 10 pages in and couldn't put it down.
The current* society seems very advanced in some ways (20+ years of super-vaccines that can completely prevent colds, flu, etc.) and disturbingly similar to our society in other ways. It was apparent that this was written pre-internet and pre-cell phone. They had a very hard time getting information and trying to find people that I don't think would happen given the prevalence of cell phones and internet today (at least without major system failures). I expected cell phones or some other form of quick communication at least to be included in the technology given how quickly they were being adopted in the early 90s. The internet was just starting to develop but there were some signs of what it would become with AOL and others. Maybe since this is based in the same world as "Fire Watch" (1982) she didn't want to change the technology level even though it should have become apparent that these technologies would become fairly prevalent. She did include video phones but that doesn't seem like it went far enough.
35% - This is feeling somewhat predictable - I am guessing Kivrin is in the middle of the plague, not in 1320, and that the dig Montoya is working on will have Kivrim's remains in it with the recorder.
70% through - It took too long for them to figure out when she was - about 1/2 way in it was obvious to us and the way it was revealed was even obvious. Kivrin first then the "current" time to maximize drama. Somewhat disappointed in how predictable some of the reveals have seemed. Entertaining getting there, but the thrill of discovery isn't quite there.
The ending is very fitting, given the time that Kivrin went to. It was hard to read about the deaths of Agnes and Father Roche, although given the paradox free time travel it was almost inevitable or she might have changed something.
I didn't realize this was book 2 in a series. Apparently there is a novella from 1982 that precedes this one called "Fire Watch", which also won the Hugo and the Nebula prizes. It looks like the books mostly stand alone, but have some characters in common. Book 3 "To Say Nothing of the Dog" and book 4 "Blackout/All Clear" also both won Hugos and book 4 also received a Nebula award. Fortunately for me they are all available from my library as e-books.
*Is the "current" society 2054 or 2048? The blurb said 2048, but when Badri asks the year Dunworthy says it is 2054. I assume this is just a mistake in the blurb.
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