Replay by Ken Grimwood Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.79 You Save: $6.16 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.69 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Replay
Book Review: A remarkable story
Summary: 5 Stars
I have read a great number of Time Travel related novels but this was the best for a very long time. The premise is very clever indeed and the ending unexpected, to me anyway!
I heartily recommend this to anyone who likes to read about Time Travel, but also those who are lured by the concepts involved in being able to live your life again and again, trying something different each time.
Book Review: Fascinating Novel
Summary: 5 Stars
Out of so many science fiction books, my favorite theme is time-travel stories or related thereof. There can be similar plots from many stories, but Grimwood's "Replay" is different in such respect because one would have no idea what the outcome to be. The plot of "Replay" is unique and fascinating.
This is a story about a man who died in 1988 of a heart attack, then suddenly finds himself back in time as a college student in 1963 with all of the memories of his future intact. There lies a paradox: will he change the future or re-experience the same life as he lived before? The main character, Jeff, chose the former. He tried to changed things for the "better," in his view, but things do not always work out as he expected. He would gain some things, but he would lose others. Each time he died, he would experience his life over and over, with several attempts to change things. But, as one read on, he is not the only one who is experiencing the replays.
I personally enjoyed reading this book, and I could not put it down as I felt enthralled by its twisting and intriguing plot and the fascinating details. My fascination with time travel may have to do with my enjoyment of this novel, but it is a well worth reading in general.
While the novel is fascinating and won an award in 1988, it actually holds a moral lesson for the readers: will you set your life on a different direction if you knew your own future?
Book Review: A MUST READ
Summary: 5 Stars
One of the most satisfying reads I have ever known.
A lovely story with good plotting and characterisation. Lot's of 'what ifs? And wish fulfilment.
A must read.
Book Review: live your life again
Summary: 4 Stars
There are lots of books with alternate history. They mostly discuss a "what if" scenario where history takes another road due to a different decision.
This book applies that to the lives of 2 humans, several times. The characters are believable, their actions actions are what most humans would probably do. But every (different) decision leads to new events, as action creates re-action.
A great idea, a wonderful book.
Book Review: A classic indeed
Summary: 4 Stars
This book is definitely worth the cover price, I've debated with friends whether this is time travel fiction or fantasy fiction and the truth is it could really be either.
The story begins with the protagonist's death and reawakening in his college days, from this point on the story describes his adventures with each consecutive "replay". A brilliant premise for a tale and a theme which will be familiar to anyone who has any knowledge of reincarnation as a path to perfection and ascendency.
It is the answer to the old question of what you would do if you had to live your life over again with the benefit of hindsight, unfortunately this leads the story line into some pretty predictable places. The high minded interventions in history, maxing out of the base instincts, living all the unfulfilled fantasy and undoing all the regrets are played out, even what happens when the talents associated with "replaying" come to the attention of the authorities, ie foresight.
This is only a minor criticism because the pace and characterisation is good and it doesnt really detract too heavily from the book that you might guess what is going to happen next in the different replays. However it does mean its a four star rather than a five star read, a classic but not one of the absolute must reads which feature in this range of books.