Pimpinella debuts with an action-packed sci fi-adventure through time. Engineered to have superhuman strength, and shaped by his emotionally distant father to become the perfect soldier, Kai Sawyer has always known it was his destiny to become a Time Ranger, whether he wanted to or not. Time Rangers are responsible for tracking down "Runners"—people who travel through time illegally in order to change the past. From the sinking of The Titanic to the assassination of JFK, by the time he leads his first team Sawyer thinks he has seen it all. But when his first command mission—to pick up a doctor in 17th Century France who is attempting to advance medicine ahead of its time—goes dangerously awry, leaving his team possibly stranded. Sawyer soon learns there’s a greater conspiracy at play, and that he and his father are at the center of it.Pimpinella builds on popular historical settings with lesser-known references—for instance, the obligatory visit to The Titanic includes a nod to the attempted rescue by The Carpathia, while the world of the future abounds with interesting details combining time-travel technology with space travel. While the latter part of the story flows with purpose, the first chapters have a disjointed feel, with flashbacks without clear relation to each other or the present. Once the France mission starts, however, the story gains welcome momentum: the team's race to find their target is nicely tense, while Sawyer's grappling with his traumatic past offers a compelling emotional dimension.
Many big questions will go unanswered until later books, so the ending is not as satisfying as it could be, but this is a saga worth keeping an eye on. Readers who want a speedy action story with angsty supersoldiers and the fascinating convolutions of time travel will find everything they are looking for here. Despite its uncertain start, this thriller delivers solid action and well-crafted settings in an intriguing start to a new series.
Takeaway: This time-travel thriller kicks off an exciting new series that lovers of the genre will relish.
Great for fans of: Jodi Taylor’s Time Police series, Connie Willis.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: B+
“After it sets up the rogue time traveler story line in tantalizing terms, the book shifts to detail Kai’s rise to a commanding position. Across a handful of missions, the disparity between his thought processes and the expectations of the Time Rangers is made clear, foreshadowing the book’s later events. Thrilling action scenes combine with characters’ struggles well.” - Foreword/Clarion 4/5 stars
“Over the course of this novel, Pimpinella delivers a spry, action-filled SF tale full of time paradoxes and fills it out with solid characterizations and a particularly agonized hero.” - Kirkus Review, 4/5 Stars
Nexus Point recieved a Canada Book Award. The Canada Book Awards recongizes and promotes Canadian authors outstanding accomplishments. The award program recognizes the timelessness of a books merit whether the book is new or older.
