Timeline : by Michael Crichton - 1999

Timeline, the science fiction action adventure book by the late Michael Crichton, is a fun read for anyone who is a fan of Crichton's previous work with Jurassic Park and the Congo. The "Timeline" movie does not give this book justice, because there are some differences. Timeline is a time travel adventure where the heroes find themselves trapped in medieval Europe, where survival in a deadly war torn world of knights and warlords abound. Lord Oliver is the main English villain set on his goal to defeat his French rivals at any costs. The professor, and expert historian, finds himself trapped due to a new advanced fax machine device developed by an evil greedy corporate engineer, which has accidently stumbled across a "Star Trek" like wormhole in space time. A group is sent back to rescue the professor, including his college age son and an expert in medieval warfare. Lord Oliver finds a military advantage due to an unexpected alley in his war against the French, and the poor professor with his rescue team from the present find themselves caught in the middle of this deadly ordeal. Unlike the film, greater detail is given to the fact that this setting is really in medieval Europe including the language they speak, and characters like Lady Claire are not as important nor virtuous as the film makes her out to be. The French side is just as grey as the English side, unlike the dastardly Lord Oliver, and missing from the film version but present in the book is the appearance of the gruesome and spectacular Green Knight. Five stars for the late Michael Crichton's awesome medieval knight adventure, "Timeline"- "Take me away, I don't mind. But you better promise me I'll be back in time...." Huey Lewis