The Chronoliths [Mass Market Paperback]

I have come to The Chronolits with huge expectations: it's been hailed as a masterpiece of modern sci-fi, mentioned by Time magazine as the notable book of the year, and so on.

And yet (or perhaps because of those expectations), the book has been a he anti-climax for me.

There is nothing wrong with it as such: in fact both the science element in the science-fiction and the speculative element in the speculative fiction is developed brilliantly.

The idea that time travel of sorts (i.e. sending objects from the future into the past) can be used to influence the events between the sending and the appearance of the object is an eminently original take on time travel and explores philosophical implications of knowledge about future inevitabilities.

The world building, although subtle and without much exposition, is very skilfully and the mood of millennial gloom and millennial madness is brilliantly caught.

So why am I giving this, clearly above-average book, only the average number of stars?

Wilson has been praised for character development, and I think the main character is exactly where the problem for me lies with Chronoliths: it seems to me that the author aimed for an Everyman figure caught in the vortex of non-causal inevitability.

This worked, but in addition to that, for some reason the main character and the narrator is rather inexplicably (or was I too thick to understand the subtleties) guilt ridden, miserable and depressingly depressive.

He feels guilty for the failure of his marriage (even though it was his wife who left him and divorced for an event he had absolutely no responsibility for). He feels guilty for her daughter's illness ending in a hearing loss in one ear (even though it was caused by an infection that he wouldn't have been able to stop). He feels a failure when he's sacked from his job (even though it wasn't his fault at all).

He 's also (subtly, but noticeably) very American, middle class and rather right-wing in all his fatherly impulses. Ouch. No, I didn't like Scott Warden at all, and I felt the book was written as if I was supposed to like him. The subtle self pity didn't help either.

I am probably a bit harsh and it should really be 3.5 stars, averaging from four for ideas, four for world building and one for the main character I just couldn't stand. But Amazon doesn't give me such an option, so three stars it has to be.

In the year 2021, Scott Warden finds himself caught up in a historical event. When he goes to investigate a mysterious explosion in Chumphon, Thailand, he discovers a giant monument, a monument commemorating the victory of a conqueror some twenty years in the future! It is only first of many that begin to pop up around the world, convincing multitudes that the conqueror coming is inevitable, and perhaps desirable. Pulled along by unseen forces through an increasingly chaotic world, Scott must live his life, while simultaneously aiding an old friend, a friend who wants to stop that future conqueror.

In this book, Robert Wilson succeeds is building and maintaining an enthralling level of suspense. His characters are interesting, but it is the situation that is so fascinating. Indeed, I found the story eminently believable, and was swept along with it. I highly recommend this fascinating book.

[As an aside, I am a fan of Messrs. Strauss and Howe, and their generational theories. This book went along excellently with it, with the main character picking up on generational differences.]

Having thoroughly enjoyed `Spin', I was keen to read more of Wilson's work. However, perhaps my expectations were too high. Like `Spin', the narrative is primarily character based with the science fiction providing the plot lines; this is a good thing and made for a readable tale. The apocalyptic, gloomy atmosphere is superbly handled, but the tau-thingy science lost me, I couldn't really see the purpose of the Chronoliths in the first place (why would a future warlord bother to send monuments back in time?) and the ending was a rushed & baffling damp squib (reading the last couple of chapters twice didn't help at all). Perhaps I am being a little harsh and maybe I missed the point as, on reflection, the post-non-war recovery and the application of the tau-thingy stuff to star travel is a reaffirmation of the old ` it's an ill wind...blah...blah' adage. I definitely like Wilson's style, however, so I've just ordered `Blind Lake'. Watch this space...