The Chronocar Paperback – Import, 7 July 2015

Time travel is is such an integral part of science fiction that the genre would suffer tremendously without it. Steve Bellinger delivers his own unique brand of temporal exploration in the most innovative take on time travel that I have ever read.The Chronocar begins in the present day where a college student, Tony Carpenter, constructs a time machine based on an article he discovers that was written by a black scientist almost a century earlier. After building the machine, Tony uses it to travel to the past, specifically 1919, a volatile year in American race relations. His goal is to encounter the scientist who conceptualized the very machine Tony created to traverse time.But meeting his science idol will not be a simple affair for Tony. Time is tricky and cannot be manipulated without consequences as Tony will discover much to his dismay. The author's approach to time travel is very thoughtful. Just as much thought is given to the story's backgroud. The author renders a highly plausible early 20th century world, where everything from the broad sweep of Chicago down to soda preparation are described with enlightening detail. While Tony is the centerpiece of this tale, he shares relevant space with the man whose interest in time travel sets this temporal ball in motion: Dr. Simmie Johnson. The characters in The Chronocar are solid. The plot is brain twisting and at times fun, at times deeply sobering. Be prepared for some interesting twists.

I have always been a fan of Sci-Fi and particularly Time Travel. I have even written a book on the subject myself. This story contains twists and turns that catch you off guard. The theories and thoughts about time paradoxes and the things a time traveler can do to impact history are all explored and handled very well. I greatly enjoyed this book and recommend it if Time Travel is something, you enjoy.

I'll keep this review short and sweet - I really liked this book!The writing was superb for a young adult book (though I'm clearly enjoying it as a regular adult).The story places the characters in the not-to-distant past which makes for an amazing backdrop for the story being told. The Summer of 1919 in Chicago is portrayed in a heartbreaking way, but it serves the narrative well. Don't for a second think that you'll know what happens next!On top of it all, sci-fi fans will rejoice in the exploration of time travel and the supposed rules of the Chronocar. The author takes great lengths to make sure everything is cohesive and I am extremely appreciative of that.I would have liked to see more passages dedicated to historical events around the time, but that might have detracted from the story (which is what's being told here - I can read about Chicago in the early 20th century in many other books).It's a quick, great read that I would recommend to anyone looking to pick up something new and fresh.

The action and tension were great, but my favorite part of this book was the subtle cleverness in it. The author was able to integrate some really cool concepts into the book without hitting the reader over the head with it. (I don't want to give too much away, so I won't go into greater detail!) I also liked the mix of history and science fiction and how racial tension was important, but not necessarily the central theme, another way the author integrated different ideas and concepts together seamlessly. There was a lot going on, but it was a fast read anyway, mostly because the book was exciting and I couldn't wait to see what would happen in the end.

The Chronocar poses a series of interesting questions, but does so in such a light and subtle way that you may not realize that there is more going on than you thought. Many of us have difficulty enough keeping things straight when time runs at a constant rate and direction. Imagine the mess we'd make if we had to deal with multiple dimensions of both time and space, and where even the most subtle change might make the world a completely different place. At the center of it all is Dr. Simmie Johnson, a physicist before his time. Like Leonardo DaVinci, Dr. Johnson imagines machines that the technology of his day cannot yet produce - in his case, a way to travel through time. Besides being one of the most compelling ideas in science fiction, a Chronocar is an excellent device for contrasting our era with those terrible days of 1919, when Chicago had its first race riot. If all this sounds too cerebral, be assured that the story is, in turns, intellectual, funny and touching while playing with paradoxes of time travel. The Chronocar is one wild ride.