A Review of The Time Weaver by Thomas Knight: Parallel Worlds,Wizards, Romance, oh and a Dragon

Author’s summary:  Seth Alkirk is a 30-year-old programmer who doesn't know he can control time. Problem is, others do. When he's kidnapped from his quiet Iowa life and taken to the parallel world of Galadir, Seth thinks he's in a dream from which he can't wake.

His kidnapper, the warrior Malia, needs his help. Her kingdom is in danger from an evil wizard who will stop at nothing to exact revenge on those who exiled him. Seth needs her protection. The same wizard is after Seth's powers, knowing they will grant the advantage he needs to conquer Malia's kingdom. Seth and Malia must work together as they travel hundreds of miles to reach the safety of her castle.

Learning to accept and control his powers is the hardest thing Seth has ever had to do, but the longer he spends in Galadir, the more he grows to love this new world and the female warrior accompanying him. When a much more ancient and dangerous wizard awakens and threatens to destroy Galadir, Seth is the key to defeating him. Now he must save a world he never knew existed with magic he never knew he could wield, if only he could learn to control it in time.

This is the first book in Mr. Knight’s The Time Weaver Chronicles.

The Time Weaver is the story of Seth Alkirk, who finds himself drawn into an epic battle in a parallel world when that world intrudes on his own. Your typical average Joe, Seth discovers things about himself and the father he hardly knew. He finds power (magical and personal), love and a dragon.

This is a well-edited novel with few POV slips and mechanical errors. The plot develops well with no noticeable convenience devices. The secondary characters are complex and potentially interesting in their own right. Mr. Knight does a extraordinary job of world-building, I could see the people and places , smell and taste the food, hear the clang of the armor and swords.

 If I had to say what I would like to see improved on, I would say first and foremost, Seth. Unlike the secondary characters, he does not rise up off the page the way a hero should.  His conflict, confusion and terror at the strangeness and danger this run-of-the-mill guy is thrust into does not come through. His internal journey and battles with his own perceived past and the revelations should be as powerful as the battle scenes.

In addition, many characters disappear from the pages only to return much later with barely a mention in between.  This caught me off guard and I had to remember, in some cases, who they were and why they were important. It is useful to make sure that the reader is reminded of these characters through even brief references until they return for their pivotal scene. Best example of that was the absence of reference to the earth world and the characters there. There is no mention of them for about 25% of the book and then they reappear for the climax.

I give The Time Weaver

      

The second book in the Time Weaver Chronicles, Legacy, is available and will be the subject of a future review on this blog.

Thomas A. Knight built a career out of software development and took up writing in his spare time. Since then, he has released two books and is in the process of writing a third. His novels are epic fantasies set in Galadir, an alternate world of his own design.

His debut novel, The Time Weaver, is the recipient of an indiePENdents Seal of Good Writing, has reached both the Sci-Fi/Adventure and Epic Fantasy Amazon best-seller lists, and is considered by many to be an exciting and unique story that appeals to readers of all types.

When he's not writing or developing software, Thomas enjoys family time with his wife and two little girls, or playing fantasy role-playing games. He is also an avid supporter of Free and Open Source software, and uses entirely Linux and open source software in the writing and production of his novels.