Slow Dreaming (A Tempus Institute Story) by Anne Barwell at LaceDragon Publishing
Genre | Gay / Time Travel / Agents/Spies / Romance |
Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 07-January-2020 |
Genre | Gay / Time Travel / Agents/Spies / Romance |
Reviewed by | Serena Yates on 07-January-2020 |
As an agent for the Tempus Institute, Jason Adams’ task is to observe the past, not change it. But when he’s sent to 21st-century Wellington, New Zealand, during the last week of aspiring songwriter Sean Henderson’s life, Jason finds he can’t just watch from a distance. He and Sean quickly become friends and then lovers, and when the song that's haunted Jason for years connects them in a way he never anticipated, he'll risk changing history for the chance of sharing a future with Sean.
First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, May 2012.
Whether or not history can be changed by those who have time travel capability has been debated hotly in sci-fi stories and by scientists alike. Whether or not history SHOULD be changed, and under what circumstances, is the subject of this book. The purpose of the Tempus Institute is observation, ‘to give a realistic view of the time period’ being examined. Sounds good, right? It reminded me of the way archeologists look at their artifacts, using them to glean a better understanding of the past. Only in this story we are dealing with people. Suddenly, when human lives are at stake, the ‘just observation’ idea doesn’t seem so easy to follow anymore.
Jason is a Tempus Institute agent, and does his job without too many questions. He also dislikes paperwork, and usually just jumps into the next assignment without too much bothersome prep. When he is sent back in time to the New Zealand of 2011, the same city he grew up in, and meets Sean, everything he has always believed in comes into question. In more than one way! What if the emotional need to interfere is so big you cannot resist? How is he supposed to just stand by and let the inevitable happen?
Sean works in a coffee shop and writes music in his free time. Past lovers have treated him badly, but there is something about Jason (beyond all the mystery about his background and real reason for being there) that attracts him. A lot. How is he supposed to just let Jason go at the end of what the man says is there allotted time?
This is a delightful story. It is melancholy, almost lyrical, with quite a few twists, and a very surprising yet extremely satisfying ending. Quite the temporal tale! If you enjoy stories about the consequences of paying with the time line, if you want to examine it in the light of a personal relationship, and if you like a few twists and turns, you will probably enjoy this story.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.
Format | ebook |
Length | Novella, 72 pages |
Heat Level | |
Publication Date | 01-December-2019 |
Price | $2.99 ebook |
Buy Link | https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08275RCYK |
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