Archaeologist Brandon Thackery and his rival Miles 'Klicks' Jordan fulfill a dinosaur lover's dream with history's first time-travel jaunt to the late Mesozoic. Hoping to solve the extinction mystery, they find Earth's gravity is only half its 21st century value and dinosaurs that behave very strangely. Could the slimey blue creatures from Mars have something to do with both?
End of An Era
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Don't pick up End of an Era unless you're prepared to have a good time. Robert J. Sawyer's novel is a lively mix of time travel, dinosaurs, and a classic love triangle. It's a lot of fun, a bit like listening to a musician who you know is playing for the sheer joy of it. End of an Era pays tribute to those old time-travelling dinosaur-hunter stories where one misstep changes the course of history. Sawyer updates the science, both physics and paleontology, and adds an old-fashioned career/romance rivalry between the two time travellers. When he throws in a mystery regarding the gravity of Earth in the distant past, along with some fairly strange Martians, the whole thing becomes the SF equivalent of a new roller-coaster ride, made up of familiar parts but shinier and more thrilling than the old one. End of an Era is the kind of book with pleasures for both the new and experienced SF reader. The story on its own terms is entertainingly written, and for the reader of the classics can enjoy spotting the references and tributes to stories past. --Greg L. Johnson
From Booklist
Veteran archaeologist Brandon Thackery fulfills a dinosaur lover's dream when he and colleague-best friend Miles "Klicks" Jordan take history's first time-traveling jaunt back to the late Mesozoic. Hoping to solve the great mystery of dinosaur extinction, Brandon and Klicks use the newly discovered Huang Effect to backtrack into Earth's 65-million-year past. There they discover not only that the earth's gravity is half its twenty-first-century value but that the beings responsible for this are blue-slime creatures from Mars that manipulate the dinosaurs like pawns. Meanwhile, back in an alternate time line in which no Huang Effect exists, Brandon discovers an outrageous laptop diary, apparently written by himself, that relates all these incredible adventures; he tracks down a previously unknown Dr. Huang for an explanation. Sawyer parlays his enduring enthusiasm for dinosaurs--his last three novels featured them--into refreshing fun and thought-provoking entertainment. He'll satisfy his own fans and those of dinosaurs and old-fashioned time-traveling yarns, too. Carl Hays
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is the first of Sawyer's books that I did not enjoy. I thought the combination of dinosaurs and time-travel would be a winning combination. That's what I get for thinking. The plot was boring and a bit far-fetched for my tastes. There's a certain level of believability that I like and this one didn't fall within the parameters. The characters were dull or irritating. The dino encounters were lackluster. The plot was, to me, a bit silly. The sub-plots, even sillier. I would be more specific but it would require me to give away plot points in the book. I may be critical but I don't wish to ruin anyone elses read. They may find the book delightful. I did not.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Jody Cairns
Format:Paperback
Dinosaurs are fantastical creatures that once existed. How cool is that?! Stories about dinosaurs are cool too, if told well. End Of An Era is a fun, quick read about scientists travelling to the Mesozoic, hoping to figure out why dinosaurs became extinct, when they discover that aliens had something to do with it. The story has elements of Robert Heinlein's classic The Puppet Masters, along with interesting facts about dinosaurs, and a compelling story.
All of Sawyer's books are interesting to read, and I've read most of them. My main complaint is his writing style: it's simple; he seems to intentionally write with little imagery or style, using colloquialisms and cultural references too much. Yet, his ideas are fascinating, and he knows how to get his point across. I've read most of his books more than once; they are fun to read.
By dandysmom
Format:Paperback
I was expecting more of a "Jurassic Park" novel, so thid was a bit of a surprise. It's an OK read, but the characters are one-dimensional. Iliked his Hominids books, but this was sort of strange.
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3.9 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Twist in the Tale
This book has an intriguing idea for an alternate history of the earth. And, true to Sawyer's roots, it takes place in Canada and mentions real Canadian locations and institutions,... Read more
Published on Nov 23 2003 by Mona Albano
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rollicking fun
End of an Era is rollicking fun science fiction with many twists. Plots and ideas come naturally to Sawyer but the seams pop when he attempts modern characterization. Read more
Published on Feb 27 2003
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Dino book I read (jeff)
End of an Era is a great book about two scientists who go back in time to see how the dinosuars died. It has some mystery, and theories on how the dinosaurs died. Read more
Published on Feb 25 2003
4.0 out of 5 stars
Time Travel with a Twist
END OF AN ERA is a time travel novel back to the era of dinosaurs. Not only do we find dinosaurs but the galaxy itself is active with sentient beings - including Martians. Read more
Published on Feb 9 2003
4.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible edibles
This one really got me thinking. Dinosaurs infected with intelligent viruses? Like Dinotopia meets The Body Snatchers. Time travel. Read more
Published on Nov 18 2002
4.0 out of 5 stars
Alway Good Robert Saywer
If you are looking for a entertaining "what if" type author, Robert Saywer is the author to buy. Read more
Published on July 30 2002 by Shane Jaworski
4.0 out of 5 stars
A surprising cartoon
With this one, Sawyer bends the rules a little more. The basis of this novel are less... convincing than what Sawyer usually offers. However, it also is lighter. Read more
Published on July 25 2002 by Yves-François Blanchet
3.0 out of 5 stars
A decent light read
Intersting premise, but not a serious sci-fi novel. Maybe I'm spoiled by the likes of "A Fire Upon the Deep," "A Deepness in the Sky," The Heechee books, the... Read more
Published on May 5 2002 by James Ryley
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book
While not as good as some of Sawyer's other work (e.g., Far-Seer, Starplex, and Factoring Humanity), it is a good book. Read more
Published on Mar 21 2002 by Ken
4.0 out of 5 stars
Tyrannosaurs and . . . Twinkies??
Robert Sawyer restores the "science" in "S-F" as no other writer can. As he transports two men 65 million years into the past, he offers us a sampling of everything from the... Read more
Published on Feb 28 2002 by Stephen A. Haines
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