Randy Hunter, a billionaire industrialist, communicates with aliens, develops an interstellar flight, explores other worlds, and becomes immortal in a world where human dreams come true. By the author of Dragon's Egg.
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From Publishers Weekly
Set in 2036, this latest hard - science novel by Forward ( Dragon's Egg ) deals with fringe physics and explores the exciting possibilities of relativity and quantum mechanics. Unfortunately, the author's characters and plot exist only as a pretext for his numerous, inventive gadgets and tricks. Protagonist Randy Hunter's astroengineering firm discovers a lifeform dubbed "Silverhair," which contains negative matter rather than antimatter. By carefully engineering the Silverhair, Hunter and his associates develop a method of building starships that reach near-light speeds. Negative and positive matter are also used to produce gravity-balanced black hole masses, artificial wormholes, means of instantaneous travel, and, eventually, time travel. The scientific speculation is fascinating, well-researched and believable, but the heroes are cardboard, the villain a paper tiger, the plot a wish-fulfillment fluff of cotten candy. Although this book exhibits great potential, it is not up to Forward's standard and will disappoint fans.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The latest novel by the author of The Dragon's Egg (1983) tells the life story of remarkable billionaire business mogul Randy Hunter. Hunter excels in everything he does, from choosing a wife to pioneering the latest technologies--including the discovery of an alien life form that can facilitate instantaneous travel through space and time. Forward is one of sf's most imaginative and playful writers, wreaking cheerful havoc with temporal paradoxes in a story that owes a considerable debt to Robert Heinlein's Lazarus Long novels. Unfortunately, the lack of immediacy and suspense makes this otherwise ingenious story a marginal selection for libraries.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Amazon.com:
2.8 out of 5 stars
10 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of Robert Forward's Best. . .
Oct 2 2003
By David Zampino
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This reviewer has noted time and time again, that Dr. Forward's novels excel in "hard science" but not so much in depth of character or development of plot. In "Timemaster" we still have the outstanding science -- with enough of an improvement in character and plot to satisfy most Sci-Fi fans.
When dealing with his "neg matter" plants -- and the opportunities such creatures would provide for relatively intstaneous space and time travel, Forward continues to fill his books with life forms radically different from anything we have (or can really imagine) on Earth -- and make them believable.
This one is a good read. I highly recommend it.
5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favorite books
Aug 20 2001
By G. Ralph Kuntz, MD
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I have read several of Dr. Forward's books, and this is, by far, my favorite---I read it twice and am considering a third reading. Dr. Forward writes "hard" science fiction, and Timemaster is no exception, sticking closely with the known laws of physics. The concepts presented in this book are intriguing and Mr. Hunter's solution to the problem of his nemesis in a delightful surprise. Highly recommended!
6 of 9 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Timewaster
Jan 19 2003
By David Bonesteel
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Space entrepeneur Randy Hunter discovers a kind of space-dwelling plant composed of negative matter, which allows him to develop interstellar spaceflight and time travel, not to mention acheiving all of his dreams, winning the girl, foiling his drug-addicted rival, and becoming an all-around great guy. ... Author Robert L. Forward never lets us forget how wonderful and brilliant he thinks his hero is, which came off as more than a little self-congratulatory since I couldn't shake the feeling that he was meant to serve as an alter-ego for Forward himself. There is much juvenile one-upmanship between Randy and his cartoonish arch-rival, Oscar, who is just as bad as Randy is good and whose dislike is never explained as anything more than jealousy (but then, who wouldn't be jealous of such a terrific guy as Randy). I found the key plot device of the Silverhairs to be ludicrous and uninteresting. The sole saving grace of this book is some fascinating business toward the end concerning time travel and the interaction between the Randys of various time periods. Had this aspect of the story been more prominent, it would have been a better book, but instead it is buried among juvenile characterizations and dull plotting.
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2.8 out of 5 stars
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