The Ancient Future, The Dark Age

Traci Harding

Tori is a scholar who specialises in British mysteries. She’s still living at home with her parents, but she’s decided to go out and spend time with her aunt to recover from her brother’s unnecessary death. Little does she know that she is going to be scooped up into the past, and change the possible future.

Tori is skilled in martial arts, and is a black belt. What never became clear to me was why she had learnt it, why she was so proficient, and why she seemed so defensive around men.

The concept of time travel is dealt with in a sensible and understandable way. As confusing an idea as it is, Harding had her mind wrapped around what she wanted to achieve right from the word go. It has a strong feel of being well planned. I still felt confused sometimes, but it all became clear in the end.

This novel contained multiple climaxes, meaning that just as the chapter was finishing, another section would start. Had I been reading it myself, I would have said it was a bit of an epic. But being read to me in a fantastic voice? Yep, it flew by.

Something that knocked me out if the narrative at the bringing was that this novel was read by the same reader as in The Gene of Isis, and I felt like I was overwriting a character in my mind that I already knew. And then later on, there were a few sentences here and there that didn’t seem to be the main reader at all.

The overall verdict? I loved it, would read it again, and really, really want to get my hands on the next book in this series. I think I’ve discovered a new favourite author – Traci Harding, I’ll read your books any time. I have to save up my cash, and buy myself the paperback of these novels.

Arg, what annoys me is that I already wrote up this review on my phone, complete with picture, and then it ate it. Not a good start phone, not a good start. Now, this is the first time I’ve put in a photo from my phone – please let me know what it looks like. You can expect from now on that cover images from books will be taken in poor conditions like this one! The full experience.