by Robyn Grady
I adored Ashton Kutcher in The Butterfly Effect. Each time his character goes back in time to make things better, he becomes more heroic but the complications grow too. What a job to keep track of the logistics of those stories!
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Lately, I’ve been watching Dr. Who. Wasn’t a fan of the 70s version. That guy – and his scarf - didn’t appeal to me at all. Even as a girl, I viewed the production aspects as unsophisticated. (Apologies to any original Dr. Who fans out there!) However, these latest episodes are, IMHO, incredibly well done. Sharp dialogue, most of the time terrific costumes, and the plots for each episode are gripping, ranging from futuristic scenarios to alien invasions to ghosts stories from times gone by.
One of my favourite kinds of story involves time travel. A dear friend, Christina Phillips, introduced me to A Time Traveller’s Wife in 2004 and while I love Rachel McAdams and that movie, my God, the book was a thousand times better. That last few pages are designed (I'm sure) to go around and around in your head. Such a happy bittersweet ending :sniff:
Lately, I’ve been watching Dr. Who. Wasn’t a fan of the 70s version. That guy – and his scarf - didn’t appeal to me at all. Even as a girl, I viewed the production aspects as unsophisticated. (Apologies to any original Dr. Who fans out there!) However, these latest episodes are, IMHO, incredibly well done. Sharp dialogue, most of the time terrific costumes, and the plots for each episode are gripping, ranging from futuristic scenarios to alien invasions to ghosts stories from times gone by.
One of my faves is when Dr. Who and Rose travel back to Victorian England where they visit a spooky country manor with the “I am not amused” queen herself. There’s a huge diamond involved in the mystery, but best of all, there’s a werewolf! At the end of that episode, the Queen states that she intends to form an enterprise that will investigate paranormal and other strange happenings. The Torchwood Institute! So now there’s another series I need to buy J
Do you have a favourite time travel book/movie? Maybe you’re a fan of the new – or the old - Dr. Who? Or do you prefer your stories firmly rooted in reality?
oooohhhh - I also love time travel books.
ReplyDeleteAges ago on holidays I read a couple of
fantastic time travel romances!
Two hot heroes from 1600s - one heroine remains in medieval times and in the other book, the hero follows the heroine to the 21st century.
I loved them and am annoyed I've lost the books (& don't know name/author) as I'd love to re-read them :)
I love time travel stories too though, strangely, I don't scour the bookshops for them. Maybe I should.
ReplyDeleteGrinning here, Robbie - I grew up with Dr Who and loved the old series too. So much so that we introduced our kids to the show. Lots of fun, except I still think it's unfair that daleks can now fly.
I recently read an absolutely fabulous book (yes really) called 'Warped' by Maurissa Guibord. It's billed as a YA but I think the appeal was timeless. She did the time travel elements between modern USA and mediaeval England so well. Great characters and gripping story.
I'm racking my brain for the name of an old B&W movie I saw as a kid that I'd love to see again. A couple meet in a park and fall in love, but for one each day that passes is just a day and for the other it's much longer. Great stuff!
Recently enjoyed 'The Lake House' too, though I admit to getting thoroughly confused about the time loops.
Robbie, I loved the book The Time Traveller's Wife too (didn't see the movie). And, sorry, but I LOVED Tom Baker's Dr Who and that long, long scarf of his. :-)
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, I don't go looking for time travel books. That said, I do have Cross Stitch (Outlander) on my must read list and I'm very interested to see how that story pans out.
Robyn, I've added those titles to my must-get list to watch! I haven't seen any of them - though I did have every intention of seeing The Time Traveller's Wife - will have to find it on DVD now.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy a bit of time travel! Mary Higgins Clark did a rather scary time-travel short story - really excellent! And there's Linda Howard's Son of the Morning which is another fabulous time-travel read!
Oh and there was a rather lovely time-travel movie with Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour - Somewhere in Time. Years and years since I saw it - I wonder if it's as good as my memory of it!
ReplyDelete:)
Hi Robyn - never got into Dr Who. Now Cross Stitch, on the other hand, is one of my fav books of all time.I much prefered the book of Time Traveller's Wife to the movie (didn't get Eric Bana in that role)
ReplyDeleteMy absolute fav time travel movie - Terminator - when he says 'I came back in time for you Sarah'.... sigh... one of the best lines ever :)
Great post.
Sharon, I saw 'Somewhere in Time' too. Wasn't it great? Bittersweet but lovely.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, bittersweet is a perfect way to describe it!
ReplyDeleteHelen, I'd forgotten about Terminator - that was a terrific line, wasn't it!
i love time travel and book i love is until forever by johanna lindsey :)
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne! Isn't it awful when you so love a book then lose it along the way and can't remember the title?! I read a story loooooong time ago, must've been set in the 17th century, and while I can't remember much of it now (other than a carriage ride!) I knew that I had adored it. Not long ago I discovered it was Shanna, by Katherine Woodiwiss. That's one book I intend to find and read again. Maybe I'll find your 16th c story beside it ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear you're a TT fan!!!
And I meant Kathleen - apologies.
ReplyDeleteAnnie, that does it! I'm going to get a DVD of the old Dr Who and see what I think of it now. I'm half wondering if it might have something to do with there being one TV in the house back then and the "big kids" having all the say, so to speak. I'll report back ;)
ReplyDeleteThose Daleks are a crazy bunch!
I'd love to know the name of the old B&W film. I'll have to do a wee bit of research. And I loved The Lake House. The ending was just beautiful.
Another vote for the scarf! Makes me doubtly determined to experiment. All these years, I might have been missing out. =)
ReplyDeleteThe Time Travelers Wife was just so darn clever and filled with emotion. I actually cried at the end and that doesn't happen often.
Cross Stitch is wonderful! Surprised me in some places, and was filled with such detail. You'll love it!
Sharon, Mary Higgins Clarke is so easy to read. Will defo put that one down for a must buy. Confession... I've never read a Linda Howard. But that one sounds like the one that'll kick me off nicely!
ReplyDeleteAnd I saw Somewhere In Time within the last six months. Do you remember their first kiss? Christopher Reeve is a hero of mine anyway, but that scene truly is bone-melting.
Helen, with you on Eric Bana in that role. Not that he wasn't good! (Did you see him in Troy? Just terrific!) But I think because the hero in TTTW was an ordinary kind of guy, I might have logged that image in beside the everyday bloke image of Eric Bana on comedy shows like Fast Forward we watched growing up. I was half expecting him to tell a joke or do a Chopper impersonation lol. He sure is a super star now =)
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! Terminator. That's another one that loops around and around. Love it.
Which reminds me of Planet of the Apes too. No wonder I love time travel =)
Hey Eli! Well, that's going on my list too. Now I need a lovely long vacation, just me, some beach and all those lovely time travel books!
ReplyDeleteRobyn, the name of that Mary Higgins Clark short story is The Anastasia Syndrome. There are some other great twist-in-the-tail stories in it too but it's scary TAS that has stayed with me the most.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree about her books being easy to read - makes them soooo hard to put down once you start!
Hi Robyn!
ReplyDeleteI didn't see myself as a huge fan of the Time travel genre- but then having seen some of the suggestions here- maybe I am! I adored The Lake House and, of course, Terminator. I loved the old Dr Who and even had a scarf like his. I, too cried at Time Travellers Wife- loved that book.
So I'm going to follow up on some of the other titles here (dare I admit I haven't read Cross Stitch?)
Louisa, if I can admit to never having read Linda Howard, you can admit to not having yet met Jamie =)
ReplyDeleteI love Dr Who! Amy and Rory are leaving part way through the next season (due to start airing in a couple of months) which is sad, but I'm looking forward to meeting the new companion. My nephew and I have a bit of a countdown for the new season. =)
ReplyDeleteI'm only up to season 4, think it is, where the new sidekick is a bride from an earlier episode.
ReplyDeleteOkay, so I just looked up Amy and Rory's departure. Deadly Weeping Angels - I love the characters/creatures they come up with!!