Marcus, the half-breed Time Shifter, accomplished a time shift under crisis and discovered that the skills of his birthright were possible, yet the ability to shift at will was still elusive to him. Akalya, the Harekai Time Shifter whom he had been sent to capture, escaped into exile with him and there, in a small town in northern Idaho, they began to work together to discover the extent of Marcus’ abilities and to learn how to break through the barrier that had limited his inborn skills all of his life.
Hiding in an obscure small northern town brings a new form of trouble, and Kallie and Marcus may soon learn that their secret location isn’t so secret after all.
Continuum
by Shana Lauffey
Series:
Chronicles of the Harekaiian #3
Genre:
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Publisher:
Golbin Publishing
Publication Date:
November 11, 2014
Continuum is number three in the Chronicles of the Harekaiian. The heroine, Kalli, is no longer on her own. Instead, she’s hiding in plain sight with Marcus, a half-breed time shifter who needs her help learning how to do what time shifters do. Being cautious, they avoid shifting distances in the present day, because the enemy is somehow able to detect that.
The story is well-written and I enjoyed the characters, particularly Kalli. She’s tough and clever. When she’s planning her time travel escapades, such as getting a new social security card for Marcus, my head spins. So much thought was put into this, and it works. Time travel is a tricky business, but I think this is one of those rare stories that pulls it off. If there are loose ends, I’m of the opinion that they are there on purpose.
As for the pacing, this is a quick read, but the story takes off in spurts and then slows to dribbles. Imagine it. You can go anywhen in your lifetime. As long as you can manage a time shift, you can take all the time you need to recover. Heck, you can shift back in time, then shift over to the opposite coast and rest in the present. This is a common strategy Kalli and Marcus take, that and shifting back to experience favorite days again. May as well have fun when you’re hiding out in the past. There are some limitations, but the two manage to get around them with careful planning.
I also like how each chapter ends with a narration from Kalli, even the ones that feature Marcus’s point of view. She tells the story that would otherwise bog the book down in dialog. These snippets also tie one chapter to the next, orienting the reader to the coming scene. It’s a storytelling method I haven’t really seen in many (or any) other books, that I can think of.
The only negative I can think of is that some parts of the story are way too engrossed in the minutae of how to gain funds as a time traveler. Sure, it’s interesting, but the main plot grinds to a halt as Kalli formulates and executes an elaborate plot to steal clothes for Marcus, or set up an account in the past that will gain interest and be worth something in the present, or perhaps steal petty cash from a register after a business has closed.
Overall, I thought this was another fine addition to the series. I’d recommend it to people who like contemporary fiction with a paranormal twist. Folks who have lived in the locations the book features, particularly in the time periods it covers, will be rewarded with details and even pictures that spark nostalgia.
The review copy of Continuum was supplied by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.