Elysian Dreams

B.J.
Neblett
ISBN Number: 
978-1936587735
Genre: 
Other

 

ADVENTURE  It’s 1928, and Colin Crowly is living the high life of a carefree bachelor and wealthy playboy. He is a bookie of unerring accuracy, and interacts with local mob bosses in Philadelphia. When Collin returns to his home, however; he goes into a secret room in his basement. When he comes out, he has been transported 60 years into the future, to 1988. This Collin Crowley is a popular history professor at a local college, who has an uncanny knowledge of the history of the 1920’s. 

Collin longs to tell his girlfriend Angelina of his secret life, so that she can share it with him. When a series of events force Angelina to be transported to the past; the story shifts to her point of view and the difficulties she faces. Trapped in the late 1920’s; she begins to build a new life for herself, a quite dangerous life. Suddenly and oddly there is another shift to 1995, focusing on another woman and her daughter. 

This book starts with a good premise, and the early part of it shows a great deal of potential. Unfortunately, the story shifts from the time-travel foundation into a really odd Sci-fi theme that is completely disconnected from the rest of the book. It is at this point that the book begins to fall apart. The idea behind the story is fascinating; but there is little cohesion, and no closure to any of the stories. If the book had stayed with the time-travel premise and ended with Angelina’s story, it would have given the reader a much cleaner, more interesting read.

Faith Turner