The Accidental Time Machine

7 Ratings: 2.6

A book by Joe Haldeman

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Hugo-winner Haldeman's skillful writing makes this unusually thoughtful and picaresque tale shine. Matt Fuller, a likable underachiever stuck as a lab assistant at a near-future MIT, is startled when … see full wiki

Tags: Books, Science Fiction, Time Travel, Joe Haldeman

Author: Joe Haldeman

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Publisher: Ace Hardcover (August 7, 2007)

1 review about The Accidental Time Machine

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Lighthearted Time Travel Adventure

Mar 25, 2009

by cdbaker
posted in Forbidden Planet - Sci-Fi Books & Films!

Rating:

The Accidental Time Machine is a pleasant, although shallow story about an accidental time traveler. It follows the misadventures of Matt Fuller, a somewhat unsuccessful physics student at MIT. One day while working with a piece of equipment he built he discovers, to his surprise, that it works as a time machine! He tries to duplicate it but it won't work, but does figure out how to use it to travel through time himself. As he travels further forward in time we see major changes in the earth and humanity. In one era he runs across a theocracy and again, accidentally, ends up taking along Martha, an innocent, beautiful woman who has grown up in a religious culture. This leads to some rather humorous adventures between the two as they move even further forward in time where humans seem to have left the earth. But how to get back? Well, I don't want to give away too much of the story.

Overall this is an entertaining, quick read. The only drawback is the lack of drama or emotion displayed by the characters as they are thrust into very different circumstances than the one they are used to and the somewhat quick, hollow treatment of the future worlds they discover. As the title might suggest, this is a lighthearted, humorous adventure.

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