Skid doesn’t believe in ghosts or time travel or any of that nonsense. A circus runaway-turned-bouncer, she believes in hard work, self-defense, and good strong coffee. Then one day an annoying theoretical physicist named Dave pops into the seat next to her at her least favorite Kansas City bar and disappears into thin air when she punches him (he totally deserved it).Now, street names are … are changing, Skid’s favorite muffins are swapping frosting flavors, Dave keeps reappearing in odd places like the old Sanderson murder house—and that’s only the start of her problems.
Something in the world has gone wrong. Terribly wrong. Absolutely *$&ed up.
Someone has the nastiest versions of every conceivable reality at their fingertips, and they’re not afraid to smash them together. With the help of a smooth-talking haunted house owner and a linebacker-sized Dungeons and Dragons-loving baker, Skid and Dave set out to save the world from whatever scientific experiment has sent them all dimension-hopping against their will.
It probably means the world is screwed.
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When Skid walked into her favorite Kansas City bar, she wanted nothing more than a quiet evening and a stiff drink. Then, Bud Light Dave dropped onto the barstool next to her. That’s when things got a little weird. At first, it was small things, like the names of streets changing or her favorite muffins swapping frosting flavors. But when Bud Light Dave reappears with a tale about a scientific experiment gone horribly wrong, it is up to Skid and her companions, Brick and Cord, to embark on a multi-dimensional journey to save the world.
In SO YOU HAD TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE, Jason Offutt creates a raucous tale filled with quirky characters, witty banter, and captivating scenarios. This time-traveling, dimension-jumping jaunt never takes itself too serious. Some science fiction authors spend an inordinate amount of time explaining the science behind their story. Offutt isn’t one of them, which is refreshing. He steers clear of turning his book into a physics lesson, and instead focuses on what is most important–the story.
Offutt’s writing is reminiscent of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett. His dry, subtle humor sometimes can sneak up on readers and catch them unaware. There is something whimsical about SO YOU HAD TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE, if you can consider an HR department staffed by giant cockroaches to be whimsical. From the very first page, you are warned that this will not be like your average science fiction and it is a warning that should be heeded. As you are introduced to characters with names like Skid, Brick, Cord, and Bud Light Dave, you know that this book will be something a little different, a little unusual, and a little like nothing you’ve ever read before.
What stood out the most in this book is the characters, each with their peculiar backgrounds and almost freakish eccentricities. Skid, in particular, comes off as oddly unappealing in the first few pages, but she quickly grows on you as her, and her companions, worlds are turned inside out. And by the final few chapters, you are on your feet in the stands cheering Skid on as her journey comes to an end.
SO YOU HAD TO BUILD A TIME MACHINE is lighthearted excursion into the world of time travel and alternate dimensions that is fun to read and an excellent distraction from the humdrum of reality.
Imagine a mashup of Douglas Adams and Jasper Fforde with a heavy dose of pop culture references. If that zany type of tale sounds like your cup of tea, then “So You Had to Build a Time Machine” is right up your alley. Unlike so many time traveling books where the time travel is smoothly calculated, the characters of “So You Had…” must instead deal with a variety of unexpected timelines and dimensions. Each one they find themselves thrown into, at first seemingly at random, is a strange new world where anything from monstrous praying mantises to circus zombies may be waiting for them.
Practical Skid is looking for a quiet drink when she visits her favorite bar, but that is not in the plans as she notices things going weird – such as longstanding street names changing at random. Dave, an annoying theoretical physicist she just met disappears. Right in front of her. Skid must team up with an unlikely band of heroes to go on a strange and dangerous quest to fix the timeline before it’s too late.
Like when I dived into Adams’ “The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy” or Fforde’s “Early Riser”, I had to let myself accept the zany premise, allow myself to be a bit confused with the different timelines, knowing things would be reveals along the way. Once I figure that out, I was able to relax and enjoy the wild ride that is “So You Had to Build a Time Machine” by Jason Offutt.
Very enjoyable and loved loved loved it!!
Lots of jumping around in time. Took a while to get into who was who but I enjoyed the book
I didn’t like it until the last few pages.
Clever plot, but way too long. It moves at glacial speed.
This book was somewhat funny. Random time travel causes some interesting problems. However, there were too many geeky references. I think that the author was trying to check too many sci-fi boxes.
I generally enjoyed the book. It was unpredictable and the multiple points of view were an interesting approach to telling the story. Even with multiple characters (and maybe because of it) I was unable to really root for any character in particular. The characters were quirky and eccentric but no main protagonist emerged as the hero or the characters coalescing into a team, just intertwining stories. No one character was particularly outstanding and I was never convinced that there was any affinity between the characters other than happenstance. I was sort of glad when the story ended even with a twist at the end, not really interested in a sequel. Thanks
It was thought provoking and the idea of the possibilities is scary.
Confusing; Narration Doesn’t Help
Audiobook Review:
I am still relatively new to audiobooks and am still learning how to best enjoy them. Some books are better than others and can be listened to easily; I’ve even listened to some that made me like a book when I hadn’t when I read it. Unfortunately, this audiobook was not one of the better examples. I got lost at the beginning with all the odd character names and nicknames and bumpy shifts in location. I wasn’t quite sure who exactly was who at some points, and unlike a book, you can’t flip back easily in an audiobook to refresh yourself about who’s who and what they are. I wasn’t particularly wild about the narrator, either. The voice sounded strange at points, nearly robotic. I also didn’t think she narrated the men’s speech well. That often seems to be a problem with audiobooks narrated by a single narrator. As you might be able to tell, I did not enjoy this audiobook.
I received a free copy of this audiobook, but that did not affect my review.
I was really excited about this book; however, I was a bit disappointed. I thought the story was absolutely fascinating, and Offutt is extremely creative. I am the type of person who is hit or miss on how I feel about time traveling novels, so maybe it just wasn’t the right fit for me. That said, I feel like this book should have been a series as opposed to one book. In the blurb, it talks about how Skid is an ex circus bouncer, and we don’t even learn hardly anything about the circus until maybe two thirds of the way into the book. There were times that I felt like I had no idea the connection to the plot line from the chapter before. I thought the narrator did a fantastic job. They have a great voice, and it was very easy to listen to them read. The voices and accents fit perfectly based on what I would have done with the writing. While others will likely really love this book, I was just a bit confused, and I would have liked a lot more detail.
Sorry, but I had to throw in the towel for this one at 36%.
I passionately love time travel novels, and all things science fiction. However, my focus and adoration falls mainly on the science of the fiction, and this novel delivered very little of this.
So You Had to Build a Time Machine read more like a Scooby-Doo comic book than it did like a novel. It was funny and kind of fun, but mostly it was silly and nonsensical in an unenjoyable way. The banter was a bit childish and the antics were goofy. I can’t put my finger on why it didn’t add up to something rip-roaring and fun, but alas, it just didn’t.
Not every novel is a winner and that’s totally okay. This one didn’t strike the right chord for me, but perhaps it will for others who enjoy light-hearted and easy-to-read time travel adventures.