If there was any justice in the literary world, this novel would be at the top of the bestsellers lists while those authors who need a wheelbarrow to take their money to the bank and write like hacks would wallow in obscurity.This novel started out a bit slowly but by the end I was thoroughly convinced I had enjoyed it. Adventure, time travel, close escapes, alternate worlds and steampunk goodies all add up to a rollicking grand time. The author is a true raconteur and writes convincingly of different locations in varying centuries. There are quite a few twists and turns in this book and they are well contrived with believable characters. There’s also humor thrown in on occasion. I liked how the author used the concept of a small change in the past can lead to a gigantic change in the future. Bonus points awarded for doing a realistic job on Ben Franklin’s dialogue.A book that will appeal to a wide audience, be it science fiction fans or YA readers. I look forward to the next in this series. 4 ½ stars.
