Audio Book Review: A Ripple In Time by Victor Zugg

This is a fair time travel adventure.

A Ripple in Time
A Historical Novel of Survival
Written by Victor Zugg
Narrated by Sean William Doyle

Run Time 7h 26min
Release Date: December 10, 2019
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genre: Historical Fantasy, Time Travel
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 3.75; Narration 4.0.

Publisher Description
A struggle for survival in a time long past.
It started as a routine Miami to Charlotte flight for the passengers, crew, and Federal Air Marshal Stephen Mason. But a freak storm over the Atlantic propels the airliner unexplainably back in time to the early 18th century. They find themselves on the sparsely populated coast of the Carolina Colony. Charles Town is the only English settlement of any size in the area. It’s an inhospitable place of vast plantations, slavery, hostile natives, tall ships, and marauding pirates.
Finding a way back, if that’s even feasible, is the least of their worries. These unintended time travelers quickly find themselves ill-equipped for hardships and dangers not faced for centuries. Perils loom at every turn in this world of loss, anguish, filth, and sweat.
Foreigners in their own land, can they survive and adapt? Is it even possible for these modern transplants to carve an existence from this foul and odorous place in time?
Stephen Mason will find a way or die trying.

Review:
Federal Air Marshal Stephen Mason is accustomed to flying “incognito”. He is called in last minute to cover a routine flight from Miami to Charlotte. The first hour of the flight is fine but then there are dark clouds and a strange storm flash. The plane has lost navigational tools and, more disturbing, the crew cannot locate any familiar airfields, or cities, on the ground. The pilot attempts to land in the water somewhere off the coast of Carolina.

As survivors of the crash gather, Mason, a former Delta Force warrior, begins to access the skills and attitudes of those around him. Some are cooperative and helping, while others are looking out for only their own interests. One young woman is a history student who adds a wealth of information to their situation. When native Indians appear to the survivors Mason is pretty sure that somehow they have landed in the past. No one really wants to believe that they won’t be rescued soon or find a modern city within a short distance. Clearly, they are in trouble, not only with natural survival, but facing possible hostile natives, and likely being branded as witches if they travel into the primitive town.

The story seems simplistic at times but rather suspenseful at others. The characters are not well developed and even Mason doesn’t seem to be a clear leader. Still, I liked the historical details (or conjectures) and I enjoyed following the successes and failures of the struggles of this small band of survivors. There is a light romance which is a little stilted. The author delivers a twist toward the end that at least gives this a hopeful ending.

I read this as a stand-alone but now see this is the first of a trilogy. I’m not sure I am invested enough with the characters to read more. We’ll see. (A boxed set on audio became available January 2022.) I do think fans of time travel and Colonial American history might want to try this.

Audio Notes: I am glad I had this in audio as it is an easy, quick way for me to listen. I wasn’t overly impressed with the narration by Sean William Doyle. When I relisten to the sample, I still find his voice and portrayals to be flat. It didn’t particularly hurt the reading but didn’t enhance it either.

Source: March 2021 Chirp Purchase $2.99. This qualifies for 2022TBR, 2022Audiobook, and 2022Alphabet goals.