Paradox Bound by Peter Clines

Title: Paradox Bound
Author: Peter Clines
Genre: Science Fiction, Time Travel
Publisher: Crown
Publishing date: September 26th, 2017
ISBN: 9780553418330

Synopsis: Eli’s willing to admit it: he’s a little obsessed with the mysterious woman he met years ago. Okay, maybe a lot obsessed. But come on, how often do you meet someone who’s driving a hundred-year-old car, clad in Revolutionary-War era clothes, wielding an oddly modified flintlock rifle—someone who pauses just long enough to reveal strange things about you and your world before disappearing in a cloud of gunfire and a squeal of tires?

My Review:

Get ready for a wild time-travel ride with Peter Clines’ Paradox Bound—a book that left me torn between admiration and disappointment. As a newcomer to Clines’ work, I had high hopes, but unfortunately, this peculiar tale didn’t quite hit the mark for me. However, it does possess a unique charm that may resonate more strongly with its intended American audience.

Time travel narratives are notoriously tricky to execute, but Clines took a fresh approach in Paradox Bound. Instead of hopping across the entire fabric of time and space, our protagonist Eli embarks on a quest through the nooks and crannies of American history, in search of the elusive American dream.

While the book reads more like a road trip adventure than a conventional time travel saga, it boasts several commendable aspects. I particularly enjoyed the enigmatic faceless men — these mysterious federal agents guard the American dream until it mysteriously disappears into the depths of history. This added an intriguing layer of mystery. With countless individuals scouring the past in search of power and the ability to shape the nation, Eli and his companion Harry navigate their journey in a Model A, braving perilous encounters along the way.

Despite my initial reservations, Clines succeeds in crafting a narrative filled with intricate time paradoxes that manage to stay logical amidst the craziness. The characters, particularly Eli and his interactions with Harry, eventually won me over… It is a shame, however, that it took quite a while for me to genuinely care about their plight. By the time I became invested, the story was reaching its conclusion.

One of Paradox Bound’s strengths lies in its vivid portrayal of an America-centric tale, complete with historical references that may not fully resonate with international readers. This inherent limitation might hinder some readers’ ability to engage with the story. Nevertheless, Clines’ imaginative take on time travel deserves admiration, even if it didn’t completely captivate me.

In conclusion, Paradox Bound offers a refreshing blend of history and time travel, with its fair share of strengths and weaknesses. While it may not have been the perfect match for me, it possesses an undeniable charm that will appeal to fans of quirky adventures.

About the author:

Peter Clines, born in Cape Neddick, Maine is an American author and novelist best known for his zombies-vs-superheroes series, Ex-Heroes, and Lovecraftian-inspired Threshold novels 14 and The Fold. While Clines worked as a props master, his writing turned from prose to focus on scripts. In 2006, after the end of a film project, he dedicated himself to writing full-time. He worked for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, writing interviews, reviews, and articles. Clines made his first fiction sale, The Hatbox, to online journal The Harrow.
Website | @PeterClines