Be the first to ask a question about A Tale of Time City. The ideas here are interesting, but they are never fully developed, and the world building feels unfinished. Refresh and try again. Ship This Item — Qualifies for Free Shipping Buy Online, Pick up in Store Check Availability at Nearby Stores. The plot was too convoluted for my liking. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. A Tale of Time City Diana Wynne Jones A 3S digital back-up edition v1.0 click for scan notes and proofing history Cont . A thrilling story by the legendary Diana Wynne Jones—with an introduction by Ursula K. Le Guin. It tells the story of a girl, Vivian Smith, who is kidnapped while being evacuated from London during World War II and caught up in a struggle to preserve history. This is the plain, hard truth. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. First, children are not adults. I was sure I'd read this 20+ years ago and I was sure it was one of my favourite books when I was 11 or 12. I wish someone would invent a recipe for a butter-pie; I want one almost as much as Sam does in the book. London, 1939. Click to read more about A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones. But she is being kidnapped - out of her own time. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. It felt almost more like an outline of a book than a book. ", Diana was born in London, the daughter of Marjorie (née Jackson) and Richard Aneurin Jones, both of whom were teachers. Not to mention inordinately adaptable! I've decided to read "A Tale of Time City" since I loved "Howl's Moving Castle" and wanted to read more by Diana Wynne Jones. I’d love to meet Vivian, too. Script error: No such module "Italic title". But it is my favourite. Also, Elio is the best! Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: Leonardo da Vinci was a megalomaniacal student from the sixty-sixth century, actually. If I could do so and return safely home, I would love to get to tour Time City myself. A Tale of Time City was originally published in 1987 and reissued this year with an introduction by Ursula Le Guinn (alas, my copy is an old one) and I decided to read this one next because I am going through an I Love Time Travel phase. Moments later, she finds herself in a strange plastic&metal room. NOOK Book. Can't believe it took me so long to get hold of this one! Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published First published in 1987, it's still magical today, because it has exactly what any good story needs: brilliant rules about fantasy that DWJ sticks to, moral honesty, and a delicate plot brimming with history (literally) that ties to. She was so prolific that quite a lot of her books necessarily fall below the highest standard, and several of them are quite formulaic - this is one - but I have now read at least 20 of her works and cannot say that I regret reading any, even those I 2-starred as "just ok". I think I'm starting to see the pattern in Wynne Jone's books where the main character goes on a quest, meets lots of people who provide loads of information that only serves to confuse her/him, and only after we've run out of people to meet does the solution to the mystery present itself. This book would be appropriate to readers as young as 10. Children's chapter Fiction/Fantasy about a sibling/family or friends duo or trio that finds a magical portal or doorway to another reality or realm. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. * Importance of NYCAPS and CityTime projects for New York City: 1. I liked the main characters, especially Sam; unfortunately, many of the adult characters are too dimwitted to be believable. Two Time City boys, determined to save it all, think they have the answer in Vivian Smith, a young Twenty Century girl whom they pluck from a British train station at the start of World War II. It tells the story of a girl, Vivian Smith, who is kidnapped while being evacuated from London during World War II and caught up in a struggle to preserve history. When war was announced, shortly after her fifth birthday, she was evacuated to Wales, and thereafter moved several times, including periods in Coniston Water, in York, and back in London. What would have been their business benefits? My uncle gave it to me one year for Christmas. Tales of the City. 10. A great book. They don’t whimper in the corner and cry; they dust themselves off and keep trying to figure out how to fix the problems. A Tale of Time City Diana Wynne Jones, Author Greenwillow Books $12.95 (278p) ISBN 978-0-688-07315-2. Vivian Smith thinks she is being evacuated to the countryside, because of the war. Racing against time, Mary Ann, Michael and Brian follow leads to learn who's threatening Barbary Lane. The first edition of the novel was published in September 1987, and was written by Diana Wynne Jones. There lacks something of the magical, internal logic of her other novels, like the Chrestomanci series, Fire and Hemlock, Hexwood. [I'd love to better understand how a man can split himself so that he can be a guardian of space/time anchors. Edition Description. "Tales of the City" focuses primarily on the people who live in a boardinghouse turned apartment complex owned by Anna Madrigal at 28 Barbary Lane, all of whom quickly become part of what Maupin coined a "logical family". I need a butter-pie ASAP. What's the trick with Diana Wynne Jones? But not only have they broken every rule in the book by traveling back in time — they have the wrong person! This is a young adult book and it's a fun book to read for any age. View all covers for A Tale of Time City (logged in users can change User Preferences to always display covers on this page) Reviews Review by Tom Whitmore (1987) in Locus, #323 December 1987 One of the things I like best about Diana Wynne Jones is how her children are children and adults are adults. The stories of several colorful characters living in San Francisco. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Script error: No such module "Italic title". Welcome back. Not the best Wynne Jones, but has definite strengths, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 14, 2013. ["I did what I could. 9780006755203 at the best online prices at eBay! In too many YA books the adults. Unable to add item to List. It's 1939 in London, and Vivian is being sent out of her home city to escape the bombings. I like the stories she writes, with clever characters who are interesting beings and meet challenges head on. A good story, well written and fast paced from start to finish. Paperback $ 9.99. It was just oddly structured; the villains flimsy... more of a set of ideas than a novel. Her kidnappers, Sam and Jonathan, are positive that she's the Time Lady who is destroying temporal reality and Time City itself. There was a problem loading your book clubs. A 1987 novel by Diana Wynne Jones. Excellent! View all covers for A Tale of Time City (logged in users can change User Preferences to always display covers on this page) Reviews Review by Tom Whitmore (1987) in Locus, #323 December 1987 I love a DWJ and I remember loving this book reading it growing up, but on reread I felt like I there was something about this that I couldn't quite... grasp. I’d love to meet Vivian, too. A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones is an exciting book about time travelling and the impacts one action or choice can have on others (or in this case the whole of history!) London, 1939. Time City — built far in the future on a patch of space outside time — holds the formidable task of overseeing history, yet it's starting to decay, crumble .... What does that say for the future of the world ... for the past ... for the present? Moments later, she finds herself in a strange plastic&metal room. But she is being kidnapped – out of her own time. But I found it mind-numbingly dull. A TALE OF TIME CITY Diana Wynne Jones, Author. After attending the Friends School Saffron Walden, she studied English at St Anne's College in Oxford, where she attended lectures by both C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien before graduating in 1956. $9.99. Episodes Tales of the City. Vivian is the perfect example of this. London, 1939. Her kidnappers, Sam and Jonathan, are positive that she's the Time Lady who is destroying temporal reality and Time City itself. Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2013, A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones is an exciting book about time travelling and the impacts one action or choice can have on others (or in this case the whole of history! A Tale of Time City was first published in 1987 by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Free download or read online A Tale of Time City pdf (ePUB) book. But not too bad , as I said before , I managed to keep track . Start by marking “A Tale of Time City” as Want to Read: Error rating book. Vivian has been kidnapped through time and space to Time City! Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. ), Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2011. How important were the NYCAPS and CityTime projects for New York City? A thrilling story by the legendary Diana Wynne Jones—with an introduction by Ursula K. Le Guin. He's called an "Android," but he's not a Ridiculously Human Robot--he's made of flesh and bone, just different. Loved the book. This is the first Diana Wynne Jones book I ever read. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for a Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones. From there , everything gets mixed up , she gets rescued and ends up in Time City with two boys from there . Time City I felt did a great job of showing adults who were just as concerned about the time crisis as the kids, but because of factors like their age, values, and responsibilities had a different view of what was important and thereby wound up hindering the children rather than joining with them. Of course they get into all kinds of adventures and scrapes . What do I mean by that? In 1943 her family finally settled in Thaxted, Essex, where her parents worked running an ed. In preparation for German bombing, children are evacuated from London. In the first ages of Time City this should have summoned powerful help from the folk of the City, but the allotted span of the City is ending and it made my power to summon weak. The story is slightly atypical DWJ in that we're not in a magic world, we're in a time-shifted world; but the beautiful descriptions of people and places are there, and I particularly like the descriptions of happy times in the build up to the earth-shattering finale. Vivian Smith is discontentedly waiting to be picked up by her unknown cousin Marty when an older boy commands her to follow him. My battered library copy has an introduction by Ursula K. Le Guin, who says this about DWJ, the Queen of Fantasy: "DWJ knows how to tell a story." I would give A Tale of Time City high recommendations, especially to those who love a good fantasy and to those who are intrigued by the idea of time itself–because it’s just fascinating, isn’t it? A brilliant sci-fi/fantasy story about a city out of time and three children, one who's been kidnapped from her home in World War II, who have to save it from destruction (8+). “When your surname is Smith, you need to make very sure everyone knows just which Smith you are.”, Geffen Award Nominee for Best Translated YA Book (2019), SOLVED. Only you two answered the summons. A great plot, more depth and interest for confident readers, well-drawn characters, have read this tale over and over. But this one always caught me and held me and has me rereading it regularly to this day (and I plan to continue doing so). A thrilling story by the legendary Diana Wynne Jones—with an introduction by Ursula K. Le Guin. Free shipping for many products! We’d love your help. Eleven-year-old Vivian, kidnapped to far-distant future Time City by mistake, proves to be one of the City's saviors. ), Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2020. The story is interesting with lots of action and interesting tidbits on day to day living that make it a nice page turner. A Tale of Time City was first published in 1987 by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Anna seeks forgiveness from an old friend. I didn’t enjoy this as much as other Diana Wynne Jones books. Two Time City boys, determined to save it all, think they have the answer in Vivian Smith, a young Twenty Century girl whom they. Most of Jones' books have delighted me. Cedar Rapids, one of Iowa's success stories when it comes to having a healthy economic climate, has prospered for a variety of reasons, its mayor said. In 1943 her family finally settled in Thaxted, Essex, where her parents worked running an educational conference centre. Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2020, I bought this on June 30 and read it seven times in the following ten days! I like the stories she writes, with clever characters who are interesting beings and meet challenges head on. The main characters of this fantasy, science fiction story are Vivian Smith, . Vivien is quite likeable and fairly well-delineated, but she reacts in a way that is much less emotional than you'd expect from a child who is suddenly dragged from a rural railway station in a village where she is being evacuated in 1939 to a crumbling city outside time, by two irritating boys, for no really convincing reason that I could see. https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Time-Diana-Wynne-Jones/dp/0142420158 What were their objectives? Free shipping for many products! There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. When Vivian is evacuated from London in 1939, she expects to be staying in the countryside. She’s the perfect balance of a credible but remarkably spunky gir. The story is set up to be science fiction rather than fantasy, but it's clear that the author was more comfortable writing fantasy; the technology that makes this world work is so unexplained that it might as well be magic. ARTICLES. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. With Olympia Dukakis, Donald Moffat, Chloe Webb, Laura Linney. View All Available Formats & Editions. Instead of sitting around and not doing anything, she realizes that she might as well try. Vivian Smith has gone to the West Country to escape the bombing of London at the beginning of WW II when she is unexpectedly met by imperious Jonathan Lee and whisked to Time City, which stands on its own piece of recycled time. That is refreshing nowadays . But they are still competent - they might trick the ogre or sneak past the ogre. City at the End of Time. If I could do so and return safely home, I would love to get to tour Time City myself. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 24, 2020. A Tale of Time City 384. by Diana Wynne Jones | Editorial Reviews. In September 1939, Vivian Smith is on a train, being evacuated from London, when she is kidnapped by two boys from Time City, Jonathan and Sam. After a brief period in London, in 1957 the couple returned to Oxford, where they stayed until moving to Bristol in 1976. Vivian Smith thinks she is being evacuated to the countryside, because of the war. (It has been a while so I don't remember an example from this book.) Some of the biggest books out this fall promise to be epics full of magic, adventure,... Time City — built far in the future on a patch of space outside time — holds the formidable task of overseeing history, yet it's starting to decay, crumble .... What does that say for the future of the world ... for the past ... for the present? First, children are not adults. maybe because I was sick, maybe because the cover was so bloody hideous and eye-damaging and stomach-churning. Vivian is the perfect example of this. It’s wonderful! The ideas here are interesting, but they are never fully developed, and the world building feels unfinished. lewis' "the lion, the witch and the wardrobe" - is a stroke of genius, both because it creates a historical framework (so much time travel takes place from the present day, which makes it harder to conceptualize 'time'), and because the familiarity of a known beginning can be so comforting. A Tale of Time City was first published in 1987 by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2007. To reduce the paperwork used handling employee benefits and job changes. A great "time travel" book. I read this once when I was a lot younger and reading it again was surprisingly comforting in a bad time. I liked the three main characters , none of them super- human . They all had flaws , they were ordinary human beings and a sense of humor that appealed to me . Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors. It begins in war time in England and a young girl has to evacuate from the city to the country side , like so many had . They can't do everything an adult might do. I don't know. all the better when the novel hares off in a completely different direction! All the other Diana Wynne Jones books I've read until now were the favorites of a pal who did me the great service of lending them so I could get hooked. In too many YA books the adults are simply stupid. If you love the fantasy genre, this is the season for you! I love that we keep seeing the children who are evacuated from London, and there's so much detail about what it's like to be one of them on a hot train carrying a gas mask and going to live with people you've never met. Vivian Smith thinks she is being evacuated to the countryside, because of the war. On March 10, 2016 read more about this product by uploading a!! The magical, internal logic of her own Time eye-damaging and stomach-churning just does n't hang together of. 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