Different but not that effective. Two Englishmen with Plague and a week to live make a deal to spend one day every 99 years. Journeys through some of Britain’s darkest and most interesting eras. Dry and distant, though.

I enjoy a good historical fiction story and The Outcasts of Time is just that. This is an interesting time period jumping story and I greatly enjoyed it.

The books was a bit meh. I might have gotten spoiled by Matthew Harffy and Bernard Cornwell and such, and this book just...didn't click with me. Some might find it great, but for me, it was more 'meh'.

"From the author described by the London Times as "the most remarkable historian of our time” comes a stunning, high-concept time-travel adventure that is perfect for fans of S. J. Parris and Kate Mosse.

December 1348. What if you had just six days to save your soul?

With the country in the grip of the Black Death, brothers John and William fear that they will shortly die and suffer in the afterlife. But as the end draws near, they are given an unexpected choice: either to go home and spend their last six days in their familiar world, or to search for salvation across the forthcoming centuries – living each one of their remaining days ninety-nine years after the last.

John and William choose the future and find themselves in 1447, ignorant of almost everything going on around them. The year 1546 brings no more comfort, and 1645 challenges them in further unexpected ways. It is not just that technology is changing: things they have taken for granted all their lives prove to be short-lived.

As they find themselves in stranger and stranger times, the reader travels with them, seeing the world through their eyes as it shifts through disease, progress, enlightenment, and war. But their time is running out―can they do something to redeem themselves before the six days are up?"

Oh, time travel from the perspective of someone from 1348? Yes!

This novel was an unique way to portray history through the ages, by two brothers who upon waking each day have found 99 years has passed. John of Wrayment and William Beard, are brothers in the 12th Century and found themselves with infected with the plague that is ravaging their country. A spirit comes to their aid and offers them life, cured of the plague with the trick or payment being they will wake each day 99 years in the future, and with only a week still left in life. Of course they say, otherwise we wouldn't have a book.

That frame then provides a glimpse of how things have changed by an abrupt shift in time with each new day. The brother's have to orient themselves to the changes, which bewilder them completely. There were times when they seemed stuck to trying to remain as their original self when it seemed like someone would want to adapt a little more convincingly into the new time period.

There are some people who help them out and quite a few who treat them horribly. There are some aspects in the book that are interesting, what you wouldn't expect right away, such as changing accents. Yes, of course, and changes in the words we speak. They stay in the same general area, near Exter in England. John was a stone carver and visits some of his work a few times to see how his carvings fare through the years.

Religion was a large part of the book, and it changes on the brother's as well. And what about their names, in their time their last was based on something other than a family name like it is now. One thing that bugged me while reading was their clothing. Of course the fashions change and they remark on it, is a major part of the book, but often they don't seem to try very hard to fit in.

There are some philosophical aspects to the book, as you may expect by a book with this format. It reminded me of utopia type books, that find the main character out of their usual place and how they figure out how this other type of society operates. This type of novel can be less plot driven than a typical novel, but the author does put a lot into the plot as well.

Interesting book, especially if you like history through the ages. Thoughtful on what changes through the years make for the poor versus the wealthy/King.

DNF @ 40%

Let me start by saying I love historical books. Especially ones that teach me about things I may not have known or help to bring to light nuances that I had perhaps not thought of before. However, writers absolutely must bring me into the time period in a way that is interesting and intriguing. Telling me about tin mining, church/state representation, clothing and the food is just dull.

Plot
The Outcasts of Time starts during the time of the Black Plague with two travelling brothers. The conditions are deplorable and humanity is on high alert as the plague is understood to be contagious (even if they didn't know what that word was at the time). A number of factors puts the brothers in a situation where they accept a 'deal' from a higher (or lower) power of some sort and end up agreeing to live their last 6 days out one day every 99 years.
Sounds cool right?!
It really should be. Except that when you start in the 1300's it means you're next 6 years will take you only up to 1900's. I made it far enough in the book to get to 1500's and yet it barely felt like a change over the 200 years. Ian Mortimer restricts the changes into the viewpoint of types of clothing, religious buildings and other built up infrastructure. It's just not enough.

Church and State
Without a doubt you cannot discuss the 1300's or any time period up to the 1900's without talking about the drastic changes in religion, and the eventual division of church and state. From areas changing religions entirely, merging areas of Christianity and witch hunts of 1500-1600's there is a lot of change. Normally I would be all over learning about these changes but Mortimer takes the religious tone of this book (as our brothers are looking to 'redeem' themselves in their remaining 6 days) and makes it so dull I kept feeling like I was going to fall asleep. I really tried to understand and get into the heads of the brothers experiencing this religious shock; unfortunately I never felt connected or much emotion for either of them.

Characters
Perhaps had I felt some connection with the brothers I might have been able to better appreciate some of their shock from one time period to the next. The reality was that I couldn't seem to even feel badly for the one brother when he realizes he will never see his wife and kids again. The other brother just seems to be along for the ride with no purpose and the personality of a cardboard box.
Even a boring plot can still be interesting if the reader can connect with the characters and finds them interesting. These two brothers just didn't engage me at all on a mental or emotional level.

Overall
It's really unfortunate because the end of The Outcasts of Time might be very impactful; but at the 40% mark I just didn't care anymore. I was bored reading about tin mining, changes in length and colours of clothing, or the general shock of each day they wake up in a new time period. Maybe the length of one day per time is too short to really make an impression (although I did not want this book to be longer let me assure you); but somewhere along the way Mortimer just lost me and had me falling asleep.
If I'm missing out on an amazing resolution to this story I've come to terms with it. At least by DNFing at 40% I won't spend days trying to get through the pages of the story desperately trying to stay awake and engaged.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley.

This thought-provoking novel follows an "Everyman" as he witnesses the span of a century of human history in just six days. Having contracted the Black Death in his own time, our narrator bargains for another healthy week on earth during which he plans to find a way to save his soul. As each day of his life passes, 99 years of history flies by, leading him to grapple with questions not only of life and death, good v. evil and what defines a life well-lived, but also of how the march of history relates to progress and whether or not so-called progress is leading humans to a better plane of existence, spiritually, physically and emotionally--and all while saving his soul. This isn't light reading by any means, but it is certainly rewarding and well-worth the effort for those looking for a little more substance with their entertainment.

What would you do if you knew that you were dying? Would you take your fate and hope for the best, or try and make a deal?
John and William are two brothers who are living through the black plague. As people die around them, they work on getting back home, just hoping that they can make it alive. As they pass the dead and dying, John wonders about his soul, and whether he would make it to heaven or not. As they pass a young couple on the road, John notices a baby, and he refuses to leave the child even though the parents are dead of the plague. As they carry the screaming babe through the night, William curses his brother, but John could not allow the child to die alone on the side of the road. They head to the home of an acquaintance, who is nursing a child of her own and can at least feed the child until they can read their own home. But as they enter the home and the woman goes to care for the child, it is discovered that he is plague ridden. The brothers leave the home, and are soon sick themselves, but John heard a voice telling him to go to a certain spot.
Once there, they both hear a voice, although it tells them different things, they are given an amount of time, each day will be 99 years in the future, and they can see the changes that are coming. As they set out, the changes are shocking, and dangerous.

This was an exciting read. I had a hard time putting it down. As John and William work their way through the different centuries they remember home, and do their best to make the most of their situation. As time goes on, and the days dwindle, both are ready for death and the end of their suffering. John suffers through the choices that he has made, wondering if anything he did made any difference.
This shows the good and the bad of each century. While there are some who enjoy the suffering of those around them, there are those who are determined to do good, and to try and make the world around them a better place. Hope and chance - the ability to work through the challenges of what life throws at you, and the eventuality of what the choices of one person in the past could have on the future generations.

Wow. This book blew me away. And not only did it keep me up until 2 a.m., but it had me crying and evaluating my own life, not to mention the point of human life. These two men are saved from the plague in the 14th century but only to live for one week longer, each day 99 years after the previous day. It's amazing to see how much changes in a century yet how much stays the same. War, sickness, human cruelty, and the like seem eternal while individual people, language, and customs fade away. John tries so hard to do a good work to save his soul, but finds it difficult in such a cruel world despite his best intentions.

I was incredibly impressed with Mortimer's grasp of historical periods and the smooth way he handled the attempts of the "travelers" to fit into a new century with less than a day to acclimate before they were whisked further into the future. Maybe one or two things were a bit too smooth, but I truly think it would be impossible to handle this better than Mortimer did. In addition to the tight plotting, he also gives the reader a multitude of ideas to mull over. (Of course some people might be able to just enjoy it as an interesting story, but for once I had my brained turned out and really THOUGHT about things.)

I simply can't do this DEBUT novel justice. (Mortimer has a lot of history writing under his belt, and I'm guessing it's the engaging, not-too-dry variety based on his initial fictional effort.) I almost want to give it five stars, except I wasn't thrilled with the good deed that finally redeems John (too easy and too saccharine) and I also (surprise surprise) would have loved more more more! Still, this is super close to five stars and I highly, highly recommend it.

When I was young enough that my mother still made me go to church, I was taught the Lutheran version of salvation. I prefer to say it in Latin—sola fides sufficit—mostly because I’m a word nerd and because I like to sound smart. The idea of sola fide (“faith alone”) is a Reformation idea that believers will go to heaven simply because they have faith. Their faith would presumably lead them to do good works and generally be good people. This is different from the medieval Catholic doctrine that it was faith and good works that would get a believer into heaven. This issue of salvation is at the heart of Ian Mortimer’s slightly preachy novel, The Outcasts of Time.

John of Wrayment wants to be a good man and wants to get into heaven, but almost all of his attempts to do good go terribly awry. In other circumstances, John might have had a lifetime to try to do and be good. Unfortunately, John is alive in 1348, when the Bubonic Plague arrived in England. People are dying left and right. Trying to nurse people would be almost certainly fatal and yet, one day, John talks his brother into helping an infant that they found with its plague-dead parents. This good act ends up infecting them and others with the plague. The Outcasts of Time would have been a very short book if John hadn’t had a little bit of supernatural intervention at this point. A voice that might either be heavenly or infernal offers him and his brother the options of living out the last six days of their life with their families (and infecting them with the plague) or living each of those days at 99-year intervals. John takes the chance because he thinks he might have new opportunities to do good. His brother goes along, reluctantly, to stay with his naïve younger brother.

John and William then jump, every morning, from 1348 to 1447, 1546, 1645, 1744, 1843, and 1942. John’s bad luck apparently comes with him because his attempted good works keep going wrong. These attempts keep the plot going, but they were slightly less interesting to me than the conversations John would have with the descendants of people he knew in the Moreton (later Moretonhampstead) area about fate, good works, futility, human nature, faith, and other topics. Ideas of salvation change with England’s history, especially after the Protestant Reformation hits. The evolution of religion (ha!) deeply troubles John and he’s more than willing to argue about the superiority of his original faith for several of his last days—at least until the weight of history starts to press down on him and make him wonder about the difference between what he was taught and what he witnesses.

The Outcasts of Time has a facile ending that I didn’t like. But the ending, not to say too much about it, does provide a sense of hope that does a lot to relieve the sense of hopelessness that pervades the book as John often makes things worse rather than better. The Outcasts of Time wears its message boldly on its sleeve. Readers who want more subtlety will probably want to avoid this. Readers who like books that give them food for thought about fate or the idea that humans either improve or fail to improve over time, however, will enjoy The Outcasts of Time.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration. It will be released 2 January 2018.

Wow - what a book! I know I will be mentally processing this one for a while - thank heavens for Kindle highlighting. I did a lot of highlighting during the course of reading this book, not because the concepts were difficult to understand or follow but because they were so meaningful. Ian Mortimer, as many know, is a wonderful historian, and he doesn't disappoint with this work. The Outcasts of Time is indeed a work of fiction but is replete with very specific historical detail; it runs through every element of the story.

Although there is 'time travel' in this story, I wouldn't classify it as science-fiction or fantasy. The only 'magical' element is the fact that the main character is, as he puts it, 'skipping across time like a stone across water'; all other elements of the story are realistic. The time travel element allows the author to delve into a cultural examination of place through the passing of time that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. In a way, this reminds me of the format of Octavia Butler's, Kindred; where time travel is similarly used to examine cultural changes over time.

Mortimer truly digs deep into society and how the workings of that change over time due to things like increased wealth, better living conditions, changes to transportation and the invention of more powerful and devastating weaponry. A phrase repeated throughout the work, 'homo homini daemon' - man is devil to man, speaks to the heart of some of the issues taken up in this work, that seems just as much a philosophical treatise as a work of fiction. A couple of my favorite lines being, "The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom" and "...you must see what you mean to others to know your true worth." The last paragraph practically made my heart explode as the narrative came to its resounding conclusion.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book - thank you to Pegasus Books for providing me with a copy. I would definitely recommend this book to history lovers of all kinds!

This novel is beautiful in its prose, fascinating in its historical detail, and emotive in its themes on humanity and the passing of time. I was first drawn in by the promise that renowned historian Ian Mortimer would be taking readers on an adventure through time. Finding that this book does that while also making thought provoking statements on the human condition, I was helpless to put it down once I started it.

The story of John of Wrayment and his brother begins in 1348 during a devastating outbreak of the plague. One would think that any time might be preferable as an escape from the fate of man during that time, but such does not prove the case through John's eyes. He sees the plague as 'a second Flood. God is clearing the land. Not with water but with pestilence.' Yet, he is even more horrified by what he discovers when he accepts a supernatural offer to live his remaining six days on earth, each 99 years further into the future than the last.

The brothers explore Exeter and its surrounding area through the ages, the cathedral where John has sculpted those he loves into the faces of angels and disciples, serving at their centering point regardless of the century. John at first finds comfort in finding the face of his wife there, but his fear and anxiety is enhanced as the statues that seemed so permanent crumble and wear away the further he gets from his own time. Out of all the changes he sees, this seems to impact him the most. The loss of his own work and what was supposed to be eternal memorial of his family.

When we think about traveling into the future, I think we expect to see progress and increased happiness. Certainly, we would think that one leaving the time of the plague would see that, but that is not what John notices. He is confused by what we would call advances. 'We worked long days and had straightforward pleasures. But now, so many things are easier - yet what does the world do? It revels in causing suffering and killing.' John is horrified at the loss of faith that he observes. 'We were far more united and accepting of God's will. In this new century, people are all divided and unsatisfied, hoping that God will smile on them personally.'

John wishes only to do good in order to please God, but the further he gets from his own time, the more he realizes that is no longer a key goal of the people. He is also frustrated by his inability to perform a heroic deed in any era. Due to his bedraggled state and lack of possessions, he finds himself at the mercy of others rather than able to help them. 'If Christ were living in this day and age, would He not have ended up in a workhouse?'

'Every day is composed of . . . of an unpredictable horror - no, of a horrific unpredictability.'

It seems that time travel is not all it is cracked up to be.

Each day/century brings John closer to his death and he grows eager for it. Though he is disappointed in his failure to do a great deed for God, he cannot tolerate what he witnesses occurring in the world. 'Men are starting to direct things that rightly only God should control.....Men've strived to compete and outdo one another, as if nothing is the will of God and everything is the will of man.' Instead of being impressed by progress, John sees only disintegration of faith and character.

Thankfully, there are a few bright spots included in John's six day journey. He meets at least one kind person in each time, and it is these small comforts that enable him to move forward.

I was eager to discover what would happen to John once his time was up, but I will not reveal it here. I will only say that the ending was satisfying and reiterated the message that John had already taught us, 'What is important is what does not change - that mothers and wives are so happy when they hear that their sons and husbands are alive that they run around the house yelling for joy; that men do their duty in the face of great danger not purely for themselves but for all their community.'

An amazing read - my favorite of this year.

'The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom.'

As two brothers journey back to their home they are met with the worst horrors of all - thousands lay dying or dead after the Black Plague has swept through. They are given an unusual choice, one that John accepts, to travel forward in time almost 100 years each day where he must look for the good in mankind and do good works so that he may redeem his soul. This is the thinking man's guide to time travel. Historically accurate and painstakingly researched this is a story of Man's inhumanity to Man.
It is more a philosophical journey and historical journal than fantasy. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Ian Mortimer is a master. The book opens on our two main characters, william and John in plague-ridden England. Through a series of misfortunes our friends travel throughout time and see how their area begins to change. I admit to a strange fascination with the plague so I was hooked from the first on this account, but the descriptive language and the very meticulously researched historical basis kept me going throughout the book.
Not only was it thoughtful and well written, it also made me think about how I go about my daily life and how i will affect those I encounter on a daily basis. A+, mr. Mortimer!

The journey taken by the reader throughout this book is extraordinary. One of those rare feats in the meshing of genres of fiction, Mortimer successfully combines time travel, historical fiction, road trip, and adventure with the examination of humankind, morality, religion, acceptance, and philanthropy.

The main character, John of Wrayment (whose name occasionally gets butchered by time), and his brother William are the titular outcasts of time and our time travelers. They immediately feel true and real, as if they were tertiary characters from a Ken Follett novel, brought forth through all the eras Follett would explore in the entire trilogy. Or side characters in a Connie Willis Oxford Series, who redirects our focus. John was a character, from the beginning, that you'd both want to get to know more, and immediately feel as if you've known all along.

The entire premise is exciting and rippling with possibilities. The whole of the novel feels as if it had been born of the single idea of exploring the time traveler from The Time Machine. What if, instead of staying in his time machine, the time traveler explored each period for one day? And sought out the differences 99 years had made?

Yes, there are many feelings of the places and people and mood from other works, but I think that is because what Mortimer creates here is somehow so familiar and recognizable. That is what makes this journey with John through time so special.

Now, the novel is not without its cons, despite that its pros far outweigh these. Because most of the book is observational on John's part and told through his experiences as he has them, some passages are rather lengthy and tediously presented. There are times when Mortimer describes too much or goes on for too long about what new things and wonderments John sees. The better parts are the ones where there is action or discourse mixed into the same period of newness and time for observations.

What I find truly remarkable is Mortimer's ability to make me feel every time period is unique. The trip to 1843 feels distinctly Victorian; 1744 feels like we were plunged into the the Georgian era and the time just preceding the Industrial Revolution, everything that lead to every inspiration for Charles Dickens and Thomas Gilbert; 1645 was horribly volatile and unsure, 1546, 1447, and his own 1348 were, to my modern thinking, equally dark and dangerous, but still so distinct from one another. Distinctions made so by each person from that time period and their own thinking about the past and their simple reactions to John—his dress, his religion, his misunderstandings, and his lack of current affairs knowledge.

When it came time for our approach towards 1942, I felt terribly for John and what he was about to witness. Once he arrives and views the destruction, the devastation, the flattening of buildings and houses, the atmosphere is so complete—I am again in awe of Mortimer’s writing ability. And all I can think of for a moment is that John's going to start looking for or hear other people looking for the Bishop's bird stump as he wanders around.

When he visited 1843, the very month when A Christmas Carol was first published and sold out by Christmas, I was disappointed the novel wasn't referenced. But, then I saw that it was referenced in feeling and deed. For John encounters Father Edward Harington, curate of the parish of Saint David’s, who says to John, despairing in the river, “But it is my belief that no one is beyond recovery on Earth, just as no one’s soul is beyond redemption in Heaven. So I have a proposition for you. Will you grant me this one day of your time, so I might try to convince you that life is worth living? If I fail, you can come back here and throw yourself in the water tomorrow, if you must.” Harington is the embodiment of the essence of all four spirits who visited Scrooge that fateful night.

And John? Who is John? But Everyman (another amalgamation of his would-be surname). Every man. Every man who wonders why, wherefore, when, and how. Every man who questions morality and goodness, evil and wickedness. Every man who ponders the existential and divine. A wonderful tale—I'm glad I went along for the ride.

Homo homini daemon - man is a devil to man - that is the prevailing theme behind this moving story by historian Ian Mortimer. The Outcasts of Time opens deep in the heart of that most troubling period in English history, the time of the plagues, where we are introduced to our protagonist during his darkest hours. In the heat of the moment, John of Wrayment makes a decision that will have significant repercussions for the rest of his life - the last six remaining days he will face on Earth.

Mortimer, known for his Time-Traveler's Guides to history, once again takes us on a journey through the changing centuries, but this time we have our own personal guide...a beautifully crafted, complex and sympathetic man by the name of John of Wrayment. Each century is expertly constructed in such rich, heart-rending detail, I often felt as if I too had followed along on John's pilgrimage.

More than a story, this novel is a lesson in humanity. What do we do with the bounty we have been given? How do we help our fellow man? These are the questions left lingering in my mind after finishing The Outcasts of Time. Easily one of the best books I've read all year.

"The man who has no knowledge of the past has no wisdom."

Mark Twain said it best when he stated "write what you know" and Mr. Mortimer certainly knows his British History. Having a recognized scholar pen such a passionate tale that touches the heart and deftly projects the harrowing ever changing atmospheres and views of the mid 14th early 20th centuries onto the modern imagination is a treat indeed to find and The Outcasts of Time is sure to evoke and educate with every chapter as a lyrical narrator pulls us into his shifting world and allows glimpses into our own possible unknown futures . Although overall inspiring and deep becoming a novel well worth the time to sit down with and think on days after turning that final page, this novel does get a little bogged down toward the latter middle and one detailed tragic event may warrant a certain amount of confusion versus an already soggy tissue but the beginning passages and final revelations are fascinating especially for those of us who find a special interest in The Great Mortality. Within those lines, if the reader seeks additional trivia that seems bottomless ranging from articles of period clothing, proper addressing of last names to shapes of windows and beyond you found the right storyteller to follow and tale to lose yourself in.

With thanks to NetGalley and Pegasus Books who sent me an advanced copy of The Outcasts of Time