Conceptually, I loved this book. The notion that high technology could offer portals into alternate universes where science was magic and that millennia would pass by in seconds is an intoxicating blend. However, where things fell short in execution was in the overall layout of the narrative.

The main tale spans some fifty plus years twining about the lives of three main protagonists and several peripheral characters all the while straddling a world of high fantasy while dipping its toe into the realm of science fiction. The trouble is that this grand narrative sweeps over on a scant 600+ pages which means that Franklin is darting through time, often making leaps of a decade or more. The leaps, in of themselves, are not a bad narrative device but I was left with the feeling that I was losing out on the background of the characters. What were they doing? What was shaping them, driving their motivations, or crippling them with inhibitions? It removes the reader from the evolution of each character and in the end reduces their personality to something less than paper thin.

Overall, I enjoyed the Taormin but was left with the feeling that Franklin should have taken more time to explore the narrative of each character. In particular those from the science fiction setting who presence at the start of the second half was jarring only to have the memory of them fade until the very last few pages where she introduced some of more mind twisting concepts about the actual reality of the world she had put into words. If you can track it down pick it up as it is a solid read and a good way to pass the time and I do sincerely hope to see more of her work in the future.

Tags: Books, Reading

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