Books: Timeline By Michael Crichton

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Given a potentially world-changing new technology, what does your modern-day greedy capitalist do? Build a theme park! That Barnumesque observation (a tad dated in this age of tech multibillionaires) isn't the only thing that's overfamiliar in this dull time-travel tale from the author of Jurassic Park. Here, America's favorite didact is out to learn us a thing or two about quantum mechanics and taking history seriously. His highly educated, lightly characterized academic heroes get their soft hands roughed up battling 14th century knights rather than prehistoric raptors. Crichton has clearly learned from his best-selling history. The rest of us are condemned to repeat it.

--By James Poniewozik