It’s a Great story once it gets going.

Great story. Great plot. Great narration. What more could you ask for. Compulsive listening for long road trips!

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just awesome

What a great story, thoroughly enjoyable with an absolutely exceptional performance by both Stephen Fry and Richard E Grant, more please

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1 person found this helpful

Immersive and entertaining

A great book that had me gripped from the start, loved the ending and the narrators are excellent

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Plenty of waffle with worthy gems

I struggled immensely with the self indulgent writing style of Fry. I feel each character is in one way or another another version of him. He also tends to go on and has a rather tangential style.

So why did I read, finish and rate this reasonably well? inspite of the stylistic faults, there were some truly good moments between characters in the story. There was also a valiant effort to utilise time travel and history in a very un-scifi way in my opinion. This was a bit of fun and refreshing.

Sadly, as a lover, seeker and searcher of time travel fiction, this one doesn't make the recommendation list. perhaps it is that Fry just ain't my guy. Perhaps it's that two tangential minds that have the propensity to live on the extremes of mood and emotions, don't really fit. I've tried with you Stephen, I really have.

I hope my very own self indulgent review is of benefit to others, as it seethes amongst the ever dazzling 5 stars that people seem obliged to give a Fry creation. Still, read and decide for your self. I'm just one moody voice in timeless Ocean of many.

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8 people found this helpful

Interesting rabbit-hole

I liked the game premise of the book. I think everyone has considered at least once what the world would be like if Hitler had never been born, and how the world would change because of that single event. Fry’s book delves into that alternate reality and explores the possibility that the alternate might be worse for humanity.

Loved it, although I wasn’t really a fan of the use movie directions techniques, although it was effective.

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A change for the better?

Stephen Fry, well it must be good.
And it was.
It took a while to get into the two time frames, but once that was sorted it was a great, beautifully narrated yarn.
Cleverly weaving fact with fiction.

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BRAVO!

A well thought out, rollercoaster ride of alternative history - very enjoyable listen, expertly read

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Entertaining and enjoyable

I enjoyed the story- a topic that has been theorised before, enjoyable and entertaining. Not as good as 'the stars tennis balls but still a solid book from SJF.
I really like the chapter title symmetry between books and liked the tag team ways of the performance. I did struggle with Richard E Grants performance as took a while to get used to his theatric delivery. I love anything read by Steven Fry- his voice, delivery etc is marvellous

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Stick with it

It took a while to get into it and follow the storyline but about half way through it picks up. Worth sticking with to the end

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Fry and Grant smash the audio and a good yarn

I love a read of alternate choices missed or unexplored. This combined with Fry (and Grant) and a bit of history - was a must read. Fry weaves a new world based on deep historical (and fanciful history) research. Its a story that seems to have began from an ending. Beautifully described with humour, insight and rich characters.

For me the ending was a bit rushed, predictable and well, not quite plausible. Yes its a fanciful story but the other parts are so rich. Our main character towards seems to lose the plot and becomes sweary and judgmental. Kind of the oppositive of the intent of the close I'm sure. Despite wonderful prose throughout the ending jumps around missing key parts to bring the reader along. Perspectives change from first to third party and back. Easy for me to judge of course, but I felt the ending was a sprint to the finish punch line.

And somehow Fry thinks that the first worst thing in our modern world is Microsoft. After Hitler. Nuts!

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