Title: Corrie’s Timeless Travels and Travails
Author: Iain H.C. Morrison
Publisher: AuthorHouseUK
ISBN: 978-1-5049-9162-9
Pages: 230
Genre: Children’s Science Fiction
Reviewed by: Candace L. Barr
Buy on Amazon Author’s Website
Pacific Book Review
“Corrie’s Timeless Travels and Travails” is a collection of two novels, “Corrie and the Time Arch” and “Corrie and the Chaunt of Time.” which follow the adventures of Corrie Mackay after an accidental trip through the space-time continuum, leaving her life intertwined with that of a more purposeful time traveler by the name of Onree Withanee. Author Iain H C Morrison develops the tomboyish character of Corrie very well, mostly in the second novel herewith.
The start of the “Corrie and the Time Arch” establishes Corrie as a girl who enjoys sports and the outdoors and her canine companion Dusty. After she returns home from a walk with Dusty, we’re introduced to her family and other citizens of a seemingly close-knit community, all of whom are confused about what happened on her walk. If that isn’t enough, she meets a small boy named Onree, and after more confusing conversations, ends up on another planet for her safety. The events of her innocent walk put her on the radar of Offran, an extraterrestrial villain who wants to colonize Earth and has no qualms about destroying its current inhabitants to do so. Onree, who is working against Offran and wants his people to colonize an uninhabited planet, have to work fast and team up with Corrie to keep humanity safe.
The adventure continues a few years later in “Corrie and the Chaunt of Time” with some added meddling from another alien race. Corrie, who has put any thoughts of Onree and Offran behind her has new problems after her Grandfather insists he has seen Santa Claus on his sleigh—not an odd sight in December, except Corrie knows no such thing was there. Soon, she has other worries as rumors start to strain relationships among Corrie’s friends and family. Her past has snuck up on her and she becomes embroiled in another struggle to save Earth from Offran.
Iain H C Morrison does a good job of describing the worlds around the characters and the prose is good overall, yet the first novel misses the mark as far as introducing characters which are sympathetic and engaging because there is little exposition. Corrie herself is much more interesting to follow in “The Chaunt of Time,” in which she spends more time on Earth interacting with friends, family and getting involved in smaller conflicts before being whisked off on an adventure with strangers.
Overall, the collection works as an excellent introduction to the science fiction genre for children. If the series continues to develop as well as it did between “The Time Arch” and “The Chaunt of Time,” it will prove to be a treat for young readers.
