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Table of Contents
About The Book
'This clever and moving Faustian tale is packed with fascinating historical detail' Express
'A joyous romp around England’s dark past' Suzie Feay, Guardian
From the author of the bestselling The Time Traveller's Guide to Restoration Britain, this is a stunningly high-concept historical novel that is both as daring as it is gripping, and perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, SJ Parris and Kate Mosse.
December 1348. With the country in the grip of the Black Death, brothers John and William fear that they will shortly die and go to Hell. 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 still further. 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?
What readers are saying:
‘Wow, what a book! I absolutely adored this. This was ambitious but done to perfection’ Sara Marsden
‘The Outcasts of Time is a tour de force, rich in spellbinding detail. Haunting and atmospheric, there is warmth and humour alongside fear and torment; all human life is here. As perfect a novel as any I've ever read’ Ophelia’s Reads
'A fascinating trip through seven centuries of history ... The author has done well to traverse such a sweep of time ... it's a great read and I'd recommend it' Netgalley reviewer, 4 stars
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK (July 1, 2017)
- Length: 400 pages
- ISBN13: 9781471146558
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Raves and Reviews
'Mortimer’s gift is to turn such unburnished material into observational gold… a delightful book, full of busy research lightly worn, that is as accessible and entertaining a guide as you will find to living in past times'
– Andrew Holgate, The Sunday Times
'Splendidly entertaining... It's like Horrible Histories for grown-ups, and I mean that as a compliment'
– Independent
'It's an incredible tour de force, a vivid and page-turning evocation of an age that is long-gone yet has been brought to life again in vibrant and robust fashion thanks to Ian Mortimer's impeccable scholarship and pacy writing'
– Alison Weir
'Ian Mortimer is one of those rare historians who can both bring the past alive and at the same time challenge his readers' preconceptions'
– Mail on Sunday
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High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): The Outcasts of Time Hardcover 9781471146558