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Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One
Unavailable
Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One
Unavailable
Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One
Ebook372 pages5 hours

Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this ebook

"History is just one damned thing after another" - Arnold Toynbee A madcap new slant on history that seems to be everyone's cup of tea... Behind the seemingly innocuous façade of St Mary's, a different kind of historical research is taking place. They don't do 'time-travel' - they 'investigate major historical events in contemporary time'. Maintaining the appearance of harmless eccentrics is not always within their power - especially given their propensity for causing loud explosions when things get too quiet. Meet the disaster-magnets of St Mary's Institute of Historical Research as they ricochet around History. Their aim is to observe and document - to try and find the answers to many of History's unanswered questions...and not to die in the process. But one wrong move and History will fight back - to the death. And, as they soon discover - it's not just History they're fighting. Follow the catastrophe curve from eleventh-century London to World War I, and from the Cretaceous Period to the destruction of the Great Library at Alexandria. For wherever Historians go, chaos is sure to follow in their wake ...
LanguageEnglish
PublisherAccent Press
Release dateSep 12, 2013
ISBN9781681468822
Unavailable
Just One Damned Thing After Another: The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book One

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Reviews for Just One Damned Thing After Another

Rating: 3.855105155705706 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I love time travel stories. And I love history. This book had a lot of promise. The main character, Max (who’s female), is witty and loveable. The book is full of action. There are lots of jokes about historians. (Historians in this series carry blaster guns and pepper spray, and have been known to do battle with a T-Rex.) But there are far too many characters to keep track of, and far too many of them die in combat. I had difficulty telling them apart. This book is the first of a rather long series, but I doubt I’ll continue with the others.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Couldn't put it down - looking forward to the rest of the series!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Interesting, but just. Hard to keep track of characters in the audio version because I found them mediocre. The booms were fun.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was very fun! I really enjoyed he historical and time travel aspect. The characters were great, and I really enjoyed the plot. It moved quickly, but we still had some good world building. We spent the right amount time on each plot point and it didn't feel rushed, even though so many things happened! The writing was great, and I enjoyed the humour. Overall, a very fun read, and a great adventure.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was fun, and could really appeal to Doctor Who & Harry Potter fans.....
    Can't review with spoiling someting, so just give it a whirl!
    6 in the series, I'll continue with them.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Book one in a series featuring a team or time-traveling university historians reminiscent of Connie Willis's Oxford Time-traveling Historians or Kage Baker's The Company. It's light-hearted and entertaining but don't expect to find a plausible explanation for how their time-travel pods work.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is the first book in what has become one of my favourite series. Sure, it's got its flaws, logical issues and storytelling problems. But Max is a likeable, engaging, and complicated character, the story doesn't dissolve immediately into a romance, and it's a really interesting premise. If you see promise here, keep reading - the author gains confidence in the next few books and it really begins to take off.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is a book that follows the historians of St. Mary's, a semi secret university group that uses time travel to confirm or deny facts about historical events. Or this is what it starts as. Maxwell quickly finds out that time travel is dangerous, and with mysterious enemies, budget cuts, and improper relations with the chief technical officer, things are not quite as black and white.Generally, the series was good. It suffered from not knowing what is was going to be - is time a harsh mistress that punishes any that changes it - or is this one of those stories where history is a bit more flexible....Unfortunately, the fabric of the world is inconsistent. Clive Ronan, the bad guy intent on changing history for profit, should not be able to do this, based on the rules the author so carefully set at the beginning. History should have dropped a big rock on his head the first time he tried it (or something similar), like it almost did earlier in the book with a historian agent doing something much more minor.Outside of this glaring problem - the story made sense. The characters were well written, interesting. But, I found it hard to keep track of time - each chapter felt like a separate short story, even when the two chapters pertained to the same event.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    St. Mary's seems like any other historical research institute on the outside, unless you look a little closer. Through the eyes of the young woman who is the main character (I can't remember her name, more about that later), we are slowly introduced to historians who don't have to theorize about historical events, because they can go there and observe for themselves!It is a fun and rollicking ride. Some foul language, and a bit of steamy sex, but for the most part we are puzzled, along with (I think her name was Laura?) the new inductee as to how it all works. I was disappointed that there were not many interactions with history. Also, listening to the audiobook may have been a mistake for me. I kept confusing/forgetting character names and who they belonged to. At a certain point in the story, I was very satisfied and perhaps would have given it a higher rating, but it didn't stop. The story went on and became more muddled to me. I started tuning out.I did enjoy the narrator, Zara Ramm, and I mostly enjoyed the story, but I don't feel compelled to rush out and buy another by this author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although I got a bit mixed up with the characters, it was a great read and I will probably re-read before starting on the next books in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    St. Mary's is an usual place, it takes historians and turns them into time travelers. They go back in time to try and answer the questions that have gotten lost to history. Only, there is one problem, another group is turning the time travel into a lucrative way of making a lot of money, by taking objects back into the current time and selling them. This starts a war between the two groups.There was much I enjoyed about this book, and some I didn't like. I would have liked to see much more about what they historians saw and did in the past, and a lot less of the fighting and killing that happens between the two groups.It is an interesting book but I don't believe I will be reading any more in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Great fun! Don't expect hardcore time travelling philosophy, do expect crazy explosions, contrary historians and humorous action.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    When Madeleine Maxwell is recruited to join the St Mary's institute as one of its resident historians, she doesn't quite know what she's getting herself in for. St Mary's historical research is not just digging through historical records and archaeological sites, they go and observe history up close using time travel. But observation is much more dangerous than it sounds, particularly when time travelers from Max's future threaten the timeline.I wanted to like this novel more than I did. While the novel is a bit of a romp, it suffered from having a little too much of one damned thing after another. Also, the characters always felt slightly flat and I didn't find myself emotionally attached to any of them. Overall, if one wants time traveling historians I'd be far more likely to recommend Connie Willis' take on the idea.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was in the perfect mood for this book. I've always enjoyed a good time travel tale, and when Max started walking through the venerable halls of St. Mary's and seeing signs labeled "Blast Doors" and "To Sick Bay," I knew I was going to have fun. And this is the major purpose of Jodi Taylor's book-- to have fun. To those readers who like plausible explanations and tons of science and techno-speak, you're going to have to look elsewhere. In her acknowledgements, Taylor says, "I made all this up. Historians and physicists-- please do not spit on me in the street." I found Just One Damned Thing After Another to be filled with wit and laugh-out-loud moments. Taylor sets some very simple ground rules for her notion of time travel, and her wonderful character, Madeleine Maxwell, chews through every bit of the scenery with total aplomb. Here's how Max feels about time and punctuality: "Time is important in our organization. If you can't even get to an appointment in your own building on time, they argue, you're not going to have much luck trying to find the Battle of Hastings."If you're in the mood for something with an intriguing premise and an entertaining mystery, something that's light and loads of fun, you may just enjoy this first Chronicles of St. Mary's book as much as I did. It won't take me long to sample another!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Amazing story, I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A good easy summer read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Time travel is not my normal cuppa. In life, however, there are always exceptions. JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER was highly touted by several people and when it popped up as the Amazon Kindle freebie of the day, I thought I might as well see what all the hype was about.It was certainly worth the marketing ploy, because now I want all the rest in this series. It's light, it's humorous, it's got a little bit of something for everyone.The author presents us with a delightful heroine who doesn't quite realize what she's gotten herself into, but who has the uncanny ability to hop back and forth in historic times, to perhaps "adjust" history. She's cheeky, she's industrious, she's brilliant, and even if Jurassic park wasn't your thing, the dinosaurs in this one will change your mind. I even paid for the "Whispersync" audio version from Amazon since the ebook was free. That recording made it even more fun.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Not a huge fan of time traveling but this book was fun to listen to. Liked the characters and the story-line. Entertaining with lot's of action and budding romance. Will most likely read the other titles in this series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Really funny and good, but also quite choppy. Loads of characters die, and others change personality for reasons that are not explained. So, good story, mediocre writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Yeah! Free book! I loved this, it was a total blast! Klutzy time travel with some care for historical accuracy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Madeleine "Max" Maxwell, historian and recent doctorate graduate, has been recruited by St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research, a secret organization designed for the practical side of historical research. As a historian for St. Mary's, her job once trained is to observe and document in real time, but not interfere in, historical events through the use of a time machine. However, she soon discovers that there are other time travelers led by Clive Ronan who seeks to use the past to personally benefit financially. In this inaugural book of the Chronicle of St. Mary's series, the reader time travels to the Cretaceous Period when dinosaurs roamed, WW1, and during the burning of Library of Alexandria. I found this book to be an enjoyable adventurous romp. There is seven novels in the series, which I plan to read. Although I read this book in e-book format, I discovered that the trade paperback book might be better since it includes a list of characters at its beginning, which is beneficial in keeping track of who's who.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Madeleine Maxwell never had a great family life, but with a teacher's help she became a historian and success, if a bit on the unsocial side. When this teacher sends her a a letter inviting her to a unique opportunity in history at St. Mary's, she jumps at the chance... and then finds out just how, er, unorthodox their methods are.So yes, I was hit by another book bullet after several fellow LibraryThing members started reading the Chronicles of St. Mary's. I mean, it's time travel, British humor, and a free Kindle book. There's really no downside if I don't like the book. Who was I to say no? And as it turns out, this was a really fun romp through a bit of history, a lot of humor, and some great characters in Chief Farrell, the Boss, Mrs. Partridge, and so many more. There are some typos, but easy to overlook as I was turning pages quickly to find out what would happen to this bumbling bunch of time traveling historians.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I'm a sucker for time travel stories - I blame the physics degrees for that. There's so much opportunity for great storytelling, and the danger that the story can go really, really bad when we start playing with the space-time continuum. Don't worry, though, Just One Damned Thing After Another is one of the good ones!I loved the humor, I loved the path Taylor took through the many conundrums time travel stories present, and I loved the idea of historians as action-adventure heroes! While the story has a few minor flaws, logical and otherwise, it's great fun and highly recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    What a dream job for a historian! To travel back in time simply to observe what happens. Supposedly simple, and rarely just to observe.Oh what fun they have at St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research, what with the intrigue, the sex, the romance, the history, the killings ... oh, and the history, lots and lots of untidy history. It's not often a book will make me cry, then laugh, then cry again. I have warmhearted fuzzies for Miss Maxwell and her gang of historian fools, always watched over by my namesake Kleio.And seriously, what historian isn't intrigued by a chance to save part of the great Library at Alexandria?
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I got this when it was offered for free on the kindle, taking a bit of a chance because, having read the blurb, I wasn't really sure I would enjoy this book. How wrong was I?! I LOVED this book! It was a lovely, easy to read story that I just completely enjoyed. So much so, I purchased every single book Jodi Taylor had written in this series and devoured them all in a week! I am now desperately awaiting the next instalment!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When Madeleine Maxwell goes for an interview at St Mary's all she knows is that her degree as a historian is needed. Only when interviewed does she discover the truth and therein becomes on the historians sent to research what really happened at key events in history.

    This book is an amazing roller-coaster read and you never knew from one page to the next what scrapes she wold get herself into requiring yet another visit to sick-bay!

    With a good mix of characters this book will keep you on the edge of your seat, laughing one minute and crying the next. Just don't think too hard about this story and how it works or you'll give yourself a headache!

    My only caveat is that there is no need for the explicit sex-scenes which added nothing to the story
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I won this book from GoodReads and agreed to post an honest review and now I want to read the next book! Doctor Madeline Maxwell received a e-mail out of the blue ten years after she left Thrisk University from her old teacher who offered her a chance at a position in St. Mary's Institute of Historical Research that would require her returning to the States. At first she considered rejecting the job as she preferred to stay abroad, but her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to go to the interview. She just never expected to be plunged neck deep in a unbelievable secret that had her fighting for her life!
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    An interesting story

    I really liked the storyline and characters but I found the writing style to be a bit confusing. Within each chapter the action and characters seem to jump around with little warning. While this may have been a conscious effort by the author to reflect the random nature of St. Mary's, I felt that it distracted me from the story rather than drawing me further in. I enjoyed the concept but do not feel compelled to continue the series.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent start for a very intriguing series. Skipping through history with an excellent cast of characters, a fast paced, well premised, story line and relentless action. It is with great eagerness, I will seek the next installment of the Chronicles.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mix a memorable, madcap group of historians with a chance to travel back in time to see events first hand and the action, laughter and tears are sure to follow. I can't wait to return to St. Mary's and see what Max and company will be up to next.