One might expect a book that weighs in at over 700 pages to be just a tad repetitious or rambling. But I have to say, Dreams from the Past held my interest from start to finish. The author, J.R. Albrecht, does an excellent job of pacing himself.
He takes his time telling the story of modern day (21st century) protagonist, Jack Brandigan, who stumbles into circumstances that ultimately place him in the heart and soul of Civil War era America. The story is rich with conflict, ethical dilemmas, suspense, danger and history.
In the course of developing a device designed to transport goods from one place to another instantaneously, Jack’s brilliant friend, Chad Lewis, has inadvertently attracted the attention of certain unsavory and powerful men. They will stop at nothing—not even murder—to get their hands on this invention.
But Chad and his assistant discover their device has properties beyond even their expectations, including the ability to travel through time.
This all leads to some very exciting developments, including a kidnapping, a rescue and a subsequent air battle in the skies above Wyoming between an old vintage 1940s aircraft (piloted by Jack), and a modern helicopter.
Jack Brandigan is a fairly easy going, level-headed and affable guy. He studied architecture, but his real interest lies in researching America’s past, specifically through photographic documentation of the American Civil War, something in which he has become quite an expert. It becomes quite evident that the author and his protagonist clearly share more than a passing knowledge of photography, Civil War history and aviation.
Jack becomes more and more caught up in Chad’s project, eventually leading him to follow Ulysses S Grant’s movements as the Union General faces down the Confederate armies on one battlefield after another. Shiloh. Vicksburg. Petersburg. The battle scenes are vivid and gripping.
This is where the author’s talent really shines. He has a gift for placing himself, and by extension his readers, right in the heart of these battles such that we can almost smell and taste and feel exactly what those soldiers experienced—and the utter terror of confronting their enemies in face to face, hand to hand combat.
As a fellow St Louisan, I also enjoyed seeing Mr Albrecht’s depiction of St Louis in the mid-nineteenth century. Having published two Civil War based time travel novels myself, I really appreciated the excellent research that went into Dreams from the Past.
Mr. Albrecht is a very skilled writer and a superb storyteller. He even provided a touch of romance on the side. What more could you ask for!
