Review – The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart @robwhart #fantasy #scifi #timetravel
Synopsis
January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.
Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.
Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.
None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.
On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.
January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.
There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.
But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.
At once a dazzlingly time-twisting murder mystery and a story about grief, memory, and what it means to—literally—come face-to-face with our ghosts, The Paradox Hotel is another unforgettable speculative thrill ride from acclaimed author Rob Hart.
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This book releases 2/22/22
Review
This book packs a lot into the pages with a diverse character group, addressing issues we see today, and even a little bit of a mystery thrown in to boot.
This book is not one that you will sail through because of the complexity of the plot and the vast amount of characters. However, it is well worth the read especially if you like science fiction and fantasy rolled into one.
January Cole is a whipsmart character that isn’t afraid to tell it like it is. Accompanied by a robot/drone that helps keep her in check, these two make the story quite fascinating. They play off of each other and the snarky comments add levity to the situations at hand. January does have an advantage, or perhaps disadvantage, as an Unstuck person. She can see snippets of things to come which aids her in doing her job and what to look for, but at the same time, it hinders her because of the prejudice from those around her.
This story delves into time travel and what it might be like to travel back in time to a historic event and watch it live. Granted, the TEA has to watch out for those that might be trying to alter history or profit for themselves. There is a scene where 3 dinosaurs are caught running around the hotel and the story of how they arrived in the present only adds to the mystery of what is going on at the hotel.
As I mentioned, the characters are diverse and range from LGBTQ+, nonbinary (which is still hard for me to get used to They/Them and not expect it to refer to a group of people vs just one), entitled wealthy individuals, and even some down to earth characters. Each adds something to the storyline even as a minor character.
The mystery comes in trying to find out who is erasing video and other data files, who might be trying to kill some of the super-wealthy, and just creating general havoc that keeps January and the rest of the staff on their toes.
I enjoyed the book and while it might not be for everyone, I think many might just enjoy this book. We give it 4 paws up.
About the Author
Rob Hart is the author of THE PARADOX HOTEL. He also wrote THE WAREHOUSE, which has been sold in more than 20 countries and been optioned for film by Ron Howard, as well as the Ash McKenna crime series, the short story collection TAKE-OUT, and SCOTT FREE with James Patterson.
His short stories have been published widely, including “Due on Batuu,” set in the Star Wars universe, which appeared in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and “Take-Out,” which appeared in BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES 2018.
He’s worked as a political reporter, the communications director for a politician, and a commissioner for the city of New York. He is the former publisher at MysteriousPress.com and the current class director at LitReactor. He lives in New York City.
