The Adventures of Nana Barb: Lost in Time is the début novel of John
Auckland. It is the first volume of a planned trilogy. John Auckland is
going for a more community approach in writing The Adventures of Nana
Barb where he urges the reader to participate in opting for new ideas
and character, which he either plans to incorporate into the story or
write a separate short stories about.
Finishing Lost in Time gave me a very satisfying feeling. The book
feels whole. From start to finish there is very ingenious way of showing
the characters, telling the story and producing a interesting world.
Let’s begin with the idea. Time traveling. Although this is a theme
that is popping up more and more, it is a versatile theme that can be
shaped by the author in many ways. In Lost in Time, John Auckland
manages to create a very funny and witty take on time travel using a
more scientific approach. This science aspect in the book was detailed
but everything felt logical due to the great explanation and by making
the science aspect easy to understand, like explaining the possible
paradoxes that can occur in time travel, and Schrödinger’s Cat theory
for quantum mechanics in a way that even younger readers could
understand.
The narration of Lost in Time was done in quite a interesting way.
You have the characters like Dave, Barbara (Nana Barb), Simon, Louise
and Sue. The narration is not done by the characters but by the
Web-Spinners who view everything from their own Hyper-Real Universe
Dimension Alpha 2-32. Using this narration proved a lively and clever
way of telling the story. Where there is both a present time
storytelling in what the characters are going through and added to this
John Auckland also uses chapters that feature the Web-Spinners as
interludes to catch up with what has happened but also a for a look into
the short future and what our group of time travelers are going to be
facing. In this he managed to arouse my curiosity in what was to happen
and gave a clear understanding where the story stood.
As for the main protagonist, Dave, he is a piece of work, as is his
friend Simon. Simon is definitely not the sharpest tool in the shed.
Dave being recently laid of off work, and now living with his Nana.
When I first got to read about him, he seems a bit of a hopeless case,
not really having a direction is his life or really seeming motivated in
achieving something. But on a subconscious level I think he does care
for his grandmother very much and when she suddenly disappears he puts
everything in top gear to find out exactly what happened to her and how
to get here back. Dave also underwent a transformation for the better
but I think his naiveté with girls remains… Then there is Simon. He is
twice or triple the work that Dave is. Simon is shown as a dimwitted
person, that I first felt like he did not quite fit into the story.
Looking back at his first introduction and how he was at the end he did
prove a funny introduction, although not vital, his dialogues with Dave
and Simon’s statements are top funny. Then there is of course Nana Barb,
who is the chosen one, but is suddenly transported back and forward in
time at random, and is lost in time. She is just the type of grandmother
everyone would like, warm and caring. During her singular adventures in
time, you see her in a sort of confused way but also in a compassionate
way when she meets up with her younger parents. Overall you see Nana
Barb appearing through time and her “chosen” status remains obscure. So
what she is destined to do is not yet revealed. In the end she in
transported to a unusual location and allows for a nice adventurous
continuation in the book to follow. Next to Nana Barb, Dave and Simon
there are also the smart and somewhat clumsy scientist Louise and the
timeseeker Sue, but what the real plan is of Sue with Lord Armitage
remains to be discovered!
Next to the great line up of funny characters Lost in Time also has
two factions which remain somewhat obscure in this first book. The
Timeseekers and the Time Police. The Time Police are there to track the
people who go on unauthorized time travel thereby causing possible harm
to the future. They do not shy away from using all means possible to
catch them. They have quite the flashy weapons and other tricks to help
them and let people forget they were there. The Timeseekers are the
opposite faction, who go against the Time Police and try to save the
world. Like I mentioned, you do meet both factions and get to know the
Timeseekers just a bit more than the Time Police, I am curious to what
extent their ulterior motives will be revealed in the coming books.
The Adventures of Nana Barb: Lost in Time is a great starter of
series and even more impressive as a début from John Auckland. Combining
nice proven sci-fi elements with an interesting storyline and an even
greater narration done by the funny and with Web-spinners. Using input
given by the reading community this story can go any which way.