Heather’s Bookshelf: A Night at the King’s Inn
Author: Alec Arbogast
Released: 03/27/21
Genre: Time Travel/SciFi
“The Regal Ballroom sign glints as it whizzes past, and Theodore is once more in the midst of a raucous Jazz Age party. He weaves through the crowd; tufts of smoke billow and quiver about him, churning madly as dancers cut the air, and then evanescing into nothingness like steam off a cup of coffee. Feeling his heart race with excitement as the cornets and oboes clash on the bandstand, Theodore inhales deeply and takes the scene in.”
“A Night at the King’s Inn” introduces Theodore, a young man living in New York City. While he’s an introvert his sister, Alice, is a social butterfly. She finds new adventures and drags along her brother, kicking and screaming. This time around, Alice has happened upon a 1920’s themed invite-only speakeasy. While his sister is busy flirting with the bartender Francis, Theodore investigates the space and happens upon an antique gramophone.
The gramophone opens a portal to another time and place- transporting him to 1930’s London. He finds himself in a hotel, in the middle of a masquerade ball, with a mysterious woman, and a whole lot of danger. Theodore soon realizes there is much more to his trip through time and consequences to what happens there.
Enlisting the help of his roommate, Henry, Francis, and Alice, Theodore must find clues left behind by the maker of the time portal. The clues tell the story of the inventor’s purpose, mission, and his request for help. The little group set out to fulfill their mission and save each other.
Trigger Warning: adult language, domestic abuse, sexual situations
Overall, I enjoyed following Theodore on this journey through time. The story between the present and past were interwoven nicely and took place in an interesting time period. The main character was a little one note for me, but I did like the characterization and background provided through the flashbacks throughout the story. My favorite ancillary character was absolutely Henry. He provided a sense of humor to a tale with many serious and dark undertones. I also really enjoyed the pop culture/book references. The things that occur at the hotel are scandalous, shocking, and at times evil. The scenes could be quite graphic, so fair warning if that’s not your thing. There was also a fair amount of political detail in the first third of the book which I felt slowed down the pacing of the story and was not especially necessary to the plot. The timeline and rules of time travel were not especially delved out either. However, the ending was interesting and enjoyable, making sure to address each character and the relationships between the members of the Misfits Rescue Crew.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A time travel adventure to a distinct place and time intertwined with mystery and consequences. A few holes here and there, but an interesting tale.
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Alec Arbogast
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