Limited Wish

Impossible Times, Book 2

By: Mark Lawrence

Narrated by: Matthew Frow

Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

One choice. Two possible timelines. And a world hanging in the balance.

It’s the summer of 1986 and reluctant prodigy Nick Hayes is a student at Cambridge University, working with world-renowned mathematician Professor Halligan. He just wants to be a regular student, but regular isn’t really an option for a boy-genius cancer survivor who’s already dabbled in time travel.

When he crosses paths with a mysterious yet curiously familiar girl, Nick discovers that creases have appeared in the fabric of time, and that he is at the centre of the disruption. Only Nick can resolve this time paradox before the damage becomes catastrophic for both him and the future of the world. Time is running out - literally.

Wrapped up with him in this potentially apocalyptic scenario are his ex-girlfriend, Mia, and fellow student Helen. Facing the world-ending chaos of a split in time, Nick must act fast and make the choice of a lifetime - or lifetimes.

Game on.

©2019 by Mark Lawrence. Dungeons & Dragons is a trademark of Wizards of the Coast LLC. Title used with permission. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

<i>"We're all infinities."</i>

My head hurt and my heart too. I was disappointed with the choice Nick made at the ending, I wanted an Eva-filled future. I knooow, a bit sad for Nick and tragic really for Helen but that kind of certainty even if it means not being able to live long enough to witness that is still kind of worth it. For me, that is.

Anyyyyway, it wasn't my call to make so I'd have to stick with the Multiverse speech (which isn't official) - "WE'RE ALL INFINITIES." So I'll take comfortu in the thought of another Multiverse with Nick having his Eva.

The story however, like the first book was still well-written but it still took me 40% into the book to be really engaged in the story and dedicate (by dedicate, I meant trade my precious hours of sleep) myself in finishing this today.

Tries too hard to be a "smart" time travel book

3.5 Stars

I liked this one better than the first. The plot was more focused. Less D&D, and more character and plot development. I do feel like Lawrence tried a bit too hard to come across like this was a plausible form of time-travel. There were moments where there was a lot of talk of equations and other logistics, which felt overly-complicated, while trying to keep a tone more on par with Stranger Things or Back to the Future. And then, in the end, there was something called a "time hammer," which felt out of place in contrast to the previous efforts to be heady about the concept of time.

I still enjoyed the idea a bit more than the execution, but the introduction of new characters, paradox, and interwoven timelines made this one more interesting and more fun than its predecessor. I am interested to see where Book 3 goes, and hope it ties up some of the mysteries that are still pretty unknown as to why all this is happening to Nick.

Frow's narration is pretty easy to listen to, but nothing special. Some of the voices could be more distinct.

Just as good as book 1

I’m really enjoying the Impossible Times series. Limited Wish was a great follow up to One Word Kill. This is also a short book and only about an hour longer than the first one. Limited Wish is in the same vein as the first novel, if you liked it you’ll also like this one and vice versa. What I’m most enjoying about this series is they are fun quick reads that also give you a bit to think about. I like to read this type of book when I start getting burnt out on reading. The series could easily be turned into a television series.

Limited Wish continues the story with Nick now at college. There’s more of a science aspect to this book than the first one. It kind of reminds me of the characters in The Big Bang Theory with a bit of Good Will Hunting tossed in. We also start to learn that maybe everything isn’t as set in stone as the first book implied. I sometimes get confused with books when there is time travel and paradoxes involved but Lawrence does a good job explaining everything. I’m also curious on how much research Lawrence put in on the science and math in this book.

I look forward the last book in the trilogy, but I am a somewhat disappointed that it’s not going to be out until November, especially with how close together the first two were released.

Matthew Frow does an excellent job with the narration of this series and really provides the feel of being in the U.K.

As Good as the first?

While my feelings for this book are very positive, I'm debating which one was better.

Brilliant story. Really makes you think!

I fell in love with these characters in the first book and I’m totally invested in them now. The storytelling in the imagination blow me away. Matthew Frow does an excellent job in the audiobooks. The imagination that Lawrence has will take you from one feeling to the next. I can’t wait for the next book.

This really makes you think about how decisions you make now can affect the future. Lawrence really pulls you in and makes you love each and every character even the ones you hate. I would love to see this as a 20 book series!

Great story

Loved the story overall. Just keep getting tripped up on the use of Imperial Units instead of Metric. Is this a publisher change for American audiences?

just as good as the first book

If you liked One Word Kill you'll like this one too. Great and unique ideas of time travel and beautiful descriptions of mathematics. Fantastic voice performance as well. Highly recommend, and look forward to reading/listing to the next book in the series.

Hello? Stranger Things?

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advanced reading copy of Limited Wish (Impossible Times #2) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this eARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

If anyone could make math sexy again (or probably for the first time ever), Mark Lawrence has done it. I’m also pretty sure he has invented time travel and not a single person is filling out a ballot for him to win a Nobel Prize. Do those things have ballots? I’m too lazy to Wiki it.

Oh Nicky Hayes. Wicked smart, sick as a dog, and completely oblivious to the way women work. Besides the cancer part and the fact that he is a boy genius, he sounds like any other rando dude on the street. Oh, but did I mention that his future self has visited him on a couple of occasions?

While Limited Wish has similar fundamentals to its predecessor, One Word Kill, Lawrence ramps up all the science, D&D goodness, and love interests to the power of 2 (probably more, but it makes sense because it is the sequel?). I know Mark is a smart cookie, and I don’t/probably shouldn’t need to know a lot of the maths jargon, but he makes it feel mystical in a way, like it is some kind of world-building he is introducing us to. On to of that, it really makes me want to play Dungeons & Dragons, if I had any friends (sigh) or at least re-watch Stranger Things a couple of times.

I’ve been a fan of Lawrence for a couple of years now, and while I am still amazed that he can write science fiction just as well as he can fantasy, this shouldn’t be a revelation. Mark has the chops to match or top anyone in the publishing industry and since we are still awaiting books from the Martin’s and Rothfuss’s of the world, he is steadily gaining more and more of a spotlight. I don’t think it’ll be too long before everyone starts picking his books up and fully realize just how good this dood is.

fine... not as good as book 1

Book one had a beautiful charm that I didn't experience in this book. Probably won't listen to the third.

enjoyed it more than I should

I am absolutely loving this series! I'm finding the length perfect. lately I haven't listened to books around 20 plus hours. this has been a pleasant change. it speeds everything up and didn't leave much down time. I also love the nostalgia it brings from playing D&D with friends. if I have a group it's the ending. regardless I can't wait to listen to the next one!