Blog Tour: Of Time and Place by B.R. Freemont

Of Time and Place
written by B.R. Freemont          
published by Two Harbors Press

find it here: Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads

Why did I pick this book: I participated in the blog tour organized by Tribute Books for this book. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)

Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. It is not a must read but it is a worthwhile read. 

My thoughts on this book are kind of jumbled. I really did enjoy this book. It is long. But it isn’t wordy or overly descriptive. I couldn’t tell you how to shorten it because most of the detail is necessary and really adds to the story and helps you understand the characters. Truth be told, I was kind of sad that the book ended.

The story is told from the point of view of James Lendeman. It is different to read a story like this from the male perspective. At times it seemed kind of cold. There were so many emotional events that should have brought out love, hate, loss, longing, happiness, sadness, etc but the story telling lacked these emotions. I could feel them but the narrator did not seem to. Case in point, I did not think James was portrayed as a very caring father. The whole time he was “telling” that part of the story, he seemed so detached and all business. Where were the emotions? Where was the joy? (I don’t want to spoil this part of the story…and I won’t…but let me know if you agree with me on that point.) 

The other main characters were women – Kate Hastings, Pat Auriga, and Jane Sorel. All three of these women were loved by James and loved him back in one way or another. All were rather strong women but each had their own flaws. Jane was the biggest disappoint for me. Kate was seemingly strong but she was lonely. I felt for her throughout the book. And Pat was a great match.

It was kind of funny having the first chapter be set in 2060 and the main character talking about and to a 67 year old woman. When I did the math, that woman was born in 1993 which seems really young to me. Then, it turned surreal when I realized how old I would be in 2060. That’s what this book did for me, gave me things to think about. I can see a lot of the events actually occurring. I hope that some do not, but I can see it happening. 

Of Time and Place also uses the metric system. That was difficult for me to picture in my head how far people traveled or how much fuel was used. It wasn’t a bothersome thing in the book. Nor was the time jumping. I thought that this would make the story hard to follow but it really worked well. The author did a fantastic job making this story flow seamlessly between the past and the present. I was thoroughly impressed by that. 

Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book. Stick with it, the read is worth it. 

Will I read it again: I will not read this book again.

About the book – from the publisher: As the global energy crisis of the 21st century wears on, James Lendeman searches for answers – both for the country and for himself.

Working in the Federal Energy Department for the iconoclastic and enigmatic Kate Hastings, James is at the center of a world of political intrigue and personal conflicts. Unsure of whether he can go along with Kate’s plans for the country (and for him), he is forced to steer his own way through a maze of personal and professional problems.

When we meet James a few years later (through an ingenious weaving of dual timelines), he is in Savannah, working as a contractor for the government and debating the merits of a flirtatious college student who lives in his boarding house.

Nimbly moving forward and backward through James’s personal timeline, Of Time and Place leads its readers on a journey through the twists and turns of life in a kind of historical novel of the future. From a tumultuous romance and marriage to a romantic spring in Florence and the adversities along the way, James finds himself debating both his own life and the feasibility of maintaining a viable US economy in the mid-21st century.

Drawn from very real issues of global import, and playing out in some of the most storied cities in the world, Of Time and Place will leave every reader pondering the future – and the present.


About the author: B.R. Freemont was born in New York and has lived in the Savannah area for over a decade. He holds a B.A. from Columbia and an M.A. from New York University. During his business career, Freemont filled a number of management assignments and briefly worked for government entities.

Over the years, his interests have included: astronomy, domestic and foreign travel, dog breed club administration, wine tasting, and avidly reading both fiction and non-fiction.

He is married and has a son and two daughters.