The Chronicles of St. Mary's Book Two - A Symphony of Echoes

this serious has never disappointed me. Always true to the ridiculousness that goes on in life (at least mine) so it's easy to relate to.....even if they are time travelling........the problems, relationships, and absurd circumstances always follow along. Being human in inescapable !

This is the second of the absolutely delightful series of seven books (to date) which chronicle the adventures and misadventures of the professional historians at St. Mary's, a most British of British institutions. The scholars have an advantage relative to most historians, in that they are in a position to actually visit the eras which they study. They also have a disadvantage relative to other historians, in that much of history became they way by not being particularly safe to hang around in as an observer.

Jodi Taylor is an historian, a librarian, and an at times hysterically funny writer. The series needs to be read in order (unlike the way they research history), but mostly, the series needs to be read. I just hope that sh'e working on Book VIII!

I LOVE the Chronicles of St. Marys series by Jodi Taylor. In my opinion her narratives are right up there with Robert B. Parker's Spencer and Hawk dialogs. Whether she is writing under Taylor or Isabella Barclay - her books are a joy to read!!

St Mary's is back. Kat is retiring so she and Max take a last jump to Jack the Ripper's last murder. That goes spectacularly wrong. After this craziness is finally put to rest the Chief is kidnapped into the future as a trap. After helping the future St Mary's get thing sorted another disaster strikes Max's personal life. Oh and the past is being fiddled with just to top things off. You know the usual craziness of St Mary's. This was an interesting take on Jack. The future was less fun as a place to visit, but interesting character and plot wise. I did like the trip to Scotland and the existential angst stuff that went with it. Really enjoy this fun series

Hoping to link it - Has anyone else had troubles with the Kindle version of this book - I bought it and it is actually the third book. Have books 2 and 3 but they are the same. Nothing seems to work - I just want to read book #2 :(

A good solid read. I did feel like some of the peril was dismissed too quickly. I wanted the danger to last a little longer. And I'm not sure I understood the reason Max had such a big fight with her boyfriend. That seemed like much ado about nothing. But I did enjoy reading the book and, at the end, felt inclined to get the next in the series.

I understand this author and series is popular. She writes speeches well. When someone wants to say something, she does a good job.

Too bad their actions are all those of morons. I know six year olds that could make better plans and are more likely to make good use of a time machine than the people in her book. Characters violate the laws and underlings ignore it. So do bosses. In one of her books, a FEMALE character decides to hunt Jack the ripper with mace. She doesn't even bring a time period correct pistol to face Jack the Ripper. I would have taken a team of male bodyguards and multiple high quality replica gun with modern bullets, both designed to look like period weapon but fire with much greater accuracy.

I would not recommend this series to someone that hoped to go to college.

As much as I loved the first one, I have to say that this second book is a bit of a letdown. The humor and wit are the same, and that's probably the only thing keeping me reading at this point, because I do love the narration style and humor. However, this book was just all over the board and so messy that I struggled to finish.

The plot is barely cohesive and jumps from one random thing to another with no threads tying them together. I was actually really excited to start this because the Jack the Ripper part in the beginning was thrilling. I've loved the unique St. Mary's take on history and was looking forward to what Taylor would do with someone as big as Jack the Ripper, and I was entirely disappointed. I won't go into details because of spoilers, but I knew as soon as this arc ended that this book and I just weren't going to see eye to eye.

There are several points in the story that are just utterly confusing and unexplained, dropped as suddenly as they appeared. Again, due to spoilers, I won't elaborate, but I found myself frustrated time and time again thinking there was an important plot point tucked away somewhere that I'd somehow managed to miss, but no. Things were just ... missing. Important things that were required for the book to completely make sense.

The relationship in this is sooo unhealthy and unnecessarily dramatic and ridiculous. Are these characters 12? Because that's what they act like when it comes to their relationship, not adults that constantly have other people's lives in their hands. I just ... I can't. I'm so over the relationship, and this is only book two, and unfortunately, I don't see it going anywhere. It looks like it's going to be a long-game romance.

The historical events are where this book really shines. I felt Taylor's descriptions of the past settings were great, and I felt pulled right in. Since this is basically one of the big reasons I picked up the series in the first place (along with the narration), that gives me hope.

Will I read the full series? I don't know yet. I'm even undecided at this point. I intend to keep reading, but for how much longer, I can't say. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that the next books will start making even a little bit more sense and have an actual plot.

The first volume of the “Chronicles of St. Mary’s” series, Just One Damned Thing After Another, was a hoot -- a galloping time-travel adventure larded with British-style understated humor and peopled with some of the most original and entertaining characters I’ve seen in a while. This second outing mostly avoids the problems that are common with sophomore novels, continuing the story of St. Mary’s Institute of Historical Institute a generation or two in our future. Madeleine Maxwell, known as “Max,” is now the Chief of Operations, managing the actual missions back into the past, with the assistance of the Technical Section, which handles the machinery, and Security, which tries to keep everyone alive. Although the attrition rate among the historians can be pretty high. They’re continuing their cautious struggle against the embittered fanatic Clive Ronan and his gang, who came from even farther in the future, and who want to control time travel for their own profit, and the hell with everyone else. But they can’t kill him when he’s young, because that would set up a paradox -- none of his later depredations would happen as they did -- and Time tends to defend itself against that sort of thing.

They don’t travel forwards in time, either. (“It’s not a good idea.”) Nevertheless, after Ronan attacks and nearly destroys the Institute in its future form, Max finds herself its temporary Director, trying to guarantee their future existence. And she’s going to have her hands full.

This episode starts a bit slowly but the pace picks up as you go along and, what with Mary Queen of Scots and the dodos, it’s a pretty good one. And there’s more to come.

I often find the second book in a series not quite up to par with the first, especially when you've really, really loved the first book. Probably because the first one has set the bar too high.

Maxwell is still as engaging, and the stakes are as high as ever, and the plot twists keep twisting and twisting on themselves... and maybe that's it. After the mind-bogglingness that was [book:Just One Damned Thing After Another|29661618], reading [book:A Symphony of Echoes|25876967] right away did not give my brain enough time to rest. Then again, did I really want it to rest? Thinking it through, I think the main reason I started balking over this one was the fact that she brought in my nemesis: time-travelling paradox.

I mean, yes, the paradox did appear a few times in the first book, but there, it was pretty simple to understand: DON'T BRING ANYTHING BACK, DON'T LEAVE ANYTHING THERE. In this one, you're faced with a pretty indestructible antagonist. Yes, Clive Ronan is still actively trying to destroy St. Mary's, but this time, history *has* to be on his side... merely because killing him now (or, at least, at the specific times Maxwell and her team are travelling to) would create a huge time paradox because he needs to stay alive in order to go back into the past to try to kill them. (Ugh brain. And yes, that last sentence made sense, I think?)

It's like you're hurtling through time and space over and over again, and you're like... stop! Just stop!

At any rate, this one is a little bit more heart-wrenching. I don't always like romances in my scifi, and yes, I mentioned it in the review of the first book, but the dynamics between Maxwell and Chief just drag you in and I don't know if I want to hit her over the head or side with her. Taylor still meanders a little - you can see the disjointedness between the first trip and the rest of the story - but oh well, it's still interesting even if it isn't exactly important?

So, minor annoyances aside, still a great read. :)

Note: I received a digital ARC from Edelweiss for review purposes.

After reading the first two books in this series, I'm still on the fence as to liking/disliking. One factor in their favor is that the characters often act like total goofs, sort of like a Laurel and Hardy history team. I would hope that if such an organization were to exist, they would have their act together better than these folks do. They do seem to have all the best intentions, another factor in their favor. The author wrote this book well enough to make me want to see it through to the end. There are some very good scene descriptions. Maybe by the end of the third book, I'll warm to the series enough to give it a 4 star rating.

Jodi Taylor's St. Mary's series is fun, entertaining, interesting and worth reading, particularly if you like time travel and historical fiction plots. However, the romance element of this second volume in the series, "A Symphony of Echoes," got very and, IMHO, unnecessarily psychologically complicated.

I was disappointed in the quality of the writing, overall. The plots devolved (as so many sci-fi books', TV shows' and films' do) into villains/villainy, fighting and injuries/deaths. There was very little of the history and a lot of the difficulties.

Dull.

Taylor is at her best when she writes from the POV of the main character, Maxwell, and inserts aromas, sensations, sights, sounds and feelings of being in another era, which she does quite well. She also does well with interpersonal relationships when she isn't juggling so many (too many, in this book). Many of the characters who were so well-developed in Volume I became 2-dimensional in this Volume.

I hope Volume III is better. I will continue.

This is the second in the Chronicles of St Mary's series. The first book set up the concept of St Mary's - a centre for historical exploration. The members use time travel to chronicle what happened in the past. Obviously there are bad guys out for their own gain.

This book has a few threads but builds up to an expedition to not just find out what happened then, but to head off the bad guys. It's a fair chunk of a book and at about 3/4 of the way through I was thinking there might have been one too many "side trips", but everything did lead to where things were going.

In the first book Max, the protagonist was a bit unsure of things but this time round, she's hardened up and at time shocked me with her behaviour.

In the main, this is a fairly light read, but gets serious at times. I really enjoyed it and like this author and the world she's created. I was thinking of this when I wasn't reading it.

After finishing the first book in this series I went ahead and bought the second. The second novel is a bit episodic, but because of the nature of potential time travel paradoxes the various plot lines all come together in a maddening but entertaining conclusion.

Based in the near future UK, St Mary's Time Travel institution, has a number of traditions, one of which is that a Historian (time traveling variety) gets to choose his or her last jump into the past before their retirement. In this case Maxwell, with her friend Kal Black, have set out to visit the London of Jack the Ripper on the night that Mary Kelly is mutilated and killed. Black is retiring from active duty. That night has a most surprising conclusion. But it's not by any means the conclusion of the book.

It's not a soft and fluffy book although at points I thought it was quite funny. It also has some pathos (that's where one star disappeared because I thought that particular character was a bit of a red shirt, although the author may redeem herself later considering how convoluted time travel plots can be) and some sheer horror.

The narrator is, as I thought with regard to the first book, excellent. I'm hoping that she will also be reading the third book when it comes out on Audible.

I did wonder if the dodos were a nod to Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next novels.

I have tried to download this 3 times over the last year. The cover says A Symphony of Echos but the actual book to read is the next book, book 3 about troy. I've reported it to the store 4 times. This issue has not been fixed. Maybe the author Jody Taylor will see this and try to get it fixed. I've downloaded and read every other book you've written in this series. I would like to read this one also.

One other tip, it would be nice if they were numbered.

This second book in the series goes a bit too far in depicting Jack the Ripper as some kind of almost unstoppable, unkillable, sometimes invisible, alien monster. Reminded me of the alien in the movie Alien. I can only suspend my sense of reality so much and this detracted from the rest of the book. The book is not historical. It takes well known historical events and embellishes them with the presents of "historians" traveling back in time to view the historical events. The story is not really about history but the relationships and struggles of the staff at St. Mary's. History is the vehicle by which the writer delivers the story. Clever as it is, it's light and easy reading with a bit of humor, romance and adventure and is entertaining enough for beach reading.

I am so pleased to have discovered this series! It's a delight. These stories are just so much fun! This one had me laughing out loud at the dentist's office, not something I generally do. Kudos to Taylor for her cleverness and wit. I'm looking forward to reading them all.

Another romp through history with Jodi Taylor. Max sets Mary Queen of Scots love life straight when Clive Ronan makes history wonky. Jodi Taylor's books are like exploring a huge magnificent mansion where each door/page you open/ turn unfolds the wonders of history and adventure.

If you haven't read the first offering in the Chronicles of St. Mary's,(Just One Damn Thing After Another) please immediately rectify that! St. Mary's is an institute of historical research with a little time travel as a visual aid. The second entry, A Symphony of Echoes is wickedly sarcastic and chock full of some serious adventuring, "St. Mary's style", which usually signifies total and often hilarious chaos and very narrow escapes. There are some chilling spots but Jodi Taylor doesn't linger on them and moves on before the chill gets to you. I am learning that anything written by Jodi Taylor is well worth your time.

Another fantastic book in the Chronicles of St. Mary's series! Max and the gang at St. Mary's get into all kinds of trouble again in book two. There's something special about this series that I just can't quite put my finger on. I love the richly drawn characters, the narration, the action, the absurdity and the humor. It's fresh and original and absolutely delightful. I enjoy every minute spent reading (or listening) to these books. Narrator Zara Ramm does an excellent job of bringing Max and these books to life. You can't go wrong whether you read them in print or listen to them on audio (or both, like I do). Read them in order or you won't do them justice, but definitely read them!

I read the first book of the series "Just one damned thing after another" and thoroughly enjoyed every word. Surprisingly, the second in the series is even better than the first. Just a great pleasure to read. Am looking forward to reading the next one.

I read the first book in the series and while I wasn't blown away, it was a fairly fun read. It had a lot of time travel and adventures.

This book might be enjoyable if you find actuarial tables thrilling.

I am 75% through this second book and it has been a dreadful bore. She went to the future and after a brief battle it went on for pages and pages about her being the interim director at the agency with all the excitement about how she organized all the departments. It was cool how she was so nice to allow the dining facility to choose their own menu.

I love time travel SciFi, but this is dreck. I won't be finishing it. The only good thing is that I got it through the library ebook program and didn't have to pay for it.

A good entry in what could be a very good series. Really fun characters with vast opportunities to dabble in history. Sorting our old England so that the right queen was beheaded was a challenge with a very creative solution.

I love the entire Saint Mary's series. I listen in the car while I commute and they are so funny I laugh out loud. The characters are very distinctive, the situations are hilarious, and the entire premise is creative. Plus, I actually get a refresher course on all that history I learned many years ago.

Dammmiiiiiiiit, Ms. Taylor, start off slow and easy, why don't you? HA! The St. Mary's roller coaster has only gotten bigger. And badder. This tale certainly ran me through the wringer--Again--laughing out loud one minute, gasping in dismay the next, interspersed with countless I-did-not-see-THAT-coming moments. Merciful Heavens, what a ride!

The second book in The Chronicles of St.Mary's, an organization whose employees jump through time, both for research and to chase after Clive Ronan, a rogue time traveler who doesn't play by the rules. These people have a lot of fun, and I am enjoying the series.

I kept hurrying to finish "A Symphony of Echoes" but at the same time wanting to slow down because I did not want the book to end...as Max said, "a paradox"! Excellent book, wonderful read! Now it's on to the third book.

I love everything by Jodi Taylor. Her sense of humor is fantastic, and I learn a lot of very interesting history in the process. She's particularly nice to read on Kindle because then I can search some of the names and places in the moment.

I quite like the concept of these books as they're light and easy to read. But unless the storyline makes sense or seems logical, then the whole book is ruined for me. Maybe I missed some crucial explanation that accounted for two events that seemed quite nonsensical, 1) travelling to the future St Mary's to 'suprise' the future inhabitants - doesn't make sense for obvious reasons. 2) Having events go terribly wrong in 1567 that don't ripple down the down the time-line and change current circumstances - how can you change the past but not change everything that follows.

Max does time travel from a historian perspective. Observe, do not change the course of history but bring back the truth and not the often biased accounts on record. The results are interesting and the job is often dangerous and fatal but there are always people who will step up to replace the fallen. There are good and bad guys and enough danger and intrigue to keep you interested. On to book 3 .

I quite like the concept of these books as they're light and easy to read. But unless the storyline makes sense or seems logical, then the whole book is ruined for me. Maybe I missed some crucial explanation that accounted for two events that seemed quite nonsensical, 1) travelling to the future St Mary's to 'suprise' the future inhabitants - doesn't make sense for obvious reasons. 2) Having events go terribly wrong in 1567 that don't ripple down the down the time-line and change current circumstances - how can you change the past but not change everything that follows.