Before you Leap by Les Lynam is a brilliant YA time travel novel with many scifi ideas sparkling throughout. Les gives us ideas of future technology as well as an elegant time travel methodology – and how strained relationships between a Grandfather and a 5 times great grandson can be!

You've probably read the synopsis already so I won't repeat it here other than to say that the novel centres on the relationship between Sean (in 1995) and Alex (from 2217) – complete with differences in their temporal-based cultures. Time travel does play a crucial role in this novel, but it’s not the main subject. I describe the time travel side of things in detail in my full review of Before You Leap on time2timetravel.

One of the novel's strongest points is how futuristic technology from 2217 is put in juxtaposition with that of 1995. At the same time, the importance of history (and knowledge of the future) is brought to the fore. The social interaction between the characters bring these elements into the light, and is presented in a writing style which is both sensitive and light-hearted!

The main text of the novel (which is set in 1995) is sandwiched between a Prologue and an Epilogue, set in 2216/7 - and I loved them! They focus on Alex and his internal thought processes, and really help to put what will happen / what has happened into a context that is beyond face value. And if that's not enough they each bring in a new story line of their own. Incredible!

My initial feelings with the initial chapters was that it’s a slow beginning, but having got to the end I think it would be fairer to call it ‘paced for the long haul’, recalling here that this is the first book in a series of three novels (“Saves Nine” and “In One Basket” being the following novels in the series.)

Before You Leap adopts a young adult style of writing. It’s written mostly from Sean’s point of view, though sometimes gives an insight into Alex’s thoughts and feelings too. Sean is 16 so I expect that his feelings, frustrations, hopes and ambitions will be mirrored by the target audience.

Alex’s solution in getting to know Sean is clever but flawed (at first), and he comes up with a solution which had me at times vaguely concerned on behalf of young adults in case there was a following in the footsteps of Heinlein’s "All you Zombies" or "The Man who Folded Himself" by David Gerrold.

Les handles the relation between Sean And Alex really well, in particular, in how he shows that the ideas and values that Sean has in 1995 are so different from Alex’s view with a base line in 2217. They have interesting conversations, each getting frustrated with the other for reasons and principles they either don’t fully understand, or disagree with.

For example, I fully sympathise with Sean’s boredom surrounding history, whereas Alex is much more aware after several good and bad events between 1995 and 2217 of the need to learn from past mistakes. (Although there’s been an equal amount of good and bad mistakes up to 1995 too…)

I didn’t particularly like Sean, a feeling amplified when he shows little patience with Alex, but I can see teenagers lapping up this novel! Actually, despite my misgivings about Sean, so did I!

Before you Leap by Les Lynam is a superb scifi novel with time travel and futuristic technology. Although aimed at young adults this novel has much to offer for us older types too! I’m giving this 5 stars because I really like how ideas and concepts from 2217 are brought and examined from a nineties viewpoint.