Limited Wish, book two of the Impossible Times trilogy, is a highly-enjoyable and heady sci-fi adventure with heavy emotional beats. Although this book takes a bit longer than One Word Kill to have its full scope be revealed, the mind-bending paths that we’re being led through becomes a twisty and challenging puzzle that deepens as the story progresses. Exploring the implications of the characters' actions and their ripple effects through various timelines is as impressive as it is complex. Yet Lawrence does an admirable job interpreting these rule-breaking time-travel theories and making them quite clear for the reader to follow.

The book itself is a paradox in a sense, as it is simultaneously a light and heavy read. Romance, role-playing games, and challenges at school help to shape Nick’s coming of age tale, yet it also asks the reader to contemplate advanced mathematics and physics theories, time loops, paradoxes, universal energies, and the potential existence-destroying possibilities that stem from it all. Although Lawrence outlines some of the bigger concepts in as clear a way as possible, I still recommend spending a bit of extra time to think about and absorb each new fold before continuing. Like any good book, you get out of it as much as you put in, and I found myself pausing and doing a bit of extra research to consider some new angles of where the story might be headed. And if any book makes me want to research math and physics on my own time -- for fun! -- then that’s a pretty damn good compliment to the author.

Limited Wish shares a fair amount in common with its predecessor which, considering the plot, is entirely expected, but also serves as a bit of a detriment. Once again, the D&D game emulates Nick’s real-life dilemmas… or perhaps his dilemmas are emulating the game. A few of the story's beats feel familiar, which may be an unfair dig at a story that involves time loops and paradoxes. But it's a small gripe when weighing it against how damn entertaining this story is. These books are relatively short, but make the most of their pages by creating strong characters that leave a lasting impact on the reader, and a furious pace that will force you to want to read this story in just a sitting or two. With only one book to go, and many more questions raised than answered, I can't wait to see what Lawrence has in store for the conclusion.

I'm already a fan of Mark Lawrence, having loved his Red Sister series, and I see him as kinda a lite Jay Kristoff or Roth.
He writes fun, easy to read novels that focus on small core groups, and this series is his first advance into science fiction. I actually bought the first one after getting this galley, so I could read them in order. I read a lot of science fiction, both hard and lite, and it sits somewhere in the middle. The main character, Nick, is a maths genius, like his father, and sometimes I got lost in trying to wrap my head around the concepts he was using (paradoxes, anyone?!), but really, you can't go wrong with a good time travel series. And this is one, weaving typical 1980's nostalgia, time travel, and coming of age strains together into a sometimes poignant but always exciting thread that I will not spoil by giving away any spoilers!

Stranger Things with Time Travel - what's not to like?

Just perfect !!!
What a wonderful mind Mark Lawrence has to create such a wonderful book as this it just has everything you would want in a story and I thought he couldn’t better book one well he surely has with this one so god only knows what is to come with book three and I just wish I didn’t have to wait so long for it, having read books one and two back to back I now have serious withdrawals while awaiting book three.
This is an amazingly written series and I would say has something for everyone it has science, time travel, paradoxes but also at its core it has love and I can’t fault anything about the books at all and I guess you can see I just fell in love with them.
So here I am wishing I could split off in another future timeline and be reading book three, instead I will be patient and just thank the amazing Mark Lawrence for giving me so much pleasure reading this fantabulous series. All the stars and more and highly recommended.
My thanks also to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK, 47North for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I didn't think it was possible but Mr. Lawrence topped the first book. The weaving of timelines is done to perfection. As is always the case, his prose is second to none. Bring on book three!

I received this via Netgalley and I can't wait for the hardcover to come in so I can add it to my collection.

Limited Wish is a far more enjoyable read than Book 1 in the series, possibly, because I know what to expect now, (but also because there's less 'mirror action' in the D & D game than in Book 1 - sorry, not a fan because I've never played it, and I just don't get it (ducks for cover!)).
I read it in a few sittings, and look forward to Book 3 to discover just how Nick fares!

Thankyou to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK, 47North and the author, Mark Lawrence, for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy of Limited Wish in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I am a huge fan of Mark Lawrence's novels which is why I jumped at the chance to review this book. And I was certainly not disappointed either.
The storyline was well thought out and written with intriguing characters and descriptive imagery. I was hooked from the start and, as with every other novel by this author, read in one sitting.
Well worth a read. 4.5 stars.

Damn!!!! This was such a brilliant book!!!! I didn't think that Mark Lawrence could better his first book but boy he did!! And probably for the first time in my life I've read books that had paradox, mathematics, science and quantum mechanics in it and I actually enjoyed it. As I had written in my review of the first book, he's so brilliant in describing the extraordinarily difficult and complicated theories in such a simple way that even a layman like me could understand and appreciate it so much. And the book is also so funny in parts, especially Nick with his friends and when he meets Eva. Overall, this is just a wonderfully brilliant book but now I'm grumpy as I'll have to wait for quite some time before the next book is available and I so want to read it now!! Again, this book is much more than a 5 star read but since that's the amount of stars available 5 stars it is. Thank you Mark Lawrence for this wonderful book. And a big thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and 47North for giving me a chance to read this wonderful book in exchange of my honest review.

"Limited Wish" is the second installment in the "Impossible Times" series and sets in a couple of months after the ending of "One Word Kill". Unfortunately, this part in the series feels more rushed than the last part. The characters are underdeveloped and the story gets really confusing towards the end. I think the novel needed to be expanded by a couple of hundred pages to really make sense.

Review
I read the first book in this series a few weeks back and I really enjoyed it so when I saw there was a copy available to read straight away on netgalley, I snapped it up. This book picks up a few months after the events of the first book, Nick has started attending university and doing mathematical research with a big shot professor and he's still playing dungeons & dragons with his friends at the weekend. However weird things start happening and he's sucked back into the world of time travel.

This was just as enjoyable as the first book, it maintained the fantasy aspect with detailed descriptions of the groups dungeon's and dragons game which cleverly begins to reflect Nick's own troubled life. The new characters introduced to us fitted in perfectly and really worked well with plot, it didn't feel like the author was misleading anything or straying too far from the main plot. Nick is a great main character, his character is so well developed and even though he's gone through so much he's still cracking jokes about his situation. It's something that Mark Lawrence does really well, balancing humour with the more hard hitting parts of the plot.

There is further explanations about alternate timelines whichwere enjoyable to read about and even though science and maths were never my best subjects at school and there were times when some of the terminology went over my head and I had to use the dictionary for help a few times, it was still easy to get the gist of things and follow along with the more complex aspects of the plot.

This is a really fast paced read, I read it within a few hours as I was desperate to know what was going to happen next and I've become rather attached to the characters now and invested in how things will turn out for them.. I'm interested to see in which the direction the plot goes next and how the series wraps up with the third and final book.

Rating:
4/5 stars.

* I recieved an ARC copy via Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

Leave it to Mark Lawrence to write a second book in a trilogy that is even better than the first! I love how every series is of his is so unique, a wonderful mix of humor, heart, and action.

The universe is trying to kill you.

Just when Nick didn't think his life could get any more stressful, more time travelers show up and need his help. Because battling leukemia and life as a 16-year-old math genius now attending university wasn't enough, now the universe is out to get him. He is at the heart of a paradox that could cause not only his universe to be destroyed…

This has all the trademarks of Mark Lawrence's brilliant writing. There's the humor that is found even in the darkest days of a teenager battling leukemia:

"We need to play to our strengths." "We calculate him to death?"

The love and support found in a family:

"My dad used to say that he didn't love my mum because she was perfect, he loved her because her imperfections were a good match for his."

And the friendship that unites five outcasts who would love nothing more than to hide in a good game of D&D, but are forced to find the strength to battle real-life demons.

*quotes were taken from an uncorrected proof*

First I want to thank Netgalley and the publishers, and author Mark Lawrence for the opportunity to read an ARC of this amazing novel. Limited Wish is the second of a three book Trilogy and it actually won't be out until later this month or next (depends on who talks to you). I have already read and LOVED the first book, One Word Kill. Everybody who loves nerdy stuff, science fiction, and time travel is talking about it! I have read many time travel novels, and lots of them are just trips to another time in history where the "real" plot unfolds. Not this series! Until now, my favorite time travel series has been the Time Riders books by Alex Scarrow. I read them all, and was so sad when the series ended. Well, the Impossible Times series is better! By Far! The various ways to cause a quantum mechanics paradox by traveling through time are actually explained here (sometimes well, sometimes not-so-well), and the main characters are relatable, believable and downright amazing. The plot, staring sixteen year old "reluctant genius & prodigy" Nick Hayes, is set in London in 1986, which is the year Back to the Future appeared in movie theaters in the UK. Nick would rather be a normal boy, but that isn't an option for a brilliant teenage cancer survivor who has already met himself as a time traveler (in book one). This time, as he meets a couple of girls who seem weirdly familiar, he realizes that his timeline has some dangerous wrinkles in it. And of course, he's not the only one in trouble; seems like the future of the entire world depends on what he does now. I never played Dungeons and Dragons when it was all the rage but I have friends who did. Nick and his small circle of nerdy friends play D & D for hours, and we see parts of the game leaking into their real lives. I was totally on board every minute, the same way we are when we're watching a great monster movie! I raced through this one, and found that it, like book one, has an appropriate ending (no real cliffhanger here), but I need book three!! I need it now!! Hey, Mark Lawrence, listen here: I need book three! This series is amazing -- REALLY. And DO NOT start with this book, but with book one: One Word Kill. You will love it.

Limited Wish is the second book in the Impossible Times series. I liked the first book better but this is a fine continuation of the story set a couple of months after the first book. Nick and the team are back, but instead of Elton, there are some new characters called Helen and Eva who have some very serious impact on Nick’s life.

Thanks to NetGalley, 47North and Mark Lawrence for my copy.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review


I love that I got to read One Word Kill and Limited Wish so close together. I have no idea how I'm going to survive the wait until November to read Dispel Illusion. This trilogy is a masterpiece. And I'm saying that having not read the third book.

OWK ended on a hopefull but very bittersweet note. LW picks up a few months later. In some ways Nick's life has improved, in others it definitely hasn't. Nick is now an undergraduate in Mathematics at Cambridge, having stopped hiding his genius in the interests of working towards discovering time travel. A sixteen year old prodigy draws attention and not all of it good. Between girl troubles, DD sessions, working with a Cambridge professor and negotiating with his tricky health, Nick really has enough to worry about. It's a shame that everything suddenly seems to be conspiring to try and kill him really.
And then there's the anomalies, the weird energy surges and the phase shifts. Suddenly Nick isn't worried about living another 25 yrs - he might not make it to the end of the week.


Never let it be said that Lawrence doesn't put his characters through hell. He certainlg doesn't stay his hand for a teenage character! Perhaps that's what makes the pay off so satisfying, when clever plotting, witty narrative and great characterisation converge to race to the finale. One thing Lawrence always does is stick his books endings. The structure is always sound without sacrificing character voice or agency.

Another point I'd make is that a time travel plot is incredibly hard to land. When you start looking at quantum mechanics and temporal anomalies, not to mention sheer logic, most time travel plots grow overripe faster than avocados. I'm enough of a physics hobbyist (read: nerd) that it can throw me out of the book. Usually a good story and great characters will keep me on board. Lawrence not only delivers both of those things but his time travel narrative actually stays robust and carries the story to its conclusion.

I could go on but you'd better just read the book. I love the characters and their friendship groups. The writing was poihlgnant in places, hilariously laugh out loud funny in others but always engaging. The nerdery, DD, science and 80s refs are brilliant. And this has one of the most beautiful closing chapters of any book I've ever read. This is excellent. Highly recommend.

What a wild ride! 'Limited Wish' was full of adventure, mystery and adrenaline!

'Limited Wish hooked me in hard and fast from the very first page, in fact I think I even enjoyed it more than its predecessor, 'One Word Kill,' which I also loved. Nicks story continued, and not content with battling cancer, and being a maths genius, he also started Cambridge University at the tender age of 16! That's not even the strangest thing that happened!.This book took me on a whirlwind adventure, involving time travel, paradoxes, creepy villains, (like seriously that train scene 😮)creases in the fabric of time, and the possible destruction of the universe! Oh is that all you say?!

My heart was racing throughout the whole of this book, I was on constant alert, with the shocking twists and revelations. My head did nearly explode with all of the maths and science, but it was done really well so that non geniuses like me could follow and understand!

'Limited Wish' still had the great feel that the first book had, centred around Nick and his friends, and they still played D+D! I loved the friendships, and the love and support they had for each other! Amongst the action, science and maths, there was the usual teenage angst and relationship dramas. There was some great dark humour too, mostly from Nick, as he had to deal with his ongoing cancer, violence and the universe trying to kill him.

I actually lost all my highlighted quotes, but one that stood out to me was when Nick said, "My dad used to say that he didn't love my mum because she was perfect, he loved her because her imperfections were a good match for his."


Truly I was captivated by this mind bending tale, and found myself simultaneously wanting to race through it, and yet wanted to take my time so that it didn't end too soon! Highly recommend 👍

Two books into this series, and I'm impressed by the courage of Mark Lawrence.  Having a story with time travel and parallel stories, I admire that he made a decision at the end, just like Life requires.

I've read a few stories like this, with a character's decisions causing changes in the future... in a way every story has this, as our actions change what happens next, but most stories don't discuss that in the story itself.  Stories with time travel tend to need that discussion though, at some point.

Without spoiling the story, the end of the book is foreshadowed and the main character will have to make a decision.  The effects of that decision will influence the future of everyone we've started caring about in this series.  I anticipated that Lawrence would chicken-out and have the decision either a) not matter, or b) be decided by the Universe.

To my surprise and happiness, this failure to commit didn't happen.  I admire the way the story came together and still gives us an ending that works for the story, even if it's not what we may want.

So often book fall prey to second book syndrome, where the book really feels less like a book in its own right and more a transition between books one and three. This book did almost the exact opposite. In fact, it solidified Mark Lawrence as one of my favorite authors of the year.

This book takes all of the elements of One Word Kill that I loved and built on them, all while telling a new and intriguing story in this trilogy. It gives just enough to leave me wanting more while also wrapping up this chapter of Nick’s story without me having too many unanswered questions.

The. Writing. I’m the type of reader that cannot get into books with flowery prose, the type that feels like the author is trying too hard to show the reader how many big words they know. Lawrence has a simplicity to his writing in the best way possible. When he needs to get technical with the physics of time travel, he gets technical, but it never feels forced or unnatural. And it’s easy to follow even the more complex elements. I devoured this book because it was so easy to get into the flow of the story with the fluidity of the narrative.

I also really enjoyed how the old characters from the first book were developed more, while adding some awesome new characters. Eva’s my new favorite okay? Okay. She’s a total badass and I’d protect her with my whole life.

I cannot wait to see how this series ends! Luckily it sounds like I won’t have to wait too long!

Limited Wish picks a few months after the ending of One Word Kill. Nick goes to Cambridge University where he impresses everyone with his almost preternatural mathematical skills. In the meantime he has to deal with the Universe willing to kill him (by all means necessary, Leukemia included), girls (yep, plural), D&D sessions and guests from the future.

Problems faced by friends during D&D sessions translate into real life decisions and titular spell Limited Wish has an interesting concept I’ll let you discover on your own.

I always loved mathematics and Lawrence shows it beauty without delving into complicated equations. Highly appreciated.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC copy of Limited Wish!

The nostalgic fun continues in LIMITED WISH, the second book in the Impossible Times series by Mark Lawrence. The main character, Nick, has a lot on his plate: recovering from his recent bout with leukemia, falling for a girl but her dating someone else, and finding out that he is a time traveler in the future because his future self has visited him. Now Nick discovers there are multiple timelines and his head is spinning over which timeline is the right one. On top of it all, he has started research work at Cambridge and that quickly becomes complicated. Girls, physical recovery, time travel, friends, potential universe-shattering paradoxes. Nick has to balance it all and decide what are the right choices for him.
I really like how Lawrence has built the world that Nick lives in. Being in the 1980's brings back pleasant memories and having Nick still yearn to be a kid at heart by placing his weekly D&D game at the same level of importance to him as everything else. Nick is such a relatable and likeable character, through his struggles and successes, his awkwardness and bravery, and his sheer curiosity, the reader sees a teenager that we all once were. And all of the supporting characters are well developed and fun too. The action pleasantly builds to the climax of the book and there are some good twists along the way. Excited up until the end, the book also leaves a cliffhanger big enough that the reader is yearning to get their hands on the next book.
LIMITED WISH is not overly complex or epic in style, but it is loaded with exhilarating actions, endearing moments, and entertaining banter. I'm looking forward to the next Impossible Times book.

5×10ⁿ STARS! This book will make you go round and round and round in a never-ending loop of paradox...and fall down dead; a “head-twister” is what I like to call it :)

“Time heals all wounds.” Sam offered the old cliché.
“Time causes a lot of them, too.”

J.D. Salinger wrote, “What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much, though.” but when it does, it's an author who feels fabulously familiar, who understands you in a wondrous way, who you know you would have the most terrific talk with...and every time, every time, I turn the last page of a book by Mark Lawrence, that wish descends upon me like a vicious falcon, that cunning cruel creature, would upon its vulnerable prey.

Limited Wish is the best sequel One Word Kill I, this mulish maniacal meretricious mortal who would read anything the malefic munificent meritorious Mark would write—even pure poignant poetry (which he actually has and which are azure, ardent, and amazing), could have hoped for!
(Note: did I seriously just do that??)

“We humans care about what is, about what’s in front of us. Untouchable realities are too academic. If a man is starving to death on our street we empty the larder to feed him. Move him to a country a thousand miles away and our compassion shrinks a hundredfold.”

With his exquisite, flowing, and memorable writing that utterly traps you in its tale, throwing away the key (yay I stopped doing it!), and his glamorous gratifying grasp on anything from love, cancer, and humanity, to mathematics, physics, and paradox, and his incredible ingenious imagination to shape a singular strong story (nope...didn't stop), and with his tremendous talent in teaching to simplify the most complex concepts, Mark Lawrence has created magic in this book—more than ever before!

And I know that is a paragraph of praise, but it's true.

“A good mathematical proof is a gem. It sparkles in the same way, and like a diamond it’s impervious to time. It takes and multiplies the light of understanding, refracting it through many facets.”

There is the likely possiblity that this book might give you a headache, but in a good way! One Word Kill was much simpler and stood as an introduction to accustom the reader to the concept, aiming to explore its more complicated and fascinating side in the sequel(s); and thus there is more science in Limited Wish, and it's a unique book to truly challenge your mind, but you shouldn't worry—the author makes it all impossibly easy!

As Jane Austen said, “if a book is well written, I always find it too short.” and in this case it is too short :(
So I strongly suggest you pre-order it right now, because you are in for a ride unlike anything before.

I read both of mark lawerance's new books in this series courtesy of herbalist and really enjoyed them! Such a great author.

This book is a follow up to 'One Word Kill' and that book should definitely be read first to understand this book. While the author does give a helpful recap of OWK, it in no way replaces the full experience of the first volume of this planned trilogy.

I described OWK as Stranger Things meets Terminator 2, and many of the themes continue into this book. The first book introduced the overall arc and the mechanics of time travel. This entry into the series focuses more on one of the primary problems with time travel: paradoxes and multiple universes/timelines/realities. Between this book and Avengers Endgame, my head is spinning with trying to wrap my head around how it all works. Without delving into too many spoilers, it also has a great look into the Butterfly Effect and how small choices affect the future.

My best advice? Enjoy the ride and don't think on the mechanics of time travel too hard... That's generally a good rule of thumb for time travel. Mr. Lawrence does a great job of explaining it all, but it's best to just live in the moment.

The book is extremely well-written, combining Dungeons and Dragons scenes, "normal" teenage experiences, time travel, action/heist sequences, and the experiences of a cancer patient. Those all don't seem to go well together, but in this book, it does.

I definitely recommend this book and series to anyone. While it is marketed as YA fiction, there's enough there that can be enjoyed by teens and adults alike. I'm currently hoping I Can develop time travel to get to the last book in the series even faster.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for me to review.

More time travelling and physics in the second book in this fun and mind bending series from Mark Lawrence. I will say that it is pretty essential to read the first book, One Word Kill , before tackling this one, as otherwise The reader would be pretty lost. Once again our group of D&D playing friends must complete a risky heist , this time to repair a fracture in the time lines that is causing ripples and trying to kill our protagonist in a series of increasingly unlikely ways. Once again there is a good blend of action and humour to hold my interest as a reader. This was a fun book, and I am thankful to the publisher for my copy supplied via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Well, even I don't understand D&D references used in this story, Mark Lawrence kept a compelling storyline than One Word Kill. The characters here are mature and more of the time traveling references than the first book.

Following on from One Word Kill (so if you haven't read that go and avoid any people-who-survived type spoilers!!), Nick Hayes, 16-year-old mathematics genius, now knows that he has about 25 years to invent time travel before coming back to meet himself last month. So, he decides it's time to stop pretending to be 'normal' and accept early admission to a posh University filled with upper class nobs, where he can try to dumb down his explanations to his new maths professor. He also has to try to reclaim the girl that he was trying to save in the first book, but who is understandably a little freaked out by all the 'destiny' with their relationship.

Much as I enjoyed OWK, it didn't quite hit all the buttons I would have hoped for. Still, I was looking forward to this sequel to see where the story would go. And I was not disappointed! In fact, LW is the story getting much more into its stride, and as a result I enjoyed it even more.

Time travel has always been one of my favourite plots in speculative fiction, and I very much like how it's handled here. The characters feel a lot more grown up, too, despite the passing of mere months. And with different expectations after book one, the gentle nods towards the 'period' (hey - I lived through it, it's not exactly the Victorian age!!) made me smile rather than being disappointingly light. There is a great deal of amusement, I thought, from the mention of modern band names and how nonsensical they would be in the 1980s - Lady Gaga? Red Hot Chilli Peppers? Fnarf.

I also loved the way the D&D game reflects the events in real life for the kids, without being overly forced. This takes a while to show up, as in the first book, but is a nice little touch.

Recommended, and bring on the third installment already!

Nick Haye's mathematical ability has wowed Oxford and vaulted him into helping with a  series of experiments that may be the answer to his time traveling questions... but there's a problem. Ok, several problems. Echos in time, stray energy, temporal resonances, and PARADOXES! Possibly brought on by Helen, a new character who helps him out of a tight situation...running from some jerky, older Oxford dorks... coincidences become fate.

Will the "spanners in the works" mess up the ‘Save Mia’ plan... Chased by a government agent with past issues and rippling, mind-bending time loops, it’s up to Nick's friends and Demus and Mia and Helen and others to help him sort it out.

More D&D. More maths, More... I certainly liked One Word Kill, but I loved Limited Wish. The second book seems more introspective than the first; it concentrates mostly on Nick's timeline and honestly, more of the things that I found enjoyable in the first book. He now has the main goal of discovering time travel, yet there are several factors that may get in way, including most importantly, his health. Two things to love about his characterization: Lawrence's description of Nick's manipulation of numbers was an excellent way to help the uninitiated understand a sliver of the process. Nick's awkwardness in the face of infatuation, flirting, and love is heartbreakingly realistic. 

D&D. There's a big shift with Elton dropping out of the narrative and the friendship group. Mia takes over the task of DM, and the quest takes on a more symbolic twist on the story running in the forefront of Limited Wish... and when you get to the origin of the title, it is an awesome piece that links several threads together. Fun Stuff!

Note: A Mandlebrot reference made me happy... not that understand any of his work, but I read Ziemska's novella Mandelbrot the Magnificent last month and loved it. (Review can be found here: Mandelbrot the Magnificent: A Novella by Liz Ziemska)

I highly recommend this series and am eagerly waiting for the 3rd installment. 

4.5 out of 5 stars.

This is the second book of a trilogy about time-travelling maths prodigy Nick Hayes and his Dungeons & Dragons playing friends. I read the first, One Word Kill, very recently which meant the plot and characters were all fresh, although the author helpfully includes a quick recap at the beginning - I wish more writers would do this! I definitely recommend reading these in order regardless.

A few months after the events of OWK, Nick’s life has changed dramatically - he is now studying at Cambridge under a famous professor, who will work with him on the equations which will ultimately help him travel through time. Mia has dumped him in favour of a flamboyant teen actor but is still showing up for their weekly D&D games. When a strangely familiar girl appears and the universe starts trying to kill him, Nick learns that the paradox he creates is putting multiple timelines at risk, and only he can fix it.

I confess I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as the first book, but it’s still a highly readable adventure - there was a bit too much D&D in this one - not something I was ever into - although I learned the origin of the personality grids that have been showing up on Facebook lately, referring to Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic, so that’s something.

I loved the time travel jokes and eighties throwback references, and while the mind-bending Timey-Wimey stuff got a bit confusing for me, the author did a good job of straightening it out again. I worried we were heading for a cliffhanger ending - the next book is apparently not due until November so that would’ve been annoying - but he actually wraps it up very satisfactorily while still leaving plot lines to be completed. 4.5 rounded up for the wonderful characters and originality of ideas (at least for someone who doesn’t read much sci-fi/fantasy).

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc which allowed me to give an honest review. Limited Wish is published on 28.05.19.

[Excerpt]:

Well. I was intrigued by this series for two reasons: time travel and the fact that a young kid gets cancer and has to deal with all these crazy happenings at the same time he undergoes treatment. Something about the combination caught my attention – it seemed unusual. So I downloaded the first book, “One Word Kill” for free from April’s Amazon First Reads list. Then I received an ARC of “Limited Wish” before I’d even got to book 1, so I hunkered down to read them both.

These books are well-written. They contain LOTS of mathematics and physics-speak. I’m sure to people who like both and/or one of those topics, the books would be extremely fun and interesting. However, I am not one of those people.

I was bored most of the time and confused at least half the time. I found events hard to follow. The time travel aspect was so ingrained within the actual mathematics that it lost its “shine.” I also didn’t feel connected to ANY of the characters, which is always a big indicator to me that I won’t like / enjoy a book. I’ve noticed in the past few years that I’m not as invested in stories with a male protagonist. I thought Nick was okay, and Simon was odd but likeable, but I didn’t care for either of the girls (Mia or Helen), and the whole Demus plotline was just….I don’t know, extraordinarily uninteresting to me. Also, Dungeons and Dragons features HEAVILY in this series, and since I have never played this game a day in my life, nor do I understand a single thing about it, I was equally bored and frustrated because nothing made sense. I did think it was cool that Nick’s daughter with Helen, Eva, time traveled to meet her father. But that wasn’t nearly enough to redeem this book.

[Full review on my blog!]

Limited Wish wasn’t quite as enjoyable to me as One Word Kill but it still carries some of the same magic I found in the first book. There is a paradox as two possible time lines are too close together and our Nick seems to be in both of them. He is the key to fixing things but since he is also the source of the paradox the universe is trying to kill him.

Nick and company are great again. I really like how most of this group of friends sticks together through thick and thin. Even Nick going off to university early is not going to mess up the Saturday D&D game, although the new Paladin might. Sam is Mia’s new boyfriend, yes you heard that right Mia has a new boyfriend and she invited him to the D&D game. I guess when the universe tells you, you’re going to be with a certain person sometimes you still fight it.
But now, it’s like… It’s like me and Mia are fated to be together. It’s like there’s no choice and we know where we’re heading.’
‘Pressure, dude!’
John always said ‘dude’ as if he were trying it on for size. But he was right. Romance and love can endure external pressure to end them. Being told no just made Romeo and Juliet get serious. But those emotions don’t do so well if that pressure is trying to make them happen instead of trying to make them stop. It’s like having a gun to your head and being told to laugh convincingly at a joke or you get a bullet.

So Nick is dealing with University, the girl he is supposed to be with fighting it, another girl who looks familiar popping up at strange times, a bully or two at school and just to round it all out a do-gooder Paladin.

The struggle I had with this book is that the tie in to the D&D game didn’t go along quite for me. Also, the dueling time lines starting to get a little confusing. The impending paradox and everything that entailed along with some of the other events like busting into a Nuclear Power plant did seemed a bit far out there too. But it was all entertaining, even if I possibly over thought some things.

Eva was a great character addition to the story and I was happy to see Demus again. I did like how this all hinged on Nick being in the right place at the right time to do ‘something’ to set both timelines right again
‘Hope,’ said Demus, ‘is an essential tool in any torturer’s kit bag. Hope is the thing that we will torture ourselves with after he’s knocked off and gone home for the night. That, sadly, is one of the lessons standing between you and me.’

One Word Kill had more of a Stranger things vibe to it. Still a decent second book to a series and enjoyable, but didn’t quite hold my attention as much. Looking forward to seeing what other time shenanigans our questing party will have in the next book of the series.

I received an arc from Netgalley. This does not affect my unbiased review of the book.

Yet another brilliant book from Mark Lawrence. Believable characters, imaginative plot, can’t wait for the final instalment.

Love love this book! The characters, the writing, and the nostalgic feel puts off Ready Player Over and Stranger Things vibes that made me fall in love, not only with Mark Lawrence's writing but Nick as well.

Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A perfectly awesome time-travel tale served up on a platter of fun D&D mirroring, future-knowledge angst, time-ghosts, paradox, and mathematical hijinx that does more than skirt the edges of a heist novel.

Again.

But don't worry! While this may have a lot of the same elements of the first book in broad strokes, the story ramps up with some rather awesome snags that aren't just romantic. And even the other kinds of encounter-mirroring is fully explained in the recesses of the paradox. :) Very cool stuff, well thought-out, delightfully fast read.

And it is fully taking advantage of our recent loves of Stranger Things (80's geekdom!) and quick-paced thrillers. Only, this is a math-genius cancer-sufferer going to college a bit early and falling face-first into a ton of critical-failure rolls. :)

Well worth it. I'm absolutely loving the hell out of these.

Limitless Praise for Limited Wish!

*Received from Netgalley in exchange for review, but the infinite gushing is all me*

Well hello there! No, you’re not getting déjà vu, I am wearing the same outfit that I did when I reviewed One Word Kill, but that’s not cos I time travelled from an alternate reality, it’s cos I’m here to review the sequel! (plus I didn’t want it to go to waste )

Reading the recap, I was immediately reminded how complex Lawrence’s creation is. With more time travelling fun, this sequel has the added benefit of dual timelines, hinging on multiple choices.

From the outset, there were even more laugh out loud moments and perfectly balanced descriptions. Each sentence had a careful equilibrium, making me appreciate the writing in new ways. With unbelievable skill, Lawrence showed us maths through the eyes of the protagonist, making it more beautiful than I ever could have imagined.

This all works to create a world that is both vivid and a little mind-boggling. What I especially like about it is the way there’s a supernatural strangeness to the story. And of course, I love the characters that populate this world.

I was blown away by the characterisation here. For instance, when Sam introduces himself as Sir Algeron, we instantly know what he is about. All of them are made from an intelligent blend of chaotic and orderly traits, making sense on the surface and yet having enough incongruities so that they feel astoundingly realistic.

This not only equates to a fascinating window into human nature, it also allows the reader to be fully immersed in the story. And what a fantastic story it is! There’s no middle book syndrome here, as we’re thrown straight back into the narrative. Remarkably, the ideas are just as sophisticated as the last. I particularly loved the idea of Nick being a “statistical anomaly” and the clever consequences that produced. I did guess who Eva was, but that didn’t subtract from my enjoyment in any way, though I will say I was more impressed by how D&D was entwined with the plot again! If you do pick this up, you can expect non-stop action and excitement. And, miraculously, Lawrence managed to pull all this off, whilst also managing to end on a sweet note yet again!

The sum total of all this is I enjoyed the heck out of this sequel!

Rating: 5/5 bananas

I enjoyed this series so far.

This book (and series) are fantastic if you are just starting to read sci-fi/fantasy.

This book is very well written and it kept me hooked from the beginning.

I do highly recommend.

So, I received this second book for a free download. With that in mind, I bought the first book. Thinking that I love Lawrence's book's, so this would be a no brainer. I did like the first book. But, I guess I wasn't much impressed with this one. Nor do I have interest in the third. I'm not sure really what lost me. The d&d stuff was a drag. Yes, I once dated someone who was fairly awesome, then on a Saturday he took me to a d&d thing. He played. I read and watched m.t.v. He was hot. Then not! Maybe, that's it for me. I don't think nerds or geeks are cute. Never have, and I never will. I ain't gonna blow smoke.up.your ass and say the first book was great either. Except for the kick ass gal, "who's name I can't even remember," the rest were everything I avoided back in school. Don't get me wrong, because I didn't like jocks either. I was always middle of the road. I love Mark Lawrence when he does fantasy. This is not for me. I understand how others would like it, but again.....Not me. I actually want to know about the Sisters. That world. This is puff.

Well, I didn't for one second believe that Mark Lawrence could surpass the standard of the first book but he has! This second novel in the Impossible Times series is a fantastic and fiercely compelling tale of time travel, gaming, maths, paradoxes, action and excitement. The cast happens to be exquisitely drawn with complex, multi-dimensional personalities and the plot well constructed with tension aplenty. We learn so much more about Nick in this instalment as this was a lot more introspective than Limited Wish. Nick is incredibly real and relatable as he's quite awkward and introverted just like me and it can cause a few issues in life which he experiences throughout this book.

It is an excellent piece of fun, epic, speculative fiction with a plethora of original and intriguing ideas which come together in a flurry of different threads and eventually merge. I was expecting a cliffhanger given that it is leading into and setting up for the final book but Lawrence manages to craft a satisfying conclusion to it too; I certainly wasn't expecting that so it was a welcome surprise. The humour the author interspersed throughout was a stroke of genius and appears at just the right moments to provide a little light relief. This is a detailed, immersive world and a story that moves at a decent clip. Focusing on the issues surrounding time travel, this episode explores paradoxes and multiple universes, timelines, realities and is a real adventure. Many thanks to 47North for an ARC.

Limited Wish is the second instalment in the Impossible Times series. The first - One Word Kill was a completely addictive story and I couldn't put it down. I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of Limited Wish and I picked it up straight away. After just a few pages I was completely sucked in again and this time the stakes are even higher.

Limited Wish picks up not long after the events of One Word Kill and drops us right into the action of Nick at Cambridge University. The story follows Nick as he attempts to figure out what's causing the time echoes that are happening around him, and solve the problem of a paradox. The story is full to the brim with action, adventure and excitement.

Mark Lawrence has yet to write a book I haven't completely loved and Limited Wish is definitely one of my favourites. I loved returning to the characters we met in the first book - Nick and his gang as they attempt to stop the bad guys, both in real life and in Dungeons and Dragons. There's all brilliant characters but I particularly love Simon and Mia. It's fascinating to see the characters grow, particularly after the events of the first book in the series.

The story is full of science, time travel and mathematics. It's incredibly well plotted and feels realistic whilst also featuring future selves, time travel and a whizz kid mathematician. I loved the mix of science fiction with teenagers just trying to make it through a party and talk to girls. It was such an enjoyable read and I definitely didn't want it to end.

Limited Wish is full of heart and you'll definitely grow attached to the wonderful characters. The fast paced plot also kept me guessing and there were quite a few twists that I definitely wasn't expecting. This is absolutely a new favourite and if you haven't had the chance to pick the series up yet, now is the perfect time. Book three in the series Dispel Illusion is coming in November so you'll definitely want to be all caught up by then - this series is one you don't want to miss.

A super second installment to this trilogy - and, for a potentially challenging topic, Mark Lawrence pulls off Book 2 even better than Book 1!

Nick Hayes has managed to bluff his way into Cambridge, where he can continue his father's work on the mathematical proof for time travel that will enable his future self (Demus) to return to Nick's own past (just go with it). But, aside from run-ins with the élite*, things won't be so straight-forward. He appears to see a double of a girl he has met, running round the university and chased by ghosts. His own relationship with Mia has been crushed under feelings of inevitability and, after finding out that he is now caught in a double paradox, it seems like no decision that Nick makes will be the right way out.

The adventure and confusion that follows feels much like the first book, although smoother, slicker and better explained. And as it's time travel I can completely forgive events repeating themselves - especially when the characters recognise this too!

I also love the role that D&D plays in these books - it's a clear analogy for the events happening to Nick, but it never feels laboured. Instead, it just shows how exciting and imaginative a well-played campaign can be - particularly when you are surrounded by a great group of friends.

Loved the story, loved the writing, makes me a very happy nerd.

*As an Oxbridge alumni I'm willing to forgive these, as it didn't feel like they were representing us all... plus I can happily pretend that this is limited to the 1980s ...

I requested and received a copy for honest review, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. This review contains non-detailed spoilers for One Word Kill,

If you've ever seen or read any time travel story ever, you know the thing you must avoid at all costs is a time paradox. However, Nick Hayes following his full on Beautiful mind performance regarding his father's work now a student at Cambridge, has seemingly found his way through just such a scenario, and no worse for wear... That is until he begins seeing time echos, reflecting the many timelines of the multiverse theory touched on in the previous book. What if you could see the paths before you, but more than one future was pulling you along?

For me the book still has a heavy character focus, but unlike the first which made that the priority, here we dive right into the action. We follow Nick newly at university and delving further into the math and science, the newfound investigation and wonder (along with the effects of) time travel. At the same time we find his struggle with becoming caught up in prodigy status with his professor/project that places significant weight on his shoulders, the fallout with his friends from the story so far, and navigating what it means to be in remission.

This strongly picked up the pacing and plotting, it gripped me from start to finish. Mark Lawrence tends to be known for the impact in moments of violence in his fantasy works, but here he shows impacting the reader is a skill he wields deftly with or without graphic content, instead twisting the blade by tackling difficult topics and emotional scenes. I'll be quite surprised if he doesn't stick the landing on this series with book 3.

In Limited Wish, Mark is a busy sixteen-year-old. He is still playing Dungeons & Dragons with his high school buddies. However, now he is a freshman at Cambridge University. He is getting over a breakup and finding a new love. He is battling cancer. All while dealing with time travel, paradoxes, and, of course, saving the universe.

This book is set six months following its predecessor in the Impossible Times trilogy, One Word Kill. The author provides an in depth spoiler-filled synopsis of the prior book in this book’s prologue but the series is best read in order, if possible. If you read the prologue in this book, you will ruin all the surprises in the first book.

Admittedly, math is not my favorite subject despite having taken it through calculus in college. I also never took a physics class anywhere due to my previously mentioned aversion to math. I do like string theory, in theory at least, so the time traveling multiple universe plot was fine. However, the parallel universes did get a bit confusing as the plot was much more complex than One Word Kill. However, there is still some human emotion and humor on hand here too. Overall, Limited Wish is highly recommended for science, math and science fiction fans. For all of us just regular thriller readers, I give it 4 stars and again recommend reading One Word Kill first. Still, I can’t wait for the final book in this series, Dispel Illusion, out in November 2019!

Thanks to 47North and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Limited Wish picks up just after One Word Kill ended. Nick’s at Cambridge now, and there are finally more girls around! But besides that, there’s not a lot to say about Limited Wish that I haven’t already said about One Word Kill. Again, Nick really wants to play some D&D and do some math but time travelers, sworn enemies and cancer keep throwing him off. Again, his friendships with John and Simon are the warm heart of the story, and there’s another teamwork heist.

This time, he’s got Demos, a future self from a timeline when he marries Mia, as well as Eva, his future daughter from a timeline when he marries Helen. He’s coming up on the May Ball when he goes home with one of the two girls, and he knows he needs to make the right choice, but he just doesn’t know who he, uh, will have married. Time travel makes strange grammar. There may be two alternate worlds or a rip in time or just a big ball of wibbly-wobbly disaster, and the universe is desperately trying to right itself by offing Nick. Even regular parts of the regular world can be pretty strange when Nick’s around....

I might like this one even more than One Word Kill. Did I mention there are more girls this time? In college, I did my study abroad reading classics at Cambridge, a wonderful time and an extreme contrast with my other semesters at a state college, and I always love novels set in Cambridge. (Note: I did not marry either of the boys I went to end-of-term parties with.)

I’m looking forward to the final book after reading Limited Wish.

Really enjoyed this one! It’s a a mad sprint from start to finish and such an interesting adventure. The times-wimey stuff is well done and as usual, the characters, the dialog and the story are top notch. Pretty sure Mark can write anything and write it well! I know the third part is out at some point this year and I’m eagerly waiting it now — one complete trilogy and the final book in the Book of the Ancestor series all in one year, while maintaining such incredible quality is simply amazing.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2768724777

This is a quick read and a clever tale of multiple universes and time travel and a brilliant young man that gets pulled in to changing his own timeline while facing an illness. Lawrence does a wonderful job handling the complications of time travel, as well as creating the dread of the illness and it's treatment.

Limited Wish builds on builds the first book, so I would recommend reading that one first. The first one is equally quick and equally clever. In fact, many of the story elements from the first book are mirrored in this installment and this is explicitly brought up by the main character. I'll be curious to see if this is done again in the third book and if the mirroring of events plays a part in explaining why some of the things have happened.

Rating: ★★★★★

Synopsis

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.

Review

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.

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What a ride! Limited Wish was a very good sequel to One Word Kill and I really enjoyed it. It took me a long time to pick it back up once I had put it down, but as soon as I was hooked by all the adventures and mystery, I finished it in one go.

Limited Wish start after the end of One Word Kill. I didn't read the synopsis before diving into it so I was a little surprised to see that Mia and Nick had broken up. Knowing what the future might hold for them was perhaps too difficult to handle. But, don't worry. It doesn't mean their romance is over...

She reached for me. And, following the advice I had once left for myself on a note six months and half a lifetime ago, I kissed the girl.

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In Limited Wish, we get to reconnect with these characters but also, D&D! To be honest, the games weren't my favorite parts in the story and sometimes, I found myself wanting to skim and go to the 'actual' story/action. However, it was still enjoyable to read and as Nick put it:

"It's not an all-or-nothing game like those board games our parents made us play. Win or lose. It's more like life. Mixed. You can't have it all, but sometimes you can have what you need."

Something else is back in this sequel and that's... cancer. Thankfully, it didn't make me cry as much as the first book but it was still emotional.

I had actually seen worry behind those brisk professional smiles. Doubt behind usually calm eyes. As if for the first time they saw their enemy staring right back at them. Cancer. No longer lurking but laughing, its teeth deep in me, daring them to do their worst, or their best - it didn't matter.

As for the plot, this quote will probably do a better job than I could:

"Has it occurred to you, Demus, that here we are running from Rust again, a Rust at least, ready to break into a technical facility again there's a party to go to where I'm hoping to kiss the girl, again, and oh yes, I'm in chemo again?"

Overall, I really liked this book and obviously you have to read the first book in the series but I hope you'll enjoy it as much (or even more) than I did. I'm excited to see what the author has in store for us in Dispel Illusion!

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(Thank you to the publisher for letting me read and review an e-ARC via Netgalley)

This is the sequel to One Word Kill, which I read immediately before reading this one. It starts out with a recap of major events in the first book. They're still fresh in my mind as I read this one, but someone who had more time between might benefit from the recap.

Several familiar characters return a few years later, most notably Nick. The story got off to a slow start for me and I'm still not a fan of multiple universe theory, but as that's at the heart of the plot, I let myself enjoy it on a fantasy level (yes, I believe in possible real time travel).

Much of the story this time was about Nick's need to discover time travel so that he could fill the role his future self already came back to do in the first book (everybody follow that?) There is also his confused love life when a significant new female character, Helen, enters his life causing 'ghosting' of potential future events.

Overall I found this story slower than the first one, though anyone invested in the characters from One Word Kill will be interested in how things progress in Nick's life.

"Limited Wish" is the second installment in the "Impossible Times" series and is set a few months after the events of "One Word Kill".

I read the first book in order to understand this second book (you really need to read this series in order for it to make any sense!) and enjoyed it. This book felt a little more rushed and I found parts of the story slightly confusing at times, specifically the ending. I think this book could have been expanded to add more information and clearer plot points to make it more understandable.

However, it was a compelling read and I will gladly finish this trilogy. I found myself enjoying the characters and the story very much.

I received an Arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

I though One Work Kill was in for a shout as my book of the year, yer only a few weeks later Limited WIsh has managed to trump that. This is one hell of a good book. In an age where our fantasy and sci-fi quite often comes in 300k work tomes, (dont get me wrong, i love a huge epic fantasy) Mark Lawrence has managed to produce a masterpiece in under 100k.

This is a powerful book. Its deep, dealing with death and disease, loss and heartbreak, fatherhood and love. Several times i found myself welling up. Yet its funny and lighthearted, with genuine laugh out loud moments. More than all of this, its clever. So damned clever. The plot is intricate, and relies on the reader keeping up. Lawrence respects his readers intelligence, without ever asking too much of them.

I could spend all morning gushing about this book, so ill end by saying read book 1, read this, and clear you schedule in November for book 3.

I’m loving the quick release schedule for these books, because it meant I was able to jump right into Limited Wish almost immediately after finishing One Word Kill and I was definitely looking forward to continuing the story of Nick Hayes and his friends. Following the events of book one, our protagonist has beaten his diagnosis of cancer and is now enrolled in the prestigious Mathematics program at Cambridge, following in his brilliant late father’s footsteps. It is 1986 and Nick is looking forward to beginning a new chapter in his life as a university student, but still he maintains close ties to his mother and his group of D&D friends at home. Of course, things haven’t exactly been the same between them anymore, not since their brush with time travel, and considering what they’ve all been through, that’s not too surprising.

As it turns out though, Nick’s adventures are far from over. At school, he meets a fellow student who seems strangely familiar, though he’s pretty sure he’s never seen her before. Comprehension dawns as he realizes that his past shenanigans must have caused several disruptions through time, and now life as he knows it is in danger of unraveling unless he can get the gang together again to fix the very fabric of reality—with the help of some unexpected and impossible allies to boot.

Oh, reviewing a time travel book is always so frustrating, because how do you explain the best parts without spoiling things? Multiple possibilities, mind-bending paradoxes, uncanny precognition, communications from the future…this book has it all. I think it’s safe to say if you enjoyed One Word Kill, then Limited Wish will appeal to you for all the same reasons, but with the stakes even higher this time, the difference is that you will likely get hooked much faster and much harder. No small amount of credit is also due to Mark Lawrence for this, for as always, he writes in a style that is easy for readers to grasp and to grow addicted to, so you just can’t help but keep turning the pages. Even the driest and most complex of theories seemed straightforward and superbly, unendingly fascinating in his hands, and as a result, I finished Limited Wish in about a day. It’s also a fast-paced and rather short novel, so that helped as well.

Again, the characters stole the show in this one. Nick Hayes as a protagonist is likeable and sympathetic, to the point where you almost have to resent the author a little for putting this sweet kid through the wringer. Though if you’ve read Mark Lawrence, chances are you already know his characters are no strangers to hardship, given his penchant to throw seemingly impossible obstacles before them. It’s what makes reading his books so worth it. Limited Wish hooked me in because I already felt close to Nick, and it was both joyous and heartbreaking to see him be presented with another challenge. Like One Word Kill, this sequel strikes a fine balance between the entertaining action and the emotional, poignant gut-punch moments. It makes you really feel for Nick, simultaneously making him a character you want to cheer for, as well as to wrap around in protective arms in order to shield him from all the pain and uncertainties of life. At the same time, the story is also full of these wild and incredible scenarios that make you wonder what you would do if you were in the protagonist’s shoes, coming face-to-face with people from his past and present. That is to say, despite its moodier moments, this is a really fun read that contains plenty of lightness to balance out some of the life-altering confusion and angst.

So what else is there left to say, besides I can’t wait to see what else this series has in store for us! I’ve been a fan of Mark Lawrence for a long time, but the last couple of years has seen his writing and storytelling evolve to a whole new level, with the proof of that happening right before us in the Impossible Times trilogy. Bring on the third book, I say, because I’m loving it. With Dispel Illusion due out before the end of the year, I’m just glad the wait won’t be too long!

Okay so middle books in trilogies are always risky as there's often no big world introduction or big awesome ending and much of the time they simply don't live up to the first and last books in the series.
This is not one of those occasions. Mark Lawrence laughs in the face of "Middle Book syndrome". In fact, I actually liked this one better than the first!

All of our favourite characters from the first book return in a slightly different setting - Cambridge University! As I'm rather familiar with Cambridge I very much enjoyed this new setting. While I feel like we had further character development with our MC Nick, I do also feel like his friends were more on the sidelines of this one for some reason which is a bit of a shame.

I still absolutely loved the D&D sessions and I'm so glad this continued throughout the book even with Nick going off to university. That little bit of magic and imagination and all round nerdiness is just wonderful.

As for the time travel theory used in the series - I have to admit that I still can't quite get my head around it but that's pretty much to be expected for time travel plots!

The ending was overall fairly satisfying and this could easily finish as a duology (but I'm still secretly glad we're getting one more book).

Mark Lawrence continues to impress in this lovely new trilogy.

Thank you very much to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for and honest review.

I started to read this book, then stopped when I realised it was following on from a previous novel, One Word Kill. I was intrigued enough by the premise, so I've shelved this book and bought One Word Kill to start off with. I'm already enjoying it immensely - loving the characters and how it's all unfolding. So four stars so far, and massive thanks to Amazon Publishing UK 47north and Net Galley for bringing this Author and book to my attention. I'll update my review once I've finished them both.