This is the first book I've read by Philip Fracassi, and it was definitely promising! I loved the premise: in the not-too-distant future, scientist Beth Darlow has discovered the seemingly impossible - she's built a time machine. It has its drawbacks though: it is your consciousness in the form of brain waves that travels, and this means you can only travel to a point in your own past, to relive moments of your live. Also, there's no way of deciding where you travel to. And, due to safety concerns, the time limit is extremely strict - 90 seconds. It's highly regulated to make sure that there is no effect on the current timeline, and a psychiatrist in present to ensure there's no ensuing trauma.

And there's that third rule: you can only observe. Even if you are watching a terrible moment of your life that you regret and wish you could change, it is impossible to do anything but watch.

... or is it?

This is such an exciting premise for a book; I love the idea of time travel being so limited, as we often imagine or see it in books (or other media) as a world-changing breakthrough that immediately causes emotional and cosmic ramifications. This is such an... understated scientific discovery that actually makes it more interesting. And more real...

It's a face-paced romp through a series of moral dilemmas, involving: funding, the moral and legal implications of creating something, what we would do for family, ways in which this limited time travel might be used, and then more 'ordinary' dilemmas - how do we balance our life's work with having a family? What does it mean for a memory to be 'emotionally charged?' Can we truly trust our spouse, or a work colleague, or a friend?

The problem for me was that there just wasn't enough. The spectacular premise just promised too much. It became more of an action book, whereas I wanted more of the scientific information - when the technology (inevitably) becomes unreliable, what exactly are the scientific ramifications? Where are the explanations, even? I wanted to like this, but I was ultimately frustrated. I'd try another book by Philip Fracassi, but I wouldn't recommend this widely; I felt cheated out of a proper resolution!

A fast read, and basically enjoyable - I just wanted more.

I love time travel stories, but my problem with this one was the same as the other works I’ve read by this author - the characters don’t feel fleshed out enough. I feel like he would write really good screenplays where the actors fleshed out the characters for him

This was a very different sci fi novel to what I’ve usually read but in a good way ! This was more of a sci fi with thriller aspects and it worked the full way through.
This book had subtle nods to what would happen throughout the book but still left on an exciting note

LOVED IT, LOVED IT . Due to health issues cannot not but will write a proper review at a later time
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Good story - not for the sci fi faint hearted, because there are parts that explain the science behind what's happening

I liked the characters and the plots, with building tension as you realise before the protagonist that it's all going wrong (surprisingly I picked up the clue!) - I kind of hoped for the ending, but didn't expect that it would happen, so a good conclusion to the story.

The underlying story, of rich and unscrupulous/untrustworthy tech entrepeneur, hoovering up brainy people and clever ideas/inventions to exploit them, regardless of morality, unfortunately resonates strongly with me.

Conclusion - a good, strong story - you might like this even if you're not a hard core sci fi person

Third rule of time travel

“The machine’s not my life,” she says. “My daughter is.”

We follow Beth, who in partnership with her late husband created a Time Machine, rather than travelling in time necessarily it allows the traveller to be transported to a specific moment in their life, almost as a spectator- but what side effects could be caused by such a creation and is it worth it?

“You allowed it? You’re just a shrink, buddy. This whole project? This whole fucking place”—Beth points at the air around her—“is still here because of me and Colson. We’re the scientists in the room. We’re the creators. We’re the old man’s racehorses. You don’t allow jack shit.”

The third rule of time travel is a gripping and thrilling sci-fi focused on the personal struggles caused by a machine with unknown power under the leadership of unscrupulous CEO.

Beth as a character is someone you will root for, she is the primary focal point of this book as we are navigating her creation, family and work life.


I loved following Beth as a character, with the stressful situation she is in this book is fantastic!
4.5 ⭐ for me!

Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for a review copy

3.25 stars.

A sci-fi following Beth, a scientist who is the joint creator of a machine that lets your consciousness travel back to different times in your life for a few brief minutes.
This was fast-paced, interesting and a little creepy at times. I think my issue was that the characters did not feel especially fleshed out, therefore I struggled to connect emotionally to them and events that happened in the book therefore had less weight for me.
This would be the perfect book for people who like sci-fi with a thriller edge.

This was a fun and unique take on time travel. Unfortunately, the novel never fully clicks… perhaps it glosses over the science and implications of the “multiple” subjects it covers, but in the end you feel it was all a bit too rushed and not tied up as neatly as it could’ve been. Nevertheless, a quick and enjoyable read, and a solid effort in refreshing a tried and tested concept.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Third Rule of Time Travel is one of those books you don’t want to put down. I absolutely loved the main character (Dr Beth Darlow) who is an intelligent hardworking mother. This woman has been through it, and due to time travel we get to experience it with her. The exploration of the lengths we go to for science was interesting. We also see how people can change over time, which I liked. Emotions are definitely at the forefront of this book, and I felt them along with the characters.
The sci-fi elements are easy to follow making this an accessible read. We don’t get much back story to the development of the technology, but this didn’t seem necessary. There are plenty of unknowns and mystery elements that kept me enthralled and gave the book that thriller feel. A few twists and turns to keep you guessing where the story will go.
This would be a fantastic film! Overall an interesting and thrilling time-travel read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐛𝐲 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝐒𝐜𝐢-𝐅𝐢
𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫: 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝟏𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡

𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘦: 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.
𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘸𝘰: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴.
𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯.

Wow,
This was an experience - not my usual genre in the slightest but I’m glad I read something different. I absolutely loved Boys In The Valley and I’m so happy NetGalley accepted my request. Fracassi’s writing just enchants you into turning those pages!

Back to the future is one of my all time favourite movies so I had to delve into a time travel book (note: there is no Delorean in this book 😅) this isn’t about someone travelling back in time… it’s their consciousness travelling back to a moment in their past.

What I enjoyed the most was following Beth and how she navigates after travelling and seeing her reality bend.

𝐌𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟒 ⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this Arc!

Where/when would you travel if you could travel back in time?
Me? I’d want to see my dad and hear his voice one more time.

#bookstagram #bookstagramuk #booktok #books #netgalley #netgalleyuk #theruleoftimetravel #philipfracassi #thriller #scifi #timetravel #bookstaghouls #booksta #bookworm #bibliophile #bookishcommunity #books #bookshelf #ilovebooks

I first heard about this book from another bookstagrammer and was intrigued by the story. I then managed to snag an eARC from NetGalley so was very excited to read it. Who doesn’t like a timey-wimey story?

I’m sorry to say that I didn’t like this timey-wimey story and the FOMO definitely got the better of me. Such a great concept and some really interesting ideas but it just isn’t for me.

I really don’t want to be down on authors but Fracassi’s style is not for me. It’s repetitive, stiff, dull and the plot goes nowhere until the last couple of chapters. And as many have pointed out it reads like a screenplay and not a novel. It could easily be a decent limited series or a Netflix movie.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Little Brown Book Group for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book even though I requested it blindly. Time travel is intriguing and a title that tells us specifically about the third rule of it. Of course, I'd sign up for it!

This was different from what I had imagined, and I liked it for the most part. I couldn't at all relate to the protagonist Dr. Beth Barlow, who isn't just a workaholic but rude to somehow also rude to everyone at work because she has things to do. The science behind time travel in the book went over my head at times, which is too bad because there are books and shows that explain the concept better.

I did the slow burn feeling but unfortunately was not a fan of the ending where one of the characters turns into a cartoon villain with a similar monologue. Overall, a decent read with a unique premise.

Thanks to Netgalley & Orbit for the e-copy!

Third rule of time travel
18 March
My second Fracassi book in just the last few months and he's fast becoming a favourite of mine. He has stepped out of his comfort zone with this shift to sci-fi in The Third Rule of Time Travel but he clearly shows that he is fearless ; he has an idea for a novel, and he goes for it.

I really enjoyed TTROTT it is a fast paced action thriller with a different take on the time travelling genre. There is some old school Fracassi in there too as there's a couple of genuinely creepy scenes.

Well worth the read and is a worthy addition to the Fracassi freak collections.

4 ⭐

I love time travel related novels but this one just didn’t work for me. The plotting seemed off while I wasn’t able to relate to the characters at all. While it did keep me engrossed till 70%, it didn’t end rather well.

The primary emotion here was grief, loss and anger and that was well done but the point of a time travel novel is to end well and this doesn’t do it. As much as I wanted it to be good, it sadly wasn’t :(

Hellooooo, Philip Fracassi! 👋🏽 You are officially on my radar, and I am here for it! What a brilliant ride this book was!

"𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘖𝘯𝘦: 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦.
𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘸𝘰: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘴.
𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦."

This gave me serious Dark Matter 🖤 vibes, and I ATE. IT. UP! The beginning sets the stage beautifully, allowing us to connect with Beth, our main character, and feel the metaphorical storm brewing around her.

"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘦-𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦."

Now, I usually have the patience of a caffeinated squirrel 🐿️ when it comes to slow burns, and even though this could be seen as a little slow to start, I found the pacing perfect as it was carefully and skilfully written sustaining suspense throughout. It kept me hooked from start to finish!

Once we hit the second half, it was like a rollercoaster 🎢 on steroids: fast-paced, thrilling, and with a few super creepy moments that had the hairs on my neck standing up! I loved it all.

If you’re looking for a vibrant, engaging read that blends suspense with a dash of sci-fi, The Third Rule of Time Travel is your ticket to an unforgettable adventure. Buckle up!

I gave this read 4.5 stars - rounded up.

Thank you Little Brown Book Group UK & Netgalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest review. 🙏🏽

I knew way back in November last year that this was going to be a favourite read of mine.

I’ve only read one previous Fracassi (Boys in the Valley, which I loved) and now I’m ready for ANYTHING he throws at me.

If you’ve seen my previous teaser posts about this you’ll know what to expect. But also – expect the unexpected! Yes, there are three rules – but aren’t rules meant to be broken? Just saying.

So. Time Travel. And our Beth and (ex) husband Colson have created a machine – think Quantum Leap meets Source Code – that allows the traveller to leap into past consciousness. Totally random entry points. For 90 seconds. What would you do in that minute and a half? What COULD you do? And it begs the old Jurassic Park question – “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”

We all know going into this that the third rule will be the most difficult to adhere to and the slightest infraction will shatter timelines – the tiniest ripple causing the biggest effect.

Fracassi has crafted something really special here. There’s no horror except for the possibility of being unable to change things you desperately want to change. There’s sci-fi at its core but also moments that will tug at your heartstrings. And as we move through the novel (at some speed by the way – I devoured this in three sittings) there are subtle changes that at first you may think are proofing errors. Pay CLOSE attention.

There’s a lot to unpack in the final few chapters and if I find the time I’ll definitely be doing a re-read. Oh to go back in time and be able to read this for the first time again.

I predicted this would be a five star read for me and I was correct in my assumptions. I wouldn’t change a thing.

I went on wanting to read a scifi novel but i got a mystery novel with very minimal scifi elements. Liked the story but not my cup of tea.

First off...DISCLAIMER: I requested this title on NetGalley. Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK/Orbit for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.

EMOTIONAL VOYAGE

Time-travel stories are always entertaining and thought-provoking no matter what, but I was pleasantly surprised by the spin Fracassi put on the trope. As it turns out, you can produce an exciting specimen of time-travel narrative even by having your characters remain fixed in place and only be able to revisit moments of their past...at least if you up the ante by throwing a couple more ingredients into the mix (one of which shall remain unnamed, to avoid spoiling your fun), and ultimately allowing said characters a different kind of agency than the reader would expect. As much as the adventures of a person displaced in a different era or physically reliving the same day can be fun, there's something to be said for a more psychological - and in this case, even philosophical - approach to being untethered from your present. I know, I know...I'm being cryptic, but spoilers are just around the corner. Suffice to say, while Beth is a stationary character, the trips her consciousness makes (and the ones her late husband made before her) spin a twisty (and emotional) web while apparently warping her present - first in subtle ways, then with catastrophic consequences - and won't make you miss the thrill of "real" time travel.

AGENCY HICCUPS

TTROTT is also the story of a female physicist in a male-dominated field, with everything it entails - though to be honest, Beth's work isn't the only one her boss is set to exploit, and he's pretty much horrible to all his employees, regardless of their gender...but the way he manipulates her and/or puts her through the wringer, and his response to her emotional distress after her increasingly more shocking travels, are textbook sexism - which Beth calls out, even trying a little (impromptu) manipulation of her own in return. Beth herself isn't your typical likeable character, but she owns her mistakes, and she feels authentic and relatable, both as a scientist and a person (and a widow, and a mother) put under an enormous amount of strain. If I have to be nitpicky, I might say that - counterintuitively for a brilliant scientist and a woman who manages to stay headstrong in an impossible situation - there are a few occasions when Beth is, for all purposes, stripped of her agency by the male side characters, who either keep her in the dark about crucial matters for her own protection, or try to make decisions for her (about a machine that's mostly her brainchild, too), or conversely, create the conditions for her to be able to pursue her goals. I understand that the story requires these things to happen for it to unfold the way it does, but it's a little frustrating.

SOUL-FI

Last but not least - Fracassi's latest offering is a (well-researched and plausible) sci-fi novel, but it's probably a better candidate for the much wider label of "speculative fiction", since it ends up taking a philosophical (you might even say "spiritual") turn. No need to worry though, because this aspect integrates nicely with the main genre of the book (and even better with the other one I'm not mentioning), and it doesn't come out of the left field - the author did a great job of incorporating certain ideas and themes early on. Maybe some sci-fi purists will wrinkle their nose, I don't know - but I think everyone who's on board with a more metaphysical approach to time travel will find a lot to love in this brutal at times, yet ultimately soulful sci-fi story.

Philip Fracassi’s The Third Rule of Time Travel marks a significant tonal shift from his previous work, Boys in the Valley. While Boys in the Valley was a fast-paced, gripping read, this novel takes a much slower, more methodical approach, which may not appeal to all readers.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is its main female character. Her storyline is compelling, and I found myself empathizing with her journey. However, given the novel’s title, I expected a more dynamic exploration of time travel. Instead, much of the narrative unfolds within the confines of a laboratory, where characters engage in lengthy discussions and debates about the project rather than actively experiencing different timelines.

I had hoped for a more immersive dive into time travel—encounters with historical figures, extended sequences set in the past, and a broader sense of adventure. Unfortunately, the novel fell short in that regard. That said, the final 20–30 pages offered a satisfying glimpse of what could have been, with a greater sense of movement and exploration of time and space.

Overall, The Third Rule of Time Travel is an interesting but slow-burning read. Fans of Fracassi’s previous work may find the change in pacing challenging, but those who enjoy philosophical discussions of time travel may appreciate its introspective approach.

It is a rule of time travel stories that they have to have rules. In Philip Fracassi’s new book The Third Rule of Time Travel, those rules are made clear very early and very traumatically. Once you have rules, of course, as with Asimov’s laws of robotics, the trick becomes how to subvert them. The question that Fracassi hints at through the opening section of his book, is whether the rules themselves are fixed.
When The Third Rule of Time Travel opens, Beth is being forced to relive one of the worst days of her life – when she survived a plane crash that killed the rest of her family. She can do this using a machine created by her and her husband Colson that can send consciousness back in time and allow someone to relive that moment. There are, of course, three rules:
1. The traveller can only go backwards in time
2. The trip can only last 90 seconds
3. The traveller can only observe
Beth and Colson came up with the rules, but they are not actually rules, more observations of how the machine they built works. Beth is still grieving following Colson’s death the year before but she presses on, determined to finish their project and deliver a machine that has practical impacts. And she can do that because the whole project is bankrolled by multi-billionaire Jim Langan. More pressure is placed on Beth when Langan invites in a journalist as he wants to take the project public. As a result, Beth is forced to demonstrate the machine more and finds herself in even more traumatic moments of her life.
As with all time travel tales (and there are plenty – Doctor Who, Back to the Future, The Ministry of Time, The Future of Another Timeline, The Time Traveller’s Wife, 11/22/63, Recursion, Terminator – to namecheck a few) the trick is to not think too deeply about the mechanics, because eventually you are going to hit a paradox or some plot point that does not quite work. Fracassi helps readers do this by delivering a fast-paced plot full of hints and foreshadowing and paranoia and a main character who readers can deeply invest in.
Fracassi has written a fair amount in the horror genre and knows how to deliver a creeping dread just by tweaking small details and keeping his protagonist (and reader) off balance. In The Third Rule of Time Travel he combines this skill with some mind bending chrono-gymnastics, consideration of many-worlds theory and a dash of philosophy all to great effect. He manages to keep all of these elements together to effectively create a piece of fun, page-turning science fiction.