OUTLINE• DESCRIPTION OF THE BOOK
• PLOT
• CHARACTERS
• SETTING
• INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING
• EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING
PLOT SUMMARYAndré, Kate and Chris are uncovering a site in Dordogne, France. Their Professor leaves to discuss something with the boss of the company that’s funding them, Doniger. Days later they find a note from him dated 1357. Doniger sends someone to pick them up and take them to Arizona. The find that time travel exists. They go back in time to 1357 to Dordogne. The three find that the local lord, Oliver, is about to be attacked by warlord Arnaut. They split up, and André finds the Professor. Kate and Chris
KATHERINE ERICKSONKnown as Kate
American
Dark tan and freckles
Short, blond hair and blue eyes
Wears a wig to make her hair longer, as short hair in the medieval ages was a sign of heresy
Not pretty, but attractive
CHRISTOPHER STEWART HUGHESKnown as Chris
English
24
Knowledgeable about medieval science and technology
Orphan since his parents died in a car crash
Fussy
Stomach trouble
DR. ANDRÉ MAREKDutch
29
Tall, muscular build
Fanatical about the Middle Ages.
Assistant professor of history at Yale
Very slight Dutch accent
Refuses to grow a beard as it wasn’t fashionable in the Middle Ages. This basically sums him up.
CHARACTERSCharacter Position Details
André Marek ‘Peasant’
Kate Erickson ‘Peasant’
Chris Hughes ‘Peasant’
Professor Johnston
‘Nobility’ A professor in history who get lost in time
Sir Guy Nobility
Lord Oliver Nobility A paranoid lord
Arnaut Nobility A warlord, fighting against Lord Oliver
SETTINGPart One: Corazon, America – 1998
Part Two: Dordogne, France – 1998
Part Three: Black Rock, America – 1998
Part Four: Castelgard, Dordogne, France – 1357
Part Five: Castelgard, Dordogne, France – 1348
Part Six: Eltham Castle, England – 1998
INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDINGArchitectural technologies
Medieval sciences and technologies
Gunpowder’s origins
Medieval
“The original recipe [of gunpowder] … had come from China. But the details of how it had arrived in Europe were in dispute.” pg. 415
Quote
“Those arrows are going to force Arnaut to pull his siege engines back-too far back to be effective” pg. 419
Quote
“What we have developed is a form of space travel…it means that we travel to another place in the multiverse” pg. 124
Quote
EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING
Frantic to find the Professor before the 37 hours are up
Worried about anachronisms
Fearful for their lives
Confused about directives
Sad about deaths and the final conclusion (suspense…heh heh heh…)
“And in that moment, their situation was clear to him. Their guides were both dead. One machine was gone. Their return marker was shattered. Which meant that they were stuck in this place…with no prospect of ever getting back. Not ever.” pg. 197
Quote
EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING
Interested in Medieval society
Fascinated by the events
Relieved to find a way to get back home (ceramic marker)
Proud for finding the Professor
Happy for Kate and Chris (they get married in the end)
EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING
I felt suspended, like there was always something that I didn’t know
Curious to see where the story would be going
Drawn into Crichton’s descriptions and scenes
His physical, emotional and mental descriptions were fascinating
Quote
“She knew what it was: a beheading block. She was powerless to oppose him. The knight pushed her down roughly, forcing her neck onto the block…she saw a shadow move across the grass as he raised his axe into the air…” pg. 408
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