“Somewhere in Time” was a classic romantic film in 1980 adapted from the novel “Bid Time Return” written by Richard Matheson and published in 1975.  The film was starring by Christopher Reeve who had acclaimed performances in “Superman” (1978) and “Superman II” (1980) and Jane Seymour, a British actress.  The novel won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1976. The success of the film and its music made the book to be re-published under the title “Somewhere in Time” in 1980.

When I was young, I watched this movie through TV.  Every time this movie was broadcasted, I always watched it again.  It should be the first romantic film that I ever watched.  Although there are several differences between the novel and the movie, the main plot and characters are the same.  The book is about a story of powerful and romantic love that transcends time and space.  There are some insightful quotes in this book – "The power of the mind is a force greater than we realize; it can transport us to places we never thought possible" is one of those that states the enormous possibility of our minds.  The male protagonist, Richard Collier, was obsessed with a photo of a young lady, Elise McKenna at the Grand Hotel in San Diego.  Through self-hypnosis, he was back to 1896 and met Elise at last.  While Elise was walking by the lake, they met and Elise asked Richard, "Is it you?”  There should be the “first” time they met and it seems that Elise knew him before. You will have enjoyable reading for this novel!

This novel used first-person narration from the viewpoint of Richard Collier, using tape recorder and handwritten notes to tell his story.  The writings of Richard Matheson were elegant and his descriptions were detailed.  While reading the novel, it is easy for readers to visualize what Richard Collier saw when he was back to 1896 and the beauty of Elise McKenna via the eyes of Richard Collier.  You can experience how much Richard loves Elise.  Although this book was written many years ago, it is highly recommended for readers to read as the story depicted is moving and timeless.

You can borrow this book from Hong Kong Public Libraries (HKPL), streaming the e-audiobook at the “Naxos Spoken Word Library” e-book database or listen to the music of the film at library workstations.  Enjoy different genres for this story!