When unemployed San Francisco reporter Chuck Townsend and his college-dropout son, Justin, take a cruise to Mexico in 2016, each hopes to rebuild a relationship after years of estrangement. But they find more than common ground aboard the ship. They meet a mysterious lecturer who touts the possibilities of time travel. Within days, Chuck and Justin find themselves in 1900, riding a train to Texas, intent on preventing a distant uncle from being hanged for a crime he did not commit. Their quick trip to Galveston, however, becomes long and complicated when they wrangle with business rivals and fall for two beautiful librarians on the eve of a hurricane that will destroy the city. Filled with humor, history, romance, and heartbreak, SEPTEMBER SKY follows two directionless souls on the adventure of a lifetime as they try to make peace with the past, find new purpose, and grapple with the knowledge of things to come.
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Review
"September Sky is a multi-genre tour de force, combining adventure, romance, and science fiction in an entertaining story that holds a reader's interest from the opening paragraph." -- Awesome Indies
"An unforgettable journey." -- Music, Books, and Tea
"Just when you think you know how things are going to happen, [Heldt] throws a wrench into the works and you're left guessing until the very end of the novel . . . This is a book you'll want to read over and over and over again. It's just that good." -- The Mad Reviewer
"The best time-travel book I have ever read." -- Boundless Book Reviews
"A suspenseful, page-turning novel." -- Author S.A. Molteni
"For all fans of time travel, history, action, romance, and good fun reads, September Sky is an excellent entry in the genre. It will, at times, break your heart, then quickly renew your spirit." -- Books are Theater of the Mind
"Engrossing." -- Bedazzled by Books
"Until I discovered John Heldt's books I was not a fan of reading time-travel novels, but his stories are enthralling, believable, and historically sound. September Sky is not any different. It grips the reader from the start." -- Pam's Book Reviews
"I'm hooked. This book has it all." -- Miki's Hope
"These stories truly whisk me away." -- Reading Cafe
"After reading John's Northwest Passages series I just knew that September Sky was going to be special . . . I fell in love all over again with his writing and stories." -- NC Reader Girl
"Heldt's attention to detail is astonishing." -- On My Kindle
"I learned a lot about a real tragedy . . . Heldt captured the true horror of it." -- Reading with Monie
"A masterful story." -- Blogger Jackie Burris
"Heldt's world is so well described, I have to wonder, does he know something about time travel that we don't? From start to finish, once again, I was spellbound by his imagination and ability to breathe life into each and every character." -- Tome Tender
"Highly recommend." -- Sheri's Reviews
"If you like history, time travel, and murder all rolled into one, this book is for you." -- Alixtheweaver
"While this is only the second novel by Mr. Heldt I've read, I'm convinced he can basically do no wrong." -- Author N.M Sotzek
"A wonderful fantasy novel." -- Book Maven