i have lose count of the number of people to whom i have recommend the 1983 s. f. novel millenium and write by john varley . nineteen of the twenty chapter be name after classic time travel story and the name of each be relevant to the context and which and on the face of it might seem like a contrivance and but if it be a contrivance it one that work very well . it not a quick read and neither be it a book to be take on a plane a the plot revolve around air disaster in which there be no survivor ( a surprising amount worryingly ) . it structure be quite complex and several of the scene be recount from two different viewpoint ( a recur complaint from reviewer ) . there be two prologue and the second one place after the epilogue and so if you want a book to read on the beach keep on with dan brown . a favourite hobby horse of mine be that comparison between novel and film novel be pointless because the two medium be completely antithetical . a novelist make certain assumption about the reader intelligence and imagination and the filmmaker make no such assumption and lay everything out in front of the viewer whose only contribution to the cinema go experience be to stay awake for the length of the picture . the movie millennium make even this small effort a chore . i want it to be good and i do not want them to have screw it up while sadly i be disappoint on both count . it a bb run of the mill hack job . i doubt if either of the lead give much think to their role and about the best you could say be that they avoid bump into the scenery . mr daniel j. travanti never repeat his success a lt frank furillo in hill st blue and be woefully miscast here . he should have sue his agent . there be extraneous scene that do nothing to help the story ( one involve the air crash investigator hero bill smith a a child involve in a plane crash make nonsense of the whole story ) and all the subtlety of the novel be replace by noise and flashy lighting . it not even camp well not intentionally . i fear it maker take millennium entirely seriously and snafu ed it .