- Publisher : Pocket Books
- Publication date : January 1, 1981
- Edition : Book Club
- Language : English
- Print length : 250 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0385143974
- ISBN-13 : 978-0385143974
- ASIN : B000NXCPRK
- Author: Robert Holdstock
Where Time Winds Blow by Robert Holdstock is set on the planet Kamelios also known as VanderZande’s World. Leo Faulcon and his partner Lena have added a new member of their team 0f rifters, Kris Dojaan. Kris has come to Kamelios to look for his brother, Mark who was lost to the time winds. On this planet, and especially in one canyon, there are storms known as ‘time winds’. When these winds blow, things are transported to and from the area from different points in time. Buildings and ships and equipment and other artifacts, appear and disappear into the winds. Sometimes things are left for the long term and sometimes they are only momentarily in the current time. Rifters comb the valley for these artifacts of past and future civilizations. Among the artifacts, a ‘phantom’ is regularly seen. It is supposed this phantom is one of the rifters who was caught in a time wind and has somehow found a way to return. Kris is convinced this phantom is his brother, Mark. Leo thinks it is someone else.
I enjoyed the world Holdstock created. It is reminiscent of other science fiction worlds, but is all its own. The idea of localized and random time transport gives the story a different sort of twist. I also liked the philosophical discussions that Leo had with the ‘manchanged’. These folks have been physically altered to be able to survive the atmosphere of Kamelios without the masks that normal humans required. Leo’s trip to their outpost provides an alternate view of the planet, and just of what it means to be alive.
Where Time Winds Blow is not a classic, must-read, but it is an enjoyable and different take on the humans colonizing other worlds stories. It’s worth the time.
Matt Truxaw’s newest book is Monster, which released on 1/12/2026. This urban fantasy, horror, thriller will keep you turning the pages.
He is also the author of the hard science fiction thrillers: “Plastiphobia/Plastivore” and “Anthrophobia: A Teacher’s Tale”
You can find them all on Amazon in Paperback, Hardback, Kindle and/or free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
When you read any of them, he would really appreciate a review/rating on Amazon or your favorite book seller/book reader site.
More about Matt:
He was born in Orange County California many years ago and he still lives there. He has been reading books for most of those years and writing up book reviews for the last few years. He gets MANY of his books out of the library/Libby so expect a lot of old science fiction classics book reviews and other science related reviews in addition to newer books he comes across.
If you want to be ‘in-the-loop’ on these and other works, you can follow his author’s page on Amazon or his Facebook page.
For more reviews and articles by Matt here on Amazing Stories (Click here).
Monster: A Novel by Matt Truxaw
