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Timeskip Kindle Edition

by Charles de Lint (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 190 ratings
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Its opening sentence, "Every time it rains a ghost comes walking," is the perfect start to this bittersweet short story about the hesitant first steps of a relationship. Featuring Newford fiddler Geordie Riddell, it's a gentle story of love, loss and the bonds of friendship.

First published in Post Mortem edited by Paul F.Olson and David B. Silva, 1989; also appears in Dreams Underfoot and The Very Best of Charles de Lint

Timeskip is where Newford began: "Newford was not planned out in advance. It started (unbeknownst to me) with“Timeskip,” a short story that I wrote for an anthology. I wanted to set the story somewhere other than the Ottawa area where most of my stories had taken place, but I didn’t feel comfortable writing about a city that I couldn’t physically visit. So I decided to use various aspects of large urban centers that I had visited, and create a fictitious setting."
–Charles de Lint, from an interview with FairyRoom.com

"I can never recapture the feeling of first arriving in Newford and meeting the people and seeing the sights as a newcomer. However, part of the beauty of Newford is the sense that it has always been there, that de Lint is a reporter who occasionally files stories from a reality stranger and more beautiful than ours. De Lint also manages to keep each new Newford story fresh and captivating because he is so generous and loving in his depiction of the characters. Yes, there are a group of core characters whose stories recur most often, but a city like Newford has so many intriguing people in it, so many diverse stories to tell, so much pain and triumph to chronicle."
— Challenging Destiny

Charles de Lint is the modern master of urban fantasy. Folktale, myth, fairy tale, dreams, urban legend—all of it adds up to pure magic in de Lint's vivid, original world. No one does it better.
— Alice Hoffman

Charles de Lint writes like a magician. He draws out the strange inside our own world, weaving stories that feel more real than we are when we read them. He is, simply put, the best.
— Holly Black

De Lint is probably the finest contemporary author of fantasy
– Booklist, American Library Association

Unlike most fantasy writers who deal with battles between ultimate good and evil, de Lint concentrates on smaller, very personal conflicts. Perhaps this is what makes him accessible to the non-fantasy audience as well as the hard-core fans. Perhaps it’s just damned fine writing.
– Quill & Quire

De Lint’s evocative images, both ordinary and fantastic, jolt the imagination.
– Publishers Weekly

It is hard to imagine urban fantasy done with greater skill
– Booklist, American Library Association
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  1. Print length
    19 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    February 27, 2015
  5. File size
    183 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00U4AB9O2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Triskell Press (February 27, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 27, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 183 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 19 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 190 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
190 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Bookgrrl
5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
The first of many Newford stories I have read. All of them are beautiful modern fables. I have a collection that I pull out to read when I am tired or sad or lonely. They all bring a touch of hope into the world,
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MJ Walters
4.0 out of 5 stars A bittersweet story for a rainy day
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2017
Verified Purchase
I'm on a bit of a Charles de Lint binge lately, catching up with work I haven't read yet.  Timeskip is a ghost story, and while I found the ending predictable, I still enjoyed it. It's a story about love and loss, the power of friendship, and the courage of human kindness.  (I wish I'd read it after The People of Sand and Slag, as a kind of palate cleanser.  Oh well...) 

It's a Newford story, and two of the characters are Newford regulars, Geordie Riddell, and Jilly Coppercorn.  Because it's a familiar universe and familiar characters, and because de Lint's voice is both enchanting and gentle, there's a kind of comfort to it in spite of a bittersweet ending.

And yes, I did see the end coming, but that didn't matter, it was still satisfying.
2 people found this helpful
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Tami H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Charles de Lint at His Best
Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is my favorite of de Lint's short stories. I first read "Timeskip" several years ago in the anthology entitled, "Dreams Underfoot." I have since re-read it several times and bought the Kindle version so that I could read it anytime, anyplace. I encourage any one who enjoys urban fantasy and mythic fiction to read any of de Lint's works. Especially this poignant tale set in the fictional city of Newford, along with two of my favorite characters, Geordie and Jilly. There is a palpable magic in de Lint's writing that needs to be experienced in order to be fully appreciated.
One person found this helpful
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Eames
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific and thought provoking story.
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2015
Verified Purchase
Mr. de Lint writes stories that are enjoyable, thought provoking and hold me in my seat till the last page. This one was no exception. If you haven't read his work till now I encourage you to do so and read them all. His characters are complex, struggle with ordinary and paranormal issues each day, and manage to survive, make friends and do their best to solve what's set before them. We need more writers of Mr. de Lint's caliber.
2 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Always at the top of his game!
Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2015
Verified Purchase
As usual Charles De Lint has done it again. His work is evocative, thought-provoking , and never trite. His characters are timeless end yet remain hip and cool regardless. He deals with human emotions the way his fiddler Geordy does. One strand at a time , evoking nostalgia , reluctance , joy , and acceptance. The short work is a standalone but goes great with the rest of the body of his works. He is truly a master at his craft.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars I have no idea what to put as a headline
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019
Verified Purchase
It was interesting. I neither loved nor hated it. I resent being required to write this and will avoid Kindle in the future.
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Anne Hillis
4.0 out of 5 stars In the Very Best collection, too.
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
It's good, it's tiny, and if you just read his Best of Charles de Lint collection, as I have, you just read it. If you didn't, it's a good sample read. Amazon warns you if you already bought a book. They don't tell you it's in a collection you own. Worth your while to open it and peek inside, rather than just buying a pile of stories.
One person found this helpful
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Randall K. Stamm
5.0 out of 5 stars Love and rain and ghosts
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2020
Verified Purchase
A beautiful and heart-deep piece of love and longing and time. It features two of my favorite Newford residents, Jilly and Geordie in a rich and bittersweet tale.
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Top reviews from other countries

Gillian Frost
5.0 out of 5 stars Magical
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 13, 2020
Verified Purchase
Charles de Lint puts pen to paper and out flows a magic to transport you to another world. Another timeless and magical story in this book. A book to take down on a wet afternoon when ghosts abound.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Curious idea!
Reviewed in Canada on November 5, 2017
Verified Purchase
I have read about Geordie and Jilly many times, and about other characters in Newford. But, as I understand, this is the "start" of those stories, and as such is a little more amazing! I find a lot of the concepts put forth by De Lint more than thought provoking. And I find myself wondering "what if" more often than not. I am aware of the saying "be careful what you wish for", but still I sometimes find myself running away with one of his ideas, and expanding on it! AMAZING!
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Lincoln.H.McAlister
5.0 out of 5 stars Time Travelling with a difference
Reviewed in Australia on February 24, 2017
Verified Purchase
De Lint never fails to turn mystery into something tangible that you the reader participates in.A slightly somber read this one mixed with hope at the end.If you love things ghostly,this is for you.
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J. Patrick Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars Possible worlds
Reviewed in Canada on April 12, 2015
Verified Purchase
Another fantastic story by my favourite author.
Be careful of the ghosts you meet. They might just take you back with them to where they've come from.
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J Moon
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful as always
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 10, 2016
Verified Purchase
Charles never disappoints! Was so happy to read how Newford first came into being. Apparently this story continues in paperjack.
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