Review of 'The Ministry of Time'

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

The UK government acquires a door that allows them to travel through time. Establishing a “Ministry of Time” they bring back several individuals that were about to die to present day, assigning them a “bridge” - an employee to help them acclimatize after their one-way ticket to the present. The narrator is assigned “expat” polar explorer Commander Graham Gore from Franklin's 1845 lost arctic expedition. Despite his traumatic life and arrival into modern day Britain which is suffering massively from global warming, Gore quickly adapts to his new life while his bridge develops a more than professional interest in the strong and loving explorer. Unsurprisingly, it is clear that the government has more than altruistic interest in time travel…

Despite the fairly “high SF” aspect of this novel it is much more focused on the relationship between the Gore, the man pulled out of time, and the bridge assigned to his care. It is told with extracts from the ill-fated expedition where Gore was first lieutenant as they are stranded in polar ice while navigating the Northwest Passage of Canada. Stranded for two years with supplies running extremely low eventually they decide to try to walk their way home…with an expected result. It is amusing to read of how Gore and his fellow “expats” adapt to their new life with the careful introduction of modern history (specifically the second world war) and technology.

The plot of “The Ministry of Time” is fairly straightforward though the eventual conspiracy uncovered is certainly not and left me feeling more than a bit confused, and not entirely convinced though with some interesting plot twists that surprised. As more of a fan of Science Fiction I found it more of a romance than anything else, albeit one in a unique setting. In this, the book drags a fair amount with only the conclusion being a surprise.

Easy, interesting read but not really for me.

Rating: “A bit better than average”

Review Date: 2026-06-13

Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Sceptre

Publication Date: 2024

ISBN: 9781399726368