Book Reviews and More: The Timeless - Richard Paolinelli and Gibson Buffa

The Timeless

Dreams Of The Storyteller Book 17

Richard Paolinelli

Gibson Buffa

Tuscany Bay Books

ISBN 9781723715389

ASIN B07HCNWBYW

The Timeless - Richard Paolinelli and Gibson Buffa - Dreams Of The Storyteller 17

This is the first of two new works by Paolinelli that I stumbled upon in 2026. They are both stories of The Timeless and both now published under the series Dreams Of The Storyteller. And this first one is another amazing read from Paolinelli’s masterful pen. But I am getting ahead of myself.

A few years ago I read 14 volumes in the Dreams of the Storyteller Series. I really enjoyed these short stories and novellas. And I was very excited when Paolinelli announced he was releasing two more tales in this series. This series is mainly comprised of stories that had appeared in Anthologies and are not published as stand along stories. My first encounter with Paolinelli’s work was in the Anthology Cracked An Anthology of Eggsellent Chicken Stories edited by Bokerah Brumley, since then I have read work by Richard over 35 times. And I have greatly enjoyed his work across many genres, and a number of series.

The description of this volume states:

“Earth's Past Is Under Attack!

In the far distant future, with the galaxy locked in an area of dark space where electronics will not work, Little John Singapore sits in a prison cell on Pluto awaiting execution. Singapore is the First Mate of the pirate ship, the Timeless. As he awaits his fate he agrees to tell a young author one story each day about his ship and his Captain, Rock Congo.

Singapore tells how the Governor of the Sol system Garabaldi enlisted the ship and her crew to pursue Duchess Moran. Moran is an infamous interstellar thief tired of her plans being interfered with by the Earth-led Alliance. She has stolen the Amulet of Geraint, allowing her to travel through time at will. Her target is ancient Greece, where she plans to prevent democracy from ever taking hold by stopping King Leonidas from reaching the famed Battle of Thermopylae. By changing Earth's past she hopes to prevent the Alliance from ever forming.

The Timeless, a ship that can sail through space, air and water with equal ease, is the only ship capable of time travel, and Earth's only hope to save its past, present and future. Despite being crewed by pirates, Garabaldi sends them through time in pursuit of Moran.

When the Timeless arrives in ancient Sparta, the find Moran has already been there and has kidnapped Leonidas and his Queen. Now they have just a matter of days to find her and the King to keep his appointment with King Xerxes of Persia and preserve Earth's history.

The first book of the Timeless series, a middle grade/YA science fiction/steampunk hybrid, is sure to be a hit with readers of all ages. As well as fans of historical fiction as the Timeless and her crew will be very busy in Earth's storied past in future books in the series.”

These two stories were previously available as a separate series. Released in 2018 and 2019. The way this one starts and finishes once cannot help but expect more stories set in this world. This story feels like it could be the beginning of an epic series. At the beginning of both older and current editions it has a list of coming soon titles up to a book 6. Hopefully we will see more of them soon! But back to the story at hand.

The story begins with a shuttle landing on a prison. On that shuttle is a reporter. And he is there to collect stories from a specific prisoner. This section from the first chapter gives us insight to the rest of the book, and other books in the series.

““Lad,” Singapore said softly.

“Yes, John?” Carver replied, still feeling uneasy over what he’d just witnessed.

“I’ll tell ye a story. Every day ye come back here and me number’s not drawn for the hangman, I’ll tell ye another.”

“About your ship, the Timeless?”

“Aye.”

“And your Captain, Rock Congo?”

“Aye.”

“And Duchess Moran?”

“Aye,” Singapore all but spat out the word.

“They say she is quite the beauty,” Carver ventured cautiously, not certain of the reason behind the emotion.

“Aye, she is,” Singapore admitted with a sigh. “Face and body of an angel that one. Hair as red as a home fire’s flame. Eyes as green as any emerald. And a heart as black as the Devil herself.”

It is a story with plots within plots and plans within plans. Pirate turned against pirate and a trip into the past with an attempt to change history in a very dramatic way. The characters are well written and the play is gripping and addictive. It grabs reader’s attraction and keeps then till the end, and then leads them wanting more.

Richard is not only an author but the driving force behind Tuscany Bay Books, I have read many volumes from the Bay by a number of authors and all have been well worth the read. This was one of several two short stories that were added to the collection Dreams Of The Storyteller in 2026. There are now collection of 18 volumes in this collection, the first 2 date from 2014, 1 from 2022, and several in 2023, And now these 2 new ones in 2025, and now 2 more moved to the series in 2026.

A great novella from Paolinelli’s masterful pen. It took me by surprise. A great addition to the Dreams Of The Storyteller collection. I can easily recommend this story for what an excellent piece of Science fiction! I wish I had read it earlier before it was added to the collection. Do not make my mistake pick it up and give it a try I am certain it will entertain!

Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2026 Catholic Reading Plan!

For reviews of all books from Tuscany Bay click here.

Books by Richard Paolinelli:

Maelstrom

When the Gods Fell

The Calling

The Last Lonely Trail

A Zombie Christmas Carol

The Woman Returns

Of All The Gin Joints In The Universe

…

Infinity Series: