Connie Willis
The second in a two part story started in Blackout. Actually, it is a one part story that was too long to fit in a single binding. So you can't really read the first without the second, and vice versa. The two do not stand alone. In this second volume, Polly, Mike and Merope are stranded in WWII London and can't get out. They go about life, but always have a hope that they will be ultimately rescued. When Mr. Dunworthy (chief Oxford historian) shows up, with no actual rescue plan, hopes are dashed. But Mike doesn't know this, and neither does Colin. Will it be a happy ending?
Two factors make this series excellent and worth reading. The first (and largest) is that we get a real picture of war time London for the "average" person. Of course, this is exactly what the historians went to WWII for, but they encounter "average" in ways that they didn't expect. Because they are outside of the times, Willis is able to use the historian's narrative to highlight these findings to the reader. It is never preachy or monologue, but true personal revelation about survival, relationship and minor heroism that the reader is swept up in. The second factor is the treatment of time travel. There is a point in every time travel story (movie or book) in which one wonders "Wow, how is this going to resolve". At this point, the reader is hooked and the author can either crash and burn (i.e. ignore any continuity details) or can ride into the sunset (or sunrise, as the case may be) knowing that almost every detail is covered. Since this plot revolves around the time continuum maintaining its integrity, Willis does a great job fitting every detail together. In the end, the reader is treated to a sewn up time continuum with the requisite questions about "How did that work" and four days later thought of "Oh, that's cool".
This is definitely on the Read list.
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