An old man wearing a brown robe is found wandering disoriented in the Arizona desert. He is miles from any human habitation and has no memory of how he got to be there, or who he is. The only clue to his identity is the plan of a medieval monastery in his pocket.

So begins the mystery ofTimeline, a story that will catapult a group of young scientists back to the Middle Ages and into the heart of the Hundred Years' War.

Timelinecements Michael Crichton's place as the king of the high-concept thriller, and a master storyteller to boot.

Born in Chicago in 1942,Michael Crichtonfirst trained as a doctor before going on to become one of the most successful writers in the world. In 1994 he achieved a feat unmatched by any other writer: by having simultaneously a number one TV series, book and movie with, respectively,ER(which he created),Disclosureand Steven SpielbergsJurassic Park, on its release the highest-grossing film of all time. He also directed several movies, includingThe Great Railway Robberywith Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland. His high-concept thrillers were international bestsellers, and in total his books have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. He died in 2008.