The popular conception of the Middle Ages is that it was the “Dark Ages,” implying that it was a brutal, uncivilized time in Europe. In Timeline, however, Michael Crichton uses his extensive research to present a more complex, nuanced vision of the Middle Ages by focusing on its technological innovations and dynamic society. As Crichton notes in the Acknowledgements, “It is especially difficult for modern people to conceive that our modern, scientific age might not be an improvement over the prescientific period” (490). Much of the medieval technology described throughout Timeline is accurate based on historical records, although Crichton also takes a few liberties.

Each of the graduate students is interested in different aspects of medieval technology and takes the time to analyze how various inventions impact the society of the 14th century. For instance, Kate describes the creation of bastides, or fortified market villages, and describes how “some of them were built to hold territory. But many of them were built to simply make money” (102). Within these bastides, people could free themselves from the feudal system. Similarly, Marek reflects on the fact that the rise of archers in the 14th century led to the fall of the noble knight system and enabled the creation of standing armies of wage laborers.