Only Time Will Tell vs This Was a Man: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Sagas, Social classes, Families, Fiction
Only Time Will Tell
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"From the popular author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph. The epic tale of Harry Clifton's life begins in 1920, with…
This Was a Man
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"This Was a Man opens with a shot being fired, but who pulled the trigger, and who lives and who dies? In Whitehall, Giles Barrington discovers the truth about his wife Karin from the Cabinet Secretary. Is she a spy or…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- Only Time Will Tell is the quickest read — about 7 hours vs 10 for This Was a Man.
- Only Time Will Tell has the widest readership — 2349 ratings behind its score.
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Scores by source
| Only Time Will Tell | This Was a Man | |
|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 3.9 (89) | 4.2 (18) |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (2349) | 4.5 (684) |
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Reception
| Only Time Will Tell | This Was a Man | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 2349 | 684 |
| Editions | 32 | 18 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | — |
| Wikipedia attention | 1088 | 51 |
| Pages | 400 | 560 |
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Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Only Time Will Tell or This Was a Man?
Only Time Will Tell has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Only Time Will Tell 4.5/5, This Was a Man 4.5/5).
Which is shorter to read: Only Time Will Tell or This Was a Man?
Only Time Will Tell is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Only Time Will Tell (400 pages, ≈ 7 h 24 m); This Was a Man (560 pages, ≈ 10 h 22 m).
Which is harder to read: Only Time Will Tell or This Was a Man?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Only Time Will Tell: Moderate; This Was a Man: Moderate.