I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man looking to reconnect with his dying mother finds himself transported back in time and must find a way to get back to his own time before it is too late in author Lincoln James’s “All the Time.”
Advertisements
The Synopsis
The past isn’t just a memory… It’s a trap.
When Carter sets out to reconnect with his dying mother, he never expects to arrive at her house years before he was born. Stuck in the past with nothing but his car, a bag of clothes, and a barely working iPhone, Carter faces an impossible question: how did he get here—and how can he get back?
Time is slipping through his fingers, and every moment spent in the past pulls him further from the future he’s desperate to return to.
Caught between what was and what could be, Carter begins to question if time is something you can outrun…or if it’s already run out.
The Review
This was such an emotional and engaging read. The author did an incredible job of layering this story with heart and compassion, exploring some deep themes of love, loss, and the hardship of connecting with lost parents. The imagery and atmosphere the author can infuse into this story are remarkable, giving readers both an artistic use of said imagery and a cinematic storytelling path that plays in the reader’s mind like a film.
The two things that stuck out were how much attention the author paid to the time travel elements of the story, as well as the fast pacing of the narrative. The author can still take the time to build up the world around the protagonist and capture the different periods that this narrative spans, while still moving the story along smoothly without slowing down or giving away too much unnecessary detail. The emotional depth of how time itself was treated, not only in terms of the sci-fi genre and time-bending overall, but the feeling of time slipping away in anyone’s life when facing the loss of a loved one, allowed the reader to engage with the protagonist on a much deeper level.
The Verdict
Heartfelt, emotional, and thrilling, author Lincoln James’s “All the Time” is a must-read YA sci-fi novel. The author’s atmosphere and emotion in this narrative felt like a mix of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman meets Mike Flanagan’s take on The Midnight Club. The thoughtful approach to such heavy and gut-wrenching themes will keep readers invested until the book’s final pages. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Lincoln James, your favorite author’s favorite author, is celebrated for his haunting love stories, vintage thrillers, and slow-burn suspense. His characters feel, ache, and bleed, often trapped between the past and the people who won’t let them forget it.
In 2025, James was featured in The New York Review and named Best New Thriller Author in New York by Best of Best Review, honors recognizing his compelling storytelling and emotional depth.
When he’s not writing, James is an English and Communication professor in New York City and cherishes moments with friends and family, proving that the most thrilling tales lie in the love and laughter shared with those closest to us.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
In author Alexander Morpheigh’s ” The Pythagorean, ” a young man finds himself transported back in time and in the body of another young man from Ancient Greece and must find a way to get back to his present.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
The protagonist, a young man named Theodore, is about 36 years old and resides in Athens. Following a car accident, he finds himself in the body of a young man from Ancient Greece who attempted suicide. Confused about his whereabouts, Theodore sets out to find people and seeks guidance from the Delphic Oracle – Pythia.
Pythia reveals to Theodore that he must meet his true teacher, who alone can return him to his own time. To prepare spiritually for this encounter, Theodore’s best bet is one of the greatest teachers of European civilization – Pythagoras, who coincidentally lives during that era. Theo seeks out Pythagoras and becomes his student. Throughout his education, Pythagoras explains to Theodore why he ended up in the past and the significant mission awaiting him in the future. In the process, Pythagoras imparts a wealth of intriguing facts to Theodore, blending authentic Pythagorean teachings with alternative viewpoints from contemporary science.
Theodore’s beloved Elena remains in Athens, and his lack of attention towards her weighs heavily on him. Through his studies, Theodore learns the practice of lucid dreaming, enabling him to communicate with Elena in his dreams and share his experiences. In a critical turn of events, Theodore steals a bottle of expensive wine, leading to his arrest. Pythagoras intervenes, securing his release on bail. However, Theodore learns he can only remain on the island for a month. With his limited time, he must pass an interview with the local ruler. In another lucid dream, Theodore meets Alkeus, the young man from ancient Greece, who now inhabits his body in the present. Alkeus’ adaptability to modern life is hindered by amnesia, and he relies on others to remind him of his past.
As Theodore’s training progresses, Pythagoras not only introduces alternative, scientifically backed perspectives on the Universe’s structure and the existence of parallel worlds but also takes him on journeys to explore them. Theo’s situation becomes dire – execution awaits him if he stays in the past, while arrest and imprisonment await him in the future. In a lucid dream, he encounters his future self in a café, realizing that his true teacher is none other than himself. Spiritual purification is the key to his return to the present. Is he prepared to embark on his crucial mission?
The Review
What a fascinating and compelling twist on the time travel genre. The author does a spectacular job of crafting a unique and original way of taking these characters through the time travel trope and expanding upon it. The balance the author found in historical accuracy and sci-fi mythos was remarkable, with the use of imagery in the author’s writing style bringing both the past and present to life vividly and viscerally.
The heart of the narrative, however, was in both the philosophical journey and emotional character development that the novel took on. Theo’s evolution throughout this novel, from a typical life led as a programmer in Athens to being forced to live in Ancient Greece and, in the process, learning more about himself and what matters most to him in life, made the narrative pop off the page. The way he adapts to life in Ancient Greece and becomes a mentee to Pythagoras himself was fun and fascinating, delving into some of the higher concepts of philosophy that the era became known for. Theo’s love and romance with Elena were heartfelt, and they kept the reader invested in these characters as the story progressed.
Advertisements
The Verdict
Trippy, compelling, and thoroughly entertaining, author Alexander Morpheigh’s “The Pythagorean” is a must-read historical fiction meets sci-fi thriller. The narrative’s twists and turns and the author’s exploration of unique time travel and sci-fi concepts like higher forms of reality, parallel dimensions, and the idea of consciousness itself made the story feel alive and fresh for the reader while also giving a story that felt personal and engaging from the characters’ point of view. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
A Hail Mary Pass – that’s what the President of the United States called it.
What are the chances Marc McKnight’s time travel team can convince George Washington to leave his home and travel with them to the year 2037?
Another bloody civil war is imminent in the United States. Political parties are hopelessly divided and fanning the embers of war. Can the war be prevented if George Washington tells modern America what the Founding Fathers were trying to achieve?
A Hail Mary Pass. A long shot. But it’s worth a try.
Advertisements
Author Bio:
Kim Megahee is a writer, a musician, and a retired IT consultant. His background includes playing in rock bands, teaching high school, and much experience in computer programming, security and consulting.
He lives in Gainesville, Georgia with his soulmate wife Martha, and Leo, an incredibly smart and stubborn red-headed toy poodle. In addition to writing, he enjoys reading, playing live music, and socializing with friends.
Excerpt from Chapter Five of THE TIME PATRIOT: EPISODE ONE – HAIL MARY PASS
Before Washington could speak, McKnight and Tyler stepped out of the trees with their sidearms in their hands.
The robbers turned to them as McKnight spoke.
“Release him or you’ll answer to us. This gentleman is our companion and under our protection.”
The robbers spread out and raised their rifles.
“Just the two of you, then?” the leader said. “Not very good odds.”
McKnight whistled, and the rest of the team stepped out of the bushes, weapons trained on the robbers. “I won’t ask again. Lay down your weapons if you want to live.”
The bandits laid down their weapons, but the one named Sam drew a knife, leaped toward Washington, and held the blade to his throat.
“I think you are the ones who should lie down your weapons. Else, I’ll slice your benefactor’s throat. Your choice.”
McKnight didn’t blink.
“Hatcher?” he said.
“No shot, sir, I’ll hit the General.”
“Cutty?”
“I have him, sir. Say the word and I’ll blow his head off.”
“Wait, now wait!” David cried out and stepped forward with his hands out.
“Hold, Sam!” he said, and pointed at Washington. “Did you call him General? Who is he?”
Tyler spoke. “That’s General Washington. Did you fight with him during the war?”
Sam stepped away from Washington and dropped his knife.
“I did,” he said. “I’m sorry, sir.”
The other robbers hung their heads.
“We all did, sir,” David said, dropping Washington’s sword. “We wouldn’t have attacked if we’d known it was you, sir. We’d sooner starve than hurt you.”
Several of the others nodded.
Hatcher bounded over and cut the ropes that bound Washington and Lee to the tree, then went to secure the horses.
The general shrugged off the rope fragments, rubbed his wrists and, after a long look at Hatcher, he approached McKnight and Tyler.
“Sirs, I beg you, please release these men. Their primary crime is being hungry, a common plight in this part of the country. Three of them have already paid with their lives.”
Before they could reply, Washington did a double-take and stared at Tyler’s face.
“Colonel Tyler, isn’t it?” he said. “You look different.”
Tyler glanced at McKnight and winked with a smile.
McKnight could almost read his friend’s mind and sense his humor. “I’m a colonel, too.”
“Yes, General Washington. It’s me. May I present—”
“I know,” Washington said. “Colonel McKnight, I presume?”
McKnight was stunned. “How…?”
Washington looked him up and down.
“You’re not what I expected, sir. I look forward to talking with you, but we have an immediate situation to resolve. What should we do with these men?”
David spoke up. “General Washington, you have our humblest apologies. We’ll accept any punishment you demand. We deserve it.”
Washington looked at McKnight, who gave a slight nod.
“When we were at war,” Washington said, “I had men flogged for stealing.”
He sighed.
“The war is over, and I’m a businessman now. I’m not inclined to punish these men. What about you, Colonel McKnight?”
“I’ll leave it to you, General. It’s to your discretion.”
Washington nodded and turned back to the robbers. He walked to David and picked up his sword. He looked him in the eye, then stepped back to address all the bandits.
“I am releasing you to go back to your homes. If I learn you are waylaying people on this trail again, I shall raise a force and come looking for you. I won’t be merciful the second time.”
He approached the leader David again. The man stared at the ground.
Washington spoke in a low voice.
“Look at me, sir.”
David raised his face to Washington. Tears flowed down his cheeks.
“These men respect you, David,” Washington said. “You have influence over them. I’m counting on you to keep them on a Christian path. Don’t let them stray.”
“I will, sir,” he said. “I swear before God I will.”
“Good. Pick up your weapons and go home. Find a better way to survive if you can. If not, come see me at Mount Vernon. Together, we will find a solution.”
David’s men picked up their long guns and walked back uphill to the trail.
Washington turned his back to them and walked back to McKnight and Tyler.
McKnight glanced at Wheeler, who nodded and slipped into the brush after the robbers.
Washington looked at Tyler again. He touched Tyler’s hat and said, “May I?”
“Yes, sir,” Tyler said, and Washington reached forward and lifted his hat from his head.
“I’ve known you for twenty years now, Colonel, and the last time I saw you, your hairline was receding. Now your hair is full again and the wrinkles on your face are gone. How is this possible?”
“It’s part of a plan, sir,” Tyler said. “It’s what brought us here to this time and place.”
“A plan?” Washington said. “Clearly, there’s more here than I perceive.”
He turned to McKnight.
“So, tell me, Colonel McKnight, what army are you in? What brings you and your men…” He stopped and scanned the faces before him, his eyes resting on Hatcher and Lagunas. “… Your men and women… to these woods?”
“We represent the Army of the United States, sir, and we came here looking for you.”
Washington nodded. “It appears you have found me, Colonel. What can I do for you?”
McKnight laughed. “That we have, sir. We need your help, and if you’ll allow me a few minutes of your time, I’ll explain.”
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A clash of the past and present leads a powerful magician and Wiccan high priest to challenge the complex notions of love itself in author W.L. Hawkin’s “To Dance with Destiny”, the fifth book in the Hollystone Mysteries Book series.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
Twin wolves howled beneath a turquoise crescent moon, their bushy manes wild and ruffled and knotted by the winds of change. “It’s us. You over my heart, and me beside you. It’s our destiny.”
In the captivating sequel of To Kill a King, ancient magic collides with modern trickery, as a gifted magician and Wicca high priest embarks on a thrilling journey, defying the boundaries of time to challenge the very fabric of destiny. This gripping urban fantasy novel follows Estrada who, armed with extraordinary powers, ventures into the past hoping to alter Michael Stryker’s future. A maelstrom of unforeseen events unfolds, weaving an intricate web of chaos that changes the course of history itself. For in the intricate tapestry of time, even the most well-intentioned actions can have devastating consequences.
While attempting to prevent the tragic outcome of To Render a Raven, Estrada struggles with the complexities of love, archaeologist Sorcha O’Hallorhan slips into her own time warp with a woman she once adored, and Conall Ceol, an Iron Age Druid bard, walks into the future to challenge Michael Stryker for Estrada’s attention.
DESTINY IS A SEDUCTIVE, YET WICKED, DANCER.
WOULD YOU CARE TO YOU DANCE?
#LGBTQ+ #urbanfantasy #thriller
The Review
As a longtime fan of history, mythology, and fantasy, the author’s narrative really spoke to me. The way the author was able to build upon themes and storylines so flawlessly from previous books in the series while also building upon new concepts and ideas was fantastic to see come to life on the page. The erotic element of the novel kept the tension heated and the imagery passionately written, engaging the reader to understand the characters on a deeper and more personal level.
This was a brilliant read, thanks in large part to the fantastic character development and the powerful blend of mythos and magic. The added combination of both fantasy and sci-fi thanks to the time-travel elements of the narrative and the complex and emotional development of Estrada as a protagonist kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to delve deeper and deeper into the action-packed time-travel adventure. Add to this brilliant LGBTQ themes and storylines and readers will be in for quite the treat.
The Verdict
Memorable, captivating, and engaging, author W.L. Hawkin’s “To Dane with Destiny” is a must-read erotic fantasy meets sci-fi thriller you won’t want to miss. The twists and turns in the narrative and the shocking revelations not only heighten the anticipation and passionate moments between the characters but the direction this series is taking as a whole, which is just so thrilling and gripping. If you haven’t yet, be sure to preorder your copy today or grab your copy on October 31, 2023!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
W. L. Hawkin writes adventurous cross-genre fiction charged with “myth, magic, and mayhem” from her home in the Pacific Northwest.
Her urban fantasy series, the Hollystone Mysteries, features a coven of Vancouver witches who solve murders using their wits, ritual magic, and a little help from the gods. To Charm a Killer, To Sleep with Stones, To Render a Raven, To Kill a King, and To Dance with Destiny, follow stage magician and Wicca high priest, Estrada, as he endeavors to save his friends while working through his own personal issues.
Her standalone novel, Lure: Jesse & Hawk (2022) won a National Indie Excellence Award, a Gold Reader’s Choice award from Connections E-magazine, a Crowned Heart Review from InD’tale Magazine, and placed as a finalist in The UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Lure is a small-town romantic suspense story set on a Chippewa Reservation in the American Midwest near the fictional town of Lure River.
As an intuitive writer, Wendy captures what she sees and hears on the page and allows her muses to guide her through the creative process. In an upcoming book, Writing with your Muse: a Guide to Creative Inspiration, she explains her writing process and offers tips and techniques to help writers get their words on the page.
Wendy is a book reviewer and publisher with a background in Indigenous Studies and Humanities. Born in Toronto, Canada, she completed a BA in Indigenous Studies at Trent University, then moved to B.C. where she completed diplomas in Humanities at SFU and taught high school for several years.
She also spent a year as a relief lighthouse keeper, enjoying the rugged isolation of the West Coast, and blogging her adventures at http://lifeonthebclights.blogspot.com Her experiences color “To Render a Raven.”
An introvert, Wendy does most of her musing while walking her yellow lab through the forested trails of B.C. “I continue to explore my ancestry, often in my writing. I love nature, history, archaeology, myths and magic, and feel I was born in the wrong century. If I could, I’d travel back in time to experience cultures long since changed or vanished.”
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman with dreams of being a dancer struggles with her confidence, and finds herself steeped in a journey towards destiny after a magical costume connects her to a world-renowned dancer from the past in author Catherine Follestad’s “The Ballerina”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
The Ballerina is a story about reaching dreams, fulfilling destiny, and an extraordinary experience of a lifetime.
Alina loves to dance and has a growing passion for the art of ballet. With an upcoming performance for her dance class, she finds herself struggling with the confidence to stand out.
One day, while helping her mother in her vintage shop, Alina finds an old enchanting costume in a donated box. This magical costume connects Alina to a famous prima ballerina from times past, who encourages her to work hard and believe in herself.
With excitement and renewed confidence, Alina not only discovers more about the art of dance, but also finds her destiny and true self.
The Review
This was an engaging and heartfelt read. The author does an amazing job of connecting with younger readers, giving an honest and emotional look into the mindset of young women as they not only grow but as they pursue their passions in life. The lighthearted pacing of the story and the emotional weight of the protagonist’s struggles instantly draw young readers into the story as the narrative progresses.
To me, the heart of this story rested in the dynamic character development and the almost magical sense of time travel and magical realism that permeated the story. The themes of hard work and making your dreams a reality felt both attainable and inspiring through this magical lens and the mystery surrounding the woman who would appear to the protagonist and the connection she shared with Anna added a touch of mystery and history to the story.
The Verdict
Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging, author Catherine Follestad’s “The Ballerina” is a must-read children’s dance and time travel book that you won’t want to miss. The passion and heart for which the story is told and the relatable characters will have children eagerly taking hold of this book and getting lost in the narrative immediately. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Catherine Follestad has always been interested in art and storytelling in many forms. Her early painting career began in Australia in 1972 when she and her husband moved there for a teaching job. During this time, they were Sunday School Supervisors and teachers with a love of telling bible stories using songs, pictures, and flannel graphs. Her creativity expanded into local art shows where she sold her paintings.
Upon returning to the United States, Catherine studied with local artists while taking classes at Western Washington University and Whatcom Community College. She broadened her interests to various mediums and began experimenting with illustrations and cartooning.
Catherine loves the artistic process and beauty of life which is reflected in everything she writes and paints. Her books tell stories of heroes, the underdog, or someone who overcomes a challenge. Her children’s picture books include The Itty Bitty Kitty (Nov 2011) I Think That I Would Like to Be (March 2012) The Itty Bitty Kitty: Mystery At Reflection Pond (Feb 2013) and I Dream That I May One Day Be (Aug. 2013), Itty Bitty Kitty and the Fun Day (May 2016)
Catherine has been featured in Raising Arizona Kids Magazine on the subject of bullying and the Reader House Author Roundtable. She enjoys visiting many elementary schools to read her books and share her illustrations. Catherine and her husband currently live in Arizona where she enjoys painting and traveling back to Australia.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
An infamous Tech CEO accidentally discovers a means of sending back information into the past, but soon discovers the tech and financial gains pale in comparison to a far darker threat in author E.W. Doc Parris’s “The Dent in the Universe”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
It turns out “Move fast and break things” is terrible advice when developing a time machine.
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
It’s the time machine for the rest of us.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he’s unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.
The Review
The author does a fantastic job of crafting a unique and powerful world that brings a rich blend of sci-fi and mystery storytelling. The detail the author puts into the more tech and scientific nature of the “time travel” element was great to see, and the inclusion of more business, mainstream-style approaches to the technology itself feels very real to the story being told and our own world as a whole.
This was the perfect emphasis on world-building and mythos that any hard-core sci-fi thriller has ever taken. The depths of character development and the realities of how our own modern-day “tech-bros” are seen by the broader public were greatly felt in this fictional world. The unique twist on the time travel element and the shift in tone as the sci-fi element soon takes a back seat to some more mystery, thriller, and even horror elements as the dark realities of any and all tech, but in particular this one, make themselves known and take the reader to a depth of internet hell that few could have seen coming.
The Verdict
Twisted, captivating, and thrilling, author E.W. Doc Parris’s “The Dent in the Universe” is a must-read sci-fi thriller you won’t be able to put down. The twists and turns in the narrative and the climactic finale will keep readers on the edge of their seats, and the atmospheric nature of the narrative will have readers invested in the author’s unique take on the sci-fi tech genre. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
E.W. Doc Parris has a new sci-fi/horror book out: The Dent in the Universe. And there’s a giveaway – a $50 Amazon gift card.
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that, though the mechanics may differ a bit, Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will make Wall Street sit up and beg. But when he rushes into beta testing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
Warnings: violence, torture, body horror, branding, implied cannibalism.
Stephen picked up the keyboard and typed, Watson, come here. I want to see you.
Before he hit enter, the display on his right blinked and displayed a log entry. The display directly in front of him showed the log of the interaction, a white line of text that showed what he’d typed, Watson, come here. I want to see you, and the time sent, 630231 milliseconds. The display on the right, the one that flashed before he hit enter, showed the same.
Walrus said, “Look at the timestamps. The sending input occurred at 630231 milliseconds. The receiving event happened at 629931 milliseconds.”
Stephen looked puzzled. “The clocks are off? That’s a 300…?” he checked his math, “300-millisecond difference.”
Walrus grinned. “Negative 300 milliseconds. The clocks aren’t off.”
“The time server is off?” Stephen knew that was the culprit in the outage.
Walrus shook his head. “Nope. These two chips are in perfect sync to FTL time.”
Stephen stopped and thought. The message appeared to be arriving 300 milliseconds before it was sent. “I’m not getting it,” he said.
Walrus laughed and did his little dance again. “Yes! You are! Tell me what you see.”
Stephen said slowly, “The message looks like it’s being received before it was sent, 300 milliseconds before.” Walrus grinned, and Stephen continued, “But that’s not possible. What’s causing the discrepancy? If the clocks aren’t wrong and the time server was working properly…?” He shook his head.
Walrus’s grin widened. “It’s a time machine.”
Stephen leaned back a bit from the desk. “Right.” Walrus let it sink in. “What do you mean?” He thought Walrus was speaking metaphorically.
Walrus laughed and said, “I mean, this is a time machine.”
Stephen looked at the set-up in front of him. It was a hacked sChip on a breadboard and a couple of displays strung together with cables and alligator clips. This wasn’t a time machine.
Walrus relented. “I’ve tweaked the power supply to dial in a tiny phase variance in the I/O to this sChip, like our customer did by accident. The tensor array interpreted this as an attribute, sending the signal to a point in time before it was sent. 300 milliseconds before. About a third of a second.”
Stephen recalled the chain of events. The right display refreshed a fraction of a second before he hit enter. Examining the log, what he had typed was there. Watson, come here. I want to see you.
He frowned and thought for a few seconds. “A third of a second? It’s the least impressive time machine imaginable,” he said. “This crashed the time servers?”
Walrus nodded, finished his cola, tossed its crushed container in the recycling bin, and peeled open another. “Essentially. I’ve cleaned up the effect, and I’m not messaging the time server. The timeserver would have ignored an invalid time sync transaction. It’s programmed to dump garbage bits. This wasn’t garbage, it was a perfectly normal sync transaction, but the handshake was out of order. The time server software questioned its own reality. It wobbled, tried to regain its equilibrium, and tipped into cascade failure.”
“It’s fascinating, but…” Hard-wired by the last six years to search for a new product, Stephen’s mind was searching for a use for what he was seeing. “I mean, it is cool, but it’s useless—a weird trick of physics. What can we do with it?” He thought for a little more. “This is IP data?”
Walrus shrugged, “It’s a packet like any other packet.”
“So, if it’s packets, then it’s IP, then it’s anything. Form data, text, jpegs, audio, video, holo.”
Walrus nodded and grinned, “Sure. You could surf the web of 300 milliseconds ago…”
Stephen interrupted him, “Can we extend that? Could we rig these in series? Go back further?”
“We could do it more elegantly than that—How much further?”
“You tell me, what’s the theoretical limit?”
“Well, you’d need a receiver. So whatever we end up making would only go back to the first chips that go online. We make a chip today, turn it on, in a week, we could go back to that moment but not before, right? The longer we’re online, the further back we can send things.”
Stephen shook his head. “We couldn’t go back further than tonight?”
Walrus nodded. “There would be nothing to send it to. As soon as we flip the switch on our time machine, we’d be establishing a time horizon. But say we turned on a receiving device tonight. In a year, you could send a message back to tonight. That would be a year in your past. In two years, you could send a message back two years, on and on, until the end of the world.” He laughed and said, “You know that old site, The Way Back Machine? The internet archive? This would be like that but live. You could actually surf the web of the past. Leaving comments on a video from a year earlier.”
Stephen frowned dismissively and said, “What good would that do? I can leave a comment on that same video today. The entire internet is available back to the 90s.”
Walrus smiled, “But it’d be radical!” Radical was not the goal. Stephen needed a killer application, a product everyone would want. Walrus’s stomach growled loudly. “Man,” he said, “I’m starving. Wanna order a pizza? Hey man, that’s what we could do!” he said jokingly, “We could use it to order pizza a half hour ago, so it arrives…” and he snapped his fingers.
Stephen froze. His pupils widened. Instant Pizza. Instant delivery. Instant gratification.
The entire computer industry of the last forty years was built around delivering everything as quickly as possible. Meeting the desires of the customer. Right. Fucking. Now. If no one ever went broke underestimating the American people’s intelligence, as Mencken might have said, it would follow: no one ever went broke catering to their impatience.
Author Bio
E.W. Doc Parris is an American writer known for matter-of-fact, hard science fiction grounded in the current scientific weltanschauung, leavened with wit, and kindled by the warmth of human relationships.
Born within the nation’s capital Beltway, Doc makes his home in the foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge. A self-taught software developer and solutions architect, he’s made a decent living over the years as a set designer, graphic designer, animator, 3D modeler, iOS developer, puppeteer, and educator.
In addition to his centuries-spanning WalrusTech Reality series, Doc is currently working on his next novel, Land of Nod, an exploration of A.I., nanotech, and the human brain’s neural network.
Tell us a little bit about yourself. How did you get into writing?
I’ve written all my life. Little stories when I was a kid, bigger stories as an adult. It has always been my dream to live the life of a writer and I’ve always imagined my books on shelves and tables in every bookstore I’ve ever entered.
Advertisements
What inspired you to write your book?
It was literally a moment of inspiration while riding the subway. It came to me in bits and pieces and once I started to write the book, it kept getting bigger and bigger and more detailed. But honestly, it felt as if someone was dictating the story to me. The words just flowed.
What theme or message do you hope readers will take away from your book?
Believe in yourself! No matter what other people say. The only way to live a good life is to pursue your dreams.
What drew you into this particular genre?
I’ve been a science fiction fan from birth, practically. I loved sci-fi television shows, movies, and books. Every sf book I’ve read pulled me in and had me imagine a different world as if it were real. I loved it!
If you could sit down with any character in your book, what would you ask them and why?
Well, of course it would be the protagonist, Sakima. I’d ask her what she was thinking in her darkest moments, her moments of sadness and defeat. And then I’d ask her how she moved past it to secure her future and live her dream life.
What social media site has been the most helpful in developing your readership?
I’m not that good at social media, but Instagram has been mildly successful. I’ve been told, however, that TikTok #BookTok is the way to go.
What advice would you give to aspiring or just starting authors out there?
Never give up! Never stop believing in yourself. Just keep writing. And don’t wait for inspiration to hit (although it does sometimes). Just write and the Muses will join you there.
What does the future hold in store for you? Any new books/projects on the horizon?
City At My Feet is the first book in the Manahatta Series. Book 2 comes out this Fall (fingers crossed). And I’ve done initial work on Book 3 in terms of new characters, plot outline, and more. So hopefully Book 3 will be out in a year or so after Book 2!
Advertisements
About the Author
Thomas More holds an advanced degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. Although college-educated in the art, craft, and labor of writing novels, he is self-taught when it comes to science fiction and its associated tropes, its readers, and the best of its writers. His favorite pastime is going for long motorcycle rides on city streets, country roads, and beaches (where allowed, of course!).
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A man who fled war-torn Lebanon questions God’s existence and searches for answers from history’s greatest minds after developing a nano hadron collider in authors Dana Dargos & Said Al Bizri’s “Einstein in the Attic”.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of the war between science and God, reason and faith, Einstein in the Attic is the story of one scientist’s search for truth and meaning when faced with the ultimate question: Is there a God? Fleeing war-torn Lebanon, Adam Reemi’s faith is shaken by the hardships he has endured, but when he and a colleague successfully construct a nano hadron collider, and using sound waves, Adam finds unheard-of power at his fingertips. To help him answer the greatest question mankind has ever posed, he zaps the best philosophical minds of all time–namely Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Soren Kierkegaard, and Baruch Spinoza–from the past and into his attic. Not all goes according to plan, however, and Adam finds himself in a race against time to formulate an answer to the question of intelligent design… or risk losing everything.
The Review
This was such a fun and thought-provoking read. The balance the author found with the sci-fi, witty conversational aspects of the narrative with the more grounded, heartbreaking, and thoughtful storytelling of the main character’s arc was amazing to see come to life on the page. The world-building and scientific nature of the narrative was gripping, and powerful imagery felt very cinematic in the writing itself.
The heart of this narrative rested in the character development and the philosophical discussion that happens both in the book and within the reader’s mind as a result. The way the authors take the time to really delve into Adam’s backstory and the childhood experiences that shaped his life was heartfelt and truly emotional, keeping a sense of relatability for the reader as the more sci-fi elements of the story came to life. The attention to detail the science aspect of the narrative brought to life was enlightening and thoughtful, and the impact of these historical figures on Adam’s journey was thrilling to read.
The Verdict
Memorable, engaging, and thought-provoking, authors Dana Dargos and Said Al Bizri’s “Einstein in the Attic” is a must-read sci-fi novel. The adventure and science behind the tech that brings these figures into the modern day and the rich and emotional backstory that shapes Adam’s philosophical and intellectual dilemmas will keep readers glued to the pages of this book as the narrative takes shape. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Authors
Dana Dargos is an award-winning Lebanese-American writer born and raised in the Bay Area. From the moment she created adventurous, crayon-scribbled tales in kindergarten, she knew writing would forever be a part of her life. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in English Literature. Einstein in the Attic is her debut novel.
Said Al Bizri is an award-winning writer, existentialist thinker, and avid researcher with a BA from the American University of Beirut. He works as a business development director in a number of countries. Together, Said and Dana conducted five years of research to ensure plausible and accurate scientific and historical information. Einstein in the Attic is also his debut novel.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange or a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A young woman finds herself stuck between two worlds as a time travel adventure introduces historical figures, a shocking murder, and a startling discovery about her destiny in author Andrea Faye Christians’s “Suspension”, a Time Binder series novel.
Advertisements
The Synopsis
An unexpected time travel tale. When Carla Thompson falls asleep and doesn’t wake up, she is shocked to discover what destiny has in store for her. Suspended between two worlds, she meets Isambard Brunel, the legendary eighteenth-century civil engineer, who built the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, England, and who now serves as guardian of its secrets. Historical events intertwine with Carla’s current reality and along the way she discovers a murder, encounters a host of characters including Jamaican psychic, Matilda, and engages in verbal banter with literary legend, Ernest Hemingway. Her adventures lead her to a startling revelation about why she was chosen for her strange new role. In death Carla realises she has never felt more alive.
The Review
This is such a unique and imaginative read. The author does an incredible job of capturing the curiosity, the surreal, and almost magical concept of how life after death works and how the concept of destiny doesn’t always end or even start in life. The imagery and atmosphere the author creates are so mesmerizing, and the layered mythos that the author creates is so engaging for the reader to delve into.
Yet it was the richness of the characters and their backstories that really drew me into the narrative. The shock of the protagonist’s new reality and the explorative nature of her journey as she learns and discovers herself in this world within our own world was amazing to read. It put an all-new spin on the time-travel elements of the story, as well as the more philosophical and spiritual themes the author explored in this read.
The Verdict
Engaging, thought-provoking, and highly creative, author Andrea Faye Christians’ “Suspension (Time Binder)” is a must-read novel for Summer 2022! The surreal reality that Carla finds herself in and the amazing cast of characters she meets along the way showcase the connectivity of our world and those within it, and made for such an intriguing story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10
Advertisements
About the Author
Andrea Faye Christians was born and raised in Swansea, South Wales. Following a successful career in British radio including the BBC, she moved to the southern Mediterranean island of Malta to pursue her dream of becoming a freelance writer. A decade later she bought a farm in the Madonie Mountains of Sicily where a menagerie of rescue animals found their way to her. With a son in Malta and a daughter in Sicily, Andrea has a home and her heart in both places, and she now divides her time between the neighbouring islands. Suspension is her debut novel. She is working on the second book in the Time Binder Series as well as a novel entitled Chemo Club.
