Uglycat Indie Book Club review:
How do you stop an apocalypse that’s already happened?
Book Summary
In 2046, An asteroid known as Jupiter’s Hammer collides with earth, killing millions and destroying life as we know it.
In 2167, a secret project led by Ed Wickstroem attempts to isolate key moments in history that could have prevented the tragedy.
In 1980, years before the discovery of Jupiter’s Hammer, graduate student Jack Pierce encounters a strange woman on an isolated beach in the Florida Keys. Beautiful and mysterious, with no memory of where she came from or why she is here, there is one thing she does know: how to travel through time.
Full of rich imagery and provocative questions, Aiyanna, Time Witch is the tale of how two groups on opposite ends of history work to prevent worldwide oblivion while trying to protect the things they love the most.
Why It’s Worth Reading
The Gilded Moments. The main storyline follows a familiar path a la The Fifth Element, where “regular Joe” Jack meets (and falls for) “magic hero” Aiyanna and helps her on her mysterious mission to save the world.
(Note: The Fifth Element is one of my all-time favorite movies, so this is meant as a compliment).
However, Aiyanna, Time Witch has a lot more going on than just a “boy-meets-super-girl, boy-helps-girl-save-the-world” sci-fi adventure tale. In fact, some of the most poignant scenes have little to do with that storyline. My particular favorite takes place about a third of the way through the book, where we watch an old married couple watch the asteroid’s impact on the roof of their building and, ultimately, ride out their last moments on Earth. It’s a self-contained snapshot of a moment in time that brings heartbreaking humanity as a counter to the speculative elements. There is a smattering of moments like this through the novel that are so beautifully rendered that I wish there had been more.
The Captain. In addition to Jack and Aiyanna’s quest to save the world by stopping Jupiter’s Hammer before it hits, the other half of the story falls to Ed Wickstroem, aka “The Captain” and the man in charge of trying to develop a way to stop the tragedy from the other side of the timeline.
Full disclosure: I’m a sucker for the hard-boiled government agent archetype. But even with an easily adapted framework, Wickstroem still takes the prize for my favorite character in the book. Not only is he working doggedly toward a noble goal, he does so with the full knowledge that to succeed will mean the destruction of his timeline and his life — which includes a wife and son. Perhaps this gives him a nuance and conflict that the other characters lack. Perhaps I am connecting him to other pieces of pop culture I’ve consumed (The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters and FX’s Devs, in particular, come to mind). Either way, Wickstroem is a fascinating character, and a welcome counterpoint to the younger, less-burdened heroes on the earlier end of the timeline.
The Mathematics of Time Travel. Warning: near the beginning of the book, a fairly lengthy conversation/explanation of the time travel logic takes place. And I’ll be honest: after a few pages, it had my head swimming, and I skimmed a good portion of the remaining exposition so I could get back to the story. Some readers might find this frustrating. Personally, I think it is necessary, specifically because it is time travel. Unlike other supernatural or sci-fi elements, almost every story that contains time travel handles its functionality and implications differently, from Back to the Future to Quantum Leap to Harry Potter. For a set piece that varies so much from story to story, it is critical that the reader understand exactly what kind of time travel they are in for. In the case of Aiyanna, it is specific, pragmatic, mathematical, and left me feeling a little stupid. Which is also appropriate. Should I understand time travel as well or better than a cast of people presenting themselves as time travel experts? No — and furthermore, I suspect it would threaten my suspension of belief if I did.
Final Thoughts
Aiyanna, Time Witch is an exciting tale that ping pongs from century to century as its heroes try to stop a worldwide cataclysm no matter what it might cost them. Scattered within the action shine heart-rending scenes of profoundly realistic humanity that you don’t find in any time-travel old adventure. Despite some possible confusion about the audience, and perhaps in need of slight repositioning for its lead heroine, Aiyanna, Time Witch is a refreshing and beautiful addition to the realm of time travel literature.