Alternate : A Novella

Two bits of advice: One, buy the collected works vs the serial installments. Two, immerse yourself in the read. I would have been a better reader if I had this in print. I ended up finishing reading this on my phone, in snippets, while travelling (layovers, rail shuttle, etc). There is plenty of time shifts, so not paying close attention may detract from the overall experience.

I had read Part 1 (Origin) as a standalone, so concluding the series as one book is definitely preferred. This is a fun story and the characters are all unique. It is hard to comment on character development since alternate timelines are in motion and they affect the characters differently. There is violence and death, manipulations, back-stabbing, redemption, a dystopian future and painful past. As a father, I resonated more with Grey and could see how one moment of time can 100% alter your future. I was pissed for him and was there, as a reader, every step of his troubled story, looking for some vengeance and brutal payback. The concept - time travelling to change events and keep the main timeline intact was fun. Think Time Patrol or the JCVD classic Time Cop. The science within this book is light: Dial in and step through a time dock, complete the mission (often assassination), and use the return watch to pop back into the present (or future, technically). Paradox is explained that small changes don't greatly affect the timeline. If death occurs, the present/future person will simply vanish from existence after a brief day or three for fate to catch up. Save the past or save the future: Greater good or correct a stolen life. Your choice, but be careful of the consequences. Entertaining, good action, fun characters and an appropriate conclusion are all found in this omnibus edition of Alternate by Ernie Luis. I was provided an advance review copy.

4 of 5 stars. ARC provided by author From the Publisher:

The complete series of short stories, The Alternate Series Contains: Part 1 - Origin Part 2 - Backwards Part 3 - Aversion Part 4 - Rescission In 2020, Greyson Tolbert's daughter died at eight years old. In 2030, he became the most lethal assassin for The Watchtower, a secret organization that uses time travel as a means to bend reality in their favor. If he works for them long enough, he'll get to go back and save his daughter. Or so they say... Now, after a fellow assassin goes rogue, Greyson learns the truth behind The Watchtower, all its dirty secrets, and all the promises they've failed to keep. With the timelines hanging in the balance, Greyson must choose between saving the past, or saving the future.

#Fantasy #Book #Nov2015 #2015 #SciFi #TimeTravel #ErnieLuis