Genre: Sci-Fi, Time Travel
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Time Bomb is a Bhagavad Gita-inspired/time travel/save-the-world-from-global-warming novel with a queer romantic edge.
Christian Sparrow is a time traveler from the end of the twenty first century. His earth is dying, and his mission is to go back in time to change the course of history by disrupting the Los Alamos atomic bomb project. But he didn’t plan on falling in love with Archer Meyer—a nuclear physicist whiz-kid whose work and life Christian will likely have to ruin if he is to succeed.
The men will need to navigate through a perplexing world of spies, scorpions, sex tapes, and safe words before they can hope to discern their true duties, and perhaps save the world, and even themselves.
The Review
Christian Sparrow claims he’s thirty. He is neo-Hindu and a time travel agent. In 1943, he finds himself in the New Mexico desert of Los Alamos. He only has two assignments to complete: make the atomic bomb a failure, and seduce Archer Meyer.
Archer Meyer is twenty-one, a young and brilliant physicist recruited from MIT by Oppenheimer himself. Christian is assisting Archer to find the most out of the way area to set off the atomic bomb, and hopefully meet his goal. Christian also has to prevent Archer from meeting a Soviet spy, Viktor Chekov.
As Christian and Archer work closely together, Christian is given away not only by the words he uses, but by his “talking harmonica.” He uses the harmonica to keep in touch with Gene Hanover, another agent. Archer grows curious about what he’s seen and heard, and starts to ask questions.
Christian also has an odd experience with an elder Navaho man, who refers to Archer as “Destroyer God.” Christian wonders how much the elder knows of the future and the destruction that is to come. Before he leaves, he is given an owl and a scorpion figurine, and in return gives the Navaho man a small piece of glass.
Eventually Christian starts to reveal some information about the future to Archer. His feelings for Archer get stronger, and he considers going rogue. He also devises a plan to use his Neo-Hinduism to discuss ethics and values with those of the scientific world and even eastern spirituality. When the spy, Viktor Chekov, comes into the picture, it causes turmoil and jealousy raises its ugly head. Christian is surprised to find that Chekov knows even more about the future than he does. Is the atomic bomb just the start, or is there more to come?
Patrick has penned a fascinating tale wrapped around the history of the atomic bomb, and history repeating itself. Those from the future Earth try to make changes before time runs out, and if todays society doesn’t make changes to its actions and attitude towards the Earth, all will be lost.
I love stories that are informed by history and come with just a touch of mystery. Time Bomb gave me many things to think about: the significance of the Elder Navaho; the glass, owl and scorpion; getting others to open their mind with the neo-Hinduism; and what affects the Earth from the past, present and future.
I highly recommend this book – it’s a very intriguing story that will leave you thinking.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.