Pros
- Some interesting aliens
- Some connections to other stories in the Forever series
Cons
- Main conflict on a bit of a pause
Fragmented Time Review
Fragmented Time by Craig Robertson entertains fans of Jon Ryan’s adventures through time with encounters with new and even more powerful villains in an ever-expanding universe of all-powerful villains and potential friends.
Apparently, having just one set of powerful, time-erasing enemies isn’t enough to challenge Ryan. This time, his explorations into the unknown leads to the discovery of time lords who treat all other sentience, no matter how powerful, as mere gnats whose existence could be eliminated from time with the wave of a hand.
One of the joys of science fiction is the creativity writers show with aliens. The Forever series makes liberal use of a wide range of aliens, some of which border on the fantasy with their magical abilities. The mixing of these who usually separate abilities—science fiction and fantasy elements—parallels the seemingly endless possibilities in the universe.
Ryan finds himself a guest in their realm, and not surprisingly, Ryan’s personality gets on their nerves and he manages to persuade these powerful beings to spare him with his wit, humor, and general annoyance.
Another large focus of the book is on the humans, namely Sachiko’s hunt for the last Clan ship and for reasons yet unknown, Desi and Tip. Desi’s role in the conflict isn’t quite clear, and her ability to see, speak to, and command the dead seems a bit out of context for the story.
And Tip, the stereotypical nerd, seems to be Desi’s love interest. Tip occupies the role Tonio used to occupy as a scientific advisor, a know-it-all who makes the otherwise far-fetched plans seem at least plausible.
There’s not much movement toward the resolution of the conflict here. If anything, this book expands the conflict Ryan and the remaining humans face by tacking on the wrath of the time lords. This slight pause allows for more character development that happens with Desi, Tip, and Tank.
Fragmented Time by Craig Robertson is a great sequel that gives readers more clues as to how the problem of the Clan, the time lords, and the missing Earth will be solved. These clues seem completely unrelated—Desi’s ability, the purpose of the time lords, Plesmus—but how they all come together will be a satisfying conclusion.
Read reviews of other books by Craig Robertson below.
