What if the battle for good and evil were being fought just out of our sight, beyond our reach?How far should one go to seek out the good and destroy evil, and what consequences might their choices have?“Tightly conceived and smoothly choreographed sci-fi fantasy. Higher aspects of human nature. Recommended”, The US Review of BooksLisa and her family barely manage to escape an invasion from the … an invasion from the Rebel army in their home of Malta. Shortly after this episode, she discovers Exo, the ancient dimension she cannot understand until her late 20s. Exo is made of memories of the past; it brings forth all the strong echoes we leave behind. Lisa desperately wants to resolve the conflicts of this inner world peacefully, but quickly learns she must fight the shadows in people’s hearts, materialized through battle re-enactments, warfare and emotional turmoil.
“‘Paradigm Shift: Future Comes from Behind’ by S.T.K. Chan is an exciting, fast-moving work that explores how different actions can set off unforeseen chains of events and the ramifications of standing by and allowing evil to make its course. This novel is perfect for fantasy lovers who want a taste of science fiction and is certain to keep its audience engaged throughout!” Reader Views
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Two major themes of the SF Fantasy genre: the battle between good and evil and the time travel and its possible repercussions are entwined by STK Chan in a way in which made the public and editors to identify some Metaphysical Visionary touches and Sword & Sorcery elements. But what it’s worth mentioning about Future Comes from Behind is the way in which the author approaches the themes and manipulates these (sub)genres. This approach brings enough originality to make the story interesting.
The “scientific” aspects are mixed with the magical ones in a context in which the quest for a better world is influenced by the main protagonist’s own growth. The personal stakes, usually present in S&S, are replaced with general interest for the fate of the whole world. And what a better way to add the SF elements if not by time travel controlled, more or less, by the characters. But once again, there is a quite amount of “non-science” in this time –travel when the body-mind–soul have a say in it.
For the benefit of the story (and the readers), all these do not happen in a vapid way. While offering plenty occasions for some quite philosophical “debates”, the story is fast-paced, even if, from time to time, we received the author’s explanations and opinions directly, instead of them being offered by deduction from the actions of the characters/story. The author even teases us with the possibility of a romance.
Between the different time-lines and different moments, more or less inspired by real history, the characters are enough profiled in order to connect with them, but there is still room for more depth. And because I have mentioned history, I have to say that, as a descendant of the Dacians “the bravest and the most righteous among the Thracians” (as Herodotus said) it was a nice surprise to meet them here.
For sure, one thing is clear: even from the title (and also the name of the series), Future Comes from Behind promises something different and, hidden into the action, possible different meanings. It’s on you to discover all of them… and… if we didn’t learn from the history, in Future Comes from Behind we have a chance to change the past… it remains to be seen if the consequences of changing it are for the better or worse. For sure, I’ll check the next volume/s.
Enjoy!
Can the battle of good and evil be won through time travel? Lisa and her family must flee Malta and while on the run, she stumbles upon Exo, a sort of freeway consisting of memories and echoes from the past. When travelling the past, present and future, Lisa can communicate with shamans and help bring peace to the world. As each battle is re-enacted in Exo, there are lessons to be learned and steps to be taken. But at what cost? Will those travelling through Exo stop the evil incursions or is it inevitable?
Taking cues from Doctor Who and Star Trek, Chan creates a brand-new fantasy universe filled with philosophical questions. Time travel is risky, there are rules to obey and a true moral dilemma. Can you travel through the past without changing too much of the future?
There are a lot of characters with plenty of POVs. While I don’t care how many POVs there are in a story, I found the transitions choppy. I kept scratching my head trying to figure out what just happened. I got lost a few times and had to keep reading what I just read.
The characters themselves were fascinating and I had a few favorites. I loved Lisa as well as Kaelan. Opposing personalities in how they battle evil but both on the good side. Fleshed out, the characters were a delight to read.
The battle re-enactments of past historical events captivated me and stuck with me long after I finished reading. If you’re a fan of history, you’ll love these scenes.
If you’re like me and like an adventurous fantasy with plenty of action, pick this up today. It’s an exciting first book in the series and I can’t wait to see what happens next.
My Rating: 4 stars