Some of the most original characters modern science fiction has seen.
Marshall Grissom and Marta Hamilton are two semi-retired time travelers trying to start a new life together under the warm Caribbean sun. After proving too risky and raising too many ethical dilemmas, their time-travel program was unofficially shut down. But even with time travel on ice, suspicious Marta refuses to let her guard down. Marshall is never really relaxed about anything, so his quirky nature likewise keeps him alert to danger. It’s a good thing too, because someone is after Marta and Marshall and it’s impossible to know who it might be or from when their adversaries come. “I’m sorry to say you and I were instrumental in opening this Pandora’s box, Marshall. I’m not sure we can count on it remaining closed.” Marta’s warning may sound ominous, but when bad guys can come at you from within your country, on the other side of the globe, or even another dimension, the threats are endless and too complex to predict. Marshall and Marta will have to call on some old friends and even some enemies if they hope to ward off a dark threat from an unhinged religious influencer looking to promote his ideals through political channels.
Bureaucracy and agenda-pushing reach a boiling point as ruthless politicians and other greedy people prove they will do anything to grow their power and influence. Add in plenty of political and religious satire and you’ve got an original framework for this ridiculously entertaining comedy of errors. Mike Murphey’s astute assessments of the human condition are as on point as ever as he delves into ethical dilemmas and morally gray areas throughout this cheeky novel. Some scenes read more like recent news cycles rather than fiction, but with enough augmented silliness to make you laugh rather than lament. With the exception of the preacher man, the tone of the book is undemanding and witty without being pontifical. Excitement and danger appear at every turn, and the drama doesn’t even stop once it reaches the oval office. Readers are treated to religious zealots on a holy mission, an organized labor protest within an abandoned AI population and an impending cataclysmic natural disaster. All of this helps embellish a farcical story where traveling through time is no longer a novel idea, but the only way to save the world. Get ready to become reacquainted with some of the most original characters modern science fiction has seen in the crafty and clever novel, The Outlaw Gillis Kerg.
