Marc Guggenheim’s fascinating tale of resilience and love in the face of incomprehensible horrors and fantastical elements is incredibly compelling. It packs a solid punch right to the heart. I could never have expected such a powerful story.
Dr Jonas Cullen’s life is upended in a tragic accident that claims the life of his loving wife. Distraught over this twist of fate, Jonas can’t bring himself to accept it. A Nobel Laureate specializing in the theory of Many Worlds, Jonas figures out a way to hop across various worlds in the multiverse in the hopes of finding his wife alive in one of them. As Jonas sets on this dangerous path, he soon realizes the universe also has a say in what happens and he finds himself fighting on all fronts against fate, mercenaries, and an old friend turned foe, all to get to his love.
In Any Lifetime reads like a splendid blend of science fiction, romance, and thriller all swirling around in the pages at high-octane pacing. There are philosophical conundrums in the narrative that Jonas undergoes that not only serve the narrative but also the reader as it makes you ponder about how often we take things as coincidences or flukes but may very well be an inherent design of the universe. It may very well have been just a sci-fi drama if not for the inclusion of chaotic shootouts and dirty brawls with characters going at each other, each propelled by an unstoppable belief that they are justified in their actions. This makes for a highly riveting showdown that beautifully encapsulates Jonas’ journey through the worlds that ultimately change him more than he affects them.
In Any Lifetime was a surprise pick as I perused through my list of upcoming books and I finished it a different man than I had started it. Perhaps, that’s the best we can hope for when we pick up a book: to lose ourselves in it. Maybe in some other world in this multiverse I don’t pick up this book, but that would be a dull world.
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Purchase In Any Lifetime
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