The Borderlands of Forever: An Illustrated Novel

SF/FANTASY/HORROR Jeff B. Willey| Outcosm Creations 321p, trade paper, $22.22, ISBN 978-17386602-0-9

Sweeping over the course of centuries, Willey’s heady speculative thriller warps time and space to create an existential glimpse into the perils of humanity as two deadly forces threaten humankind: man-made machines and mysterious alien entities. Caught in the crossfire is an eclectic group of characters trying to make sense of the growing discord. As they face tribulations and explosive action, Willey tackles a wealth of universal themes such as death, the afterlife, reincarnation, and the reliance of humans on machines.

Willey has invented some fascinating characters such as the cyborg Circ Larimar, who seeks autonomy from humans, Bureau of Sentience Surveillance agent Lila Sandcherry, an agent on a mission for truth, and Deximer Crombie, a man who has traveled through realms of time and space. But the focus rests heavily on the plot-driven narrative and lush, original world building. Willey’s imagination conjures a future where, for the right price, humans can grow new bodies, essentially never growing old, or their consciousness can be uploaded to a digital utopia. Integration of humans and machines creates unease, conflict, and moral debates as some entertain the possibility of humans entering a total virtual existence. Space travel and menacing alien life forms heighten the stakes, and fans of bold science fiction storytelling will delight in the abundance.

As the story moves from the early 21st century through the 32nd century, Willey meticulously pieces together a complex puzzle through scrupulous details and inventive scene building. Even seasoned readers of hard S.F. may find it takes work to untangle the twisting, expansive journey, though Willey provides a clarifying timeline for aid as well as a time “map” that allows a reader to approach the chapters in chronological order, if desired. This may be advantageous for readers wanting a smooth progression between events. This is an intense, head-spinning survey of the battle for the top rung on the evolutionary ladder.

Sci-fi fans who delight in dense, inventive timelines will relish this thriller of humanity’s future.

Great for fans of R. Scott Bakker, Neal Stephenson.