Alison McBain

Ever since tomorrow, time travel has engaged readers, and multiple stories do so in "When to Now". In fact, a few come across as downright literary (for the genre), yet some can readily be saved for a rainy day.

Abhishek Sengupta writes perhaps the most intriguing and disturbing story of the book in both poetic metaphor and narrative. "The Swing" translates an experience of Alzheimer's disease as a repetitive, yet deteriorating, experience. One starts at one extreme of the travel arc and seeks to cross a threshold on the far side, to something like normality. The story encompasses the experience of the loved one as well. It is too rich and complex to give justice to here. Intellectually, it is a difficult read, but that challenge is a metaphor in and of itself.

P.C. Keeler's "Try Again" seems to portray 'God' as an embodiment of Idealism more than Creator. Idealism is repeatedly drawn (or dragged) through a sequence of generations exposed to extreme Darwinism - the Counter Idealism. Idealism has at its heart naivite rather than omniscience. Keeler's spiritual paradigm is too sophisticated to be compared to the brain dead creation theology which we call scripture today. Like Sengupta, his is a challenging read but not in any negative sense.

Other stories provoke thought for translating older ideas into a post modern setting "A Winters Day" is a futuristic Dorian Grey despairing the selfishness of wanting to live forever. However, it could benefit from some pizazz. It is also not mentally ground breaking, though it is a good study in how to create a vivid context for a story. It would be a useful example in writing technique for a student.

"Turns of Fate" briefly narrates the experiences of an adolescent working in a retro-amusement park. In a highly policed state, the story takes inspiration from "1984". It puts the oddities of time travel into a scene that feels purposefully mundane.

"Neighbor" is a brief morality tale decrying selfishness in time as well as general irritability. It could make do with a bit more verve and could readily appear elsewhere. Alongside of works like those of Sengupta and Keeler, it feels out of place. The same might be said for "Misconception," which concerns adoption. Both works develop an air of predictability.

The above are a small selection of stories. On balance, "When to Now" has some excellent works, and it brings many different perspectives and scenarios. However, writing styles which differ so greatly make it feel schizophrenic. A number of works lack intensity and make the book feel easy to put down.… (plus d'informations)