Rohini Singh

The Time Manipulator’s Son is a richly inventive fantasy tale. Rohini Singh creates a complete world and peoples it with a fascinating set of characters. It’s a fun read - I finished it in two sittings - and one that moves quickly along.

The planet of Chyspath is part of the Zelrod constellation in the Zaphor galaxy. Above the planet, shrouded by a force field that makes it invisible to those below, is an asteroid that is home to a race of beings who have developed multiple superpowers and achieved immortality. The inhabitants call the asteroid “the Upper World”.

On the planet below are multiple races, including people from Earth. Many of the inhabitants of Chyspath came here unwittingly through rifts in space / time, but all are living together peacefully under one worldwide government.

Diante is a widow from the Upper World. Fearful for her newborn child’s life after the death of her husband she determines to protect him by secretly placing him on Chyspath with the family of the Supreme Leader.

The book follows the growth of her son and two other boys born on the same day. It’s a mix of fantasy, fairy tale, coming-of-age, and mystery. As the three boys - Amopar, Daniel and Benardo - come of age they must embrace their differences, come to grips with Daniel's emerging abilities to manipulate time, and unravel their families secrets and the mysteries they hide.

Author Rohini Singh is Trinidadian and she blends elements of the island’s culture into the story, adding a Caribbean feel to many of the scenes in the book.

You will easily get lost in the world that Singh creates, which, for the most part, is a good thing. But she does sometimes get carried away giving you background that, while it is really inventive and fun to read, doesn’t advance the storyline.

In one example she introduces the concept of “maxi taxis” that two of the boys will use to go to a rather seedy area so that they can consult with a fortune teller. But she fleshes out the idea of maxi taxis by telling you the many places they go, how they are color coded so that riders will know which ones to take, etc. etc. None of which really moves the story along.

Her writing style helps to make up for that shortcoming though. The book reads like a fairy tale. It's as if the story was being told by an adult, full of knowledge and wisdom, to a much younger and inexperienced reader. It has a certain “Once upon a time” naivety to it. That allows the author to get away with a lot more “telling instead of showing” than I usually have patience for.

RATING: Three and a half stars ⭐⭐⭐🌠

NOTE: I won a copy of this book through the weekly free book giveaway by Something Or Other Publishing. I am voluntarily providing this review.… (plus d'informations)