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Epic WalrusTech Universe #1
The Dent in the Universe: Book One of the Epic WalrusTech Universe
It turns out "Move fast and break things" is terrible advice when developing a time machine.
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
It’s the time machine for the rest of us.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he's unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
It’s the time machine for the rest of us.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he's unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 29, 2023
64 people are currently reading
4169 people want to read
About the author
E.W. Doc Parris
2 books66 followersE.W. Doc Parris (he, him, his) is a science fiction writer based in Northern Virginia, in the US.
He is the debut author of ‘The Dent in the Universe’, the first of his ‘WalrusTech’ series chronicling humanity’s downfall and the subsequent climb back to their former heights and beyond. "The Dent in the Universe" is available for free via Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.
In addition to being a science fiction author, Doc has held many jobs in a long and varied career. He’s been an actor, graphic designer, art director, 3D modeler, animator, iOS developer, and currently works as a front end solutions architect developing real-world content management systems for the rest of us.
He can be found on his website www.ewdocparris.com as well as the following social media platforms
mastodon: @ewdocparris@writing.exchange
instagram: @ewdocparris
He is the debut author of ‘The Dent in the Universe’, the first of his ‘WalrusTech’ series chronicling humanity’s downfall and the subsequent climb back to their former heights and beyond. "The Dent in the Universe" is available for free via Amazon's Kindle Unlimited.
In addition to being a science fiction author, Doc has held many jobs in a long and varied career. He’s been an actor, graphic designer, art director, 3D modeler, animator, iOS developer, and currently works as a front end solutions architect developing real-world content management systems for the rest of us.
He can be found on his website www.ewdocparris.com as well as the following social media platforms
mastodon: @ewdocparris@writing.exchange
instagram: @ewdocparris
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
May 10, 2023
Disclaimer: Got this on Netgalley for a review. And as always in my reviews I'm honest.
3.5 stars.
The story had like three or four plot points going on. There's a famous owner of a highly adored tech company that aims high, a detective trying to solve a murder spree of a serial killer, time machine, and a virus pandemic slowly creeping in as the story goes. Surprisingly I found that by the end it all came together and it worked some hoe. It was definitely an interesting read that I had hard guessing the end. But I felt like some parts were explained well and other parts was left unanswered. But a weird yet engaging read.
3.5 stars.
The story had like three or four plot points going on. There's a famous owner of a highly adored tech company that aims high, a detective trying to solve a murder spree of a serial killer, time machine, and a virus pandemic slowly creeping in as the story goes. Surprisingly I found that by the end it all came together and it worked some hoe. It was definitely an interesting read that I had hard guessing the end. But I felt like some parts were explained well and other parts was left unanswered. But a weird yet engaging read.
May 24, 2023
As its author it's probably expected that I'd give my book a glowing review, though I've met a number of authors who aren't all that confident of their writing. I am confident in saying that no one has read The Dent in the Universe more times than I have, so, from that perspective, I love this book. It is a true page-turner (the last four chapters especially so). But I also love how it skewers our current mindless tech culture. There is no human endeavor so full of smart people that has done so much damage to human institutions. This is my love letter to those who slumber through AGILE stand-ups, who work to make their world-changing products, and who never think through the ways in which the world is better off unchanged—or the power their ideas might put in the hands of monsters.
I'd like to thank the good reviewers here at GoodReads. Your honest reviews, good or bad, are so valuable to authors. While I'd love if every review of The Dent in the Universe was a 5 star love-fest, the reviewers who gave it lower ratings aren't wrong. I try to write my books for a very particular reader. My writing isn't for everyone. If everyone adored my writing I probably haven't done my job properly. So, to all who felt this book wasn't for you, thanks for your review. Not every book is, or should be, for everyone. To all those who found something worthwhile, thanks to you too. Spread the word.
Be Good,
Doc
I'd like to thank the good reviewers here at GoodReads. Your honest reviews, good or bad, are so valuable to authors. While I'd love if every review of The Dent in the Universe was a 5 star love-fest, the reviewers who gave it lower ratings aren't wrong. I try to write my books for a very particular reader. My writing isn't for everyone. If everyone adored my writing I probably haven't done my job properly. So, to all who felt this book wasn't for you, thanks for your review. Not every book is, or should be, for everyone. To all those who found something worthwhile, thanks to you too. Spread the word.
Be Good,
Doc
June 17, 2023
A roller-coaster ride through a future world on the brink of collapse……
Book Information
"The Dent in the Universe" was written by E.W. Doc Parris. Spanning 346 pages, the book was published on May 29, 2023. This is Parris’ debut novel and the first of his ‘WalrusTech’ series. Thanks to Magic Genius Books for providing me with an advance copy of the book for review.
Summary
To resurrect his fading fame, tech CEO Stephen Lucas is willing to sacrifice everything. When his gaming subspace network crashes, his partner makes a mind-bending discovery: sending information back in time is possible.
Lucas envisions a product that grants instant gratification and will become a hit on Wall Street. What he doesn’t predict is that not everyone will use it to preorder pizza or get instant Uber pickups. Some people’s imaginations are darker, and this amazing creation can turn dreams into nightmares.
My Thoughts
"The Dent in the Universe" by E.W. Doc Parris takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of technology, murder, missing persons, and chaos. The fast-paced and action-packed narrative immediately engrosses readers, delivering multiple storylines which are connected. Parris's unique and creative approach in bringing them together is commendable. The level of chaos and destruction throughout the book is spectacular making me wonder just how many ways Parris can end civilization. Mystery, mayhem, and twisted technology collide in this captivating page-turner.
One standout aspect is the fresh perspective on "time travel" presented in the book. It introduces numerous possibilities that are thoroughly explored, albeit accompanied by complex and occasionally flexible rules depending on the situation. Parris adeptly crafts a futuristic world that not only reflects current challenges but also demonstrates their potential escalation and transformation. Add the ability to influence these challenges, either for good or bad, and things can spiral out of control rapidly.
Parris blends elements of science fiction, mystery, and a touch of horror, offering a twisted, captivating, and thrilling reading experience. The prose and descriptions are vivid, immersing readers in the story's atmosphere.
While the book is fantastic and inventive, it should be noted that it serves as an introduction to an anticipated series rather than providing a complete resolution to the chaos it creates. It primarily serves as a backstory and preamble, setting the stage for future installments. Nevertheless, the engaging storytelling ensures readers, or at least I, will eagerly anticipate the sequel.
Recommendation
I wholeheartedly recommend "The Dent in the Universe" by E.W. Doc Parris for fans of thrilling science fiction and mystery. With its fast-paced narrative, intricate plot connections, and vivid descriptions, this book is an absolute must-read.
Rating
4 Timeless Stars
Book Information
"The Dent in the Universe" was written by E.W. Doc Parris. Spanning 346 pages, the book was published on May 29, 2023. This is Parris’ debut novel and the first of his ‘WalrusTech’ series. Thanks to Magic Genius Books for providing me with an advance copy of the book for review.
Summary
To resurrect his fading fame, tech CEO Stephen Lucas is willing to sacrifice everything. When his gaming subspace network crashes, his partner makes a mind-bending discovery: sending information back in time is possible.
Lucas envisions a product that grants instant gratification and will become a hit on Wall Street. What he doesn’t predict is that not everyone will use it to preorder pizza or get instant Uber pickups. Some people’s imaginations are darker, and this amazing creation can turn dreams into nightmares.
My Thoughts
"The Dent in the Universe" by E.W. Doc Parris takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of technology, murder, missing persons, and chaos. The fast-paced and action-packed narrative immediately engrosses readers, delivering multiple storylines which are connected. Parris's unique and creative approach in bringing them together is commendable. The level of chaos and destruction throughout the book is spectacular making me wonder just how many ways Parris can end civilization. Mystery, mayhem, and twisted technology collide in this captivating page-turner.
One standout aspect is the fresh perspective on "time travel" presented in the book. It introduces numerous possibilities that are thoroughly explored, albeit accompanied by complex and occasionally flexible rules depending on the situation. Parris adeptly crafts a futuristic world that not only reflects current challenges but also demonstrates their potential escalation and transformation. Add the ability to influence these challenges, either for good or bad, and things can spiral out of control rapidly.
Parris blends elements of science fiction, mystery, and a touch of horror, offering a twisted, captivating, and thrilling reading experience. The prose and descriptions are vivid, immersing readers in the story's atmosphere.
While the book is fantastic and inventive, it should be noted that it serves as an introduction to an anticipated series rather than providing a complete resolution to the chaos it creates. It primarily serves as a backstory and preamble, setting the stage for future installments. Nevertheless, the engaging storytelling ensures readers, or at least I, will eagerly anticipate the sequel.
Recommendation
I wholeheartedly recommend "The Dent in the Universe" by E.W. Doc Parris for fans of thrilling science fiction and mystery. With its fast-paced narrative, intricate plot connections, and vivid descriptions, this book is an absolute must-read.
Rating
4 Timeless Stars
August 4, 2024
*Spoiler Free*
It is rare that I have as much fun reading horror/SF as I did with this book. It's a truly unique take on tech-bro culture, the dangers of human bravado, and the end of the world. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Parris throws another curve ball at you.
An absolute *must-read* for those of us who love fresh takes on the SF and horror genres, and a fantastic addition to my shelf. I have consistently recommended this to friends and family (though I am a little too protective of my signed copy to lend it out often lol).
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
It is rare that I have as much fun reading horror/SF as I did with this book. It's a truly unique take on tech-bro culture, the dangers of human bravado, and the end of the world. Just when you think you know where the story is headed, Parris throws another curve ball at you.
An absolute *must-read* for those of us who love fresh takes on the SF and horror genres, and a fantastic addition to my shelf. I have consistently recommended this to friends and family (though I am a little too protective of my signed copy to lend it out often lol).
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!
September 30, 2024
Have you ever wondered what Black Mirror’s version of Skynet would be like?
Well, I think it’s this.
A mix of scifi, horror (with a couple of dark graphic scenes), wry witt, multiple characters with an intricate and well crafted storyline, and thriller crime elements just to keep you guessing.
This book is well written, fast paced, and set in a not too distant future. It plays on the idea that scientists have a moral responsibility to question what their technology and inventions can do before releasing it into the world.
🔪🔪
Technothriller
Hard Science Fiction
Time Travel Fiction
Well, I think it’s this.
A mix of scifi, horror (with a couple of dark graphic scenes), wry witt, multiple characters with an intricate and well crafted storyline, and thriller crime elements just to keep you guessing.
This book is well written, fast paced, and set in a not too distant future. It plays on the idea that scientists have a moral responsibility to question what their technology and inventions can do before releasing it into the world.
🔪🔪
Technothriller
Hard Science Fiction
Time Travel Fiction
September 21, 2023
Wonderful work! Kept me up late.
Read
October 7, 2023I am one of the judges of team Space Girls for the SPSFC3 contest. This review is my personal opinion. Officially, it is still in the running for the contest, pending any official team announcements.
Status: Pending
Read: 30%
Once again, I entered this book completely blind. Didn't read the blurb (which now that I have read 1/3 of the story, it seems to spoil a tad bit too much), and definitely missed the blood coming from the magical black cube thing.
In reality, I spent a good chunk of the story thinking this book is going to be like that 90's anime hack/SIGN where the inventor of the ultimate VR gamecube is trapped inside. Had I spoiled myself reading the blurb, I would have avoided being taken for such a fool. :P
I have spent the past few days wondering what exactly does this product do and how does it work. For all of the overt knowledge displayed of how IT configurations work and the proper debugging mechanisms of corrupt information packets, the book well... never explains how this not-VR-set works.
And I do go nuts with these kinds of things because I soon stopped paying attention to the story and wondered how exactly does this product work. Then I start thinking maybe the magic cube is like the Kaiba Corporation holograms featured in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. But instead of having retractable cables that sync with the opponent's dashboard to complete the hologram, we uh... ummm... I guess the magic cube shoots hologram pellets into the air?
How does this product work anyways? Is it like a Nintendo Wii where you are partially standing up and swooshing your arm? The book hints the game players have controllers, but they don't look at them because your player can be standing in a truck that goes upside down. And so, I probably spent half of the time reading this book fretting over something the average reader didn't really care about or notice. Given I was innocently assuming this was a trapped VR game story, this would be a me issue and not the book as such. But I believe the scenes on how the games actually work could have been written with greater clarity.
If the reader was hurting for a book starring sociopathic tech bros using legal loopholes (and acting oh so smart) to avoid getting fired from their jobs, this book will deliver. From what I have read so far, tech entrepeneurs are portrayed in quite a negative light. While at the same time, they are exuding that shiny public persona that fools everyone except the reader. The book delivers that quite well.
Even though it looks like Firefighter/Veteran John Banks will not become the protagonist after all, I liked that character very much. He's funny, witty, and I would have liked to see him in more chapters (I suppose he will appear again later in the book). It is unusual to see fiction featuring Firefighters that aren't romance novels, so that was nice. Might have been fun to add a scene where we saw John stopping fires to lighten the mood of the book a bit.
Now, when we reached the chapter where megalomaniac Stephen Lucas presents his shiny new instant internet game cube, the Steve Jobs vibes felt strong here. I wouldn't know if the author watched a few old recordings of that entrepeneur. It certainly felt similar in vibe. What I didn't understand is the timeframe. Stephen and most of the gushing audience are in their 30s... in the year 2030. That was not the unusual thing to me. What stroke me as bizarre was how Stephen adds the screeching dial sound of a 1990s internet connection. The book confirms Stephen was born in 1996. I lived through that era and yes, in 1996 we had to disconnect the phone cable to use the internet. Let me see, yes, our original home internet service went bankrupt in around 1999 and we switched to fibercable that used coaxial cables that shared cable tv and internet together.
I am not entirely sure when homes in the US started massively using fibercable for internet, but I doubt most members of the Z generation retain vivid memories of the techology. Most people born after the year 2000 might have only heard of the connection sound by watching the movie Napoleon Dynamite. That movie was made long after the dial up technology was no longer in use, but I think the director did it on purpose as a source of humor. Likewise, nobody uses cellphones in that movie, even though flip phones were widespread.
While that dial up scene would have worked well if this book had taken place in the 2010s, I doubt having it happen in 2030 would evoke the laughter and nostalgia of an audience that was 3-4 years old at the oldest. Quite honestly, I would have edited that out. The line of dialogue didn't serve any purpose in the plot and it just dragged me out of the story.
The fancy Silicon Valley HQ seemed equally off in regards to the book. If people my age would very much prefer to avoid a long commute for work, most of Generation Z graduated highschool and college with online classes. I am quite flabbergasted the company became so rich with a kitcshy shooter game cube thingy instead of rooting for the valuable home office VR technology. A product that would make its fortune selling a product that offers seamless online classes, medical panels, medical simulation and online meetings that would feel very close to being in person. Kind of how the blue holograms work in Star Wars. Perhaps later on, the book mentions the company does indeed offer a wider variety of services, but that felt missing to me.
I do wish to offer a huge warning to readers, the book contains a very brutal and violent female torture chapter. Quite honestly, I felt jarred a book that was not veering in such a direction at all would put it in. Even more so because the grammar syntax was so confusing that I kept on rereading passages over and over again to know what was going on. It was a huge contrast to the much more polished and seemless earliest chapters of the book. I got the vibe the author worked hard to polish the early chapters that would appear on an Amazon preview. Also added more diverse characters (with variable results) and made the detective's coworker a queer female to pass the Beschel test.
Readers should be warned ahead of time about that chapter to skip it if extreme violence is not their thing. The chapter can be skipped and it won't really hurt the plot too much. I also was going nuts the torturer doesn't know how to move patients (despite working like an orderly). Who lifts a person on their shoulder when a quick & easy lateral turn is sufficient? And why would a propofol infusion last so long? There is a reason why TIVA requires a specialized infusor that uses a sophisticated mathematical algorithm.
Other chapters have sentences that were difficult to read. Such as this one: He waved her off Deborah. I kept on reading that sentence several times to confirm whether the detective was about to pounce on the lawyer. Much to my surprise, the pounce never showed up.
In a nutshell, there's some cool things about the book. I liked the scenes featuring the firefighter a lot and the unsolved serial killer case that overlaps with the magical box plot. I will assume these separate stories will come together at the end of the book. The extreme horror scenes put me off. I prefer my horror to be insinuated and less visceral. Other readers won't seem to mind that.
Despite the things that were offsetting to me, I will give a further look to the book and see if it maintains my interest. As long as the horror isn't too overwhelming and the grammar too difficult to read, I might finish the book sometime.
Status: Pending
Read: 30%
Once again, I entered this book completely blind. Didn't read the blurb (which now that I have read 1/3 of the story, it seems to spoil a tad bit too much), and definitely missed the blood coming from the magical black cube thing.
In reality, I spent a good chunk of the story thinking this book is going to be like that 90's anime hack/SIGN where the inventor of the ultimate VR gamecube is trapped inside. Had I spoiled myself reading the blurb, I would have avoided being taken for such a fool. :P
I have spent the past few days wondering what exactly does this product do and how does it work. For all of the overt knowledge displayed of how IT configurations work and the proper debugging mechanisms of corrupt information packets, the book well... never explains how this not-VR-set works.
And I do go nuts with these kinds of things because I soon stopped paying attention to the story and wondered how exactly does this product work. Then I start thinking maybe the magic cube is like the Kaiba Corporation holograms featured in the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. But instead of having retractable cables that sync with the opponent's dashboard to complete the hologram, we uh... ummm... I guess the magic cube shoots hologram pellets into the air?
How does this product work anyways? Is it like a Nintendo Wii where you are partially standing up and swooshing your arm? The book hints the game players have controllers, but they don't look at them because your player can be standing in a truck that goes upside down. And so, I probably spent half of the time reading this book fretting over something the average reader didn't really care about or notice. Given I was innocently assuming this was a trapped VR game story, this would be a me issue and not the book as such. But I believe the scenes on how the games actually work could have been written with greater clarity.
If the reader was hurting for a book starring sociopathic tech bros using legal loopholes (and acting oh so smart) to avoid getting fired from their jobs, this book will deliver. From what I have read so far, tech entrepeneurs are portrayed in quite a negative light. While at the same time, they are exuding that shiny public persona that fools everyone except the reader. The book delivers that quite well.
Even though it looks like Firefighter/Veteran John Banks will not become the protagonist after all, I liked that character very much. He's funny, witty, and I would have liked to see him in more chapters (I suppose he will appear again later in the book). It is unusual to see fiction featuring Firefighters that aren't romance novels, so that was nice. Might have been fun to add a scene where we saw John stopping fires to lighten the mood of the book a bit.
Now, when we reached the chapter where megalomaniac Stephen Lucas presents his shiny new instant internet game cube, the Steve Jobs vibes felt strong here. I wouldn't know if the author watched a few old recordings of that entrepeneur. It certainly felt similar in vibe. What I didn't understand is the timeframe. Stephen and most of the gushing audience are in their 30s... in the year 2030. That was not the unusual thing to me. What stroke me as bizarre was how Stephen adds the screeching dial sound of a 1990s internet connection. The book confirms Stephen was born in 1996. I lived through that era and yes, in 1996 we had to disconnect the phone cable to use the internet. Let me see, yes, our original home internet service went bankrupt in around 1999 and we switched to fibercable that used coaxial cables that shared cable tv and internet together.
I am not entirely sure when homes in the US started massively using fibercable for internet, but I doubt most members of the Z generation retain vivid memories of the techology. Most people born after the year 2000 might have only heard of the connection sound by watching the movie Napoleon Dynamite. That movie was made long after the dial up technology was no longer in use, but I think the director did it on purpose as a source of humor. Likewise, nobody uses cellphones in that movie, even though flip phones were widespread.
While that dial up scene would have worked well if this book had taken place in the 2010s, I doubt having it happen in 2030 would evoke the laughter and nostalgia of an audience that was 3-4 years old at the oldest. Quite honestly, I would have edited that out. The line of dialogue didn't serve any purpose in the plot and it just dragged me out of the story.
The fancy Silicon Valley HQ seemed equally off in regards to the book. If people my age would very much prefer to avoid a long commute for work, most of Generation Z graduated highschool and college with online classes. I am quite flabbergasted the company became so rich with a kitcshy shooter game cube thingy instead of rooting for the valuable home office VR technology. A product that would make its fortune selling a product that offers seamless online classes, medical panels, medical simulation and online meetings that would feel very close to being in person. Kind of how the blue holograms work in Star Wars. Perhaps later on, the book mentions the company does indeed offer a wider variety of services, but that felt missing to me.
I do wish to offer a huge warning to readers, the book contains a very brutal and violent female torture chapter. Quite honestly, I felt jarred a book that was not veering in such a direction at all would put it in. Even more so because the grammar syntax was so confusing that I kept on rereading passages over and over again to know what was going on. It was a huge contrast to the much more polished and seemless earliest chapters of the book. I got the vibe the author worked hard to polish the early chapters that would appear on an Amazon preview. Also added more diverse characters (with variable results) and made the detective's coworker a queer female to pass the Beschel test.
Readers should be warned ahead of time about that chapter to skip it if extreme violence is not their thing. The chapter can be skipped and it won't really hurt the plot too much. I also was going nuts the torturer doesn't know how to move patients (despite working like an orderly). Who lifts a person on their shoulder when a quick & easy lateral turn is sufficient? And why would a propofol infusion last so long? There is a reason why TIVA requires a specialized infusor that uses a sophisticated mathematical algorithm.
Other chapters have sentences that were difficult to read. Such as this one: He waved her off Deborah. I kept on reading that sentence several times to confirm whether the detective was about to pounce on the lawyer. Much to my surprise, the pounce never showed up.
In a nutshell, there's some cool things about the book. I liked the scenes featuring the firefighter a lot and the unsolved serial killer case that overlaps with the magical box plot. I will assume these separate stories will come together at the end of the book. The extreme horror scenes put me off. I prefer my horror to be insinuated and less visceral. Other readers won't seem to mind that.
Despite the things that were offsetting to me, I will give a further look to the book and see if it maintains my interest. As long as the horror isn't too overwhelming and the grammar too difficult to read, I might finish the book sometime.
May 10, 2023
Another ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review - excellent for those who like sci-fi - releasing May 29th
Let me start this review out by saying, sci-fi is definitely not my favorite genre. When I say I couldn’t put this book down, I mean it! This book spans so many different creepy and eerie potential total world collapse scenarios that are intricately woven throughout the plot and wrapped up perfectly. This book is giving the butterfly effect, the mandala effect, and the day after tomorrow on crack! It really made me think and there was a lot of scientific and intellectual speak that took a second to wrap your head around but this author does great at helping you to understand while also addressing doubt and skepticism that this could actually be happening. By the end of this book, my skepticism in technology has grown and I definitely hope we aren’t in this dimension by 2036. Great read, definitely recommend even if it’s not your genre. It’s got something for all: time travel, a serial killer, a strange death, zombies, technology (kind of) taking over and much more but it was written in a way that all this themes make sense and fit together like a puzzle. Can’t wait for the second book in the series!
Let me start this review out by saying, sci-fi is definitely not my favorite genre. When I say I couldn’t put this book down, I mean it! This book spans so many different creepy and eerie potential total world collapse scenarios that are intricately woven throughout the plot and wrapped up perfectly. This book is giving the butterfly effect, the mandala effect, and the day after tomorrow on crack! It really made me think and there was a lot of scientific and intellectual speak that took a second to wrap your head around but this author does great at helping you to understand while also addressing doubt and skepticism that this could actually be happening. By the end of this book, my skepticism in technology has grown and I definitely hope we aren’t in this dimension by 2036. Great read, definitely recommend even if it’s not your genre. It’s got something for all: time travel, a serial killer, a strange death, zombies, technology (kind of) taking over and much more but it was written in a way that all this themes make sense and fit together like a puzzle. Can’t wait for the second book in the series!
May 17, 2023
Fire Chief, John Banks is taking some time to meet a long time friend Stephen Lucas. He hasn’t seen or touched base with Stephen for three years. They served in the Army with John as lieutenant and platoon leader. John met Stephen Lucas when he joined the platoon at the age of nineteen and gradually made sergeant. John remembers Stephen as this punctual, hard-ass, confident, super intelligent, and intense young man. Stephen was now the CEO, billionaire of ONE Corporation, famous for gaming and The White Horseman.
John is three years older than Stephen and is the first Black Director in history for CAL FIRE and head of California Wildfire Joint Task Force. He leads the best team in North America. Needless to say, his career in the fire department is very impressive and he works hard and is very dedicated to his job. As he waits for Stephen to arrive he takes in the Giants game and watches the announcement about the brush fire at Clarksdale Crossroads. He’s tempted to go to his jeep, check in and give consideration to going to the fire. But he decides to wait for Stephen who is late. When a man, not Stephen, walks right up to John and sits opposite him, the man hands him a brand new ONEwindow gaming tablet, with instructions to follow. Low and behold there’s Stephen and he presents a proposition to John. John can’t believe what Stephen reveals to him.
June of 2030, Madre Pueda, Detective Julia Swann and Detective Francine Lazło are the best missing person team in the PD. They’ve put aside their investigation into missing women, with an order by Governor Holbrook. Julia is overlooking the destruction of a fire caused by a young boy. For five days the fire destroyed a town, the forrest and the road. It took another full week for CAL FIRE to clear a road. The Governor appointed John Banks who has been missing for fifteen days and his Jeep Gladiator is found burned out in a ditch. With John Banks it will lead Julia Swann to meeting with Stephen Lucas.
In August of 2036, what ONE Corporation brought to technology, would prevent it from failure, the sChip. Until one day for less than fifteen minutes the system crashed all over the world. Stephen Lucas will have to fight to stay as the CEO. With this one time system crash, Stephen and Walrus Roberts look further into the failure and Walrus makes an unbelievable discovery.
Julia Swann is still investigating the continuing case of a monster, kidnapper-serial killer. She finds evidence that will take her to meet with Stephen Lucas once again. Someone else is also tracking this serial killer, Emily Tran and GGB-Z becomes a global epidemic.
“The Dent In the Universe” by E.W. Doc Parrish in one of the most, hard core science fiction novels, I have ever read. I’m not going to say, I understood it totally, because it is heavy in IT/computer technology, mechanics and language, but I loved every bit of it. Needless to say, I was hooked from the beginning and got totally immersed in this roller-coaster ride of technology, missing persons, murder and pandemics. The author is brilliant in the way he makes it all come together. It’s fast paced, loaded with danger, gritty, gory, with devastation beyond the imagination. It’s also shockingly terrifying, with a bioengineered pandemic, zombies, COVID-28 nightmares, that leads to a dystopian world. Just how gratifying is it to get want you want right now, but what would happen if a mistake was made?
Throughout this entire novel there is a host of interesting characters: Stephen Lucas, Walrus Roberts, Julia Swann, Cliff Price, Deborah Raskin and many more. But the one one character I couldn’t stop thinking about was John Banks, just what did happen to him?
I double down on “The Dent in the Universe” and highly recommend it! This is a definite on the edge of your seat, page turner. If this could be made into a really good movie I would love it, but the books are usually better. I’m just ecstatic to have read this book by E.W. Doc Parrish and excited to see what he has planned for book two, “The Aurora’s Pale Light” in the “Walrus Tech” series.
John is three years older than Stephen and is the first Black Director in history for CAL FIRE and head of California Wildfire Joint Task Force. He leads the best team in North America. Needless to say, his career in the fire department is very impressive and he works hard and is very dedicated to his job. As he waits for Stephen to arrive he takes in the Giants game and watches the announcement about the brush fire at Clarksdale Crossroads. He’s tempted to go to his jeep, check in and give consideration to going to the fire. But he decides to wait for Stephen who is late. When a man, not Stephen, walks right up to John and sits opposite him, the man hands him a brand new ONEwindow gaming tablet, with instructions to follow. Low and behold there’s Stephen and he presents a proposition to John. John can’t believe what Stephen reveals to him.
June of 2030, Madre Pueda, Detective Julia Swann and Detective Francine Lazło are the best missing person team in the PD. They’ve put aside their investigation into missing women, with an order by Governor Holbrook. Julia is overlooking the destruction of a fire caused by a young boy. For five days the fire destroyed a town, the forrest and the road. It took another full week for CAL FIRE to clear a road. The Governor appointed John Banks who has been missing for fifteen days and his Jeep Gladiator is found burned out in a ditch. With John Banks it will lead Julia Swann to meeting with Stephen Lucas.
In August of 2036, what ONE Corporation brought to technology, would prevent it from failure, the sChip. Until one day for less than fifteen minutes the system crashed all over the world. Stephen Lucas will have to fight to stay as the CEO. With this one time system crash, Stephen and Walrus Roberts look further into the failure and Walrus makes an unbelievable discovery.
Julia Swann is still investigating the continuing case of a monster, kidnapper-serial killer. She finds evidence that will take her to meet with Stephen Lucas once again. Someone else is also tracking this serial killer, Emily Tran and GGB-Z becomes a global epidemic.
“The Dent In the Universe” by E.W. Doc Parrish in one of the most, hard core science fiction novels, I have ever read. I’m not going to say, I understood it totally, because it is heavy in IT/computer technology, mechanics and language, but I loved every bit of it. Needless to say, I was hooked from the beginning and got totally immersed in this roller-coaster ride of technology, missing persons, murder and pandemics. The author is brilliant in the way he makes it all come together. It’s fast paced, loaded with danger, gritty, gory, with devastation beyond the imagination. It’s also shockingly terrifying, with a bioengineered pandemic, zombies, COVID-28 nightmares, that leads to a dystopian world. Just how gratifying is it to get want you want right now, but what would happen if a mistake was made?
Throughout this entire novel there is a host of interesting characters: Stephen Lucas, Walrus Roberts, Julia Swann, Cliff Price, Deborah Raskin and many more. But the one one character I couldn’t stop thinking about was John Banks, just what did happen to him?
I double down on “The Dent in the Universe” and highly recommend it! This is a definite on the edge of your seat, page turner. If this could be made into a really good movie I would love it, but the books are usually better. I’m just ecstatic to have read this book by E.W. Doc Parrish and excited to see what he has planned for book two, “The Aurora’s Pale Light” in the “Walrus Tech” series.
July 24, 2023
Don't get fooled by the old-timey name of the author. E. W. "Doc" Parris brings to mind the old Lensman series, does it not? And while that's a deliberate choice on the part of the author this is not your mother's science fiction. (my Mom was a great fan of E. E. "Doc" Smith) This is a thoroughly modern tale. And while I am not a practicing quantum mechanic the explanations work well enough for me.
This is a good book full of interesting and unexpected twists and turns. Yeah, it involves time travel but not like any time travel I've encountered in the past. No grandfather paradox here! (the reason why is one of my minor irritations. But I"ll let you decide how you feel about that) Instead we get very clever uses of the technology, far beyond simply ordering a pizza for instant delivery. What starts out as a somewhat innocuous and useful vision of its use turns into a nightmare beyond anyone's dreams. Well, anyone but the person who dreams it and makes it real.
And that's enough of that.
I would describe this as action-packed police procedural time travel horror geek SF. And if that doesn't satisfy you then I don't know what will!
Thanks to NetGalley
This is a good book full of interesting and unexpected twists and turns. Yeah, it involves time travel but not like any time travel I've encountered in the past. No grandfather paradox here! (the reason why is one of my minor irritations. But I"ll let you decide how you feel about that) Instead we get very clever uses of the technology, far beyond simply ordering a pizza for instant delivery. What starts out as a somewhat innocuous and useful vision of its use turns into a nightmare beyond anyone's dreams. Well, anyone but the person who dreams it and makes it real.
And that's enough of that.
I would describe this as action-packed police procedural time travel horror geek SF. And if that doesn't satisfy you then I don't know what will!
Thanks to NetGalley
September 28, 2024
This book was a dark ride…but a fascinating one! I thoroughly enjoyed the time warping and brain warping that came from this. There's sort of everything a sci-fi reader could want - time travel, dystopianism, a zombie virus, discussions of quantum computers and the like...but there was also a serial killer, so that added a little more crazy to the mix.
The way it was written the timelines were sometimes hard to follow, but all the threads of the unraveled story did synch up nicely in the end. That said, there is a Book 2 in this series, so I'm sure any lingering questions that weren't touched on will be answered in that. Though I'm usually not one for a series, I do want to find out what happens in the next installment and will plan on buying it when it comes out.
Overall, I really liked the concept and the way the characters worked through the physics of time travel. I also found it unique and interesting in a way that is barely touched on with most works of literature. It's a very smart book even if it is a bit overwhelming for all that it tackles. If you like quirky and interesting reads, you should definitely check out this one!
The way it was written the timelines were sometimes hard to follow, but all the threads of the unraveled story did synch up nicely in the end. That said, there is a Book 2 in this series, so I'm sure any lingering questions that weren't touched on will be answered in that. Though I'm usually not one for a series, I do want to find out what happens in the next installment and will plan on buying it when it comes out.
Overall, I really liked the concept and the way the characters worked through the physics of time travel. I also found it unique and interesting in a way that is barely touched on with most works of literature. It's a very smart book even if it is a bit overwhelming for all that it tackles. If you like quirky and interesting reads, you should definitely check out this one!
March 12, 2025
This was an incredible book. I am not a tech bro, and this is a tech heavy piece of sci-fi ... and yet, the story immediately sank its hooks and I couldn't stop reading. The science seemed plausible even though I am completely unfamiliar with it.
Tech CEO Stephen Lucas and his team accidentally create a device capable of sending data back in time for something as innocent as ordering instantaneous pizza delivery. What could go wrong, right?
Yeah. That.
The characters and motivations are thoroughly engrossing. It's kind of like if Michael Crichton wrote Silence of the Lambs meets The Walking Dead. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
Tech CEO Stephen Lucas and his team accidentally create a device capable of sending data back in time for something as innocent as ordering instantaneous pizza delivery. What could go wrong, right?
Yeah. That.
The characters and motivations are thoroughly engrossing. It's kind of like if Michael Crichton wrote Silence of the Lambs meets The Walking Dead. I enthusiastically recommend this book.
June 8, 2023
that was a lot of fun…
Silly, dystopian fun. Fun sci fi/ horror thriller. Popcorn reading and I was in the mood for something like that.
Silly, dystopian fun. Fun sci fi/ horror thriller. Popcorn reading and I was in the mood for something like that.
March 24, 2024
Non linear
Excellently written. One glaring inconsistency at the end just before the epilogue. Not a time travel book, but a time manipulation story. The story is written linearly, but because of the time manipulation, the reader gets facts and scenes out of order so that one is always guessing, and involved with determining the explanation as to why something previously read turned out the way it did. You're therefore left with a kind of mix of sci-fi and who done it. The story concludes with some questions unanswered although they can be reasonably predicted. There's a promise of a book two, but I have difficulty believing it can live up to the excitement exhibited by book one.
Excellently written. One glaring inconsistency at the end just before the epilogue. Not a time travel book, but a time manipulation story. The story is written linearly, but because of the time manipulation, the reader gets facts and scenes out of order so that one is always guessing, and involved with determining the explanation as to why something previously read turned out the way it did. You're therefore left with a kind of mix of sci-fi and who done it. The story concludes with some questions unanswered although they can be reasonably predicted. There's a promise of a book two, but I have difficulty believing it can live up to the excitement exhibited by book one.
June 15, 2023
Excellent read. Need more...
What a great ride. In the vein of a Blake Crouch mind bender, Parris writes a very entertaining tale. The setup in chapter one left me confused for a long time, but folded back into the narrative in the epilogue. It ended on a strange sort of cliffhanger, promising another book to continue the story. Read it.
What a great ride. In the vein of a Blake Crouch mind bender, Parris writes a very entertaining tale. The setup in chapter one left me confused for a long time, but folded back into the narrative in the epilogue. It ended on a strange sort of cliffhanger, promising another book to continue the story. Read it.
May 13, 2024
Trigger warnings: pandemic illness, extreme blood/gore, child abuse, graphic torture, murder, death
This book has multiple different plots/storylines they weave together into a whole. A tech billionaire, desperate to save his dying company discovers that you can send information back in time with the help of a special computer chip. A detective tries to find a serial killer while said killer tries to complete his Becoming. A deadly virus is sweeping the globe leaving deranged victims in its wake.
I spent the vast majority of this book having no idea what I was going to rate this book. There is a lot about this I loved but there was also a lot that I really didn’t like. To start with other the positives, there’s just so much stuff going on all the time that it can get a bit overwhelming. The book is super fast paced and all Yoon packed that it just sucks you into the story. I liked Stephen Lucas as a character most of the time. I think my favorite character was the female detective working the serial killer case though. While not started right away the boom is set in the future and I liked reading about all of the future tech that the author imagines might show up.
I have several complaints about this though. The computer chips that are developed in the book are very much based in physics and quantum mechanics. The author tried his best to dumb down how everything worked but I still had no idea how any of this is was supposed to work. Reading about the development of the time machine was interesting but I thought the invention timeframe was unrealistic. Some of the dialogue is just in my opinion not the best written especially at the start of the book and especially around the love subplot between Lucas and the female detective. The dialogue doesn’t sound realistic to me. Even outside of the science dumps. I don’t know if I want to say that I liked the serial killer but he was well done and terrifying. Last thing is whenever the computer chips were being talked about the author used a lot of technical language about computing and quantum mechanics and I had no idea what was going on with that most of the time. I got the rough idea of what was going on at any given time but wouldn’t be able to go in too much depth about any of what’s happening.
I would have to say my main complaint is the serial killer plot. The synopsis says nothing about that happening in the story. I don’t mind dark serial killer plots in most books but I felt very blindsided. The first look we have with this guy is when he’s torturing someone to eventual death. There are two torture scenes in the book and the second is even worse than the first. The scenes are graphic and drawn out and very unpleasant to read. He also goes into detail about how he was abused as a child during the first torture scene. Cutting back and forth between his scenes and the scenes about the computer chip and time machine is very jarring when it happens. There are a lot of people that can’t handle this kind of content and literally any kind of warning that this was going to happen would have been nice (I’ll even take a single sentence about it in the book synopsis.)
Overall I surprisingly do recommend this for fans of more extreme sci-fi and horror. Apparently there is going to be a sequel to this and I can’t wait I’m gonna need to read it as soon as it comes out. (One of the disadvantages of reading an advanced copy you have to wait longer than everyone else to read the second one.)
This book has multiple different plots/storylines they weave together into a whole. A tech billionaire, desperate to save his dying company discovers that you can send information back in time with the help of a special computer chip. A detective tries to find a serial killer while said killer tries to complete his Becoming. A deadly virus is sweeping the globe leaving deranged victims in its wake.
I spent the vast majority of this book having no idea what I was going to rate this book. There is a lot about this I loved but there was also a lot that I really didn’t like. To start with other the positives, there’s just so much stuff going on all the time that it can get a bit overwhelming. The book is super fast paced and all Yoon packed that it just sucks you into the story. I liked Stephen Lucas as a character most of the time. I think my favorite character was the female detective working the serial killer case though. While not started right away the boom is set in the future and I liked reading about all of the future tech that the author imagines might show up.
I have several complaints about this though. The computer chips that are developed in the book are very much based in physics and quantum mechanics. The author tried his best to dumb down how everything worked but I still had no idea how any of this is was supposed to work. Reading about the development of the time machine was interesting but I thought the invention timeframe was unrealistic. Some of the dialogue is just in my opinion not the best written especially at the start of the book and especially around the love subplot between Lucas and the female detective. The dialogue doesn’t sound realistic to me. Even outside of the science dumps. I don’t know if I want to say that I liked the serial killer but he was well done and terrifying. Last thing is whenever the computer chips were being talked about the author used a lot of technical language about computing and quantum mechanics and I had no idea what was going on with that most of the time. I got the rough idea of what was going on at any given time but wouldn’t be able to go in too much depth about any of what’s happening.
I would have to say my main complaint is the serial killer plot. The synopsis says nothing about that happening in the story. I don’t mind dark serial killer plots in most books but I felt very blindsided. The first look we have with this guy is when he’s torturing someone to eventual death. There are two torture scenes in the book and the second is even worse than the first. The scenes are graphic and drawn out and very unpleasant to read. He also goes into detail about how he was abused as a child during the first torture scene. Cutting back and forth between his scenes and the scenes about the computer chip and time machine is very jarring when it happens. There are a lot of people that can’t handle this kind of content and literally any kind of warning that this was going to happen would have been nice (I’ll even take a single sentence about it in the book synopsis.)
Overall I surprisingly do recommend this for fans of more extreme sci-fi and horror. Apparently there is going to be a sequel to this and I can’t wait I’m gonna need to read it as soon as it comes out. (One of the disadvantages of reading an advanced copy you have to wait longer than everyone else to read the second one.)
October 16, 2024
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
This is such a difficult book to review. The writing is excellent, the premise fascinating. Though the brief description of the book is so utterly inadequate as to what the story is really about. It's part futuristic sc-fi with a tech guru who's invented the most sophisticated gaming system ever, and whose top expert discovers an accident that leads to the possibility of a sort of time machine - not a DeLorean that will physically take you into the past, but a way to utilize quantum physics to retroactively order something in the past so it arrives now. On the flip side is a criminal investigation into a prolific serial killer which may intertwine with the tech company somehow. This is a finely layered combination of sci-fi/crime thriller for about two thirds of the book. And then, in the final third all hell breaks loose. The tale goes from being Blade Runner to the movie version of Doom. It starts as True Detective and ends up as some whacky Resident Evil video game offshoot. It almost feels like somebody other than the original author finished the book. Early on I would have rated this 4 or 5 stars, but I was so disappointed in where it ended up I have to call it no better than 3.5, though I'll round it to 4 stars.
This is such a difficult book to review. The writing is excellent, the premise fascinating. Though the brief description of the book is so utterly inadequate as to what the story is really about. It's part futuristic sc-fi with a tech guru who's invented the most sophisticated gaming system ever, and whose top expert discovers an accident that leads to the possibility of a sort of time machine - not a DeLorean that will physically take you into the past, but a way to utilize quantum physics to retroactively order something in the past so it arrives now. On the flip side is a criminal investigation into a prolific serial killer which may intertwine with the tech company somehow. This is a finely layered combination of sci-fi/crime thriller for about two thirds of the book. And then, in the final third all hell breaks loose. The tale goes from being Blade Runner to the movie version of Doom. It starts as True Detective and ends up as some whacky Resident Evil video game offshoot. It almost feels like somebody other than the original author finished the book. Early on I would have rated this 4 or 5 stars, but I was so disappointed in where it ended up I have to call it no better than 3.5, though I'll round it to 4 stars.
May 5, 2023
Tech CEO Stephen Lucas is in trouble. His next big thing was announced with the usual hype that it was going to change the world of communications, but it’s now six years on and it… hasn’t. Stephen survives an attempt by some of the board to force him out of his company, but he knows he’s on borrowed time. Then his tech genius, Walrus, comes to him with a genuine breakthrough: a way to send information back in time. The effects of the technology will change the world; that is, if the world can survive the beta test.
Parris has come up here with a refreshing take on time travel and gives some tantalising hints about the moral implications which will hopefully be further explored in the sequels. It’s also a wild ride, with wildfires, serial killers, plagues and zombies all making an appearance. Parris is adept at keeping track of all the disparate threads of the plot, so strands which seem unconnected at the time do come together in the end.
The plot zips along so entertainingly that I found I didn’t question some of the more preposterous bits until after I had finished reading. The serial killer element in particular allows Parris to introduce some fairly spectacular developments which don’t on reflection have much justification other than that this particular character is insane and therefore does and plans insane things. It seemed fair enough at the time, but does introduce an almost comedic tone which could undermine the more serious points Parris is making about irresponsible development of technology.
The speed and escalating absurdity of the plot also precludes any real character development. This isn’t a problem for the genre, as you don’t expect this sort of tech thriller to be character-driven, but given this, I could have dispensed with the sub-plot of Stephen’s relationship with a cop on the serial killer case. There are a few hints though that we are supposed to be more interested in Stephen as a character than I found I was able to be. His comment at the end, ‘I’m the bad guy in this story. I’m the villain’ seems to have crept in from a different book, where the action is less important than the psychological consequences of unintentionally unleashing Armageddon.
I would probably have enjoyed looking back on that alternative book rather more than this one. The Dent in the Universe was however a fun read while I was reading it, and from a tech thriller, you can’t really ask for more than that.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Parris has come up here with a refreshing take on time travel and gives some tantalising hints about the moral implications which will hopefully be further explored in the sequels. It’s also a wild ride, with wildfires, serial killers, plagues and zombies all making an appearance. Parris is adept at keeping track of all the disparate threads of the plot, so strands which seem unconnected at the time do come together in the end.
The plot zips along so entertainingly that I found I didn’t question some of the more preposterous bits until after I had finished reading. The serial killer element in particular allows Parris to introduce some fairly spectacular developments which don’t on reflection have much justification other than that this particular character is insane and therefore does and plans insane things. It seemed fair enough at the time, but does introduce an almost comedic tone which could undermine the more serious points Parris is making about irresponsible development of technology.
The speed and escalating absurdity of the plot also precludes any real character development. This isn’t a problem for the genre, as you don’t expect this sort of tech thriller to be character-driven, but given this, I could have dispensed with the sub-plot of Stephen’s relationship with a cop on the serial killer case. There are a few hints though that we are supposed to be more interested in Stephen as a character than I found I was able to be. His comment at the end, ‘I’m the bad guy in this story. I’m the villain’ seems to have crept in from a different book, where the action is less important than the psychological consequences of unintentionally unleashing Armageddon.
I would probably have enjoyed looking back on that alternative book rather more than this one. The Dent in the Universe was however a fun read while I was reading it, and from a tech thriller, you can’t really ask for more than that.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2024
📚BOOK REVIEW📚
The Dent in the Universe by E. W. Doc Parris
(Book 1 in The WalrusTech Universe series)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Genre: Sci-Fi / Technothriller
Tropes:
•time travel
•horror & dark aspects
•aftermath of messing with the past
•ethical dilemma of time travel
•multi-POV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This one was a RIDE. I truly did not know what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s kind of a melting pot of a bunch of different genres. There are sci-fi and futuristic elements (since this is set in the future, 2030ish), there are horror/dark aspects, there are mystery/thriller/crime procedural aspects (they’re hunting a serial killer), and there’s even a romance (very minor, but it’s there).
It does feel like an overwhelming amount of things going on at some points. HOWEVER, everything ties in together in the end and the story comes to some very satisfying conclusions.
One of the main aspects in this book is the technology that the company is producing. The author does a great job trying to explain the science being used, which (in my opinion) makes a sci-fi feel more realistic. My complaint isn’t with the science itself, it’s more that it was VERY dense in spots. But, that’s kind of the vibe of the book, as well as the vibe of the characters who are discussing it (so I understand why it was done).
I think my favorite part is how well the “time travel” aspect and logic was done. I feel like a lot of books use time travel and then gloss over both what is happening and the implications, but this book has its own “rule set” for it (which was cool).
That being said… based on the logic/pseudoscience being used in this book, the prologue & epilogue seemingly break the time travel “rules”. I won’t elaborate much more (it would spoil a lot), but this was a bit frustrating to me because it’s clear it’s a big part of the plot and also the set up for the sequel.
There were a couple other plot-related things that didn’t fully make sense, but they weren’t as major as the “rule breaking”.
Overall, this one was super interesting and entertaining. You get a lot of different perspectives from a lot of different characters, and you kind of have to piece together how they all relate. Definitely a cool concept. I will for sure be checking out the sequel when it comes out in November.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this ✨
The Dent in the Universe by E. W. Doc Parris
(Book 1 in The WalrusTech Universe series)
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Genre: Sci-Fi / Technothriller
Tropes:
•time travel
•horror & dark aspects
•aftermath of messing with the past
•ethical dilemma of time travel
•multi-POV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This one was a RIDE. I truly did not know what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s kind of a melting pot of a bunch of different genres. There are sci-fi and futuristic elements (since this is set in the future, 2030ish), there are horror/dark aspects, there are mystery/thriller/crime procedural aspects (they’re hunting a serial killer), and there’s even a romance (very minor, but it’s there).
It does feel like an overwhelming amount of things going on at some points. HOWEVER, everything ties in together in the end and the story comes to some very satisfying conclusions.
One of the main aspects in this book is the technology that the company is producing. The author does a great job trying to explain the science being used, which (in my opinion) makes a sci-fi feel more realistic. My complaint isn’t with the science itself, it’s more that it was VERY dense in spots. But, that’s kind of the vibe of the book, as well as the vibe of the characters who are discussing it (so I understand why it was done).
I think my favorite part is how well the “time travel” aspect and logic was done. I feel like a lot of books use time travel and then gloss over both what is happening and the implications, but this book has its own “rule set” for it (which was cool).
That being said… based on the logic/pseudoscience being used in this book, the prologue & epilogue seemingly break the time travel “rules”. I won’t elaborate much more (it would spoil a lot), but this was a bit frustrating to me because it’s clear it’s a big part of the plot and also the set up for the sequel.
There were a couple other plot-related things that didn’t fully make sense, but they weren’t as major as the “rule breaking”.
Overall, this one was super interesting and entertaining. You get a lot of different perspectives from a lot of different characters, and you kind of have to piece together how they all relate. Definitely a cool concept. I will for sure be checking out the sequel when it comes out in November.
Thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this ✨
October 3, 2024
E.W. Doc Parris’ The Dent in the Universe delivers a compelling blend of sharp wit, tech culture critique, and thrilling sci-fi. It’s the kind of novel that hooks you with its high-concept premise—time manipulation as a consumer product—and keeps you engaged with its layered exploration of ambition and human frailty.
At its core, the novel is a biting commentary on our obsession with instant gratification. Parris captures the breakneck pace of Silicon Valley and its “move fast, break things” mentality, where innovation often comes without a second thought to long-term consequences. I found this theme particularly relevant in today’s world of rapid technological advancement, where we often prioritize convenience over caution.
What really stood out to me was the depth Parris gives to the characters, particularly Stephen Lucas, the driven but flawed CEO at the heart of the story. His desperation to reclaim his former glory felt authentic and, at times, painfully relatable. Parris expertly balances Lucas' personal ambition with the larger ethical dilemmas surrounding time manipulation, making the narrative not just about a cool invention, but about the moral cost of success.
The novel’s pacing is sharp, but Parris doesn’t rush through the deeper questions at play. As the tension builds, so do the stakes, not just for Lucas, but for the fabric of reality itself. The book never feels overly technical, despite its scientific premise—Parris manages to make complex ideas feel accessible while still leaving plenty for the reader to ponder.
The Dent in the Universe is a smart, thought-provoking read that resonates beyond its sci-fi elements. It challenges the reader to consider how far we’d go to control time and the consequences of playing with forces we don’t fully understand. With its mix of high-stakes tension, moral complexity, and dark humor, this book is a refreshing and timely take on the sci-fi genre.
At its core, the novel is a biting commentary on our obsession with instant gratification. Parris captures the breakneck pace of Silicon Valley and its “move fast, break things” mentality, where innovation often comes without a second thought to long-term consequences. I found this theme particularly relevant in today’s world of rapid technological advancement, where we often prioritize convenience over caution.
What really stood out to me was the depth Parris gives to the characters, particularly Stephen Lucas, the driven but flawed CEO at the heart of the story. His desperation to reclaim his former glory felt authentic and, at times, painfully relatable. Parris expertly balances Lucas' personal ambition with the larger ethical dilemmas surrounding time manipulation, making the narrative not just about a cool invention, but about the moral cost of success.
The novel’s pacing is sharp, but Parris doesn’t rush through the deeper questions at play. As the tension builds, so do the stakes, not just for Lucas, but for the fabric of reality itself. The book never feels overly technical, despite its scientific premise—Parris manages to make complex ideas feel accessible while still leaving plenty for the reader to ponder.
The Dent in the Universe is a smart, thought-provoking read that resonates beyond its sci-fi elements. It challenges the reader to consider how far we’d go to control time and the consequences of playing with forces we don’t fully understand. With its mix of high-stakes tension, moral complexity, and dark humor, this book is a refreshing and timely take on the sci-fi genre.
August 17, 2023
It's Primer, as if made in 2022.
What if Silicon Valley, as we know of it today in all its Big Tech awfulness, invented time travel?
If that interests you, stop, and go read it. Like a lot of time travel stories, the surprise and novelty are part of the fun. I am writing this to you from your future that, even with the relatively low stars that you will give it as a book, its premise is so golden that it does not matter.
Parris knows what makes a good time travel story, and has a lot of fun playing with the rules, but has an equal amount of fun having the characters play with the rules and what the implications are. The book has a solid non-twist ending (or rather ). Parris also has a distinctive staccato style and fresh sense of pace to his prose that's probably going to turn off some but that I thought was fun.
The glaring problem is that the stakes get too high. Like I think that is clever, but it feels overall less like it was a planned progression and more like the author growing bored of the premise. Or if it was a planned progression, I feel betrayed, more like a bait and switch, the book becoming about its framing device as a lead in to an overly generic sci-fi romp rather than an amusingly satirical send up of US culture.
It feels a bit like I am judging the book for not being as smart as it could be, but the book was that smart at the start. And I think this is first published novel, so it is a promising start, but unfortunately future me didn't talk about what else comes out.
What if Silicon Valley, as we know of it today in all its Big Tech awfulness, invented time travel?
If that interests you, stop, and go read it. Like a lot of time travel stories, the surprise and novelty are part of the fun. I am writing this to you from your future that, even with the relatively low stars that you will give it as a book, its premise is so golden that it does not matter.
Parris knows what makes a good time travel story, and has a lot of fun playing with the rules, but has an equal amount of fun having the characters play with the rules and what the implications are. The book has a solid non-twist ending (or rather ). Parris also has a distinctive staccato style and fresh sense of pace to his prose that's probably going to turn off some but that I thought was fun.
The glaring problem is that the stakes get too high. Like I think that is clever, but it feels overall less like it was a planned progression and more like the author growing bored of the premise. Or if it was a planned progression, I feel betrayed, more like a bait and switch, the book becoming about its framing device as a lead in to an overly generic sci-fi romp rather than an amusingly satirical send up of US culture.
It feels a bit like I am judging the book for not being as smart as it could be, but the book was that smart at the start. And I think this is first published novel, so it is a promising start, but unfortunately future me didn't talk about what else comes out.
September 20, 2024
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🕰️ have ever wanted to time travel
👀 enjoy multiple plot points
🫣 love vivid imagery
📖 are searching for a unique read
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
It’s the time machine for the rest of us.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he's unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
Just wow! If you’re looking for a thriller/horror/science fiction novel all wrapped together, then this one is for you! It has so many great aspects that really come together by the end of the story! Different storylines, but all feeding together to create one suburb ending! The fact that this is simply the beginning of many more novels to come was my favorite part. I loved getting to see all of the ways that time travel can really impact the here and now. There are so many details and vivid imagery in this book that I never had a hard time trying to picture the scenes. All in all, a fantastic read!
🕰️ have ever wanted to time travel
👀 enjoy multiple plot points
🫣 love vivid imagery
📖 are searching for a unique read
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
To resuscitate his fading celebrity, tech CEO Stephen Lucas would sell his soul for one more hit. When the subspace network for his holographic gaming empire crashes, his hardware guru makes a discovery proving that Einstein was right once again— information can be sent backward in time.
Lucas sees a dream product for procrastinators. Want a pizza now? Send your order back in time 30 minutes. Forgot to make reservations at that chichi french restaurant two weeks ago? No worries. Buy that PowerBall ticket. Invest in that stock. Make a FaceTime call to a loved one that passed away a month ago.
It’s the time machine for the rest of us.
In a culture built on instant gratification, Lucas knows he has a hit that will seem like a dream come true on Wall Street. But when he rushes into beta testing before fully understanding the power he's unleashing, he learns that the stuff dreams are made of can quickly become the stuff of nightmares.
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
Just wow! If you’re looking for a thriller/horror/science fiction novel all wrapped together, then this one is for you! It has so many great aspects that really come together by the end of the story! Different storylines, but all feeding together to create one suburb ending! The fact that this is simply the beginning of many more novels to come was my favorite part. I loved getting to see all of the ways that time travel can really impact the here and now. There are so many details and vivid imagery in this book that I never had a hard time trying to picture the scenes. All in all, a fantastic read!
May 24, 2023
The Review
The author does a fantastic job of crafting a unique and powerful world that brings a rich blend of sci-fi and mystery storytelling. The detail the author puts into the more tech and scientific nature of the “time travel” element was great to see, and the inclusion of more business, mainstream-style approaches to the technology itself feels very real to the story being told and our own world as a whole.
This was the perfect emphasis on world-building and mythos that any hard-core sci-fi thriller has ever taken. The depths of character development and the realities of how our own modern-day “tech-bros” are seen by the broader public were greatly felt in this fictional world. The unique twist on the time travel element and the shift in tone as the sci-fi element soon takes a back seat to some more mystery, thriller, and even horror elements as the dark realities of any and all tech, but in particular this one, make themselves known and take the reader to a depth of internet hell that few could have seen coming.
The Verdict
Twisted, captivating, and thrilling, author E.W. Doc Parris’s “The Dent in the Universe” is a must-read sci-fi thriller you won’t be able to put down. The twists and turns in the narrative and the climactic finale will keep readers on the edge of their seats, and the atmospheric nature of the narrative will have readers invested in the author’s unique take on the sci-fi tech genre.
The author does a fantastic job of crafting a unique and powerful world that brings a rich blend of sci-fi and mystery storytelling. The detail the author puts into the more tech and scientific nature of the “time travel” element was great to see, and the inclusion of more business, mainstream-style approaches to the technology itself feels very real to the story being told and our own world as a whole.
This was the perfect emphasis on world-building and mythos that any hard-core sci-fi thriller has ever taken. The depths of character development and the realities of how our own modern-day “tech-bros” are seen by the broader public were greatly felt in this fictional world. The unique twist on the time travel element and the shift in tone as the sci-fi element soon takes a back seat to some more mystery, thriller, and even horror elements as the dark realities of any and all tech, but in particular this one, make themselves known and take the reader to a depth of internet hell that few could have seen coming.
The Verdict
Twisted, captivating, and thrilling, author E.W. Doc Parris’s “The Dent in the Universe” is a must-read sci-fi thriller you won’t be able to put down. The twists and turns in the narrative and the climactic finale will keep readers on the edge of their seats, and the atmospheric nature of the narrative will have readers invested in the author’s unique take on the sci-fi tech genre.
September 14, 2024
This book was an interesting and wild ride. This is a mix of horror (graphic) and sci-fi (dystopian). I really enjoyed how the two genres played together and how eerie this book was. It really was like an episode of Black Mirror coming to life, and I always enjoy books like that. This book is set not too far in the future, I mean it feels far, but it’s really only like 12 years away (gasp). The writing was well done, and most of the book flowed nicely. I say most because there is a chapter that is quite graphic in its torture of a character, and it feels that this chapter was out of place, almost that it was plopped into the story at a later date. However, the rest of the book was polished and well edited and I had no issues. The characters were great and well rounded. There were several key characters, however they all added to the story in a unique and non-confusing way. I enjoyed the time manipulation elements and how that played out. I was worried that I would get confused, and I had some doubts at times, but I stuck it out and my persistence was rewarded in the end.
Overall, this is a fantastic dystopian story with some graphic horror elements. I had a good time reading this book and look forward to additional books by this author.
Overall, this is a fantastic dystopian story with some graphic horror elements. I had a good time reading this book and look forward to additional books by this author.
October 6, 2024
Hi Book Besties!💕🌻
I am so excited to share my review of The Dent in the Universe Book 1 in the WalrusTech Universe 😍 By @ewdocparris.
This one is a little outside of my norm as far as preferred reading goes. Y'all know I am a die hard romance girlie, however this one still checked off my sci-fi, futuristic and apocalypse boxes so I decided to give it a shot and I am SOOOO happy I did!
This is a near futuristic apocalypse mystery thriller book and it does have some pretty dark themes so you should absolutely check out those trigger warnings before jumping in! Your mental health is always more important than a book.
This book very much gives me Ready Player One and World War Z vibes with a twist on time travel mixed in. I absolutely loved the fact that even when this got very technical around how things work or are made, I was still able to keep up and understand without any other knowledge of how computers or coding works. It absolutely scratched my weird ADHD itch I have about learning cool new things whether it’s real or not.
I seriously can’t wait to dive into the next book!
The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.
I am so excited to share my review of The Dent in the Universe Book 1 in the WalrusTech Universe 😍 By @ewdocparris.
This one is a little outside of my norm as far as preferred reading goes. Y'all know I am a die hard romance girlie, however this one still checked off my sci-fi, futuristic and apocalypse boxes so I decided to give it a shot and I am SOOOO happy I did!
This is a near futuristic apocalypse mystery thriller book and it does have some pretty dark themes so you should absolutely check out those trigger warnings before jumping in! Your mental health is always more important than a book.
This book very much gives me Ready Player One and World War Z vibes with a twist on time travel mixed in. I absolutely loved the fact that even when this got very technical around how things work or are made, I was still able to keep up and understand without any other knowledge of how computers or coding works. It absolutely scratched my weird ADHD itch I have about learning cool new things whether it’s real or not.
I seriously can’t wait to dive into the next book!
The road to Hell is paved with cool inventions.
December 26, 2024
E. W. Doc Parris's "The Dent in the Universe" plunges readers into a thrilling sci-fi adventure where the lines between past, present, and future blur. When tech CEO Stephen Lucas discovers a way to send information back in time, he sees a golden opportunity to revolutionize his gaming empire. However, his ambition quickly spirals out of control as unintended consequences ripple through history, threatening to unravel the very fabric of reality.
Parris masterfully blends hard science with captivating storytelling, creating a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The novel explores thought-provoking questions about the nature of time travel, the ethical implications of manipulating the past, and the potential for unintended consequences. While some may find the scientific concepts complex, Parris presents them in an accessible way, making the novel engaging for both science fiction enthusiasts and casual readers alike.
Recommendation:
"The Dent in the Universe" is a highly recommended read for fans of time travel stories, sci-fi thrillers, and anyone interested in exploring the potential consequences of technological advancements.
Parris masterfully blends hard science with captivating storytelling, creating a fast-paced narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. The novel explores thought-provoking questions about the nature of time travel, the ethical implications of manipulating the past, and the potential for unintended consequences. While some may find the scientific concepts complex, Parris presents them in an accessible way, making the novel engaging for both science fiction enthusiasts and casual readers alike.
Recommendation:
"The Dent in the Universe" is a highly recommended read for fans of time travel stories, sci-fi thrillers, and anyone interested in exploring the potential consequences of technological advancements.
July 5, 2023
This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This book had the greatest hook ; what if you were hungry now? What if you could go back in time and order yourself a pizza to be delivered instantly to your present self? This got me immediately and I definitely wanted to read more.
There was a lot of world building in this book which made for a bit of a confusing start, but it started to come together mid-way. I think some of the characters introduced were a bit erroneous as they didn’t bring much to the plot besides cannon fodder. Also some of the science was a bit technical, and someone without a knowledge of science might be turned off by it.
I loved how all the different tangents of the story were just pieces of the overall plot. The story had a good flow once it got rolling and it was exciting to see the characters piece together all the little puzzles.
Overall an enjoyable book, even if it was hard to get started. Look forward to more from this author.
This book had the greatest hook ; what if you were hungry now? What if you could go back in time and order yourself a pizza to be delivered instantly to your present self? This got me immediately and I definitely wanted to read more.
There was a lot of world building in this book which made for a bit of a confusing start, but it started to come together mid-way. I think some of the characters introduced were a bit erroneous as they didn’t bring much to the plot besides cannon fodder. Also some of the science was a bit technical, and someone without a knowledge of science might be turned off by it.
I loved how all the different tangents of the story were just pieces of the overall plot. The story had a good flow once it got rolling and it was exciting to see the characters piece together all the little puzzles.
Overall an enjoyable book, even if it was hard to get started. Look forward to more from this author.
May 29, 2023
Short take: "Oh no, another time travel book?!?" Don't bet on it. I've never seen or read this take on time travel and it's spectacularly original and mind bending in all the right ways. You will be thinking about this for months after tearing through it. A great first turn from Parris, looking forward to seeing what comes next from him.
TLDR:
I very much enjoyed the pace of this book. In other hands, the various intricate threads of time-travel-ish story might have been overwhelming, but Parris weaves them together in a satisfying pattern. I never felt out of touch with the characters, where they were in the plot, or what their motivations were, even as those motivations shifted.
There were a couple of twists that I absolutely did not see coming, which were believable and drove the plot in very fun (and pretty dark) directions.
While the book does clearly leave it open for a sequel, (which I'm very eager to read when it hits the shelves), it is fully satisfying on its own.
TLDR:
I very much enjoyed the pace of this book. In other hands, the various intricate threads of time-travel-ish story might have been overwhelming, but Parris weaves them together in a satisfying pattern. I never felt out of touch with the characters, where they were in the plot, or what their motivations were, even as those motivations shifted.
There were a couple of twists that I absolutely did not see coming, which were believable and drove the plot in very fun (and pretty dark) directions.
While the book does clearly leave it open for a sequel, (which I'm very eager to read when it hits the shelves), it is fully satisfying on its own.
December 3, 2025
This book took me on a ride. I went in thinking I was getting a straight sci-fi story, and suddenly I’m in a mix of tech drama, serial-killer chaos, bio-horror, and “oh wow, the world is ending.” And honestly? I wasn’t mad at it.
The whole idea of sending information back in time instead of people is actually super interesting, and it gives the story a fresh angle. Things get intense fast, and the stakes just keep stacking until it feels like everything is spiraling in the best/wildest way.
It’s definitely dark in places like: “wait, what just happened? and some of the genre shifts are a little wild, but that’s part of the fun!
If you like sci-fi that’s bold, twisty, and not afraid to get a little weird and messy, this one is worth picking up. Also, I could absolutely see this as a movie or even a multi-season series. There’s more than enough chaos and world-building to fill a screen!
The whole idea of sending information back in time instead of people is actually super interesting, and it gives the story a fresh angle. Things get intense fast, and the stakes just keep stacking until it feels like everything is spiraling in the best/wildest way.
It’s definitely dark in places like: “wait, what just happened? and some of the genre shifts are a little wild, but that’s part of the fun!
If you like sci-fi that’s bold, twisty, and not afraid to get a little weird and messy, this one is worth picking up. Also, I could absolutely see this as a movie or even a multi-season series. There’s more than enough chaos and world-building to fill a screen!
December 11, 2024
The Dent in the Universe was WILD and full of so many fun themes flawlessly blended together. You have time travel with in-depth yet digestible science and rules, serial killers worthy of a multi-episode run on Criminal Minds, and an apocalypse that's even more horrifying for how believable it is. I LOVED the science in this story! I can't tell you how fun it was to learn about the science behind slushies and brain freezes and then pop over into the head of a serial killer before reading about the invention of a time machine. I'm so excited (and anxious) to find out what happens in the next book!
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