Ryan's Reboot

Timeless Void #5

by Craig Robertson

Jon Ryan is living his dream. To say his life was good would be a silly understatement. Sure. Come on, he did CPR on his very first girlfriend, Jenna, when they were in their tweens and narrowly saved her from drowning. Then they dated throughout high school, and were only temporarily separated when he went off to the USAF Academy and she to UCLA. But their future was looking so bright they both needed welding goggles. But, way back there in the reality that seems to always kick anyone named Jon Ryan in the ass was ... er, an uncomfortable truth. His life, Jenna's life, their life together never happened. Oops. Something happened to the time line of mid twentieth century Earth. Something OMG big. Fixed events that had happened never took place. No, the entire world was living a lie but had no way of knowing that they were. How could they? Well, turns out there was one.Toño DeJesus, tired from all his battles and torments, decided to live the life of a hermit. Two-billion years in the future, Toño moves into an abandoned asteroid. His only companion in his solitude was a sentient robotic recreation of Miguel Cervantes that he created. Together these two Spanish gentlemen shared quite times, aged sherry, and nostalgia for their homeland. But, eventually Cervantes grew restless and convinced Toño to join him is establishing relationships with society outside of their cocoon. Specifically, it turned out Miguel was horny as hell and could no longer abide their monastic lifestyle. When Toño acquiesced and took Cervantes outside the time lock that shielded their asteroid from the rest of the universe, it did not take the scientist long to discover that something was very wrong. History was not what he knew it to be. The temporal changes seemed to center on the mid twentieth century, so they journeyed there to investigate. Meanwhile, a completely new and unstoppable threat arose that promised to destroy the entire galaxy. Giant building superstructures were defeating all the advanced civilizations they encountered and then assimilating their substance. When Toño learned of this existential threat, he could only think of one solution. Task Jon Ryan with, yet again, saving our collective asses. But there was just one little problem. The only Jon Ryan available to his was the one living in the altered time line. He'd never defeated even a single alien aggressor. He had barely begun his NASA career. How was Toño going to bring a man whom he'd never even met up to the speed necessary to do what no advanced galactic civilization had so far been able to do -- stop The Structure? How? It was not going to be easy. In fact, the challenge was so enormous he came to believe he needed to call upon more than one Jon Ryan. Yeah, baby! What could possibly go wrong?

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 8, 2023

About the author

I claim three great accomplishments in my life: my family, my medical career, and my writing.  They are in, I am certain, their proper order.  My family, includes my perfect wife Karen, my wonderful children (adults now) Chris and Kim, my sweet grandson Jonathan. And now you! From family, I draw strength, love, and meaning.  What humbling gifts.  I am almost as proud of my incredible career as a physician (no, not that I'm incredible, it's that the journey was).  I'm an Internest and have worked in ER's, hospitals, clinics, homes, and most places between.  What a rush!  When I say it's an honor and a privilege to be a doctor, I truly mean it.  My writings, provide me a powerful creative outlet and so warms my soul directly.  In my wilder dreams, I hope my writing is of sufficient merit and so benefit you too in an impactful manner. 
Know me by what I love: Dickens, Orwell, and Bradbury; Milton, Donne, and Blake; Coltrane, Davis, and Desmond; Picasso, Michelangelo, and Renoir; Astronomy, Biology and Geology; Doctor Who, Star Trek (original TV), and Doctor Who (yeah, I love it that much); Avedon, Doisneau, and Arbus; burger and fries, coc au vin, and pizza-pizza-pizza.  Have I left anything important to me out?  Just one, the most important: God.  I'm an ex-Catholic wondering if churches are device of men and are necessary at all.  More importantly, I wish I spent more time seeing His wonder in the world (I'm not evangelizing, just passing along info; this is a bio, n'est pas?).  Oh, and this has never come up, but there used to be a series of magazine ads where sexy looking people were asked a series of questions about what they liked.  A standard query was: "What's your favorite word?"  So, this really stuck with me (I know, I need to get out more, don't I) and now I can tell someone, you, my favorite word.  Oneself!  I love it.  It means 'on your own' right, but it also refers to the elf you own!  Brilliant word.  Now, where'd I put that elf.......

Reviews

[David Gorenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

best yet

I love the Jon Ryan series. This is one on the best yet showcasing the best in the series. The humanity the humor the intricate play of ideas. Enjoyed immensely.

[Joseph D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn fine start.

Okay, no fair. You are NOT allowed to leave us on cliffhangers! Damn Craig, you're on fire here. I can't wait until the next installment! So good. So Ryan!

[Kevin Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new timeline, a new jon. Toño is now the only one who can help set the timeline straight? Oh also new threat to the universe.