Time Hopper

The Time Hopper Saga #1

by Os Ibrahim

In the technologically advanced city of New Olympia, Dan Walton is a brilliant scientist who has achieved great success in his professional life, but still feels unfulfilled and lonely. Seeking adventure and purpose, he sets out on a journey that will take him to the far reaches of time and space. With the help of his mentor, Rogers Leenman, and the enigmatic former-CIA agent, Erica McCarter, Dan embarks on a series of thrilling exploits that will challenge his intellect, his courage, and his heart. From managing mergers as a new CEO to exploring the treacherous depths of lava chambers, and even riding on flying carpets, Dan discovers new worlds and experiences that he never thought possible. As he delves deeper into the mysteries of time and alternate universes, Dan finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue and betrayal. With danger lurking at every turn, he must use all his scientific knowledge and cunning to navigate the complex political landscape and outsmart his enemies. Will he be able to overcome the obstacles in his path and find the fulfillment he's been seeking? Find out in Time Hopper - a thrilling tale of science, exploration, and self-discovery that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel

351 pages, Paperback

Published August 25, 2023

Reviews

[Sue Miz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beliefs are what makes you swim without fearing that you might lose control of your limbs, drown, and die

I was immediately drawn to this book because
1- it's sci-fi, a genre I am fast falling for
2- the theme is multiverse ...definelty exciting
3- written by a POC author, yes yes yes
4- the author is from my country writing fatasy in English, absolutely 💯

Dan Walton is a successful, rich scientist and inventor. You'd think with this combination, his life is a bed of roses. It's not. Dan is suffering from depression cause by a neglectful childhood, harsh uprising, and a sense of abandonment.
one day, while visiting his mentor, a mysterious moon stone cause the opening of a wormhole sucking Dan into worlds parallel to ours.

These adventures open Dan's perspective that his life is worthy, making him a changed man.

I enjoyed The Hopping Dan did between different worlds and times meeting interesting characters. The blends between modern times, Greek mythology, and ancient Egypt were fun to read.

However, there were a number of elements that did not work for me

1- it took too long for the book to reach the "time hopping" moment. In a 347 pages, I had to sit through 127 pages of Dan's daily life. I know this was important to understand his backstory, but still, it was tedious to the point I doubted I was reading a Sci-Fi

2- there were a lot of info dumping and unnecessary description. why would I read a whole page of him getting out of his luxury car, locking it, then climbing up stairs!!! or the rooms he stayed before in a hotel?

3- The "Erica" storyline did not make any sense to me. why would a CIA agent who owns a 24 caret gold laptop be interested in Dan? Who in their right mind prance around with a 24 caret gold laptop!!!!!

4- there was a sense of misogyny that left me uncomfortable. the way Dan talks about women or labeling Erica as being misandry knowing what she went through making it about him not her.

for an indie book, I understand that using an editor is sometimes out of the question, but there were numerous mistakes that are easily fixed with self-proofreading (i do not hold this for my rating)

overall, as a first book, it was enjoyable and I will be reading book 2 to see how the story telling goes

[MyBookNest7 · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inter-universal adventure of this scope could only have been possible with great knowledge and an even greater imagination!

Overwhelmed by a troubled childhood, Dan Walton is now a supremely successful scientist who continues to be haunted by his past. Fear of abandonment has followed him into adulthood ensuring that he keeps himself isolated and doesn’t depend on friends. Worry and concern cause his mentor, Rogers Leenman to take matters into his own hands when Dan mentions craving for an adventure. Hoping for an overhaul, however, Dan is unexpectedly pulled into an adventure nobody could have planned.

As if it was fated, Dan quickly adapts to the situation and has a true adventure. However, the new and improved Dan triumphantly returns home to the shocking news of betrayal. Has his adventure helped his journey of self-discovery or does the betrayal have the potential to pull him back towards his dark past?

The multiverse has been and will continue to be a massive interest for a lot of people and Time Hopper possibly takes it a few steps ahead. The science perspective, the concern of a mentor, and a scientist’s persistence come together in this adventurous tale of time travel across the multiverse.

Once the stage is fully set, the story picks up pace and all you can do is zoom through the pages to get to the end. Quite honestly, it is the several tiny details of the multiple universes that make the story increasingly interesting. While the concept of an alternate universe is in itself an extremely curious one, it takes on another level when time travel is added to the mix.

Pick this one up to quench the thirst of the explorer within you and you’ll be ensured of having a blast!

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from Reedsy Discovery in exchange for an honest review.

In the technologically advanced city of New Olympia, Dan Walton is a brilliant scientist who has achieved great success in his professional life, but still feels unfulfilled and lonely. Seeking adventure and purpose, he sets out on a journey that will take him to the far reaches of time and space.

With the help of his mentor, Rogers Leenman, and the enigmatic former-CIA agent, Erica McCarter, Dan embarks on a series of thrilling exploits that will challenge his intellect, his courage, and his heart. From managing mergers as a new CEO to exploring the treacherous depths of lava chambers, and even riding on flying carpets, Dan discovers new worlds and experiences that he never thought possible.

As he delves deeper into the mysteries of time and alternate universes, Dan finds himself drawn into a web of intrigue and betrayal. With danger lurking at every turn, he must use all his scientific knowledge and cunning to navigate the complex political landscape and outsmart his enemies.

Will he be able to overcome the obstacles in his path and find the fulfillment he's been seeking? Find out in Time Hopper - a thrilling tale of science, exploration, and self-discovery that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Time Hopper by Os Ibrahim is a solid time travel science fiction adventure novel. Dan Walton, the central character of the story, is a successful yet isolated and lonely scientist. He craves adventure, something he's never truly experienced before. His mentor helps him take on all sorts of challenges that he never would have dreamed possible. Dan finds himself right at the center of adventures that encompass even time travel and alternate universes.

Science fiction, time travel, and the multiverse are some of my favorite things to read or watch, so I was really looking forward to checking out this series opener from the new author, Os Ibrahim. I enjoyed jumping into the challenges and political intrigue, the time travel and alternate worlds with Dan and getting to experience them alongside him. There are a lot of fun little details to spot throughout the times and places his newfound adventures take him. Once the story gets going, you feel like you are practically flying through it and can hardly turn the pages fast enough on your way to the finale. Dan taking inspiration from Tesla is quite appropriate to to his character and it fits him well.

There were some elements that didn't quite work out as well for me as I wished they would have. The novel takes a little too long to get going. I also felt quite distant from Dan himself. Partly, I believe that to be a combination of the third person perspective, the slowness to start, and the fact that Dan could just plain use some therapy (which I've seen another fellow reviewer of this novel mention too). I didn't get sucked into this story or find myself fully engrossed until about the halfway mark. As for the variety of places and times he visits and characters he meets along the way, I wish we got to know more about them and spend more time with them rather than jumping around so much.

Overall, Time Hopper by Os Ibrahim is series opener that I would recommend for fans of the science fiction genre and to those that appreciate time travel especially. While the particular style didn't quite work for me all the time, it is worth sticking around for the ending as it really picks up the pace and becomes fun. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, but I am glad I decided to give this a try.


My review is also on Reedsy Discovery and my blog.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story follows Dan Walton’s internal and external quests. Dan is brilliant, wealthy and successful, but has never really learned how to connect with others. When the story opens, he’s taken leave from his high-powered, well-respected job, and he’s considering what he needs to do for personal fulfillment. We’re told that Dan has a multi-million dollar home, more millions sitting in savings, and a Ferrari. But for a variety of reasons, poor Dan has never been able to make a real friend. He barely speaks to his family, doesn’t even have casual friends, or a girlfriend, or even a crush. Despite all his professional success, Dan only seems able to connect with one older friend, Rogers Leenman, who takes on a mentoring role for young Dan, alternating encouraging, guiding, and teasing Dan.

Driven by his internal desire for a different life, with more adventure and more connection, Dan starts a personal journey of scientific discovery, inventing and improving wild scifi creations. He then embarks on a new journey through time and space, discovering three very different new worlds. Through this, he discovers other views of the universe, and faces many dangers.
Time Hopper is overall a scifi adventure story, but it also explores the human search for fulfillment and true purpose. This works by combining Dan’s journey through time and space with his personal curiosity and his desire for friendship, love, and just connection with others.

[⟢₊ Ana ⟣ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start off by saying Sci-Fi Is not a genre I usually read, but after finishing Time Hopper I’ll definitely be exploring the genre more.

The beginning started a little slow for me but after I got into the story I could not put it down! I had to find out what would happen next. I felt Dan was a relatable character with the feelings he deals with.

I love anything that has to do with time travel & the Multiverse so I had a lot of fun reading about Dan's adventures through three different ones!

It’s very well written and I enjoyed the writing style, it's easy to read and keeps you engaged.

This was a unique story and I'd highly recommend it.

[Osama Alshawi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished reading Time Hopper two weeks ago. What I really liked about it was the idea of loneliness and the importance of family, all explored in a non-combative, emotional setting. Dan’s character had a strong impact on me personally, as I saw parts of myself in him.

However, I felt the supporting characters lacked depth and independence — they were mentioned briefly and didn’t have much emotional complexity.

Overall, it’s a beautiful book that’s definitely worth reading.

[Shaden · Rating 3 out of 5]

As my first Sci-Fi book, I mostly enjoyed it. And I enjoyed even more as an Audiobook. It was a slow start but gets better when Dan has started his Adventure and Journey through multiverse. The way Dan’s depression was expressed in the book was too real and relatable it actually made me sad. He got all the money, but no one to share it with. This book will suit readers who are into Sci-Fi and I will probably read the second book since I heard it was a lot better than this one!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
the book felt slow at the beginning especially since the actual plot hasn’t been established yet/i haven’t really gotten attached to the characters yet.

once dan’s adventures and time traveling begun and the pace picked up i started to enjoy the book more!

also at some point i felt like dan’s adventure in every universe read as a collection of short stories kinda.
i liked caecilius and i’m glad we’ll get to see more of him in the next book!

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a light and entertaining read that reminded me of a time-traveling MacGyver.

Dan, the protagonist, is a brilliant engineer with multiple degrees and an almost superhero ability to solve any technical problem and invent groundbreaking tech in a matter of days. However, Dan is also a reclusive nerd, socially awkward to the point of absurdity. Isolated and distrustful, he can be cruel to those around him due to his insecurities.
Dan's good-on-paper life, with his millions of dollars, and a dream job, feels hollow because of his inability to connect with others.

I see Dan as a manifestation and perhaps a critique of the modern-day tech and IT guys, who immerse themselves in their engineering work because of the misunderstanding and rejection they face from their communities. This leads them into a vicious circle of increasing reclusiveness, making it harder for them to integrate into society and form meaningful relationships.

Without giving away much of the plot, I want to say that I loved the idea that Dan would rather go on an adventure to escape his issues than commit to therapy. It takes an elaborate devious scheme and a CIA agent to convince him otherwise.

I appreciated that Dan found inspiration in Nikola Tesla rather than Thomas Edison. Since Edison was a businessman first and an engineer later, it makes perfect sense for the socially awkward Dan to be drawn to the reclusive genius of Nikola Tesla, who famously never married, was very distant in his relationships, and dedicated his whole life to his work.

In "Time Hopper," we meet many characters and briefly explore numerous stories and timelines that feel underserved. I would have loved to delve deeper into all the characters and worlds included.
Dan's travels across the multiverse in his quest to get back home reminded me of "The Neverending Story" and had a dash of "The Wizard of Oz."

However, what I did not particularly enjoy were the very grim themes of sexual assault, suicide, bullying, mental health problems, and child abuse that were superficially introduced into the characters' backgrounds. I would have appreciated a more in-depth exploration of these serious issues.
Throughout his adventures, Dan meets many characters who mostly share the characteristics of being tortured souls. Dan, a bit naive in his view that he had it worse than anyone else (don't we all, deep inside, believe that our problems and childhood traumas are the worst?), encounters side characters with troubled pasts who recognize the hardships he carries within him.
Their stories inspire Dan by highlighting that suffering is universal and that, unfortunately, he is not unique in having a hard time with his parents.

Nevertheless, we see the world through Dan's lens, and his inability to connect with others and lack of emotional depth prevent him from fully understanding people. The other characters are just that—characters in his story—as his closedness stops him from seeing others as complex beings beyond the surface level.
This perspective makes Dan's journey both frustrating and intriguing as he navigates through different timelines and ultimately, toward self-awareness.

[Komala · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sheer scope and imagination involved in Os Ibrahim’s Time Hopper reminded me of Jonathan Swift’s epic Gulliver’s Travels – which I mean as a massive compliment - and it was far more enjoyable. Whereas many of the characters Gulliver encountered on his travels highly irritated me in terms of their characteristics and the verbosity of their descriptions (sorry Swift, I know you’re officially an amazing writer) I did not have this problem with Ibrahim’s teeming, entertaining cross-dimensional cast. Descriptions were succinct and instantly effective. In fact, one of them, Galecian, a mesmeric uber-beautiful demi-god, has gone down in my reading history as being up there with the ethereally magnificent Legolas in Lord of The Rings, but with bags more charm, personality and quippy dialogue. Galecian is one of those characters who has stayed in my head; as one I would love to meet in real life! No spoilers, but as a lover of Shakespeare and Tolkien, hints of these great writers came through in the latter half of the novel, and that put a smile on my face. Another character, the mother figure of Benu, genuinely moved me to tears. But I am getting ahead of myself. (Read it yourself and see what I am talking about!)

Time Hopper’s premise involves Dannie Walton, a depressed genius billionaire who goes time-travelling through dimensions, with a myriad of consequences. From the off, my heart went out to Dannie. Nondescript, plain-looking and lacking confidence, I felt an alliance with him as a book-lover and was rooting for him from the start as despite all his wealth and his professional success he was clearly an underdog, seeking love and fulfilment. He’s desperate for love, rubbish at chatting to women, and has a traumatic non-relationship with his absent, uninterested parents. Dan's struggle with depression was also sensitively and thoughtfully rendered; again no spoilers but the redemptive nature of his journey was nicely achieved, and he genuinely invited my affection.

The novel for me truly came alive when the multiverse aspect was introduced. I found myself wishing this had happened sooner because at that point it turned into a different novel for me. The pace was instantly elevated and with characters forming relationships and dialogue abounding as a result, a huge breath of fresh air was injected. As a reader, I am no longer used to slow-burn narratives in modern fiction, and Time Hopper is one, so hang in there, please, because you will be more than rewarded. I also felt the novel would translate well to the screen. I found many scenes incredibly easy to visualise and the vivid, visceral content would, in my opinion, lend itself to being a Netflix-esque series. The sci-fi content is off the chart, and there is limitless potential ahead for the content of the books yet to be written in the saga. Time Hopper is pure escapism, and I felt as though I learned a lot about science, too!

[J M Boutwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good middle-grade adventure book!

[Nora Alenezi · Rating 3 out of 5]

📖 مراجعة كتاب Time Hopper للكاتب OS

يتناول الكتاب حكاية شاب انطوائي شديد الذكاء، أهملته أسرته لانشغال والديه بحياتهما الخاصة. انعزاله الطويل جعله يغوص في الكتب والدراسة الجادة حتى التحق بشركة متخصصة في علوم الفضاء. ورغم لياليه الكئيبة ونصائح صديقه بالعلاج، ظلّ يرفض، إلى أن أدرك يوماً أنّ ما يحتاجه حقاً هو الخروج عن المألوف. ومن هنا تبدأ المغامرة، حين ينجح – عن طريق الخطأ – في السفر عبر الزمكان مع صديقه، لتبدأ سلسلة من العوالم المختلفة والتحديات الفريدة، فيسعى بكل مرونة وذكاء للتأقلم والبحث عن طريق العودة إلى عالمه.

✦ أسلوب الكاتب مميز، وتنوّع العوالم المعروضة كان ممتعاً للغاية. أعجبني خصوصاً كيف أنّ البطل، رغم انطوائه، أظهر مرونة وقدرة على الاندماج في كل وضع جديد.

🔹 التقييم الشخصي: 3.5/5


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