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TOUCH: The Tumbles and Turns of Time Manipulation
May 2025 American Legacy Book Award Winner for Science Fiction - General
March 2025 Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Science Fiction
February 2025 Indies Today Finalist for Science Fiction
Fourth Quarter 2024 Firebird Honorable Recognition Book Award for Romantic Suspense
Unravel the threads of time in "Touch," a gripping blend of science fiction, romance, and sports fiction from award-winning author, Tucker Madison, that will leave you spellbound from start to finish.
Meet Cillian, a physician whose seemingly ordinary life takes an extraordinary turn after a fateful accident during a groundbreaking medical procedure. Suddenly endowed with the ability to send messages to his younger self, Cillian embarks on a quest to rewrite his friend’s medical history.
But as Cillian delves deeper into the complexities of time travel, he discovers that changing the past comes with unforeseen consequences. From opportunities and missed opportunities with his true love, Mary, to heartbreaking revelations about his friend Shawn's illnesses, Cillian grapples with the weight of his choices as he navigates a maze of alternate timelines.
With each twist and turn, "Touch" immerses readers in a riveting tale of love, sacrifice, and the timeless struggle between fate and free will. Will Cillian mend his fabric of time and secure a future with Mary, or will his attempts to rewrite history only lead to further heartache?
Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking exploration of the human experience, where every decision has the power to reshape reality. If you're a fan of mind-bending science fiction, poignant romance, and pulse-pounding sports drama, then "Touch" is the must-read novel you've been waiting for.
March 2025 Literary Titan Gold Book Award for Science Fiction
February 2025 Indies Today Finalist for Science Fiction
Fourth Quarter 2024 Firebird Honorable Recognition Book Award for Romantic Suspense
Unravel the threads of time in "Touch," a gripping blend of science fiction, romance, and sports fiction from award-winning author, Tucker Madison, that will leave you spellbound from start to finish.
Meet Cillian, a physician whose seemingly ordinary life takes an extraordinary turn after a fateful accident during a groundbreaking medical procedure. Suddenly endowed with the ability to send messages to his younger self, Cillian embarks on a quest to rewrite his friend’s medical history.
But as Cillian delves deeper into the complexities of time travel, he discovers that changing the past comes with unforeseen consequences. From opportunities and missed opportunities with his true love, Mary, to heartbreaking revelations about his friend Shawn's illnesses, Cillian grapples with the weight of his choices as he navigates a maze of alternate timelines.
With each twist and turn, "Touch" immerses readers in a riveting tale of love, sacrifice, and the timeless struggle between fate and free will. Will Cillian mend his fabric of time and secure a future with Mary, or will his attempts to rewrite history only lead to further heartache?
Prepare to be captivated by this thought-provoking exploration of the human experience, where every decision has the power to reshape reality. If you're a fan of mind-bending science fiction, poignant romance, and pulse-pounding sports drama, then "Touch" is the must-read novel you've been waiting for.
160 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 14, 2025
Tucker Madison’s TOUCH: The Tumbles and Turns of Time Manipulation is a mind-bending, emotional journey that plays with the idea of time in a way that is both deeply personal and scientifically intriguing. The novel follows Cillian Cole, a radiologist whose migraines lead him to an experimental treatment that inadvertently unlocks an ability to manipulate time though not in the traditional sci-fi sense of building a machine. Instead, Cillian experiences a series of déjà vu-like flashes that allow him to send memories back to his younger self. This revelation sets off a cascade of existential questions and moral dilemmas as he tries to use this power to prevent tragedy, particularly for his childhood hero and friend, Shawn. As Cillian navigates shifting realities, the novel asks whether changing the past is truly possible or if fate has a way of course-correcting.
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its treatment of time not as a rigid sequence but as something malleable through memory and consciousness. Madison crafts some truly arresting moments, like when Cillian suddenly has two versions of the past in his mind: one where his medical school canoe trip photos were ruined, and another where they survived because he subconsciously knew to bring a dry bag. That small ripple effect makes the whole concept feel eerily plausible. The writing during these moments is hypnotic, capturing the surreal quality of memory itself. The novel doesn’t bombard the reader with heavy scientific jargon, but rather plays with the idea in a way that feels instinctive like something we’ve all felt in those weird, uncanny moments of déjà vu.
Where the novel really shines is in its emotional depth. Cillian’s relationships particularly with Shawn and later with Mary ground the sci-fi elements in something deeply human. The football scenes between Young Cillian and Shawn are electric, especially the moment of his first big catch, where time slows to an almost supernatural degree. That moment becomes a portal of sorts, something that Cillian later revisits as he tries to change Shawn’s fate. The novel is laced with nostalgia, regret, and a longing for second chances, making it feel less like a traditional time-travel story and more like a meditation on memory and loss. The relationship between Cillian and Mary, which develops through an altered timeline, is equally compelling, giving the novel a love story that feels both earned and deeply romantic.
As Cillian grapples with the implications of his power, there’s an underlying question of how far he should go. The scene where he visits an older, memory-damaged Shawn is heartbreaking, especially when Shawn fails to recognize his own wife, Peggy. It forces Cillian and the reader to ask whether altering the past is always the right thing to do or if the consequences are too unpredictable. The book is at its best when it wrestles with these questions, making the reader feel the weight of Cillian’s choices. The ethical dilemmas feel real because they’re rooted in personal stakes rather than grand, world-saving missions.
TOUCH is an engrossing, thought-provoking read that blends science fiction with deep emotional resonance. Madison crafts a story that is as much about the physics of time as it is about the fragility of human connection. This book is perfect for anyone who loves time manipulation with a strong emotional core. It makes you wonder: if you could whisper advice to your younger self, would you? And even more importantly, should you?
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is its treatment of time not as a rigid sequence but as something malleable through memory and consciousness. Madison crafts some truly arresting moments, like when Cillian suddenly has two versions of the past in his mind: one where his medical school canoe trip photos were ruined, and another where they survived because he subconsciously knew to bring a dry bag. That small ripple effect makes the whole concept feel eerily plausible. The writing during these moments is hypnotic, capturing the surreal quality of memory itself. The novel doesn’t bombard the reader with heavy scientific jargon, but rather plays with the idea in a way that feels instinctive like something we’ve all felt in those weird, uncanny moments of déjà vu.
Where the novel really shines is in its emotional depth. Cillian’s relationships particularly with Shawn and later with Mary ground the sci-fi elements in something deeply human. The football scenes between Young Cillian and Shawn are electric, especially the moment of his first big catch, where time slows to an almost supernatural degree. That moment becomes a portal of sorts, something that Cillian later revisits as he tries to change Shawn’s fate. The novel is laced with nostalgia, regret, and a longing for second chances, making it feel less like a traditional time-travel story and more like a meditation on memory and loss. The relationship between Cillian and Mary, which develops through an altered timeline, is equally compelling, giving the novel a love story that feels both earned and deeply romantic.
As Cillian grapples with the implications of his power, there’s an underlying question of how far he should go. The scene where he visits an older, memory-damaged Shawn is heartbreaking, especially when Shawn fails to recognize his own wife, Peggy. It forces Cillian and the reader to ask whether altering the past is always the right thing to do or if the consequences are too unpredictable. The book is at its best when it wrestles with these questions, making the reader feel the weight of Cillian’s choices. The ethical dilemmas feel real because they’re rooted in personal stakes rather than grand, world-saving missions.
TOUCH is an engrossing, thought-provoking read that blends science fiction with deep emotional resonance. Madison crafts a story that is as much about the physics of time as it is about the fragility of human connection. This book is perfect for anyone who loves time manipulation with a strong emotional core. It makes you wonder: if you could whisper advice to your younger self, would you? And even more importantly, should you?
January 20, 2025
“Touch: The Tumbles and Turns of Time Manipulation” by Tucker Madison is a genre-melding, brain-bending adventure. Cillian is a radiologist staring at the CT scan of his lifelong friend Shawn. It’s not good news. As Cillian stares at the images, he wishes he could go back to their childhood and let his friend know to quit smoking before he grows up to find himself facing an early grave.
Cillian had recently had an experimental procedure done for headaches in which something went just a little bit wrong. No biggie. It worked and his headaches have been gone, until he’s thinking about wishing he could warn Shawn in their childhood. There’s a brilliant flash like lightning and suddenly Cillian is back in his old neighborhood as that scrawny 7-year-old kid, on the day he meets Shawn. It was such a great day- he never forgot it.
“Touch” has some well-done and engaging characters. Like Shawn, a gifted ball player and a good friend. Like a woman named Mary, who’s beautiful and smart, yet carries a lot of tomboy in her. Like a Russian Blue cat who knows what it wants and lacks the patience for it to all work out. Like Cillian, who’s got a heart of gold, fast feet, a depth of loyalty, and brilliance.
In fact, Cillian is smart enough to know that you don’t mess around with the timeline. He’s heard of The Butterfly Effect, after all. But this is Shawn, and he’s facing a horrible, painful future that won’t be as long as it should. So, Cillian makes a set of rules to keep things safe. He’s only going to do this once, just to fix Shawn, and then no more. He won’t mess with this and screw things up.
But he did.
When Cillian sees the aftermath of his “fix,” he’s flabbergasted. He thought he’d done it perfectly since he’d gotten a message to his “younger self” to tell Shawn to quit smoking. It worked! But Shawn’s diagnosis is even worse now, and strangely, other things have changed too. This won’t do at all, so he sends himself another message, oddly sure that he can fix it this time. Yet every time he creates a fix, new problems emerge. He finds he’s no longer married to his wife, the love of his life. Shawn isn’t getting better, or Shawn gets better but Cillian develops medical issues. The changes are crazy, and really, he wants his wife back. Until he meets the beautiful former ballerina who turns his head.
Part sci-fi time travel, part sports adventure, and part romance, “Touch” takes readers on a mind-boggling journey that’s fun, inventive, and captivating. Tucker Madison spins out his tale like a spider creating his web, and we’re the ones mesmerized. It’s a charming story, and at 136 pages, this novella won’t hold you hostage for days. But prepare to be caught in that spinning web until the end—this one will go places that may surprise you.
I’m happy to recommend “Touch” by Tucker Madison to readers who enjoy time travel/manipulation tales, clean romance, and sports stories. This is especially suitable as a college age or young adult read, or for those who don’t want to devote a large amount of time to a book. This novella packs a powerful story.
Cillian had recently had an experimental procedure done for headaches in which something went just a little bit wrong. No biggie. It worked and his headaches have been gone, until he’s thinking about wishing he could warn Shawn in their childhood. There’s a brilliant flash like lightning and suddenly Cillian is back in his old neighborhood as that scrawny 7-year-old kid, on the day he meets Shawn. It was such a great day- he never forgot it.
“Touch” has some well-done and engaging characters. Like Shawn, a gifted ball player and a good friend. Like a woman named Mary, who’s beautiful and smart, yet carries a lot of tomboy in her. Like a Russian Blue cat who knows what it wants and lacks the patience for it to all work out. Like Cillian, who’s got a heart of gold, fast feet, a depth of loyalty, and brilliance.
In fact, Cillian is smart enough to know that you don’t mess around with the timeline. He’s heard of The Butterfly Effect, after all. But this is Shawn, and he’s facing a horrible, painful future that won’t be as long as it should. So, Cillian makes a set of rules to keep things safe. He’s only going to do this once, just to fix Shawn, and then no more. He won’t mess with this and screw things up.
But he did.
When Cillian sees the aftermath of his “fix,” he’s flabbergasted. He thought he’d done it perfectly since he’d gotten a message to his “younger self” to tell Shawn to quit smoking. It worked! But Shawn’s diagnosis is even worse now, and strangely, other things have changed too. This won’t do at all, so he sends himself another message, oddly sure that he can fix it this time. Yet every time he creates a fix, new problems emerge. He finds he’s no longer married to his wife, the love of his life. Shawn isn’t getting better, or Shawn gets better but Cillian develops medical issues. The changes are crazy, and really, he wants his wife back. Until he meets the beautiful former ballerina who turns his head.
Part sci-fi time travel, part sports adventure, and part romance, “Touch” takes readers on a mind-boggling journey that’s fun, inventive, and captivating. Tucker Madison spins out his tale like a spider creating his web, and we’re the ones mesmerized. It’s a charming story, and at 136 pages, this novella won’t hold you hostage for days. But prepare to be caught in that spinning web until the end—this one will go places that may surprise you.
I’m happy to recommend “Touch” by Tucker Madison to readers who enjoy time travel/manipulation tales, clean romance, and sports stories. This is especially suitable as a college age or young adult read, or for those who don’t want to devote a large amount of time to a book. This novella packs a powerful story.
June 16, 2025
TOUCH tackles the idea of making little changes to alter your timeline. There is no time machine or technology to speak of, only Cillian's ability to send messages to past self at "ah ha" moments in his life. if you like slower character-driven stories with though-provoking concepts and well-developed characters, you may enjoy this book.
Motivated by his love for his good friend and his desire to prevent Shawn's cancer from smoking, he tells his past self to warn his friend. This drastically alters his own timeline and, while spared the cancer, poor Shawn ends up with another serious illness. It seems everything Cillian does in his repeated tampering with his timeline has unanticipated consequences and Shawn never comes out ahead.
His situation is made more complicated by his relationship with Mary in one timeline, a life he is desperate to have lived. We follow Cillian on repeated "redos" of his life. He is caring friend and all-around decent guy, one you want to root for in the story. It was an interesting choice to write Younger Cillian in first person and Older Cillian in third but it does help you stay focused on the younger version, as he is the main protagonist. Overall, it is a well-written and interesting story.
Motivated by his love for his good friend and his desire to prevent Shawn's cancer from smoking, he tells his past self to warn his friend. This drastically alters his own timeline and, while spared the cancer, poor Shawn ends up with another serious illness. It seems everything Cillian does in his repeated tampering with his timeline has unanticipated consequences and Shawn never comes out ahead.
His situation is made more complicated by his relationship with Mary in one timeline, a life he is desperate to have lived. We follow Cillian on repeated "redos" of his life. He is caring friend and all-around decent guy, one you want to root for in the story. It was an interesting choice to write Younger Cillian in first person and Older Cillian in third but it does help you stay focused on the younger version, as he is the main protagonist. Overall, it is a well-written and interesting story.
November 10, 2024
Torque -
The Sci-Fi write-up is set in a life-loop where the main character, Cillian, a doctor, relives his life alternating from youth to adult, all enabled by a happenstance power surge inside an MRI equipment. The desire to right wrongs positively affects a friend’s illness, and love jumps out of the re-lives.
The stories were enchanting but a little repetitive. Perhaps a few subplots outside Cillian’s youth/adult activities would add panache. Still, it's a good vehicle for Sci-Fi enthusiasts.
The Sci-Fi write-up is set in a life-loop where the main character, Cillian, a doctor, relives his life alternating from youth to adult, all enabled by a happenstance power surge inside an MRI equipment. The desire to right wrongs positively affects a friend’s illness, and love jumps out of the re-lives.
The stories were enchanting but a little repetitive. Perhaps a few subplots outside Cillian’s youth/adult activities would add panache. Still, it's a good vehicle for Sci-Fi enthusiasts.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews