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4.4.68
What if saving one life could change the entire world?
Debut author Desmond T. Lewis explores an alternate timeline where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. doesn’t die on April 4, 1968. Derrick Ford is recruited into a covert future organization tasked with altering pivotal moments in history. His mission: travel back in time and prevent the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But changing the past comes at a cost. Every decision reshapes the future, creating new realities Derrick must live with and sometimes survive. Unlike traditional time-travel stories, this book allows readers to experience both past and future worlds, revealing how one man’s choices ripple across decades, governments, relationships, and identities. Fans of Stephen King will recognize the emotional weight of rewriting history, but this book takes a different approach, showing not only the attempt to change the past, but the worlds that emerge afterward. This is not a superhero story. It’s a human one. A story about consequence. Memory. Responsibility. And what happens when you save the world… but it no longer remembers you.
Debut author Desmond T. Lewis explores an alternate timeline where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. doesn’t die on April 4, 1968. Derrick Ford is recruited into a covert future organization tasked with altering pivotal moments in history. His mission: travel back in time and prevent the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But changing the past comes at a cost. Every decision reshapes the future, creating new realities Derrick must live with and sometimes survive. Unlike traditional time-travel stories, this book allows readers to experience both past and future worlds, revealing how one man’s choices ripple across decades, governments, relationships, and identities. Fans of Stephen King will recognize the emotional weight of rewriting history, but this book takes a different approach, showing not only the attempt to change the past, but the worlds that emerge afterward. This is not a superhero story. It’s a human one. A story about consequence. Memory. Responsibility. And what happens when you save the world… but it no longer remembers you.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 8, 2026
If you know me, you know one genre I love is alternate history. That’s where an author takes a point in history and asks the question, “What would happen if this went differently?” Harry Turtledove is one of my favorite authors who does this. He had a very long series about what the world would look like if the South had been victorious in the Civil War. Stephen King did his take on it in 11/22/63 where he imagined a world where John F. Kennedy had not been killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Building on Stephen King’s theme, in 4.4.68, author Desmond T. Lewis shows what the world could have looked like if Martin Luther King Jr. had not been shot. This is a bit more complicated than 11/22/63, as there are multiple different futures which could be the result.
Derrick Ford was born in 2068. He lives in New Chicago, a City where the elite live in high-rises and never venture to the surface where the poor live. The stark contrast of the two worlds is central to the story. Derrick could have been an electrical engineer, but he was born at a time when education was dictated by wealth. Even though his parents did everything possible to help him get ahead, his social standing meant that there were few real-life prospects for him.
One day, he’s kidnapped from his dreary apartment and taken to an experimental facility where he is tested along with other men. Why he grabbed the attention of those running this program is never really explained. I inferred that it had something to do with his cleverness with all things electronic. He is chosen to go back to 1968 and prevent the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Much like 11/22/63, changing the past is not easy, and when you do, things don’t always work out how you want. In 4.4.68, it’s more complicated as the forces at work won’t stop simply because King’s assassination by James Earl Ray didn’t happen. Derrick makes several trips back trying to fix things, only to have it become more complicated as he goes along.
To read my complete review, please go to 4.4.68 by Desmond T. Lewis – What If Martin Luther King Jr. Had Lived?
Building on Stephen King’s theme, in 4.4.68, author Desmond T. Lewis shows what the world could have looked like if Martin Luther King Jr. had not been shot. This is a bit more complicated than 11/22/63, as there are multiple different futures which could be the result.
Derrick Ford was born in 2068. He lives in New Chicago, a City where the elite live in high-rises and never venture to the surface where the poor live. The stark contrast of the two worlds is central to the story. Derrick could have been an electrical engineer, but he was born at a time when education was dictated by wealth. Even though his parents did everything possible to help him get ahead, his social standing meant that there were few real-life prospects for him.
One day, he’s kidnapped from his dreary apartment and taken to an experimental facility where he is tested along with other men. Why he grabbed the attention of those running this program is never really explained. I inferred that it had something to do with his cleverness with all things electronic. He is chosen to go back to 1968 and prevent the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Much like 11/22/63, changing the past is not easy, and when you do, things don’t always work out how you want. In 4.4.68, it’s more complicated as the forces at work won’t stop simply because King’s assassination by James Earl Ray didn’t happen. Derrick makes several trips back trying to fix things, only to have it become more complicated as he goes along.
To read my complete review, please go to 4.4.68 by Desmond T. Lewis – What If Martin Luther King Jr. Had Lived?
March 4, 2026
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest evaluation of its merits.
This is one of those books that is exactly what was advertised and that's what makes it so good. If you were to mash up 11/22/63 and Selma, that is the plot of 4.4.68. There will be plot spoilers here and there, so you have been warned.
There are many things I liked about the story in addition to the fresh premise. First, by making this about the actual MLK and Abernathy, you get a speculative kitchen-table seat to conversations about two men named Martin and Ralph who were real people trying to change the course of a nation. The conversations do not sound anachronistic or overly stylized, but what you expected these two men to sound like based on actual film footage from the era.
Second, on a related note, I enjoy the author's accessible writing style. One might call the abundance of short sentences simplistic, but they would be dead wrong. They keep the pace moving (some might say just a little too fast, but that might have been a formatting problem with the digital copy, or the fact that once you get reading so fast, it is hard to slow down).
Third, I like that Derrick keeps fighting for the right future, a better future. He realizes he must be willing to risk everything else that matters for the larger goal. And, I like the payout of the ending, as it was worth the journey.
There are two challenges, one bigger and one smaller, but they are minor in comparison the overall quality of the book. First the use of bulleted and numbered lists interrupted the narrative flow a bit (but I admit that is a preference not a flaw). There also were some timeline issues that were hard to keep straight partly because of the speed of the story, but one actual error that stood out — 100 days from 4/4/68, even with the leap year calculated in, would be in late December, not late January. A small flaw, to be sure, but one that made me slow down and re-read the story a few times to make sure I saw it correctly. This would be an easy fix to make.
All in all, this was a fresh story told well of a future we all could have had if for the actions one brave person. And what is more speculative than that? This would be an amazing movie or limited series.
This is one of those books that is exactly what was advertised and that's what makes it so good. If you were to mash up 11/22/63 and Selma, that is the plot of 4.4.68. There will be plot spoilers here and there, so you have been warned.
There are many things I liked about the story in addition to the fresh premise. First, by making this about the actual MLK and Abernathy, you get a speculative kitchen-table seat to conversations about two men named Martin and Ralph who were real people trying to change the course of a nation. The conversations do not sound anachronistic or overly stylized, but what you expected these two men to sound like based on actual film footage from the era.
Second, on a related note, I enjoy the author's accessible writing style. One might call the abundance of short sentences simplistic, but they would be dead wrong. They keep the pace moving (some might say just a little too fast, but that might have been a formatting problem with the digital copy, or the fact that once you get reading so fast, it is hard to slow down).
Third, I like that Derrick keeps fighting for the right future, a better future. He realizes he must be willing to risk everything else that matters for the larger goal. And, I like the payout of the ending, as it was worth the journey.
There are two challenges, one bigger and one smaller, but they are minor in comparison the overall quality of the book. First the use of bulleted and numbered lists interrupted the narrative flow a bit (but I admit that is a preference not a flaw). There also were some timeline issues that were hard to keep straight partly because of the speed of the story, but one actual error that stood out — 100 days from 4/4/68, even with the leap year calculated in, would be in late December, not late January. A small flaw, to be sure, but one that made me slow down and re-read the story a few times to make sure I saw it correctly. This would be an easy fix to make.
All in all, this was a fresh story told well of a future we all could have had if for the actions one brave person. And what is more speculative than that? This would be an amazing movie or limited series.
February 25, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley, Spade Partners Entertainment Lab, and the author for the ARC to review.
2.5 ⭐️
What if Martin Luther King Jr. hadn’t died on April 4, 1968? What would the world look like if you could change the events of that fateful day?
The story begins in 2068, in Neo-Chicago. The wealthy and privileged live comfortably and control the country. The poor and minorities live underground. AI is in charge of everything, lawlessness is rampant, millions lack clean air, shelter, electricity, technology, healthcare, and food is scarce. Everything is paid for with credits that need to be earned, and the underground is constantly watched by drones.
Derrick is on his own in this world, relying on his engineering skills to fix old equipment. One night, he’s taken to a secret compound where he, along with four others, is put to the test to see who can go on a mission. Derrick wins, and after nine months of intense training, he returns to 1968. Of course, the Butterfly Effect tells us that you can’t change something without it affecting something else.
This is the author’s first book, and I’m sure he’ll do even better with an editor in the future. The book is divided into three parts, and it doesn’t have chapters or subheadings, but there are bullet points (?). It’s 30-40 continuous pages in each section. There are some continuity problems as well. We get no explanation about why this mission is so important or why Derrick was chosen. There’s also a subplot with a love interest. He sees her on his first mission, and it’s love at first sight, even though we never really see how this love developed so fast. We never get any follow-up about what happens after each mission, such as what events took place, how were things changed; he went back four times, and yet the future never changed, except at the end. We don’t get any explanation for that either; the book just ends.
Despite that, Derrick was impacted by his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and interactions with Dr. King and Ralph Abernathy. I’d conclude that future Derrick was inspired. If you’re a fan of time travel and speculative fiction, you may enjoy it.
2.5 ⭐️
What if Martin Luther King Jr. hadn’t died on April 4, 1968? What would the world look like if you could change the events of that fateful day?
The story begins in 2068, in Neo-Chicago. The wealthy and privileged live comfortably and control the country. The poor and minorities live underground. AI is in charge of everything, lawlessness is rampant, millions lack clean air, shelter, electricity, technology, healthcare, and food is scarce. Everything is paid for with credits that need to be earned, and the underground is constantly watched by drones.
Derrick is on his own in this world, relying on his engineering skills to fix old equipment. One night, he’s taken to a secret compound where he, along with four others, is put to the test to see who can go on a mission. Derrick wins, and after nine months of intense training, he returns to 1968. Of course, the Butterfly Effect tells us that you can’t change something without it affecting something else.
This is the author’s first book, and I’m sure he’ll do even better with an editor in the future. The book is divided into three parts, and it doesn’t have chapters or subheadings, but there are bullet points (?). It’s 30-40 continuous pages in each section. There are some continuity problems as well. We get no explanation about why this mission is so important or why Derrick was chosen. There’s also a subplot with a love interest. He sees her on his first mission, and it’s love at first sight, even though we never really see how this love developed so fast. We never get any follow-up about what happens after each mission, such as what events took place, how were things changed; he went back four times, and yet the future never changed, except at the end. We don’t get any explanation for that either; the book just ends.
Despite that, Derrick was impacted by his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement and interactions with Dr. King and Ralph Abernathy. I’d conclude that future Derrick was inspired. If you’re a fan of time travel and speculative fiction, you may enjoy it.
February 27, 2026
4.4.68 by Desmond T. Lewis
Imagine history itself hanging in the balance, with one person’s choices carrying consequences that ripple across decades. 4.4.68 delivers that premise with bold ambition, exploring what might have happened if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had survived April 4, 1968. Derrick Ford is a human, flawed hero thrust into a mission that challenges not only his skills but his conscience—and the world around him.
Lewis’s debut strikes a careful balance between speculative sci-fi and historical reflection. The time-travel elements are inventive and emotionally charged, showing how even small interventions can reshape futures in unpredictable ways. Derrick isn’t a superhero; he’s a relatable, sometimes frustratingly human character, which makes his journey all the more gripping.
The historical sequences feel vivid and alive, giving the reader a true sense of 1968 Atlanta while contrasting sharply with Derrick’s futuristic Neo-Chicago. The book asks thoughtful questions about memory, responsibility, and the weight of our choices—what it means to try to “save the world” and what it costs when the world may not even remember you.
While there are moments where the narrative could be tightened, and some formatting choices take getting used to, the emotional resonance and originality of the story are undeniable. For readers who love time-travel with stakes that matter, and a story that makes you think as much as it entertains, 4.4.68 is a debut that announces a bold new voice in speculative fiction.
A nuanced, intelligent, and immersive debut—I’m already eager to see where Desmond T. Lewis goes next.
Thanks to Spade Partners Entertainment Lab and Desmond T. Lewis for the ARC.
Imagine history itself hanging in the balance, with one person’s choices carrying consequences that ripple across decades. 4.4.68 delivers that premise with bold ambition, exploring what might have happened if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had survived April 4, 1968. Derrick Ford is a human, flawed hero thrust into a mission that challenges not only his skills but his conscience—and the world around him.
Lewis’s debut strikes a careful balance between speculative sci-fi and historical reflection. The time-travel elements are inventive and emotionally charged, showing how even small interventions can reshape futures in unpredictable ways. Derrick isn’t a superhero; he’s a relatable, sometimes frustratingly human character, which makes his journey all the more gripping.
The historical sequences feel vivid and alive, giving the reader a true sense of 1968 Atlanta while contrasting sharply with Derrick’s futuristic Neo-Chicago. The book asks thoughtful questions about memory, responsibility, and the weight of our choices—what it means to try to “save the world” and what it costs when the world may not even remember you.
While there are moments where the narrative could be tightened, and some formatting choices take getting used to, the emotional resonance and originality of the story are undeniable. For readers who love time-travel with stakes that matter, and a story that makes you think as much as it entertains, 4.4.68 is a debut that announces a bold new voice in speculative fiction.
A nuanced, intelligent, and immersive debut—I’m already eager to see where Desmond T. Lewis goes next.
Thanks to Spade Partners Entertainment Lab and Desmond T. Lewis for the ARC.
February 24, 2026
My head spun and spun and kept spinning during my read of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed that we got to see the effects of Derrick’s meddling of the past in the future. However, continuity seemed to have some trouble. Derrick’s David name was never really introduced, it kinda just popped up at 85%. How he was able to reset the 1968/69 timeline FOUR times and not suffer any consequences. How the final reset—and King’s subsequent death—the one thing he was sent back to avoid—resulted in a beautiful future and Evelyn’s rebirth?? That makes no sense cause she died in ‘74? So how was she in 2068? Unless she time traveled too but idk. 🤷♀️ time travel always confuses me but I just have a lot of questions and it feels like there’s a lot of loose ends. Also wasn’t really a fan of the random bullet pointing formatting but not sure if that was an error.
March 10, 2026
Interesting Scifi Alt History With An Atypical Subject. I've read a couple of truly phenomenal alt-history/ time travel books over the years where someone in the present (or in this case, future) is sent back in time to one specific era or event to try to save someone or stop someone else who is trying to harm that person. Specifically, books like Randall Ingermanson's City of God trilogy (wherein time travel is developed in an attempt to go back and murder the Apostle Paul before he can begin his missionary journeys that ultimately spread Christianity beyond the Israel/ Palestine region) and Jeremy Robinson's The Didymus Contingency (wherein time travel is developed specifically to attempt to disprove the Gospels and which was the very first book from Robinson I ever read and created a lifelong fan that has now followed him for nearly 100 books). Also TV shows that tend to get cancelled far too early such as *UPN*'s (now we're getting *really* old!) 7 Days or the more recent Timeless from NBC. (Though the TV shows, by their very nature, were less focused on a specific person or event in the past.)
So those references, assuming you've ever heard of them (and most likely, sadly, you haven't), give you an idea of what to expect here. Here, time travel has been developed and is apparently being used for at least some other purposes at times, but the specific mission of the book is singular: Prevent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination that in our world happened on the titular date.
The scifi elements of a future near dystopian state are done well, as are the later similar elements I'll not discuss because they veer more into spoiler territory. Similarly, the alt history elements here really bring the real historical elements to life in ways that those who still remember this era will likely appreciate. This is the point where this book is *most* similar to Ingermanson and Robinson's works, as this is also where those books truly shine.
The difference here, particularly as a native of the borderlands between Appalachia and Atlanta who was born several years after the real-world assassination of King but even whose parents remember it, is that there are many people with actual living memories of the period in question and even at least some who were either directly there or nearby at that moment. Such people could speak to how this book handles that era even better than I can, but again, from my own perspective, this book really does bring its subject period and the real-world people it tells fictional tales of to light in ways that the actual factual historical books never quite can.
The *one* problem someone with a fairly balanced view of history will have, that others may not share depending on their particular circumstances, is that MLK is pretty heavily deified in this book, actively proclaiming him as the most important figure in US history. I'm not going to downplay his significance at all - he truly was *a* great and important figure in US history. But he was also a human, and all humans are ultimately flawed creatures that make greater and lesser mistakes. Here, the book could likely have been at least a touch stronger had it deified King less and humanized him more, similar to its treatment of King's close friend Ralph David Abernathy - who plays at least as large a role in this tale as MLK himself does.
Ultimately though, this is truly a strong tale of its type, one that works well in pretty well all facets of the tale. While I suspect it could be one that becomes perennially discussed more in February (Black History Month) than year round, I could absolutely see it being discussed then the way David McAfee's vampire books (beginning with 33AD and being another scifi/ alt history, but without the time travel element) are so perennially mentioned (by me at least ;) ) around Halloween.
Very much recommended.
So those references, assuming you've ever heard of them (and most likely, sadly, you haven't), give you an idea of what to expect here. Here, time travel has been developed and is apparently being used for at least some other purposes at times, but the specific mission of the book is singular: Prevent Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination that in our world happened on the titular date.
The scifi elements of a future near dystopian state are done well, as are the later similar elements I'll not discuss because they veer more into spoiler territory. Similarly, the alt history elements here really bring the real historical elements to life in ways that those who still remember this era will likely appreciate. This is the point where this book is *most* similar to Ingermanson and Robinson's works, as this is also where those books truly shine.
The difference here, particularly as a native of the borderlands between Appalachia and Atlanta who was born several years after the real-world assassination of King but even whose parents remember it, is that there are many people with actual living memories of the period in question and even at least some who were either directly there or nearby at that moment. Such people could speak to how this book handles that era even better than I can, but again, from my own perspective, this book really does bring its subject period and the real-world people it tells fictional tales of to light in ways that the actual factual historical books never quite can.
The *one* problem someone with a fairly balanced view of history will have, that others may not share depending on their particular circumstances, is that MLK is pretty heavily deified in this book, actively proclaiming him as the most important figure in US history. I'm not going to downplay his significance at all - he truly was *a* great and important figure in US history. But he was also a human, and all humans are ultimately flawed creatures that make greater and lesser mistakes. Here, the book could likely have been at least a touch stronger had it deified King less and humanized him more, similar to its treatment of King's close friend Ralph David Abernathy - who plays at least as large a role in this tale as MLK himself does.
Ultimately though, this is truly a strong tale of its type, one that works well in pretty well all facets of the tale. While I suspect it could be one that becomes perennially discussed more in February (Black History Month) than year round, I could absolutely see it being discussed then the way David McAfee's vampire books (beginning with 33AD and being another scifi/ alt history, but without the time travel element) are so perennially mentioned (by me at least ;) ) around Halloween.
Very much recommended.
March 3, 2026
Desmond T. Lewis’s dazzling debut, 4.4.68, dares to ask: what if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had lived? From its opening pages, this novel grabs hold with high-stakes intrigue and never lets go, plunging readers into an alternate timeline where history’s most pivotal moments tremble on the edge of a single choice.
Derrick Ford, both ordinary and extraordinary, is recruited by a clandestine organization that manipulates time itself. His mission is as simple as it is impossible: travel back to April 4, 1968, and prevent the assassination of Dr. King. But Lewis refuses to give us a nostalgic wish-fulfillment fantasy. Instead, 4.4.68 is a labyrinthine exploration of consequence, regret, and hope, where every decision Derrick makes unspools new realities—sometimes wondrous, sometimes harrowing, always unpredictable.
What elevates Lewis’s novel above traditional time-travel fare is its emotional core. Fans of Stephen King’s 11.22.63 will find familiar the heartache of rewriting history, but 4.4.68 goes further, immersing us in the messy aftermath of altered timelines. Derrick doesn’t just save a life—he reshapes governments, relationships, and even his own identity, and must live with the costs.
This is not a superhero story, but a deeply human one. Lewis crafts a rich, immersive world where memory and responsibility collide, threading suspense through every page. Ultimately, 4.4.68 is a meditation on what it means to do the right thing when the world you save might never know you did. Powerful, thought-provoking, and utterly original, this is a novel that will stay with you long after the last page. It has left me wanting more of this scenario.
Thank you, Desmond T. Lewis, NetGalley, and Spade Partners Entertainment Lab for this thought-provoking ARC.
Derrick Ford, both ordinary and extraordinary, is recruited by a clandestine organization that manipulates time itself. His mission is as simple as it is impossible: travel back to April 4, 1968, and prevent the assassination of Dr. King. But Lewis refuses to give us a nostalgic wish-fulfillment fantasy. Instead, 4.4.68 is a labyrinthine exploration of consequence, regret, and hope, where every decision Derrick makes unspools new realities—sometimes wondrous, sometimes harrowing, always unpredictable.
What elevates Lewis’s novel above traditional time-travel fare is its emotional core. Fans of Stephen King’s 11.22.63 will find familiar the heartache of rewriting history, but 4.4.68 goes further, immersing us in the messy aftermath of altered timelines. Derrick doesn’t just save a life—he reshapes governments, relationships, and even his own identity, and must live with the costs.
This is not a superhero story, but a deeply human one. Lewis crafts a rich, immersive world where memory and responsibility collide, threading suspense through every page. Ultimately, 4.4.68 is a meditation on what it means to do the right thing when the world you save might never know you did. Powerful, thought-provoking, and utterly original, this is a novel that will stay with you long after the last page. It has left me wanting more of this scenario.
Thank you, Desmond T. Lewis, NetGalley, and Spade Partners Entertainment Lab for this thought-provoking ARC.
March 5, 2026
4.4.68 is one of those novels that catches you off guard with its emotional weight, even as it plays with the grand scale of history. Desmond T. Lewis imagines a world where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. survives April 4th, 1968, but instead of leaning into spectacle, he roots the story in something far more intimate: the cost of changing a single moment, and the quiet, devastating ripples that follow.
Derrick Ford is such a compelling centre to this narrative — not a hero in the traditional sense, but an ordinary man asked to shoulder an extraordinary responsibility. His journey through shifting timelines feels both thrilling and deeply human, and the novel’s greatest strength lies in how it balances the sweep of alternate history with the fragile interiority of one man trying to do the right thing. Each altered reality carries its own beauty and its own heartbreak, and the book never lets you forget that saving a life, even one as monumental as King’s, comes with consequences no one can fully predict.
There’s a tenderness to the writing that surprised me, especially in the way it explores memory, identity, and the ache of being forgotten by the very world you’ve tried to save. Fans of 11.22.63 will recognise the emotional pull of rewriting history, but 4.4.68 carves out its own space — quieter, more reflective, and ultimately more concerned with the human heart than the mechanics of time travel.
A thoughtful, resonant debut that lingers long after the final page, asking what we owe to history, and what we owe to ourselves.
With thanks to Desmond T Lewis, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
Derrick Ford is such a compelling centre to this narrative — not a hero in the traditional sense, but an ordinary man asked to shoulder an extraordinary responsibility. His journey through shifting timelines feels both thrilling and deeply human, and the novel’s greatest strength lies in how it balances the sweep of alternate history with the fragile interiority of one man trying to do the right thing. Each altered reality carries its own beauty and its own heartbreak, and the book never lets you forget that saving a life, even one as monumental as King’s, comes with consequences no one can fully predict.
There’s a tenderness to the writing that surprised me, especially in the way it explores memory, identity, and the ache of being forgotten by the very world you’ve tried to save. Fans of 11.22.63 will recognise the emotional pull of rewriting history, but 4.4.68 carves out its own space — quieter, more reflective, and ultimately more concerned with the human heart than the mechanics of time travel.
A thoughtful, resonant debut that lingers long after the final page, asking what we owe to history, and what we owe to ourselves.
With thanks to Desmond T Lewis, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC
March 22, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of 4.4.68.
This is an ambitious debut that uses its alternate history premise to explore the far-reaching consequences of changing a single moment in time. Built around the idea of Martin Luther King Jr. surviving, the novel develops a layered, shifting timeline where every intervention creates new realities rather than resolving the past.
At the centre of it all is Derrick Ford, whose character arc is shaped by these changes. He evolves from someone selected to take part in the unusual quest with a clear mission into a figure burdened by uncertainty, moral complexity and the cumulative weight of unintended consequences.
Themes of memory, identity and erasure run quietly throughout, particularly the notion of saving a world that no longer recognises you. That emotional thread gives the story its real depth.
At times, the complexity of the timeline and frequent shifts back and forth overshadows some of the supporting characters, however the novel is engaging and thought-provoking.
A strong 4-star read especially for those who enjoy time travel that prioritises consequence and character over spectacle.
This is an ambitious debut that uses its alternate history premise to explore the far-reaching consequences of changing a single moment in time. Built around the idea of Martin Luther King Jr. surviving, the novel develops a layered, shifting timeline where every intervention creates new realities rather than resolving the past.
At the centre of it all is Derrick Ford, whose character arc is shaped by these changes. He evolves from someone selected to take part in the unusual quest with a clear mission into a figure burdened by uncertainty, moral complexity and the cumulative weight of unintended consequences.
Themes of memory, identity and erasure run quietly throughout, particularly the notion of saving a world that no longer recognises you. That emotional thread gives the story its real depth.
At times, the complexity of the timeline and frequent shifts back and forth overshadows some of the supporting characters, however the novel is engaging and thought-provoking.
A strong 4-star read especially for those who enjoy time travel that prioritises consequence and character over spectacle.
March 7, 2026
4 stars
What a remarkable novel with a unique premise.
This book gripped me from the very beginning. In a futuristic sci-fi world lives Derrick Ford. He lives marginally, without purpose, without hope or a future. He’s a genius of sorts. He can fix anything electrical.
Derrick is chosen from a group of people for something spectacular.
He must go back in time to April 4, 1968 to prevent the assination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Derrick’s mission is hopeful, emotional and potentially world changing. Part adventure tale, part science fiction, this book is filled with exciting and dramatic situations. Derrick must be flexible and quick thinking.
People need to read Derrick’s story. It truly is wonderful.
I want to thank NetGalley and Spade Partners Entertainment Lab for forwarding this book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
What a remarkable novel with a unique premise.
This book gripped me from the very beginning. In a futuristic sci-fi world lives Derrick Ford. He lives marginally, without purpose, without hope or a future. He’s a genius of sorts. He can fix anything electrical.
Derrick is chosen from a group of people for something spectacular.
He must go back in time to April 4, 1968 to prevent the assination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Derrick’s mission is hopeful, emotional and potentially world changing. Part adventure tale, part science fiction, this book is filled with exciting and dramatic situations. Derrick must be flexible and quick thinking.
People need to read Derrick’s story. It truly is wonderful.
I want to thank NetGalley and Spade Partners Entertainment Lab for forwarding this book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
February 27, 2026
This story imagines what would happen if someone from the future went back to stop the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but it is so much more than just a time travel plot. Derrick starts off as a broken man in a divided futuristic Chicago and is thrown into 1968 Atlanta with a mission that could change everything. I loved how immersive the historical sections felt and how real Derrick’s doubts and fears were. It made the stakes feel personal instead of just political. I enjoyed this because it balanced action with emotional depth, and I found myself thinking about it long after I finished reading.
February 22, 2026
What if history gave you one shot to rewrite its darkest moment?
I was hooked from page one. This book does not just throw a guy into the past and call it a day. It makes you feel the pressure, the weight, the fear of getting it wrong. Derrick is not some polished superhero. He is flawed, tired, and human, which makes his mission to save Dr. King hit even harder. The 1968 scenes feel alive and intense, and the tension builds in a way that kept me flipping pages way too late at night. If you love time travel with real stakes and heart, you need this one on your shelf. 🔥📖
I was hooked from page one. This book does not just throw a guy into the past and call it a day. It makes you feel the pressure, the weight, the fear of getting it wrong. Derrick is not some polished superhero. He is flawed, tired, and human, which makes his mission to save Dr. King hit even harder. The 1968 scenes feel alive and intense, and the tension builds in a way that kept me flipping pages way too late at night. If you love time travel with real stakes and heart, you need this one on your shelf. 🔥📖
February 24, 2026
Thank you, Spade Partners Entertainment Lab, for providing the copy of 4.4.68 by Desmond T. Lewis. I’m not a big fan of time travel books, but the premise of this one was so intriguing I couldn’t resist it. In some ways, it exceeded my expectations (like the part that made me tear up), while other parts fell flat or were hard to follow. I’m not sure I would read this again, but I’m glad I gave it a chance. I loved MLK speaking and responding to people, and I thought the story was inventive. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4
February 25, 2026
History With a Pulse
Smart, bold, and emotionally charged, 4.4.68 delivers time travel with conscience and consequences that linger.
Smart, bold, and emotionally charged, 4.4.68 delivers time travel with conscience and consequences that linger.
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