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Far Forward
This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00FYTUDQ8
Awakening on a lazy Saturday morning, Anna Katz is greeted by an older version of herself making a pot of coffee. During the ensuing conversation her doppelganger explains . . .
“The first rule of time travel is that you can never go backwards.”
While a person is never really ready to have a conversation with their future self, and I can assure you Anna is not, this leads to the obvious question . . .
“If you can’t go back, how does that explain you standing in my kitchen?”
The answer to that, and to her many other questions, will have to wait. Anna, unknowingly, is about to embark on a journey that will shine a light on many of the key turning points in not only her past, but possibly all things past.
She will not be making this journey alone. Assistance will come in the form of her very own daughter, Etta, who turns up soon after her future self makes her first appearance. Unfortunately, Etta only manages to add to the confusion. Anna Katz has never had a child.
While standing face to face with herself appears at first to be akin to standing in front of a long mirror; she’s about to learn more about herself than she bargained for. Is it possible that inside her own psyche are hidden many different people just waiting to get out? In the end, when she gazes into the looking glass, will it be her own reflection staring back; or something less recognizable? Possibly even terrifying.
“In this novel are offered alternative theories of time travel, causality, random facts about the global positioning system, postulations of a repeating universal timeline, inferences that bathroom habits may have an adverse effect on the attainable speed of light, and the possibility that the demise of the Theropods might not have been without blame. Although, to find the last one you will have to read between the lines with a microscope.
Also included, but much more subjectively, are judgmental opinions on infidelity, workplace etiquette, smoking, taking things that don’t belong to you, parenting do’s and don’ts , and last but not remotely least, the possibility of true love.
Any similarities to real persons or events is unintentional, however given this novels propensity for timeline revision, it’s not completely out of the question. Enjoy!”
C. F. Waller, Author
Awakening on a lazy Saturday morning, Anna Katz is greeted by an older version of herself making a pot of coffee. During the ensuing conversation her doppelganger explains . . .
“The first rule of time travel is that you can never go backwards.”
While a person is never really ready to have a conversation with their future self, and I can assure you Anna is not, this leads to the obvious question . . .
“If you can’t go back, how does that explain you standing in my kitchen?”
The answer to that, and to her many other questions, will have to wait. Anna, unknowingly, is about to embark on a journey that will shine a light on many of the key turning points in not only her past, but possibly all things past.
She will not be making this journey alone. Assistance will come in the form of her very own daughter, Etta, who turns up soon after her future self makes her first appearance. Unfortunately, Etta only manages to add to the confusion. Anna Katz has never had a child.
While standing face to face with herself appears at first to be akin to standing in front of a long mirror; she’s about to learn more about herself than she bargained for. Is it possible that inside her own psyche are hidden many different people just waiting to get out? In the end, when she gazes into the looking glass, will it be her own reflection staring back; or something less recognizable? Possibly even terrifying.
“In this novel are offered alternative theories of time travel, causality, random facts about the global positioning system, postulations of a repeating universal timeline, inferences that bathroom habits may have an adverse effect on the attainable speed of light, and the possibility that the demise of the Theropods might not have been without blame. Although, to find the last one you will have to read between the lines with a microscope.
Also included, but much more subjectively, are judgmental opinions on infidelity, workplace etiquette, smoking, taking things that don’t belong to you, parenting do’s and don’ts , and last but not remotely least, the possibility of true love.
Any similarities to real persons or events is unintentional, however given this novels propensity for timeline revision, it’s not completely out of the question. Enjoy!”
C. F. Waller, Author
429 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2013
3 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
C.F. Waller
10 books72 followersAward wining author C. F. Waller is best known for 2015 Reader Favorite Award winners SOUTH FACE and FREE DIVE. He recently released TOURISTS OF THE APOCALYPSE which was recognized by Readers Favorite in 2016, as well as Shelf Media.
He published his first science fiction novel at age forty-seven, after a flight on an ill-fated commercial airliner over the Atlantic Ocean nearly became an episode of Why Planes Crash. This experience illustrated for him first hand that writing about exotic or dangerous locales was safer than traveling to them. Since then, he likes to think his meticulous research and storytelling gives readers a clear sense of their grandeur, without the inherent risk of flying.
After narrowly escaping the academic death-grip of several universities, Charles worked in nightclubs, took a turn as a new car salesman, and also as a hurricane shutter engineer. His favorite authors include, Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Michael Crichton. The later being especially close to his heart as Crichton epitomizes the tecno-thriller genre and the failure of humans to interact with technology.
Though he will forever be a Midwestern boy at heart, he now lives on the gulf coast of Florida with his wife, Tina, and one fuzzy feline companion. If he’s not working on a new novel, you can find him volunteering at church, playing overly competitive Yahtzee with his spouse, or indulging in an unhealthy addiction to competitive cooking shows on television.
.
He published his first science fiction novel at age forty-seven, after a flight on an ill-fated commercial airliner over the Atlantic Ocean nearly became an episode of Why Planes Crash. This experience illustrated for him first hand that writing about exotic or dangerous locales was safer than traveling to them. Since then, he likes to think his meticulous research and storytelling gives readers a clear sense of their grandeur, without the inherent risk of flying.
After narrowly escaping the academic death-grip of several universities, Charles worked in nightclubs, took a turn as a new car salesman, and also as a hurricane shutter engineer. His favorite authors include, Oscar Wilde, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and Michael Crichton. The later being especially close to his heart as Crichton epitomizes the tecno-thriller genre and the failure of humans to interact with technology.
Though he will forever be a Midwestern boy at heart, he now lives on the gulf coast of Florida with his wife, Tina, and one fuzzy feline companion. If he’s not working on a new novel, you can find him volunteering at church, playing overly competitive Yahtzee with his spouse, or indulging in an unhealthy addiction to competitive cooking shows on television.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 26, 2014
I took on this book as part of a review swap. I had no idea and didn't find out that it was a sci-fi book until about a hundred pages into the plot when some characters suddenly were fighting duplicates of themselves, visitors from the future. I never knew who were the bad guys and who were the good guys and who was on first. It was a fun read with a bunch of twists. the only drawback is that it needs some editing, other wise a good excape book.
May 28, 2017
Wow
It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did I could not put it down!
This is a different take on time travel, so different.
I absolutely loved it!
It took me a bit to get into this book, but once I did I could not put it down!
This is a different take on time travel, so different.
I absolutely loved it!
November 21, 2013
Lots of - strange - action: three (and a half) stars
This genre-crossing novel starts out in the thick of things. At first, you think you’re reading a crime, mystery, or spy thriller, with some interesting flash-backs and a not-very-nice protagonist. About a third of the way through, though, its true nature is revealed: it’s sci-fi! I like the twist on time-travel; it’s well-described, but it doesn’t try to get too technical and trip itself up in the details. Although I was occasionally confused, it wasn’t bad enough to keep me from understanding the general gist of how things got to be the way they were and basically what the characters were trying to accomplish. And the action continues throughout the book, pretty much non-stop, Indiana-Jones/Star-Wars style.
I had a few general issues and a few specific ones. Everyone’s an idiot except the main character(s). Only she seems to be able to figure out things that should be immediately obvious to people trained in investigation. I’m not at all sure why law enforcement was chasing her down and trying to kill her in various places; there didn’t seem to be enough evidence for them to be running around shooting at everything that moved. Speaking of that, a pet peeve: you do not ‘cock the hammer’ on any modern handgun, despite the penchant for TV characters to do so in order to make that nice little clicking sound. I didn’t find the main character to be particularly likable, although I was interested enough in her story that it didn’t matter. I never did understand why everyone seemed to be so fond of Etta; I never developed any real feeling for her at all.
More specifically, the book’s in desperate need of a good proofreading and edit. There are scads of errors, some of which make certain sentences completely unintelligible. These range from calling characters by different names (Mazoff/Marzoff, Saliem/Sadiem) through misusing words that a spell-check won’t catch (bellow for below, waive for wave (many times), crate paper for crepe paper, etc.) through missing quotes, commas, incorrect apostrophes, and other punctuation errors.
I’d definitely give this book another star if it was cleaned up, line-by-line. There’s certainly enough here to continue the adventure through this world in subsequent books. The story’s there, and it’s fun. It just needs to also be readable.
Recommended for sci-fi adventure fans in the Star Wars/Raiders genre.
This genre-crossing novel starts out in the thick of things. At first, you think you’re reading a crime, mystery, or spy thriller, with some interesting flash-backs and a not-very-nice protagonist. About a third of the way through, though, its true nature is revealed: it’s sci-fi! I like the twist on time-travel; it’s well-described, but it doesn’t try to get too technical and trip itself up in the details. Although I was occasionally confused, it wasn’t bad enough to keep me from understanding the general gist of how things got to be the way they were and basically what the characters were trying to accomplish. And the action continues throughout the book, pretty much non-stop, Indiana-Jones/Star-Wars style.
I had a few general issues and a few specific ones. Everyone’s an idiot except the main character(s). Only she seems to be able to figure out things that should be immediately obvious to people trained in investigation. I’m not at all sure why law enforcement was chasing her down and trying to kill her in various places; there didn’t seem to be enough evidence for them to be running around shooting at everything that moved. Speaking of that, a pet peeve: you do not ‘cock the hammer’ on any modern handgun, despite the penchant for TV characters to do so in order to make that nice little clicking sound. I didn’t find the main character to be particularly likable, although I was interested enough in her story that it didn’t matter. I never did understand why everyone seemed to be so fond of Etta; I never developed any real feeling for her at all.
More specifically, the book’s in desperate need of a good proofreading and edit. There are scads of errors, some of which make certain sentences completely unintelligible. These range from calling characters by different names (Mazoff/Marzoff, Saliem/Sadiem) through misusing words that a spell-check won’t catch (bellow for below, waive for wave (many times), crate paper for crepe paper, etc.) through missing quotes, commas, incorrect apostrophes, and other punctuation errors.
I’d definitely give this book another star if it was cleaned up, line-by-line. There’s certainly enough here to continue the adventure through this world in subsequent books. The story’s there, and it’s fun. It just needs to also be readable.
Recommended for sci-fi adventure fans in the Star Wars/Raiders genre.
November 29, 2013
Mild Spoiler Alert!
Far Forward, a book by independent author C. F. Waller, was published last month on Amazon. I noticed a post about it in a Facebook group, and one sentence in the description captured my attention: “Awakening on a lazy Saturday morning, Anna Katz is greeted by an older version of herself making a pot of coffee.” I love time travel stories, as they provide for wonderful opportunities for self-reflection, and I love puzzles; it is therefore no surprise that I decided to give this book a try!
I have to confess however that I almost immediately put the book away after reading only a few pages because of the graphic violence depicted. But I was intrigued by the relationship between said violence and the abovementioned descriptive sentence, as well as the quality of the writing. So I decided to give it another chance and forged ahead.
I am glad I did. First off, the violence at the beginning of the book is as graphic as it gets. Then there is the fact that Far Forward’s fast pace, various twists and turns, and unique definition of time travel, kept me reading long into the night. I liked how the author worked in things like the extinction of the dinosaurs into his story. I especially liked the character’s self-reflection, made in light of her meeting various versions of herself, of which I wish there had been more. And while there were some mistakes (mostly typos), the writing flowed easily.
The story is a little hard to follow at times, as it is a little confusing determining when the character is dreaming from where she is now. I also don’t like that the punch line in the description above, regarding the main character meeting an older version of herself, happened almost halfway through the book. However, Far Forward is, in my opinion, still worth reading, and I am happy at the hint, at the end of the book, that there just might be a sequel in the works.
(First published on Sahar's Reviews, at http://saharsreviews.wordpress.com/20...)
Far Forward, a book by independent author C. F. Waller, was published last month on Amazon. I noticed a post about it in a Facebook group, and one sentence in the description captured my attention: “Awakening on a lazy Saturday morning, Anna Katz is greeted by an older version of herself making a pot of coffee.” I love time travel stories, as they provide for wonderful opportunities for self-reflection, and I love puzzles; it is therefore no surprise that I decided to give this book a try!
I have to confess however that I almost immediately put the book away after reading only a few pages because of the graphic violence depicted. But I was intrigued by the relationship between said violence and the abovementioned descriptive sentence, as well as the quality of the writing. So I decided to give it another chance and forged ahead.
I am glad I did. First off, the violence at the beginning of the book is as graphic as it gets. Then there is the fact that Far Forward’s fast pace, various twists and turns, and unique definition of time travel, kept me reading long into the night. I liked how the author worked in things like the extinction of the dinosaurs into his story. I especially liked the character’s self-reflection, made in light of her meeting various versions of herself, of which I wish there had been more. And while there were some mistakes (mostly typos), the writing flowed easily.
The story is a little hard to follow at times, as it is a little confusing determining when the character is dreaming from where she is now. I also don’t like that the punch line in the description above, regarding the main character meeting an older version of herself, happened almost halfway through the book. However, Far Forward is, in my opinion, still worth reading, and I am happy at the hint, at the end of the book, that there just might be a sequel in the works.
(First published on Sahar's Reviews, at http://saharsreviews.wordpress.com/20...)
March 22, 2014
Overall this story is great. It's fairly well paced and had the right about of action I like in my books. It's set in first person, a favorite perspective of mine that is rather hard for authors to achieve just right, but it's also in the present tense. This threw me off for a bit seeing as it's not a tense that is used commonly but the author managed to pull it off with this story.
The book starts off feeling like some crime or thriller novel and I though maybe the description of the book was misleading until, BAM!, twist, it is a time traveling story. Risky was of going about it in my opinion, but it ended up working for this book, so props to the author. The author's take on time travel was also rather intriguing and it made you want to keep reading,
Now the reason I deducted a star (would have been 1.5 if half stars were possible). Errors and the main character. There were a few errors, spelling and grammatically, that need to be fixed. The big thing that took away a star was the main character. She wasn't likable. Period. I couldn't really find many redeeming qualities about her. But for some strange reason, it didn't make me put the book down. I'm a type of reader that doesn't keep reading if I can't stand the main character so props to the author. I don't know what you did, but you made me still want to keep reading regardless. So because I continued I found myself unable to deduct more than one star. Had I put it down, obviously it would have be different.
The book cover really needs some work. I got this book while it was free so I can't (in good conscious) down a star.
So, Far Forward gets a 3.5/4 out of 5 from me.
The book starts off feeling like some crime or thriller novel and I though maybe the description of the book was misleading until, BAM!, twist, it is a time traveling story. Risky was of going about it in my opinion, but it ended up working for this book, so props to the author. The author's take on time travel was also rather intriguing and it made you want to keep reading,
Now the reason I deducted a star (would have been 1.5 if half stars were possible). Errors and the main character. There were a few errors, spelling and grammatically, that need to be fixed. The big thing that took away a star was the main character. She wasn't likable. Period. I couldn't really find many redeeming qualities about her. But for some strange reason, it didn't make me put the book down. I'm a type of reader that doesn't keep reading if I can't stand the main character so props to the author. I don't know what you did, but you made me still want to keep reading regardless. So because I continued I found myself unable to deduct more than one star. Had I put it down, obviously it would have be different.
The book cover really needs some work. I got this book while it was free so I can't (in good conscious) down a star.
So, Far Forward gets a 3.5/4 out of 5 from me.
February 13, 2014
Written in the first person, present tense, the style is fluent and confident. Think Elmore Leonard. It starts like any cops-and-bad guys story and cracks along at breakneck pace. Then, insidiously, slowly, before you are aware of it, the story elides into something quite disorientating; a more psychological thriller, Science Fiction. You’ve had the feeling that there’s something not quite right but don’t know what it is. This is handled with great skill as he toys with the reader’s concepts of reality. Or is it schizophrenia? No, it’s parallel universes, time as a simultaneous event not a continuum.
This is a little difficult to get your head around but Waller handles it skillfully and you can simply take it in and enjoy the ride. OK, the writer has made no secret of the fact that this story involves time travel and alternative futures. The Einstein Relativity stuff seems plausible and I’m intrigued by the whole concept.
I have to mention that in the version I downloaded (7 Feb 2014) there were a large number of punctuation, typographical and grammatical errors, so it needs a professional copy edit. The author says he is addressing this issue right now so, hopefully, future downloads will be perfect but give it a month or so to be sure.
Nevertheless, overall this is a fine novel, well-written, original and thought-provoking. I’m surprised this hasn’t been picked up by a publisher or agent and it would make a good film.
This is a little difficult to get your head around but Waller handles it skillfully and you can simply take it in and enjoy the ride. OK, the writer has made no secret of the fact that this story involves time travel and alternative futures. The Einstein Relativity stuff seems plausible and I’m intrigued by the whole concept.
I have to mention that in the version I downloaded (7 Feb 2014) there were a large number of punctuation, typographical and grammatical errors, so it needs a professional copy edit. The author says he is addressing this issue right now so, hopefully, future downloads will be perfect but give it a month or so to be sure.
Nevertheless, overall this is a fine novel, well-written, original and thought-provoking. I’m surprised this hasn’t been picked up by a publisher or agent and it would make a good film.
February 10, 2014
One by one, her .357 magnum blazing, Anna mows them down as the father/husband watches unable to do more than curse her. His 10-year-old son, then his wife, then Saleim (sp?) himself. Then she wakes up. Always risky to begin a novel with a dream sequence, and only the cool brutality of the scene rescues it. After all, it's a woman pulling the trigger.
Anna Katz works for Stonewall Security. Stonewall provides coverage for high-profile clients, but business isn't going exactly to plan. Clients as well as security teams are being killed off by gunfire and/or explosions. Anna and her paramour, Jack Combs of the FBI, struggle to stay alive and unravel the mystery. Jack is married, but no matter.
About halfway through the narrative, the story, which has up until now read like a crime thriller, takes an abrupt turn into sci-fi. Anna meets incarnations of herself, past, present and future. There is time travel by means of an accelerator, and on Anna's success depends life as we know it.
This is a highly entertaining read, and the characters are well-drawn. There is plenty of action, and the concept is intriguing.
On the downside, there are typos, so easy to correct. Everybody gets a few, but there are too many here.
That aside, it's easy to recommend this book.
Anna Katz works for Stonewall Security. Stonewall provides coverage for high-profile clients, but business isn't going exactly to plan. Clients as well as security teams are being killed off by gunfire and/or explosions. Anna and her paramour, Jack Combs of the FBI, struggle to stay alive and unravel the mystery. Jack is married, but no matter.
About halfway through the narrative, the story, which has up until now read like a crime thriller, takes an abrupt turn into sci-fi. Anna meets incarnations of herself, past, present and future. There is time travel by means of an accelerator, and on Anna's success depends life as we know it.
This is a highly entertaining read, and the characters are well-drawn. There is plenty of action, and the concept is intriguing.
On the downside, there are typos, so easy to correct. Everybody gets a few, but there are too many here.
That aside, it's easy to recommend this book.
May 9, 2014
Anna Katz, who works for a security company, is a rough character. She smokes, drinks too much. and jogs for miles just so she can down a couple of pieces of pie. And she's having an ongoing affair with a married man. But yet, there is just something very likable about her. She's got guts! Normally, Anna is very clear-headed, but as the story progresses, subtle changes in her environment cause her to think there is something wrong with her mind; her car isn't where she parked it. Things aren't where she left them, and people can't seem to remember conversations they had with her only moments earlier. But it's not until she meets the very peculiar, Etta, that Anna realizes something very strange is going on.
This was such a good read. I enjoyed how C.F. Waller wrote it in first person. It brought me into the story so completely. I thought the author did a great job creating real characters that were by no means perfect. It made them more relatable. This was a slightly different take on time travel, which gave the story a fresh approach.
Great job. I highly recommend this read.
This was such a good read. I enjoyed how C.F. Waller wrote it in first person. It brought me into the story so completely. I thought the author did a great job creating real characters that were by no means perfect. It made them more relatable. This was a slightly different take on time travel, which gave the story a fresh approach.
Great job. I highly recommend this read.
November 22, 2013
This book started with a Bang!!! It definitely gets your attention from the first page. Time travel is prevalent through out the book which made me concentrate a little more to what was actually happening. That definitely added a little mystery to the tale. Time travel and Science fiction has never been a genre that I have read, but this book has changed my mind. The lead character Anna was a little strange, yet made me laugh at times. I liked the way he incorporated the Anna's personal relationship in the midst of all the action. The book gives you many twists and turns that will keep you on your toes. I recommend it to any science fiction, Time travel, and Action seeker reader's.
May 4, 2014
I don’t normally read first person, present tense stories that seem to be all the rage these days. But this was different. Fast paced, and having elements of time travel, thriller, suspense and romance it reminded me a little of King’s 11.22.63. It kept me interested throughout, and I liked the fact that you had a female protagonist Anna. A well thought out plot kept me guessing, and that is to be commended. There were a few typo’s and grammar mistakes, but this didn’t make any difference to me. One point – the cover of the book was weak, and I think if the author is willing to spend a few dollars, a top notch cover could make a big difference to selling more copies of the book.
June 25, 2014
This is a really good story. It starts out like any other crime/cop type story (well sort of) in that you are in this world, getting to know Anna and all of her attitude only then to be taken into this world of time travel. There are some interesting twists, Anna is sleeping with a married FBI agent, who's wife ends up dieing shortly after Anna has been seen talking to her. And Anna's DNA shows up at the crime scene. I have to say I really connected with Anna and enjoyed her journey through figuring out what was going on, meeting her future self and seeing her grow and lose some of her hard edge. It's a different storyline which I really enjoyed. Well done.
January 13, 2014
My general preference is not to read sci-fi, but since the author sent me a copy of his book to review I decided to give it a go. I must confess I'm glad I did. Overall an interesting story filled full of action is how to describe this book by CF Waller. From the beginning the story grabbed my attention with the creative plot and likeable characters such as Anna. If you are a fan of time travel and sci-fi, then I would recommend that you pick this one up.
January 31, 2014
To me a good story is one that leaves you thinking about the characters and craving more each time you take a break. Waller succeeded in grabbing my attention and not letting go, even after I finished. I may be biased, because I love anything having to do with time travel, but I don't care, it was a good book. Anna is pretty cool, and for some reason she reminded me of Tara from "Gone with the Wind." I'll definitely be watching Waller for future reads.
November 7, 2013
This is an engaging, well-written romp involving time travel, surprising family relationships, anomalies, and unusual events. I expect it will appeal to science fiction fans, science buffs, and others seeking a tale with numerous twists and turns. The characters are interesting, the trip filled with surprises. Highly recommended.
February 9, 2014
Waller builds a world that both science fiction and thriller fans will love. He takes what is normally a complex topic and makes it engaging and relatable. Full of surprising plot twists. The characters are well written. You can't help seeing yourself as Anna trying to figure out your next step. Excellent read, put this one on your list.
April 4, 2014
This novel begins with very graphic violence, which I found distasteful. Thankfully, it gets better after that opening although the sci-fi time travel part doesn’t take off until later in the book. In that way it’s a bit of a mixed genre novel. The story is entertaining as it’s fast paced with lots of action. Recommended for readers of sci fi who like time travel stories.
February 3, 2015
Interesting story line
I hesitated to give the book three stars, leaning toward two. The original (to me, at least) story line and exciting second half if the book bumped it up the three stars. The writing was mediocre, with noticeable spelling and grammatical errors. Fortunately, the story line built up sufficient entertainment to offset those distractions.
I hesitated to give the book three stars, leaning toward two. The original (to me, at least) story line and exciting second half if the book bumped it up the three stars. The writing was mediocre, with noticeable spelling and grammatical errors. Fortunately, the story line built up sufficient entertainment to offset those distractions.
August 6, 2015
This story was sometimes confusing with the time traveling versions of Anna Katz getting ahead or behind themselves and this made the story plot a little difficult to follow. It was entertaining and I believe was low cost or free.
January 21, 2014
I thought it was a good book. A sci-fi and time travel book all in one.
April 25, 2015
I really liked this book and would've rated it even higher if the spelling and grammar issues throughout were fixed.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews