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The Elsewhen Gene
Laura Elizabeth Austin grows up in a small farming town in Kansas. Already a genius at age eight, she and equally bright Elijah Lucas Grant are very different from other kids, but Laura and Elijah have each other.
Fascinated with science, they seriously discuss the big cosmological questions – the nature of time, black holes, the origin and the destiny of the universe, so the two little prodigies become soul-mates, at the tender age of 8.
At the age of 12, on a bicycle ride together, they have their first kiss while debating the nature of time. (Laura claims it doesn’t exist. She may be right.)
They are also troubled by strange visions. Laura sees people who aren’t there. She thinks they are ghosts, but comes to realize that they exist in another universe, and think that she is a ghost. She discovers that she can actually step into an alternate universe, which leads her to believe that this ability is embedded somewhere in her DNA.
Elijah sees flashes of events that haven’t happened – yet. But he learns to develop this into an unerring sense of the future. As the Red Queen says, “It’s a poor memory that only works backwards.”
To put it simply, Elijah sees time forward and back; Laura from side to side.
They soon learn the future isn’t what it used to be. Neither is the past. But in the eternal present, they have each other, for now.
Together they embark upon an adventure across multiple universes and alternate lives, saving themselves from a stampeding buffalo herd, a sadistic security agent, and a cosmic Apocalypse.
Also, while working for their PhD’s at the prestigious MIT, they reunite a World War 2 fighter pilot, stranded in the wrong universe, with the love of his life, who is trapped in another. All in a day’s work.
Fascinated with science, they seriously discuss the big cosmological questions – the nature of time, black holes, the origin and the destiny of the universe, so the two little prodigies become soul-mates, at the tender age of 8.
At the age of 12, on a bicycle ride together, they have their first kiss while debating the nature of time. (Laura claims it doesn’t exist. She may be right.)
They are also troubled by strange visions. Laura sees people who aren’t there. She thinks they are ghosts, but comes to realize that they exist in another universe, and think that she is a ghost. She discovers that she can actually step into an alternate universe, which leads her to believe that this ability is embedded somewhere in her DNA.
Elijah sees flashes of events that haven’t happened – yet. But he learns to develop this into an unerring sense of the future. As the Red Queen says, “It’s a poor memory that only works backwards.”
To put it simply, Elijah sees time forward and back; Laura from side to side.
They soon learn the future isn’t what it used to be. Neither is the past. But in the eternal present, they have each other, for now.
Together they embark upon an adventure across multiple universes and alternate lives, saving themselves from a stampeding buffalo herd, a sadistic security agent, and a cosmic Apocalypse.
Also, while working for their PhD’s at the prestigious MIT, they reunite a World War 2 fighter pilot, stranded in the wrong universe, with the love of his life, who is trapped in another. All in a day’s work.
231 pages, Paperback
Published May 30, 2017
855 people want to read
About the author
Gary Bullock
2 books26 followersOriginally from eastern Tennessee, Gary Bullock is an actor and writer. In past lives, he has been a software engineer, radar operator, Hollywood apartment manager, and DJ. One of his passions is building and flying model airplanes. He lives in western North Carolina with his soul mate, Mil Nicholson.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 14, 2017
I adore time travel romances, so was thrilled when Gary Bullock asked me to beta read his wonderful novel and write an honest review after the book’s publication.
The Elsewhen Gene is entrancing and brought many smiles to my face. It is one of those novels that has a real feel-good factor about it and reminded me that hope and beauty still exist, as well as innumerable mysteries on a cosmic scale. The writing flows with the same gentle forward momentum and intertwining of light and shade as a sun-mottled brook. The descriptions are vivid and the dialogue authentic to the characters, whom I adored.
Laura and Elijah are both science geniuses and soulmates since childhood. Elijah sees future events. Laura sees what she thinks are ghosts but are really people in another universe into which she can sidestep at will. A romance between two such unusual people is never going to run according to convention, when it involves multiple universes and alternate lives. But it is a story of enduring passion between them both, as well as their crusade to reunite another couple who have ended up in separate universes to each other.
The novel has a most satisfactory end, but I am hoping that the author has more adventures in store for Laura and Elijah in a possible sequel.
The Elsewhen Gene is entrancing and brought many smiles to my face. It is one of those novels that has a real feel-good factor about it and reminded me that hope and beauty still exist, as well as innumerable mysteries on a cosmic scale. The writing flows with the same gentle forward momentum and intertwining of light and shade as a sun-mottled brook. The descriptions are vivid and the dialogue authentic to the characters, whom I adored.
Laura and Elijah are both science geniuses and soulmates since childhood. Elijah sees future events. Laura sees what she thinks are ghosts but are really people in another universe into which she can sidestep at will. A romance between two such unusual people is never going to run according to convention, when it involves multiple universes and alternate lives. But it is a story of enduring passion between them both, as well as their crusade to reunite another couple who have ended up in separate universes to each other.
The novel has a most satisfactory end, but I am hoping that the author has more adventures in store for Laura and Elijah in a possible sequel.
December 19, 2025
The Elsewhen Gen is an intellectually playful and emotionally grounded science fiction novel that blends speculative physics, multiverse theory, and lifelong connection into a deeply human story about time, identity, and belonging.
At the heart of the novel are Laura Elizabeth Austin and Elijah Lucas Grant two prodigies whose brilliance isolates them from the world but binds them powerfully to each other. Bullock’s decision to root vast cosmological ideas in a relationship that begins in childhood gives the narrative warmth and accessibility, allowing abstract concepts like time, parallel universes, and causality to feel intimate rather than overwhelming.
Laura and Elijah’s complementary abilities Laura perceiving realities “sideways” across universes, Elijah experiencing time forward and backward form one of the book’s most elegant conceits. These powers are not treated as flashy gimmicks, but as extensions of personality, curiosity, and emotional cost. The novel consistently asks what it means to live with knowledge others cannot access, and how perception shapes responsibility.
What distinguishes The Elsewhen Gene is its balance of wonder and restraint. Bullock moves confidently between small-town Kansas, academic life at MIT, and universe-spanning stakes without losing emotional coherence. The inclusion of quieter, humane moments such as reuniting a displaced WWII pilot with his lost love adds depth and reinforces the novel’s belief that even across infinite universes, love and connection remain central.
The prose is thoughtful and often wry, engaging readers who enjoy science fiction that trusts their intelligence while still delivering adventure, romance, and philosophical inquiry. Rather than racing toward spectacle, the novel lingers in the “eternal present,” inviting reflection on fate, choice, and the fragile beauty of shared existence.
The Elsewhen Gene will resonate with readers who appreciate character-driven speculative fiction in the tradition of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Dark Matter, or Slaughterhouse-Five stories where big ideas matter most because of the people living inside them.
At the heart of the novel are Laura Elizabeth Austin and Elijah Lucas Grant two prodigies whose brilliance isolates them from the world but binds them powerfully to each other. Bullock’s decision to root vast cosmological ideas in a relationship that begins in childhood gives the narrative warmth and accessibility, allowing abstract concepts like time, parallel universes, and causality to feel intimate rather than overwhelming.
Laura and Elijah’s complementary abilities Laura perceiving realities “sideways” across universes, Elijah experiencing time forward and backward form one of the book’s most elegant conceits. These powers are not treated as flashy gimmicks, but as extensions of personality, curiosity, and emotional cost. The novel consistently asks what it means to live with knowledge others cannot access, and how perception shapes responsibility.
What distinguishes The Elsewhen Gene is its balance of wonder and restraint. Bullock moves confidently between small-town Kansas, academic life at MIT, and universe-spanning stakes without losing emotional coherence. The inclusion of quieter, humane moments such as reuniting a displaced WWII pilot with his lost love adds depth and reinforces the novel’s belief that even across infinite universes, love and connection remain central.
The prose is thoughtful and often wry, engaging readers who enjoy science fiction that trusts their intelligence while still delivering adventure, romance, and philosophical inquiry. Rather than racing toward spectacle, the novel lingers in the “eternal present,” inviting reflection on fate, choice, and the fragile beauty of shared existence.
The Elsewhen Gene will resonate with readers who appreciate character-driven speculative fiction in the tradition of The Time Traveler’s Wife, Dark Matter, or Slaughterhouse-Five stories where big ideas matter most because of the people living inside them.
May 21, 2019
I do not typically read much sci-fi as of late, but the premise of this book interested me. I received a copy from the author via a goodreads giveaway.
The story itself was not disappointing. A young woman is able to travel between parallel dimensions, though the first half of the book is told from her boyfriend's perspective. He himself has the ability to see the future, though this is not so much the focus of the story.
At times, some of the dialogue seemed tedious and the story dragged a bit, other times, events tumbled forward without a lot of detail.
What stood out to me the most was that the antagonist of the story seemed too over-the-top villainous. He came off as one-dimensional, *constantly* sexually harassing the female protagonist. It was just too "on the nose." Incel caricature. We get it, he's a bad guy, you don't have to beat us over the head with the point.
And as a woman, it was annoying to read the constant objectification throughout the whole book, sadly not just from the creep. The male protagonist, ostensibly the good guy, is still not above oogling joggers, from the first. It's just gross. Most of the female characters have their naked bodies described, they're all just so beautiful, yadda yadda yadda. All told, I don't think I would read this author again.
But as I've said, the story itself, of traveling between worlds, is not entirely disappointing. The book is split into two sections, two different alternate realities. The first story ends on a cliffhanger and never picks back up again, which was a bit disappointing to me but some authors like to leave the rest of the story to the reader's imagination and I can respect that. The second story has a bit more of a conclusion but still leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but with this type of story, a "mysteries of the universe" exploration, it works.
I can't say whether I would or would not recommend this book. It would depend on the reader's tastes.
The story itself was not disappointing. A young woman is able to travel between parallel dimensions, though the first half of the book is told from her boyfriend's perspective. He himself has the ability to see the future, though this is not so much the focus of the story.
At times, some of the dialogue seemed tedious and the story dragged a bit, other times, events tumbled forward without a lot of detail.
What stood out to me the most was that the antagonist of the story seemed too over-the-top villainous. He came off as one-dimensional, *constantly* sexually harassing the female protagonist. It was just too "on the nose." Incel caricature. We get it, he's a bad guy, you don't have to beat us over the head with the point.
And as a woman, it was annoying to read the constant objectification throughout the whole book, sadly not just from the creep. The male protagonist, ostensibly the good guy, is still not above oogling joggers, from the first. It's just gross. Most of the female characters have their naked bodies described, they're all just so beautiful, yadda yadda yadda. All told, I don't think I would read this author again.
But as I've said, the story itself, of traveling between worlds, is not entirely disappointing. The book is split into two sections, two different alternate realities. The first story ends on a cliffhanger and never picks back up again, which was a bit disappointing to me but some authors like to leave the rest of the story to the reader's imagination and I can respect that. The second story has a bit more of a conclusion but still leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but with this type of story, a "mysteries of the universe" exploration, it works.
I can't say whether I would or would not recommend this book. It would depend on the reader's tastes.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews