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A River Called Time: A Novel
The Ark was built to save the lives of the many, but rapidly became a refuge for the elite, the entrance closed without warning.
Years after the Ark was cut off from the world--a world much like our own, but in which slavery has never existed--a chance of survival within the Ark's confines is granted to a select few who can prove their worth. Among their number is Markriss Denny, whose path to future excellence is marred only by a closely guarded secret: without warning, his spirit leaves his body, allowing him to see and experience a world far beyond his physical limitations.
Once inside the Ark, Denny learns of another with the same power, whose existence could spell catastrophe for humanity. He is forced into a desperate race to understand his abilities, and in doing so uncovers the truth about the Ark, himself, and the people he thought he once knew.
Years after the Ark was cut off from the world--a world much like our own, but in which slavery has never existed--a chance of survival within the Ark's confines is granted to a select few who can prove their worth. Among their number is Markriss Denny, whose path to future excellence is marred only by a closely guarded secret: without warning, his spirit leaves his body, allowing him to see and experience a world far beyond his physical limitations.
Once inside the Ark, Denny learns of another with the same power, whose existence could spell catastrophe for humanity. He is forced into a desperate race to understand his abilities, and in doing so uncovers the truth about the Ark, himself, and the people he thought he once knew.
445 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2021
99 people are currently reading
2787 people want to read
About the author
Courttia Newland
39 books75 followersCourttia Newland is a British writer of Jamaican and Bajan heritage.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
May 3, 2021
This book fails to belong to a genre, and that's exactly what makes it so enticing. With parallel timelines and astral planes that can but cannot be explained by singular definitions, this can be a speculative fiction. But when it alters a modern universe through it's non-colonial past and a dystopian future, the intrigue raises on both historical and philosophical levels. Refreshing to see a reality where ancient cultures exist without religions overriding them, and disappointingly understandable to see discrimination and segregation built on elitism still existing as the evil seedlings in this world where the Arc — a concrete saviour structure acting as a refuge for those who don't belong to the other wasteful side — exists. Following a protagonist who, through political debates, blatant separation, and underground rebellion, discovers the deeper flaws of this society is a disguised guidance for readers who appreciate being exposed to commentaries around social disparity [an evident reality] through far-fetched yet alluring concepts like multiplied realities and in a world that adorns African cosmology.
↣ digital copy received via the netgalley ↢
January 3, 2021
This book started off amazing - the characters, the setting everything felt really fresh and intriguing and I was utterly absorbed.
Then there was a scene where violence against a woman was used as a reason for another character (male) to act. I did raise my eyebrows a bit but carried on then when I realised that there was nothing else to this incident, it was just a throw away plot point (no consequences for the perpetrator, very real but glossed over consequences for the victim and the MC basically just shrugs and goes on with his life) I threw my kindle at the wall in disgust. I did pick it back up and try to read on but I couldn't get passed this and gave up within a few more pages.
I honestly thought we were over using this trope, any I guess that if the use of this in fiction doesn't bother you, it might continue to be amazing but for me it's a hard bounce.
Then there was a scene where violence against a woman was used as a reason for another character (male) to act. I did raise my eyebrows a bit but carried on then when I realised that there was nothing else to this incident, it was just a throw away plot point (no consequences for the perpetrator, very real but glossed over consequences for the victim and the MC basically just shrugs and goes on with his life) I threw my kindle at the wall in disgust. I did pick it back up and try to read on but I couldn't get passed this and gave up within a few more pages.
I honestly thought we were over using this trope, any I guess that if the use of this in fiction doesn't bother you, it might continue to be amazing but for me it's a hard bounce.
Read
April 11, 2021Cannot get on with the writing style, which is incredibly dense and metaphor-heavy, while leaving a lot to be inferred. Poetical, I guess, just not my thing in novels. DNF at 15%
October 11, 2021
I decided to read A River Called Time after hearing Courttia Newland talk about it at a book festival event. He discussed his intention to create alternate worlds in which colonialism and slavery never happened. I love alternate histories of this kind, like Civilisations, Everfair, and The Years of Rice and Salt. A River Called Time is structurally quite different from any other alternate history I've read, as it follows a single character across multiple worlds. The reader first meets Markriss during his teenage years in a version of London very different to ours. Inner London has been devastated by a bomb blast two centuries before, then a vast structure called the Ark built to house the city's wealthy and several social strata of workers. As far as I could tell, the Ark was built to seal off its residents from pollution outside. The reader explores the social tensions of this structure in some detail with Markriss, across several different worlds. There are strong themes of spirituality and mysticism throughout the book and Markriss is able to astral project himself from one reality to the next.
I found the world-building in A River Called Time fascinating, albeit rather dense with asides. The plot is meandering and gradual, to allow the reader to explore and think about how things differ across versions of London. I found the scenes in the lower basements of the Ark particularly vivid and unsettling. Much like the train in Snowpiercer, the Ark's physical structure enforces its social structure. In each alternate version of London Markriss' life takes a different route. I appreciated how Newland shows the changes in circumstance and environment that bring out various sides to him. It took me a little while to get used to the initial setting, but once I did the alternate worlds structure became really compelling. At one point, Markriss lands in our own world at a very specific time. This feels suitably disorientating after immersion in the Ark.
Although I found the spiritual elements a bit hard to follow at times, A River Called Time is an impressively atmospheric and ambitious novel, not quite like any alternate universe narrative I've read before. It's rich in detail and asks big questions about identity, social class, and the meaning we find in daily life.
I found the world-building in A River Called Time fascinating, albeit rather dense with asides. The plot is meandering and gradual, to allow the reader to explore and think about how things differ across versions of London. I found the scenes in the lower basements of the Ark particularly vivid and unsettling. Much like the train in Snowpiercer, the Ark's physical structure enforces its social structure. In each alternate version of London Markriss' life takes a different route. I appreciated how Newland shows the changes in circumstance and environment that bring out various sides to him. It took me a little while to get used to the initial setting, but once I did the alternate worlds structure became really compelling. At one point, Markriss lands in our own world at a very specific time. This feels suitably disorientating after immersion in the Ark.
Although I found the spiritual elements a bit hard to follow at times, A River Called Time is an impressively atmospheric and ambitious novel, not quite like any alternate universe narrative I've read before. It's rich in detail and asks big questions about identity, social class, and the meaning we find in daily life.
May 15, 2021
Real Rating: 3.5* of five, rounded up because I'll definitely read his other work
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: Author Newland is definitely a Writer. There is a gravitas to the ways he expresses his ideas, a fullness to the meanings of his phrases in their context. For the first third of this book, I thought I was looking at four, four and a half if he got the lead out and pushed the story along faster, stars. The idea of a man who can travel across the multiverse...African cosmology the dominant spirituality...decolonizing reality! I am down. But then the cracks appeared.
It is awful to write this: After working on this amazing, delightful idea for twenty years, Author Newland gave us half a great book.
The Ark, a domed city, isn't the amazing thought that the author appears to think it is. The image of the Insider/Outsider trope is very well-worn a path to walk. The ghettoized lower class, the generational wealth transfers that absolutely determines the lifestyle you and your descendents will have, the self-sacrificing mother who expects her child to support her when he gets inside...these aren't new. The truth is that the author's writing career has not been in the genres of sci fi, fantasy, or alternate history (is it a genre or a setting? I won't wade into that here), so what feels of itself fresh to him is bog-standard stuff to old genre hands. What *is* fresh and cool and amazing is the worlds he sends his main character to, and it is those Author Newland isn't giving us enough of.
The alternate, uncolonized world that our hero travels to is fascinating. The continent of Africa has so very many indigenous religions and spiritual traditions...how wonderful to have them foregrounded for once. But the author's choices of spiritual traditions represented didn't feel in any way organic to his main character. That meant the points of divergence between his character's home timeline and the one he travels to aren't as clear to me as a reader. The astral travel factor can be blamed for part of it. Is it technological, spiritual, either, both? Why? This fuzziness kept my focus diffuse. I think it kept his focus diffuse, too. His admirable inclusiveness leads to too many faces and each with too little time to make the experience as enfolding as it could, and should, have been.
I am able to slide past most of that, getting into a four-star mindset, when sexual violence against a woman is used to motivate a man into action. And the perpetrator suffers no consequences. And the main character? All but shrugs as he moves on with his life.
Fiction reflecting the ills of society back to us should not, in my view, continue to use outdated and harmful tropes unaltered. It isn't the author's best choice, and that along with other areas of niggling dissatisfaction brought me down to three and a half stars where I'd badly wanted to give four.
It's a shame. I hope you'll take the book out of the library at some point, give it your time and attention. I'd love to know if others feel my criticisms are misplaced or too harsh.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: Author Newland is definitely a Writer. There is a gravitas to the ways he expresses his ideas, a fullness to the meanings of his phrases in their context. For the first third of this book, I thought I was looking at four, four and a half if he got the lead out and pushed the story along faster, stars. The idea of a man who can travel across the multiverse...African cosmology the dominant spirituality...decolonizing reality! I am down. But then the cracks appeared.
It is awful to write this: After working on this amazing, delightful idea for twenty years, Author Newland gave us half a great book.
The Ark, a domed city, isn't the amazing thought that the author appears to think it is. The image of the Insider/Outsider trope is very well-worn a path to walk. The ghettoized lower class, the generational wealth transfers that absolutely determines the lifestyle you and your descendents will have, the self-sacrificing mother who expects her child to support her when he gets inside...these aren't new. The truth is that the author's writing career has not been in the genres of sci fi, fantasy, or alternate history (is it a genre or a setting? I won't wade into that here), so what feels of itself fresh to him is bog-standard stuff to old genre hands. What *is* fresh and cool and amazing is the worlds he sends his main character to, and it is those Author Newland isn't giving us enough of.
The alternate, uncolonized world that our hero travels to is fascinating. The continent of Africa has so very many indigenous religions and spiritual traditions...how wonderful to have them foregrounded for once. But the author's choices of spiritual traditions represented didn't feel in any way organic to his main character. That meant the points of divergence between his character's home timeline and the one he travels to aren't as clear to me as a reader. The astral travel factor can be blamed for part of it. Is it technological, spiritual, either, both? Why? This fuzziness kept my focus diffuse. I think it kept his focus diffuse, too. His admirable inclusiveness leads to too many faces and each with too little time to make the experience as enfolding as it could, and should, have been.
I am able to slide past most of that, getting into a four-star mindset, when sexual violence against a woman is used to motivate a man into action. And the perpetrator suffers no consequences. And the main character? All but shrugs as he moves on with his life.
Fiction reflecting the ills of society back to us should not, in my view, continue to use outdated and harmful tropes unaltered. It isn't the author's best choice, and that along with other areas of niggling dissatisfaction brought me down to three and a half stars where I'd badly wanted to give four.
It's a shame. I hope you'll take the book out of the library at some point, give it your time and attention. I'd love to know if others feel my criticisms are misplaced or too harsh.
March 6, 2021
More like 2.5 stars. Hard book to review as I felt it was mostly plotless for the greater part. A young man living in Dinium, a dystopian London, discovers he has the ability to travel on the astral plane and an incident in the 1st part displays that ability. He is given admittance to the Ark, located in the Inner City to house the elite. He discovers there are many of the same social problems as in the real world, so he joins a protest group, the Outsiders, who do more than protest. Returning to the physical world of Dinium he is more aware of the same social evils. We read his final fate. Although tempted to give up reading, I kept on out of curiosity as to what happened. The author's stuffing the book with so much on religion and the astral travel, left me cold. His writing style was marvelous and the cover gorgeous. Maybe was it a visual representation of what the protagonist would see in his astral projections? Characters were one-dimensional; I couldn't connect to any of them.
Thanks to LibraryThing for an ARC.
Thanks to LibraryThing for an ARC.
January 4, 2021
Hugely disappointing as the first fifth sets up an interesting story and world but throws it away in hackneyed Chosen One plots of parallel worlds but with excessive exposition, description and wafer thin female characters - a mess
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
September 21, 2023
Thank you to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title.
Set in a dystopian London parallel, A River Called Time uncovers the truth about the Ark, a structure built to provide a haven for the aristocracy but is revealed to be so much more disturbing. Markriss Denny has worked hard to win a spot inside the Ark. His enthusiasm wanes immediately when his assigned job revolves around political uprising and government deception. Markriss’ only path ahead is to embrace a newly discovered secret; the ability to leave his body and experience parallel universes beyond physical limitations.
Newland’s premise and his alternative world where Africa was not part of European colonization are both intriguing, however the plot is slow going and never quite reaches the potential teased from the beginning. Newland’s writing is stylish but tends to be overly descriptive, making the explanation of Markriss’ travels to parallel universes confusing and hard to follow. Markriss is a difficult protagonist to connect with, only adding to the disjointed feel of the book. Clearly a missed opportunity on the author’s part. Library collections should pass on this one.
Set in a dystopian London parallel, A River Called Time uncovers the truth about the Ark, a structure built to provide a haven for the aristocracy but is revealed to be so much more disturbing. Markriss Denny has worked hard to win a spot inside the Ark. His enthusiasm wanes immediately when his assigned job revolves around political uprising and government deception. Markriss’ only path ahead is to embrace a newly discovered secret; the ability to leave his body and experience parallel universes beyond physical limitations.
Newland’s premise and his alternative world where Africa was not part of European colonization are both intriguing, however the plot is slow going and never quite reaches the potential teased from the beginning. Newland’s writing is stylish but tends to be overly descriptive, making the explanation of Markriss’ travels to parallel universes confusing and hard to follow. Markriss is a difficult protagonist to connect with, only adding to the disjointed feel of the book. Clearly a missed opportunity on the author’s part. Library collections should pass on this one.
January 2, 2021
I have very mixed feelings about A River Called Time and for most of the time I spent reading it (which was several months!) I was sure I was going to rate it two stars. However, it redeemed itself at the last minute and I ended up feeling quite fond of it, so three stars it is.
A lot of other reviewers seemed to give up in the middle of this book (40-60%) and I was very nearly one of them. It is very slow going and the pacing is definitely a weakness. The plot just takes forever to properly start! I also found events quite hard to follow, both in terms of the broader plot and individual scenes. The writing style is stylish but not the most clear, which only added to my confusion. And while I won't go into detail, I found the ending impossible to understand in a way that probably means I'm just not smart enough to get it, but which was frustrating nonetheless.
But, but, but. Once the plot did start going I was engaged, and by the end of the book I was so attached to the characters and the world. This is an incredibly creative book, with its combination of physics and fantasy and dystopia. The author's note at the end really hammered that home: it's fascinating to read a book where the author tried, and significantly succeeded, in completely decolonising his writing process and his ideas. If anything, I just wish that had been more obvious in the text itself and not just the author's note. I also loved the little flashes of my London that I saw, even when that wasn't the direct setting - it's a welcome change from so many American authors.
So... what to conclude. A River Called Time was a slow, often painful reading experience, but I'm really glad I read it in the end. There's so much ambition and creativity here, which I'm glad I got to experience.
Trigger warning for animal harm and death (specifically dogs). I know that's not the worst thing that happens in this book (there's also classism, lots of state violence, oppression, general violence, I think some discussion of racism, etc) but it's the only thing that surprised me and isn't standard for dystopian-type novels, which is why I'm flagging it up.
A lot of other reviewers seemed to give up in the middle of this book (40-60%) and I was very nearly one of them. It is very slow going and the pacing is definitely a weakness. The plot just takes forever to properly start! I also found events quite hard to follow, both in terms of the broader plot and individual scenes. The writing style is stylish but not the most clear, which only added to my confusion. And while I won't go into detail, I found the ending impossible to understand in a way that probably means I'm just not smart enough to get it, but which was frustrating nonetheless.
But, but, but. Once the plot did start going I was engaged, and by the end of the book I was so attached to the characters and the world. This is an incredibly creative book, with its combination of physics and fantasy and dystopia. The author's note at the end really hammered that home: it's fascinating to read a book where the author tried, and significantly succeeded, in completely decolonising his writing process and his ideas. If anything, I just wish that had been more obvious in the text itself and not just the author's note. I also loved the little flashes of my London that I saw, even when that wasn't the direct setting - it's a welcome change from so many American authors.
So... what to conclude. A River Called Time was a slow, often painful reading experience, but I'm really glad I read it in the end. There's so much ambition and creativity here, which I'm glad I got to experience.
Trigger warning for animal harm and death (specifically dogs). I know that's not the worst thing that happens in this book (there's also classism, lots of state violence, oppression, general violence, I think some discussion of racism, etc) but it's the only thing that surprised me and isn't standard for dystopian-type novels, which is why I'm flagging it up.
August 3, 2023
I don’t think I’ve ever understood less what’s happened in a book
April 30, 2021
This was a really interesting, thought-provoking read. Newland has brought certain Physics-bound, futuristic elements and entwined them with the spiritual.
-Water does not battle, nor fight making itself. Water moves collectively to achieve its aims- The Book of the Ark
Newland uses precise and lean prose to bring his world to life: no slavery, no colonization, yet still society is hierarchical and capitalistic. I haven't read a book quite like this one and wanted to see where the author was going with it and was not disappointed.
Markriss gets to enter the Ark, built to house the haves and welcome those of talent and intellect, but is surprised to find that even here there are levels of prosperity and rigid segregation.
The sense of family and community is strong, the bonds of friendship and obligation, the tenuous hold on both, and facing the role we play in a fight to which we are integral.
The reality of what is purported and what life is truly like within the walls and towers of the Ark becomes quite clear to Markriss once he is inside. Black experiences and identity are everywhere within this narrative, the good, bad, and everything in between.
Speech, expression and representation is heavily controlled and any image of the Ark that makes it outside the walls is sanitized and packaged in ways that do not besmirch its 'field of gold' persona.
The influence of spirituality and cosmology is felt throughout this work, I loved the exploration of parallel existences, who we are at any shared time in different dimensions and what that would be like if experienced and what cascading changes would occur from actions taken in a time and space not our own.
The depiction of how culture, art, movement, and spiritual beliefs/leanings are utilized in whatever struggle our community faces; how we use it to celebrate and memorialise, is a facet that was embedded within this work and I appreciated it immensely.
-Water does not battle, nor fight making itself. Water moves collectively to achieve its aims- The Book of the Ark
Newland uses precise and lean prose to bring his world to life: no slavery, no colonization, yet still society is hierarchical and capitalistic. I haven't read a book quite like this one and wanted to see where the author was going with it and was not disappointed.
Markriss gets to enter the Ark, built to house the haves and welcome those of talent and intellect, but is surprised to find that even here there are levels of prosperity and rigid segregation.
The sense of family and community is strong, the bonds of friendship and obligation, the tenuous hold on both, and facing the role we play in a fight to which we are integral.
The reality of what is purported and what life is truly like within the walls and towers of the Ark becomes quite clear to Markriss once he is inside. Black experiences and identity are everywhere within this narrative, the good, bad, and everything in between.
Speech, expression and representation is heavily controlled and any image of the Ark that makes it outside the walls is sanitized and packaged in ways that do not besmirch its 'field of gold' persona.
The influence of spirituality and cosmology is felt throughout this work, I loved the exploration of parallel existences, who we are at any shared time in different dimensions and what that would be like if experienced and what cascading changes would occur from actions taken in a time and space not our own.
The depiction of how culture, art, movement, and spiritual beliefs/leanings are utilized in whatever struggle our community faces; how we use it to celebrate and memorialise, is a facet that was embedded within this work and I appreciated it immensely.
April 21, 2021
The premise of this book was solid, but the execution of... everything... is just off. Plain and simple. The description of the book would suggest that this book is one rich with character development, plot and so much more. But after having a go through A River Called Time, I was only met with disappointment.
I found it very hard to connect with the characters and overall story. Everything just seemed so uninteresting. It seemed that there was little to no depth in the story. This was one of those reads where I put it down and picked it back up so many times, telling myself that it would get better. But after going about 30% in I finally gave up.
I found it very hard to connect with the characters and overall story. Everything just seemed so uninteresting. It seemed that there was little to no depth in the story. This was one of those reads where I put it down and picked it back up so many times, telling myself that it would get better. But after going about 30% in I finally gave up.
February 27, 2021
I didn't know how to describe this until I read the afterword: decolonialised speculative fiction. It's epic, crossing different timelines via astral projection, and focused on a near future with an isolated but stratified community in 'the Ark', reminiscent of Forster's The Machine Stops, with shades of Huxley's Brave New World. The novel is a little rough around the edges, but a clear 5 star from me for its vision and scope. Well worth your time.
unfinished
November 12, 2020I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The title, cover and description pique my interest - and the action-packed opening scene of young boys exploring a future, derelict London sucks me right in. Unfortunately, I quickly lost steam and have decided not to finish at the 50% mark.
The premise and world-building are fascinating. The story is set in Dinium, a post-apocalyptic London in a world ravaged by war (I think). The skies are thick with red clouds, the general population suffers from disease and neglect in varying degrees depending on the richness of their neighbourhood. But in the very centre of the city is a derelict zone, cleared by a bomb, now home to the Ark - an elite enclosure for the rich and the few intelligent folks worthy enough to earn a place inside.
Thematically, the story explores social inequality, police brutality and media oppression. There are some powerful parallels to current affairs, and important messages to explore.
Protagonist Markriss grows up in one of the poorer boroughs in a single-parent household, and eventually earns his way into the Ark. He is initially a passive character, yet still likeable - his infrequent brushes with mystical events beyond his understanding adding a level of intrigue. But I find myself liking him less as he gets older, his "not like other guys so attracts all the girls" characterisation a little on the nose. I am much more drawn to learn about the women surrounding Markriss, who come across as complex and multilayered. (Alas Markriss primarily describes them by their appearance.)
While the writing is vivid and visceral, and individual scenes really capture my imagination, the narrator feels a little too distant for me to connect with the story on the emotional level I would like. I also really struggle with the pacing, the narrative skipping through time in a way that feels disjointed, leaving me wondering when the main plot will kick into gear. At about 30% of the way into the book, the main plot unexpectedly kicks in: we abruptly veer into a scene that makes little sense to both Markriss and I, yet results in a (magical) quest to win his loved one. However I soon feel like I'm back to square one, waiting for the story to happen.
I do think the plot is likely going to weave the different threads together, and provide interesting commentary on the powerful themes - but I'm struggling to sustain interest as I'm ultimately a very character & plot driven reader.
I'd recommend this to fans of philosophical/literary science fiction - possibly worth picking up if you enjoyed The Three-Body Problem.
The title, cover and description pique my interest - and the action-packed opening scene of young boys exploring a future, derelict London sucks me right in. Unfortunately, I quickly lost steam and have decided not to finish at the 50% mark.
The premise and world-building are fascinating. The story is set in Dinium, a post-apocalyptic London in a world ravaged by war (I think). The skies are thick with red clouds, the general population suffers from disease and neglect in varying degrees depending on the richness of their neighbourhood. But in the very centre of the city is a derelict zone, cleared by a bomb, now home to the Ark - an elite enclosure for the rich and the few intelligent folks worthy enough to earn a place inside.
Thematically, the story explores social inequality, police brutality and media oppression. There are some powerful parallels to current affairs, and important messages to explore.
Protagonist Markriss grows up in one of the poorer boroughs in a single-parent household, and eventually earns his way into the Ark. He is initially a passive character, yet still likeable - his infrequent brushes with mystical events beyond his understanding adding a level of intrigue. But I find myself liking him less as he gets older, his "not like other guys so attracts all the girls" characterisation a little on the nose. I am much more drawn to learn about the women surrounding Markriss, who come across as complex and multilayered. (Alas Markriss primarily describes them by their appearance.)
While the writing is vivid and visceral, and individual scenes really capture my imagination, the narrator feels a little too distant for me to connect with the story on the emotional level I would like. I also really struggle with the pacing, the narrative skipping through time in a way that feels disjointed, leaving me wondering when the main plot will kick into gear. At about 30% of the way into the book, the main plot unexpectedly kicks in: we abruptly veer into a scene that makes little sense to both Markriss and I, yet results in a (magical) quest to win his loved one. However I soon feel like I'm back to square one, waiting for the story to happen.
I do think the plot is likely going to weave the different threads together, and provide interesting commentary on the powerful themes - but I'm struggling to sustain interest as I'm ultimately a very character & plot driven reader.
I'd recommend this to fans of philosophical/literary science fiction - possibly worth picking up if you enjoyed The Three-Body Problem.
September 8, 2025
this is the most hotep ass novel i've ever read in my life.
i can't find it in myself to care about markriss 'very special boy' last name who, by inexplicable means (certainly not his personality) SOMEHOW befriends all the untouchable, yet beautiful women, much to the jealousy of everyone. why does he have a mate?????? what's that all about?
also there's so much fucking lore here about what i can only presume to be some ancient african religions that we as a reader should APPARENTLY know about because lord knows the author will not explain it.
500 pages later and i still don't know why that little man died in his sleep pod, nor do i care actually. it's supposed to be the driving plot point, but i do not care.
you cannot make me give a shit about your dystopian world if you can't make any of it make sense. i'm still only 85% on what the ark ACTUALLY is. and i don't fully understand where markriss actually grew up.
also for a world where slavery didn't happen, there's an awful lot of n****s with names like wallace smith. unconvincing.
i can't find it in myself to care about markriss 'very special boy' last name who, by inexplicable means (certainly not his personality) SOMEHOW befriends all the untouchable, yet beautiful women, much to the jealousy of everyone. why does he have a mate?????? what's that all about?
also there's so much fucking lore here about what i can only presume to be some ancient african religions that we as a reader should APPARENTLY know about because lord knows the author will not explain it.
500 pages later and i still don't know why that little man died in his sleep pod, nor do i care actually. it's supposed to be the driving plot point, but i do not care.
you cannot make me give a shit about your dystopian world if you can't make any of it make sense. i'm still only 85% on what the ark ACTUALLY is. and i don't fully understand where markriss actually grew up.
also for a world where slavery didn't happen, there's an awful lot of n****s with names like wallace smith. unconvincing.
June 8, 2023
Solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars is a book that start promising being a brilliant book isn’t bad but isn’t good.
July 8, 2021
This is one of those cases of something where I liked the concept more than the finished product and wish it had been a video game, or TV series, maybe a radio serial. The world-building is fantastic and I loved it - even when it felt patchy the detail, the ideas, the way it effected the world was absolutely great. However it just didn't work as a story for me.
The book is split into 4 parts (and an epilogue) that, roughly speaking, take place in different parallel universes. This is right up my alley, but really wasn't my favourite aspect here. What is really great about this book is how the idea of a world without slavery plays out (the author's note at the back states what the background of this actually is, and honestly I'd probably recommend reading that first). The story has a slightly odd sense of building to a finale which never really appears, and is probably a lot more realistic than many books in that it all ends up feeling a bit random and listless and pieced together with no real purpose or conclusion, despite the underlying thread that randomly pops up every so often. This doesn't really work in an alt universe, though, especially when we are introduced to so many intriguing plot points (largely in the first part) that remain completely unexplained despite the insinuation that there are answers, even known by the narrator in places. Overall it doesn't read brilliantly, so to enjoy this book you have to either be really invested in the premise or just adore the writing (literary, a style I find more in short stories - I liked it but not enough to read 400+ pages without compelling characters or plot).
Part 1 introduces an alternate world and shows several disparate events over the course of several years. It's a series of snapshots and the chapters start with abstract paragraphs, which make more sense as you continue but as a writing style this completely changes in the rest of the book. It's more an extended introduction, and feels a bit like a series of promotional blog posts shoved in due largely to being differently written to the other parts. Once I got into it I liked it but I found the misogyny pulled me out of it quite frequently - there's an inability (that does continue in the rest of the book) to treat women the protagonist has some form of attraction to as people. The women he's attracted to are often major players in the whole book, but never really form actual characters, particularly compared to women he isn't interested in sexually or male characters. There's also a lot of gratuitous descriptions which are presumably supposed to express attraction without being crude but end up sounding like that guy who slides into your DMs to call you a goddess using words of 3 syllables or more and then turns out to be a stalker or an incel who sends pages of threats when you don't reply. So there's that.
Part 2 was by far my favourite, and makes up the bulk of the novel. Firstly, most of the real world-building happens here, in terms of the actual world this part takes place in but also in terms of the spiritual practices and cultural nuances. I especially loved the description of English and how it's used. This part is also a pretty gripping self-contained story, and the best bits of the other sections refer to events in this part. It works well as a story, world, for building many of the characters, and occasionally is rather profound. If this was the whole book I think I would have liked it more, even though it would definitely lose something from the recurring threads through to other times.
Part 3 was good in terms of setting and description, but also my least favourite part and the only one where I had moments when I HATED it. I can't say why without sort-of spoilers but a large part of it was that, as a sapphic person, bits of it made me exceedingly uncomfortable.
The final part was fine but rushed. It felt tacked on to the end in a hurried attempt to deliver on the promises of previous parts and to make the book make sense. It came across as scrambling after the fact for a conclusion, which was hugely anticlimactic and unsatisfying. It might have worked better if it was longer, or more fleshed out. As it is it felt like a serious of "big reveals," none of which were big or had any impact on the story. The whole book might actually have felt more complete and satisfying without this part at all, just 1-3 and the epilogue.
Generally I would really like to see the idea taken and maybe reworked with a team (including women and queer people) for something else, because I do love the (well-researched and thought out) idea, and clearly Newland can write; I just didn't like it as a book.
The book is split into 4 parts (and an epilogue) that, roughly speaking, take place in different parallel universes. This is right up my alley, but really wasn't my favourite aspect here. What is really great about this book is how the idea of a world without slavery plays out (the author's note at the back states what the background of this actually is, and honestly I'd probably recommend reading that first). The story has a slightly odd sense of building to a finale which never really appears, and is probably a lot more realistic than many books in that it all ends up feeling a bit random and listless and pieced together with no real purpose or conclusion, despite the underlying thread that randomly pops up every so often. This doesn't really work in an alt universe, though, especially when we are introduced to so many intriguing plot points (largely in the first part) that remain completely unexplained despite the insinuation that there are answers, even known by the narrator in places. Overall it doesn't read brilliantly, so to enjoy this book you have to either be really invested in the premise or just adore the writing (literary, a style I find more in short stories - I liked it but not enough to read 400+ pages without compelling characters or plot).
Part 1 introduces an alternate world and shows several disparate events over the course of several years. It's a series of snapshots and the chapters start with abstract paragraphs, which make more sense as you continue but as a writing style this completely changes in the rest of the book. It's more an extended introduction, and feels a bit like a series of promotional blog posts shoved in due largely to being differently written to the other parts. Once I got into it I liked it but I found the misogyny pulled me out of it quite frequently - there's an inability (that does continue in the rest of the book) to treat women the protagonist has some form of attraction to as people. The women he's attracted to are often major players in the whole book, but never really form actual characters, particularly compared to women he isn't interested in sexually or male characters. There's also a lot of gratuitous descriptions which are presumably supposed to express attraction without being crude but end up sounding like that guy who slides into your DMs to call you a goddess using words of 3 syllables or more and then turns out to be a stalker or an incel who sends pages of threats when you don't reply. So there's that.
Part 2 was by far my favourite, and makes up the bulk of the novel. Firstly, most of the real world-building happens here, in terms of the actual world this part takes place in but also in terms of the spiritual practices and cultural nuances. I especially loved the description of English and how it's used. This part is also a pretty gripping self-contained story, and the best bits of the other sections refer to events in this part. It works well as a story, world, for building many of the characters, and occasionally is rather profound. If this was the whole book I think I would have liked it more, even though it would definitely lose something from the recurring threads through to other times.
Part 3 was good in terms of setting and description, but also my least favourite part and the only one where I had moments when I HATED it. I can't say why without sort-of spoilers but a large part of it was that, as a sapphic person, bits of it made me exceedingly uncomfortable.
The final part was fine but rushed. It felt tacked on to the end in a hurried attempt to deliver on the promises of previous parts and to make the book make sense. It came across as scrambling after the fact for a conclusion, which was hugely anticlimactic and unsatisfying. It might have worked better if it was longer, or more fleshed out. As it is it felt like a serious of "big reveals," none of which were big or had any impact on the story. The whole book might actually have felt more complete and satisfying without this part at all, just 1-3 and the epilogue.
Generally I would really like to see the idea taken and maybe reworked with a team (including women and queer people) for something else, because I do love the (well-researched and thought out) idea, and clearly Newland can write; I just didn't like it as a book.
January 7, 2021
I finished this book a week ago and felt the need for it to settle in my head before I wrote a review. I was taken by the description and it was indeed an interesting read, possibly not something I would normally have picked up but would definitely recommend.
This is a book in four parts starting in an alternative post-apocalyptic London referred to as Dinium . In the first section we meet our protagonist Markriss and his childhood friend Nesta, we also get the first inkling that travel in spirit is possible. We are introduced to Pods which are used for sleep and create neural connections to external equipment and services.
In Dinium the goal of people who live in the Outside is to excel at exams to allow them to entre the Ark - a huge concrete enclosed community found on the other side of a waste called the Blin. It is in the Ark that Markriss meets Chileshe and Keshini both of whom are central to his story. Once you go to the Ark you leave all connections to the Outside and are fully immersed in the 'utopia' of life in the Ark. As you may guess the Ark is not all it purports to be....
In the second section Markriss is in a parallel Dinium where he has evolved spiritually, is based in the Ark and is part of a peaceful protest group called the Outsiders. Here we reconnect with characters from part one but all have different connections to each other than before. This section leads to acts of terror (vividly detailed) and consequences of those acts.
In the third section we find Markriss in the familiar territory of our London, again familiar characters reappear but again their connections have reformed creating new dilemmas and interactions.
Then in the final quarter we cycle round to the first Dinium in which we encountered Markriss. There story lines are woven together with the parallel Londons reflecting in each strand and Markriss journey to get to where he now is intellectually and spiritually.
The descriptions of each section is detailed and evocative, taking you to that place. I found the narrative of section two with its focus on astral projection, meditation and the development of spiritually particularly compelling . Also how peaceful intentions, convictions of a right path can in fact lead you down a very dark violence filled avenue.
The astral projection element facilitated by the pod is the main device which allows Markriss to skip between parallel realities. Each time he skips though he has no memory of the previous reality, although the feeling that you know someone does persist.
In addition the African diaspora has not been affected by colonialization, so the communities portrayed are richer and more vibrant for this.
Overall the book has a compelling narrative although the spiritual elements may be hard going for some readers. My thanks to Netgalley and Canongate for access to the ARC.
This is a book in four parts starting in an alternative post-apocalyptic London referred to as Dinium . In the first section we meet our protagonist Markriss and his childhood friend Nesta, we also get the first inkling that travel in spirit is possible. We are introduced to Pods which are used for sleep and create neural connections to external equipment and services.
In Dinium the goal of people who live in the Outside is to excel at exams to allow them to entre the Ark - a huge concrete enclosed community found on the other side of a waste called the Blin. It is in the Ark that Markriss meets Chileshe and Keshini both of whom are central to his story. Once you go to the Ark you leave all connections to the Outside and are fully immersed in the 'utopia' of life in the Ark. As you may guess the Ark is not all it purports to be....
In the second section Markriss is in a parallel Dinium where he has evolved spiritually, is based in the Ark and is part of a peaceful protest group called the Outsiders. Here we reconnect with characters from part one but all have different connections to each other than before. This section leads to acts of terror (vividly detailed) and consequences of those acts.
In the third section we find Markriss in the familiar territory of our London, again familiar characters reappear but again their connections have reformed creating new dilemmas and interactions.
Then in the final quarter we cycle round to the first Dinium in which we encountered Markriss. There story lines are woven together with the parallel Londons reflecting in each strand and Markriss journey to get to where he now is intellectually and spiritually.
The descriptions of each section is detailed and evocative, taking you to that place. I found the narrative of section two with its focus on astral projection, meditation and the development of spiritually particularly compelling . Also how peaceful intentions, convictions of a right path can in fact lead you down a very dark violence filled avenue.
The astral projection element facilitated by the pod is the main device which allows Markriss to skip between parallel realities. Each time he skips though he has no memory of the previous reality, although the feeling that you know someone does persist.
In addition the African diaspora has not been affected by colonialization, so the communities portrayed are richer and more vibrant for this.
Overall the book has a compelling narrative although the spiritual elements may be hard going for some readers. My thanks to Netgalley and Canongate for access to the ARC.
July 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this book - it is one that I reckon I’ll continue to reflect upon and draw more realisations from in the weeks/months to come.
Newland has created an epic work here - it is so much more than the dystopian/alternative reality that the book’s blurb alludes to. The reflections upon a non racialised/post-colonial society, built upon the foundations of African cosmology rather than Greco-Roman/Christian traditions, are the most obviously fascinating. This world-building is really thoughtfully constructed (no clumsy info-dump here) and the reflections upon what trajectories technology will take under these alternative cosmological/philosophical foundations are especially thought-provoking. But more than this, the novel spans multiverse theory, the ethics of self (selves) and the power of our choices (or lack of) to confront injustice, the varying forms of inequality and subjugation, different forms of love and longing, loss and rejection. I also learnt a lot about how various non-western cultures think of different states of consciousness (which has led me to read more about meditation/mindfulness from an entirely different perspective).
The end result is a work that packs a lot in - emotionally, narratively, and intellectually - and this makes it not always an easy read. This might be because the novel is divided into four distinct sections - and the jump between the first and second sections in particular I found to be hard going. This point is where the plot takes an abrupt turn into the more spiritual/philosophical aspects which I found difficult to initially understand. I’m glad I stuck with it though, because these various strands of the novel are really cleverly woven together by the end and the initially off-putting references to ‘nambula’, ‘transmutations’, ‘chakras’ etc. soon become easily understandable within the plot. By the third section, I literally could not put this book down.
Overwrought descriptions - as noted by some reviewers - are perhaps evident in some areas, but honestly - given the sheer epic scale of what Newland has created here - this didn’t really put me off. The best achievement in my opinion, is the combination of an engrossing and thought-provoking alternate reality with deeply believable characters, beautiful relationships, and reflective depictions of inner emotional life - these latter parts so often missing or terribly rendered in the science fiction that I have read.
Overall, a solid recommend. Stick with the hard going parts because it’s worth it. The story’s culmination will leave you wondering/pondering for days…
Newland has created an epic work here - it is so much more than the dystopian/alternative reality that the book’s blurb alludes to. The reflections upon a non racialised/post-colonial society, built upon the foundations of African cosmology rather than Greco-Roman/Christian traditions, are the most obviously fascinating. This world-building is really thoughtfully constructed (no clumsy info-dump here) and the reflections upon what trajectories technology will take under these alternative cosmological/philosophical foundations are especially thought-provoking. But more than this, the novel spans multiverse theory, the ethics of self (selves) and the power of our choices (or lack of) to confront injustice, the varying forms of inequality and subjugation, different forms of love and longing, loss and rejection. I also learnt a lot about how various non-western cultures think of different states of consciousness (which has led me to read more about meditation/mindfulness from an entirely different perspective).
The end result is a work that packs a lot in - emotionally, narratively, and intellectually - and this makes it not always an easy read. This might be because the novel is divided into four distinct sections - and the jump between the first and second sections in particular I found to be hard going. This point is where the plot takes an abrupt turn into the more spiritual/philosophical aspects which I found difficult to initially understand. I’m glad I stuck with it though, because these various strands of the novel are really cleverly woven together by the end and the initially off-putting references to ‘nambula’, ‘transmutations’, ‘chakras’ etc. soon become easily understandable within the plot. By the third section, I literally could not put this book down.
Overwrought descriptions - as noted by some reviewers - are perhaps evident in some areas, but honestly - given the sheer epic scale of what Newland has created here - this didn’t really put me off. The best achievement in my opinion, is the combination of an engrossing and thought-provoking alternate reality with deeply believable characters, beautiful relationships, and reflective depictions of inner emotional life - these latter parts so often missing or terribly rendered in the science fiction that I have read.
Overall, a solid recommend. Stick with the hard going parts because it’s worth it. The story’s culmination will leave you wondering/pondering for days…
January 15, 2021
An extraordinary work of literary speculative fiction
‘A River Called Time’ by Courttia Newland is an extraordinary novel, written over many years and rich in philosophical and spiritual ideas. Courttia Newland proposes a world where there was no African slave trade, no colonisation. A world in which European explorers instead learnt from peaceful contact with the result that African cosmology became the dominant world religion.
It opens with an alternative timeline as we learn that in 1830 The Ark was built in Dinium (London) in order to save the lives of the many. Yet it quickly became a refuge for the elite, cut off from the rest of the world. Now only a select few are granted entrance.
The novel opens in 2000 and introduces Markriss Denny, who is eventually among those chosen to enter the Ark. Once inside the Ark he discovers that it is a deeply flawed society and like others before him, who find themselves living in oppressive regimes, he has serious choices to make. He also has a closely guarded secret: his spirit leaves his body spontaneously. His ability to astral project allows him to experience a world beyond the physical and to become aware of a multiplicity of realities.
This short description only scratches the surface of this complex novel. I appreciated the concept of a world free of historical slavery and colonialism and the incorporation of Kemetic religion and mythology including the gods of ancient Egypt being a natural part of everyday life.
In his Afterword Courttia Newland details his sources for these aspects as well as for astral projection. Given my own experiences with various esoteric practices, I may be in a different position from readers who may come to this novel without familiarity with them.
Overall, I feel that this is a important work of literary speculative fiction that was beautifully written and very thought-provoking. It is likely to be a novel that I will revisit for a deeper appreciation of its themes and multiple layers.
Highly recommended.
‘A River Called Time’ by Courttia Newland is an extraordinary novel, written over many years and rich in philosophical and spiritual ideas. Courttia Newland proposes a world where there was no African slave trade, no colonisation. A world in which European explorers instead learnt from peaceful contact with the result that African cosmology became the dominant world religion.
It opens with an alternative timeline as we learn that in 1830 The Ark was built in Dinium (London) in order to save the lives of the many. Yet it quickly became a refuge for the elite, cut off from the rest of the world. Now only a select few are granted entrance.
The novel opens in 2000 and introduces Markriss Denny, who is eventually among those chosen to enter the Ark. Once inside the Ark he discovers that it is a deeply flawed society and like others before him, who find themselves living in oppressive regimes, he has serious choices to make. He also has a closely guarded secret: his spirit leaves his body spontaneously. His ability to astral project allows him to experience a world beyond the physical and to become aware of a multiplicity of realities.
This short description only scratches the surface of this complex novel. I appreciated the concept of a world free of historical slavery and colonialism and the incorporation of Kemetic religion and mythology including the gods of ancient Egypt being a natural part of everyday life.
In his Afterword Courttia Newland details his sources for these aspects as well as for astral projection. Given my own experiences with various esoteric practices, I may be in a different position from readers who may come to this novel without familiarity with them.
Overall, I feel that this is a important work of literary speculative fiction that was beautifully written and very thought-provoking. It is likely to be a novel that I will revisit for a deeper appreciation of its themes and multiple layers.
Highly recommended.
March 4, 2021
Netgalley freebie, thank you.
Set in a world that never experienced colonialism and and the dominant religion comes from African heritage. Also sci-fi as the world has experienced a mass destruction event and one continent has developed an Arc. Everyone aspires to live in the Arc, the advertising of its superior living is very persuasive, however there are rumours it’s not all it lives up to be. Once you enter the Arc you no longer have any contact with the outside world. We follow the story of Markriss who’s been chosen to enter the Arc and leaves his mother behind with a tearful farewell.
Without giving too much away the world building is detailed. And it’s wonderful seeing so many varied characters that are well developed. Markriss can be hit and miss throughout and that makes him more believable to me.
Set in a world that never experienced colonialism and and the dominant religion comes from African heritage. Also sci-fi as the world has experienced a mass destruction event and one continent has developed an Arc. Everyone aspires to live in the Arc, the advertising of its superior living is very persuasive, however there are rumours it’s not all it lives up to be. Once you enter the Arc you no longer have any contact with the outside world. We follow the story of Markriss who’s been chosen to enter the Arc and leaves his mother behind with a tearful farewell.
Without giving too much away the world building is detailed. And it’s wonderful seeing so many varied characters that are well developed. Markriss can be hit and miss throughout and that makes him more believable to me.
December 19, 2020
This book's cover and blurb attracted me straight off the bat, and it sounded like my kind of book. I haven't read anything by this author, so that was another positive tick in a box. I really enjoy finding authors I've not come across previously and becoming a convert.
The book started off very strongly and completely captured my attention and imagination. I was really interested in what was happening, but then I started to struggle. The writing is expressive, descriptive, and absolutely beautiful in places, but I felt that perhaps the pace was a wee bit too slow for me. It's easy to pick up the social, racial, and sexual inequalities, and the power and lies of the media. Sort of 1984-ish, on a par with today, in fact.
I didn't 'click' emotionally with Markriss or any of the characters once he arrived at the Ark, I'm afraid, and that is SO unusual for me as I'm very character-driven. I loved the parts where Markriss Denny's spirit experienced things out with his physical body, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading on. I gave up at 75% - I tried my best, honestly - as my energy is too precious to waste on things I'm not enjoying.
Having said all that, this wasn't for me, but it's a fabulous concept, and it may well be the perfect book for you.
I chose an early copy from a selection at NetGalley, which I then voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
The book started off very strongly and completely captured my attention and imagination. I was really interested in what was happening, but then I started to struggle. The writing is expressive, descriptive, and absolutely beautiful in places, but I felt that perhaps the pace was a wee bit too slow for me. It's easy to pick up the social, racial, and sexual inequalities, and the power and lies of the media. Sort of 1984-ish, on a par with today, in fact.
I didn't 'click' emotionally with Markriss or any of the characters once he arrived at the Ark, I'm afraid, and that is SO unusual for me as I'm very character-driven. I loved the parts where Markriss Denny's spirit experienced things out with his physical body, but it wasn't enough to keep me reading on. I gave up at 75% - I tried my best, honestly - as my energy is too precious to waste on things I'm not enjoying.
Having said all that, this wasn't for me, but it's a fabulous concept, and it may well be the perfect book for you.
I chose an early copy from a selection at NetGalley, which I then voluntarily read and honestly reviewed. All opinions are my own.
August 14, 2021
With this novel Courttia Newland wanted to extract himself from the white gaze. And I think he achieved that beautifully. However, ARCT is still full of the male gaze and the women in the novel are written dispassionately and they don't have distinct voices - and don't get me started on what happens in the forrest in Part 1. Additionally, Part 2 is quite tedious and doesn't really serve the plot in any kind of way that could justify its existence. I was still quite captivated by most of the writing in parts 1, 3 and 4 and probably would give Newland's writing a go again at some point, if I feel like reading science fiction (which I rarely do, to be honest, but I think Newland's approach to it is still refreshing compared to the most sci-fi stuff out there).
January 23, 2021
So after abandoning this months ago finally DNF’d it... got around 15% in and just wasn’t interested and haven’t gravitated back towards it...
I still have it on my kindle and I do want to give it another go later this year!! So stay tuned for a possible opinion change!
I still have it on my kindle and I do want to give it another go later this year!! So stay tuned for a possible opinion change!
January 14, 2023
The afterword was the most interesting part for me; the author speaking of his efforts to escape the effect of colonialism on his own thought and speech.
However, the actual novel felt a chore. And incomplete. And lacking real purpose.
However, the actual novel felt a chore. And incomplete. And lacking real purpose.
May 11, 2021
DNF 22%
May 16, 2024
Difficult to review this. Sometimes beautiful prose, sometimes long-winded and a struggle. The idea of a 'new' religious perspective and the attempt to write prose free of colonial influence was intriguing, but the plot was unsatisfying somehow.
October 7, 2024
I believe this author has the talent to write a good book, it began with an interesting concept and completely lost the ability to properly accomplish a sound telling of the complexity of said concept due to a lack of plot. Finished with a disturbing self insert fantasy.
March 29, 2024
Just didn’t get it.
December 31, 2022
Netgalley freebie, thank you.
Set in a world that never experienced colonialism and and the dominant religion comes from African heritage. Also sci-fi as the world has experienced a mass destruction event and one continent has developed an Arc. Everyone aspires to live in the Arc, the advertising of its superior living is very persuasive, however there are rumours it’s not all it lives up to be. Once you enter the Arc you no longer have any contact with the outside world. We follow the story of Markriss who’s been chosen to enter the Arc and leaves his mother behind with a tearful farewell.
Without giving too much away the world building is detailed. And it’s wonderful seeing so many varied characters that are well developed. Markriss can be hit and miss throughout and that makes him more believable to me.
Set in a world that never experienced colonialism and and the dominant religion comes from African heritage. Also sci-fi as the world has experienced a mass destruction event and one continent has developed an Arc. Everyone aspires to live in the Arc, the advertising of its superior living is very persuasive, however there are rumours it’s not all it lives up to be. Once you enter the Arc you no longer have any contact with the outside world. We follow the story of Markriss who’s been chosen to enter the Arc and leaves his mother behind with a tearful farewell.
Without giving too much away the world building is detailed. And it’s wonderful seeing so many varied characters that are well developed. Markriss can be hit and miss throughout and that makes him more believable to me.
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