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Tripping the Multiverse
As a science journalist, Jade has seen more than her fair share of peculiar oddities—none weirder than her socially inept fellow reporter Antigone. When the test of a teleporter using an electron collider goes awry, the two women find their world changed in subtle ways, with anomalies breaking out in their personal lives. Their increasingly unstable dimension gives Jade the ability to shapeshift while Antigone can see portals into other worlds.
A fellow journalist who attended the experiment is trapped in another dimension and Jade and Antigone hold the key to saving him. Of course, their task is not just a simple rescue mission. Realizing they will continue to drift into increasingly stranger worlds until they straighten out the paradox, the women reluctantly agree to travel through the multiverse in search of a solution.
A fellow journalist who attended the experiment is trapped in another dimension and Jade and Antigone hold the key to saving him. Of course, their task is not just a simple rescue mission. Realizing they will continue to drift into increasingly stranger worlds until they straighten out the paradox, the women reluctantly agree to travel through the multiverse in search of a solution.
222 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2021
13 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
About the author
Alison Lyke
3 books43 followersAlison is a fantasy and science fiction author and professor with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing. Her debut novel, a modern mythology titled Honey, was published in 2013.
She lives in Rochester, New York with her partner Jon-Paul and two sons, Jonah and Isaac. When not reading or writing, Alison enjoys spending time in nature, practicing meditation and yoga, and playing video games.
She lives in Rochester, New York with her partner Jon-Paul and two sons, Jonah and Isaac. When not reading or writing, Alison enjoys spending time in nature, practicing meditation and yoga, and playing video games.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 17, 2020
Lyke creates an ingenious world of alternate worlds in this imaginative, well-crafted science fiction.
After a quantum physics experiment goes haywire and a science journalist becomes trapped in another dimension, it’s up to socially inept Antigone and her fellow journalist Jade, a woman of peer-reviewed facts and natural law, to rescue their colleague from another dimension. But the paradox has shifted, and the pair is left drifting away into increasingly strange worlds.
Lyke seems to have fun developing her characters, their backstory, the endearing bond of friendship between her two protagonists as well as the intriguing world of multi dimensions, parallel universes, and the concept of dimensional dislocation.
The fascinating premise, confident prose, and Lyke’s marvelous touches: the character of Crystal Sentry Denodos, Jade’s ability to shapeshift, the swirling dimensional bridge among others bring life to Jade and Anti’s exhilarating adventure among the worlds. Tensions rise steadily, and the satisfying conclusion comes with the promise of another exciting adventure of the duo.
This is a fantastic debut.
After a quantum physics experiment goes haywire and a science journalist becomes trapped in another dimension, it’s up to socially inept Antigone and her fellow journalist Jade, a woman of peer-reviewed facts and natural law, to rescue their colleague from another dimension. But the paradox has shifted, and the pair is left drifting away into increasingly strange worlds.
Lyke seems to have fun developing her characters, their backstory, the endearing bond of friendship between her two protagonists as well as the intriguing world of multi dimensions, parallel universes, and the concept of dimensional dislocation.
The fascinating premise, confident prose, and Lyke’s marvelous touches: the character of Crystal Sentry Denodos, Jade’s ability to shapeshift, the swirling dimensional bridge among others bring life to Jade and Anti’s exhilarating adventure among the worlds. Tensions rise steadily, and the satisfying conclusion comes with the promise of another exciting adventure of the duo.
This is a fantastic debut.
January 26, 2021
Tripping the Multiverse follows Jade and Antigone, two science journalists. The two women go to view the test of a teleporter using an electron collider. Unfortunately, the test goes wrong and creates a paradox. In addition, the two are forever changed — Jade gains the ability to shape-shift and Antigone can see portals into other worlds. During the experiment a fellow journalist gets trapped in another dimension. Jade and Anti realise that they must not only embark on a rescue mission, they must fix the paradox too.
Tripping the Multiverse is a super fun sci-fi! I sped through this book in a couple of hours as I didn’t want to put it down. It’s incredibly well-written, creative and imaginative!
I loved both Antigone and Jade’s characters. They are both distinctive and colourful characters, with well-written, vivid back stories. I loved seeing their friendship develop throughout the book. Their conversations and back-and-forth is entertaining from the very first page. Both are very different — Jade is shy and introverted, while Anti is the total opposite. But both are very endearing and I liked both of them! Some of Anti’s one-liners made me laugh out loud (“I wouldn’t suspect you capable of treachery. You never seemed that interesting.” is a particular favourite!).
Throughout the book, Jade and Antigone travel to multiple worlds. While I have read books about other planets or other worlds in the past, generally they tend to be similar to our own world. In Tripping the Multiverse, each one is totally different, incredibly vivid and imaginative. My favourite is when they visit Aperture and meet their liaison officer, Adellum, who uses slang straight from the 90s (calling things ‘far out’ and ‘whack’).
Tripping the Multiverse is a fantastic read and so much fun, with two endearing female main characters. This is the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to find what Jade and Antigone get up to next.
Tripping the Multiverse is a super fun sci-fi! I sped through this book in a couple of hours as I didn’t want to put it down. It’s incredibly well-written, creative and imaginative!
I loved both Antigone and Jade’s characters. They are both distinctive and colourful characters, with well-written, vivid back stories. I loved seeing their friendship develop throughout the book. Their conversations and back-and-forth is entertaining from the very first page. Both are very different — Jade is shy and introverted, while Anti is the total opposite. But both are very endearing and I liked both of them! Some of Anti’s one-liners made me laugh out loud (“I wouldn’t suspect you capable of treachery. You never seemed that interesting.” is a particular favourite!).
Throughout the book, Jade and Antigone travel to multiple worlds. While I have read books about other planets or other worlds in the past, generally they tend to be similar to our own world. In Tripping the Multiverse, each one is totally different, incredibly vivid and imaginative. My favourite is when they visit Aperture and meet their liaison officer, Adellum, who uses slang straight from the 90s (calling things ‘far out’ and ‘whack’).
Tripping the Multiverse is a fantastic read and so much fun, with two endearing female main characters. This is the first book in a new series and I can’t wait to find what Jade and Antigone get up to next.
February 6, 2021
I got this book through a giveaway, and I'm so glad that I did. I might not have given it a chance otherwise.
I love the whole thing. I love the characters and the world building. I love the attention to detail and the "fantasy" of imagining the possibilities presented here.
As a person who loves science fiction, fantasy, etc., I found this book to be a lot of fun. I could easily see myself rereading this one and seeking out further adventures of Jade and Antigone.
I love the whole thing. I love the characters and the world building. I love the attention to detail and the "fantasy" of imagining the possibilities presented here.
As a person who loves science fiction, fantasy, etc., I found this book to be a lot of fun. I could easily see myself rereading this one and seeking out further adventures of Jade and Antigone.
April 9, 2021
It becomes better in the second part
[Disclaimer: I got this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program]
I already read and appreciated Alison Lyke's Forever People. In her new work, the main characters are all women; Antigone and Jade, two science journalists who after a physics experiment obtain incredible powers; Harriet, the head of the research center who actually is not from our Earth; Zofia, a judge and executioner in a parallel universe. Oh, I forgot that Anti and Jade are unwittingly doing a series of trip in the Multiverse, as the book's title says. The first part of the book is a bit lame, and their initial trip seems out of style with respect to the rest; but then adventure happen at a frenetic pace, and the story really takes off. So, bear with the first chapters and you will be rewarded!
[Disclaimer: I got this book via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program]
I already read and appreciated Alison Lyke's Forever People. In her new work, the main characters are all women; Antigone and Jade, two science journalists who after a physics experiment obtain incredible powers; Harriet, the head of the research center who actually is not from our Earth; Zofia, a judge and executioner in a parallel universe. Oh, I forgot that Anti and Jade are unwittingly doing a series of trip in the Multiverse, as the book's title says. The first part of the book is a bit lame, and their initial trip seems out of style with respect to the rest; but then adventure happen at a frenetic pace, and the story really takes off. So, bear with the first chapters and you will be rewarded!
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April 20, 2021Tripping the Multiverse by Alison Lyke, a book review
I received a free copy of this ebook as an early reviewer on LibraryThing website.
This story seems to be a combination of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Bill and Ted's Great adventure.
Our heroines, Jade and Antigone (aka “Anti” for good reason), are two alleged science reporters attending a demonstration at what is apparently a machine similar to the Large Hadron collider where Harriet, the experiment leader, is attempting to create, or says they have created a miniature black hole. In fact, what they did was create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge to alternate universes through which one of the other technicians has disappeared. In the process, Jade and Antigone have received extraordinary powers. Jade can shape shift into other people or animals. And Antigone has extremely high sentience similar to ESP on steroids. With these Powers they are persuaded or coerced into going into the multiverse to find the missing technician. They do find him but that is as much as I will say about that little adventure to avoid spoilers. Their next adventure is to find Harriet herself who turns out to be from another universe and who is considered a criminal and was imprisoned on planet Earth because planet Earth, as we know it, is not connected by Bridges through the multiverse. Unbeknownst to the powers that be in the multiverse, we Earth people, albeit in the form of Harriet's persistence, in fact built a bridge to the multiverse and entered. There begins Jade and Anti’s adventures.
The worlds these two women visit strike me as original and quirky and fairly new but somewhat akin to the worlds visited by the hero of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Very alien and plain daffy. The whole story is fairly light-hearted, and I am sure those who like such stories will enjoy this one. I found it a bit difficult to finish mainly because I didn't find anything much likeable about either of the two women lead characters. Antigone is especially well named because she is especially annoying; particularly to Jade, so it does come as a surprise in the end of the story to have them become roommates. What? Now I suppose we get The Odd Couple tripping the multiverse. This is book one after all. I’m glad I got it for free, and that is the only way I would read the next one.
I received a free copy of this ebook as an early reviewer on LibraryThing website.
This story seems to be a combination of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Bill and Ted's Great adventure.
Our heroines, Jade and Antigone (aka “Anti” for good reason), are two alleged science reporters attending a demonstration at what is apparently a machine similar to the Large Hadron collider where Harriet, the experiment leader, is attempting to create, or says they have created a miniature black hole. In fact, what they did was create an Einstein-Rosen Bridge to alternate universes through which one of the other technicians has disappeared. In the process, Jade and Antigone have received extraordinary powers. Jade can shape shift into other people or animals. And Antigone has extremely high sentience similar to ESP on steroids. With these Powers they are persuaded or coerced into going into the multiverse to find the missing technician. They do find him but that is as much as I will say about that little adventure to avoid spoilers. Their next adventure is to find Harriet herself who turns out to be from another universe and who is considered a criminal and was imprisoned on planet Earth because planet Earth, as we know it, is not connected by Bridges through the multiverse. Unbeknownst to the powers that be in the multiverse, we Earth people, albeit in the form of Harriet's persistence, in fact built a bridge to the multiverse and entered. There begins Jade and Anti’s adventures.
The worlds these two women visit strike me as original and quirky and fairly new but somewhat akin to the worlds visited by the hero of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Very alien and plain daffy. The whole story is fairly light-hearted, and I am sure those who like such stories will enjoy this one. I found it a bit difficult to finish mainly because I didn't find anything much likeable about either of the two women lead characters. Antigone is especially well named because she is especially annoying; particularly to Jade, so it does come as a surprise in the end of the story to have them become roommates. What? Now I suppose we get The Odd Couple tripping the multiverse. This is book one after all. I’m glad I got it for free, and that is the only way I would read the next one.
February 10, 2025
Tripping the Universe is the story of two women who gain superpowers from an accident involving a quantum-based experiment. The women, Jade and Antigone (Anti), are science journalists attending an experiment to create a quantum tunnel. The tunnel opens a hole to alternate worlds and give the two the ability to shape change and the ability to find the portals.
Jade and Anti are quested to find someone who disappeared into another dimension during the experiment. After returning home, they find things are subtly different and need to find a way home.
Through their adventures and an instinct that things are not as they seem, they uncover an interdimensional criminal that is destabilizing our dimension. This starts a self-induced quest to hunt down the criminal, wandering among the different dimensions.
The book has a few problems. It feels like minor characters just appear to explain things to the two adventurers. This leaves the book with a deus ex machina feel.
The author uses too many adjectives. Quite often she uses two adjectives and a noun, sometimes more than once in a single sentence. This reads awkwardly and sometimes suggests incidental items have more importance to the story than they actually do.
The pacing of the story felt off. It is always moderately fast-paced. But there are times when it should be slower. A changing of pace would help the story.
Some of the dialog didn’t feel natural. The subject changes too quickly.
The narrator used Anti’s full name at the start of the book. After Anti mentioned her nickname to Jade, the narrator suddenly changed it’s references. Except in one instance the narrator referred to her as Antigone, but there was no rhyme nor reason for that instance.
In their first trip to a foreign dimension, they had to split up. Jade took their universal translator, but Anti was able to communicate without it.
Generally, I think the book could use a stronger editor, especially with continuity.
In spite of these issues, I did enjoy the book. When Anti and Jade were in alternate dimensions, the extra adjectives helped to describe the unique locations. Each place they visited felt odd and unique. The reader will get an immediate feel for unusual cultures and people.
The experiment itself was described in terms of modern technology dropping recognizable terms. This worked well with a suspension of disbelief to help the user get into the story.
When you add interesting minor characters and situational humor, the book becomes an enjoyable and light read. I suspect the author targeted a younger audience, but I will enjoy reading the next installment.
Jade and Anti are quested to find someone who disappeared into another dimension during the experiment. After returning home, they find things are subtly different and need to find a way home.
Through their adventures and an instinct that things are not as they seem, they uncover an interdimensional criminal that is destabilizing our dimension. This starts a self-induced quest to hunt down the criminal, wandering among the different dimensions.
The book has a few problems. It feels like minor characters just appear to explain things to the two adventurers. This leaves the book with a deus ex machina feel.
The author uses too many adjectives. Quite often she uses two adjectives and a noun, sometimes more than once in a single sentence. This reads awkwardly and sometimes suggests incidental items have more importance to the story than they actually do.
The pacing of the story felt off. It is always moderately fast-paced. But there are times when it should be slower. A changing of pace would help the story.
Some of the dialog didn’t feel natural. The subject changes too quickly.
The narrator used Anti’s full name at the start of the book. After Anti mentioned her nickname to Jade, the narrator suddenly changed it’s references. Except in one instance the narrator referred to her as Antigone, but there was no rhyme nor reason for that instance.
In their first trip to a foreign dimension, they had to split up. Jade took their universal translator, but Anti was able to communicate without it.
Generally, I think the book could use a stronger editor, especially with continuity.
In spite of these issues, I did enjoy the book. When Anti and Jade were in alternate dimensions, the extra adjectives helped to describe the unique locations. Each place they visited felt odd and unique. The reader will get an immediate feel for unusual cultures and people.
The experiment itself was described in terms of modern technology dropping recognizable terms. This worked well with a suspension of disbelief to help the user get into the story.
When you add interesting minor characters and situational humor, the book becomes an enjoyable and light read. I suspect the author targeted a younger audience, but I will enjoy reading the next installment.
March 30, 2023
3.5 stars rounded down. The grammatical errors were far too frequent for a published work. There were also several of inconsistencies such as describing a group as lizard men only to refer to them as insectoid and more like arachnids on the same page.
The story was interesting. Some fascinating concepts. Some parts were a little too silly for me, but overall not bad for a quicker read. Some of the humor was good.
I can't say I loved either of the protagonists, but they worked ok as a pair.
I won't be continuing with this series if there are more.
The story was interesting. Some fascinating concepts. Some parts were a little too silly for me, but overall not bad for a quicker read. Some of the humor was good.
I can't say I loved either of the protagonists, but they worked ok as a pair.
I won't be continuing with this series if there are more.
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February 28, 2021DNF at 23%, no rating. I received a free copy for a book tour. The writing style felt almost middle grade in its level of whimsy and sometimes nonsensical nature, which did not match the (sort of undefined) age of the two protagonists. They seemed to be early twenties but it was unclear. There was also some head-hopping in the POV.
May 24, 2021
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow okay, this was a pretty good book. I loved the story, the world building, the characters, the plot, the dialogue. I thought it was well-told. My only complaint is the grammar errors (I've made my notes visible if anyone wanted to see; it's not an exhaustive list). Fix that up and this is a 5 star book.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Wow okay, this was a pretty good book. I loved the story, the world building, the characters, the plot, the dialogue. I thought it was well-told. My only complaint is the grammar errors (I've made my notes visible if anyone wanted to see; it's not an exhaustive list). Fix that up and this is a 5 star book.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews