Variation on a Theme

by Thomas Watson

A Fantasy in Four Moments

On a bitterly cold night under the stars, an old man willingly embraces the end of his life. Illness and a revelation of betrayal have convinced him that the time has come. But in dying, Gregory Williamson discovers that time is not what he believes it to be, and neither are life and death. By the shadowy being who calls herself Lucy, he is drawn into an awareness of the true complexity of existence and given a chance to live another life. A life that could make the world a better place.

Better, that is, from a certain point of view.

351 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2021

About the author

I am a writer living in the Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest, to which I relocated from my childhood home in Illinois. I have a B.S. in plant biology from the University of Arizona, and have in the past worked as a laboratory technician for that institution. Most recently I worked for Steward Observatory, as an inventory coordinator. Among other things, I am also a student of history, natural history, astronomy, and backyard horticulture.

Reviews

[Lee Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot say enough good about this book... I simply loved it and would rate it as one of the best I have read, maybe ever!

Throughout our lives we are occasionally asked... would you want to go back to your younger days, maybe your high school or college days? And some of us answer "only if I could do it, knowing what I know now".

This clever novel provides an opportunity (though he doesn't really have a choice, per se) for the protagonist to do just that. The overall "theme", if you will, of this story is quite creative. The writing is good and QUITE detailed... which I personally loved, though others might find this a little tedious from time-to-time. But I am not others, I am just me. And I would HIGHLY recommend this read.

P.S. One real positive of this story... the characters are, by and large, very likeable. Which also makes for a pleasant read/experience.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greg is an old man about to die when he is confronted with an odd situation. He becomes 17 again, and this time, he should make different decisions, changing his life, but more importantly, changing the lives of others.

What would you do if this happened to you? Would you choose a different life partner? Greg dares to do so with interesting results. Luckily, he retains his memories of his past life; however, when he makes a new choice, he is put on a novel path, not knowing what to expect.

This is a charming story that features different types of relationships. Greg sees his parents and teachers through more mature eyes. He figures out a way to help his sister and friends as well, affecting their fate. Most importantly, Greg chooses to take a chance on the one who got away. This will put them both on quite a different path. Will this stick? Will there be bad consequences?

As things unfold, readers will wonder about these things and want to know more. Life and death situations arise, and there are surprises in this novel.

This is a good do-over book that many will likely enjoy.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4½ Stars
I loved the premise of revisiting an earlier time, but knowing then all that has been learned since. The characters were fun, and I enjoyed getting to know their stories, old and new. There were a few times that I felt dragged away from being in the moment by too heavy-handed depictions, but overall, I very much enjoyed the story—and the final comment to the reader left me literally laughing out loud.

[Annaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the characters and concept a lot. Probably would have been five stars except the ending felt anti climatic to me and I would have liked to have known a bit more of the why behind some of the story. All in all, worth the read imo.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting plot but the ending felt rushed and anti-climatic (although the last paragraph did make me chuckle). Also, the answer to why Kayla was so important to the harmony of the universe is never explained.

[Heidi Funk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unbelievably Creative!

Well, I have found a new author to follow! I have now read two very different books by Thomas Watson and obviously loved them both. His perspective is unique and his stories engrossing! I highly recommend them both!😁

[Sharon Archuleta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This book is so different from most of the books I have read. It was very interesting and I loved the characters. I highly recommend it.

[Linda Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fabulous read from Thomas Watson

What an amazing concept! Wonderful, realistic characters in a brilliant twist of plot. Another of Watson's books that I highly recommend

[Alice Hedges · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a feel good book. The characters are believable and likable. It starts a bit slow but grows as you read. The “revelation” of what Greg and George share seemed a bit contrived.

[Nan Adel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think there was too much about high school, teenage activities, and details about those things. I've read books that included teens as main characters plenty of times and enjoyed the stories. This book had so much detail that I had to skim some of it as I looked for the advancement of the story. While reading it, I wondered why Greg had no regrets that his children in the first variation would never exist because he followed a different path this time. If I went back to being 18 again, I would make sure my kids still had life. But that's just me and I'm probably overthinking it. I would recommend this book to teenagers