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In Times To Come - Displaced
A glitch in time and a one-way trip…
Back from his final deployment with the U.S. Marines, Alan Carson is hiking across New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness to ponder his future and put the war in his past.
When his best friend and squad leader, Sergeant Kurt Timms, took a Taliban bullet because of bad intel, Alan made a promise to his dying friend. He would come here to see the rugged mountains that were Kurt’s boyhood stomping grounds, even if the horseback hunting trip the two of them had planned would never come to pass.
After paying his respects to Kurt’s wife and daughter at the ranch his buddy had called home, Alan loads his pack for a week and heads into the Gila, finding all the splendor and solitude of which Kurt so often raved. But deep in a trackless canyon, miles from any trail, Alan finds something else: The body of a dead man at the foot of a cliff… an ancient cave dwelling in the rock face above… and a mysterious passageway too intriguing to ignore.
Alan Carson has come to the West to contemplate the next chapter of his life, but the future into which he emerges is beyond imagination; and the world he’d known before is changed beyond recognition. Can he ever come to grips with this new reality he must face? Can he ever return to the life he knows and understands?
Displaced is Book One of the Times to Come Series: a story of survival and courage in a near-future dystopian nightmare.
Back from his final deployment with the U.S. Marines, Alan Carson is hiking across New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness to ponder his future and put the war in his past.
When his best friend and squad leader, Sergeant Kurt Timms, took a Taliban bullet because of bad intel, Alan made a promise to his dying friend. He would come here to see the rugged mountains that were Kurt’s boyhood stomping grounds, even if the horseback hunting trip the two of them had planned would never come to pass.
After paying his respects to Kurt’s wife and daughter at the ranch his buddy had called home, Alan loads his pack for a week and heads into the Gila, finding all the splendor and solitude of which Kurt so often raved. But deep in a trackless canyon, miles from any trail, Alan finds something else: The body of a dead man at the foot of a cliff… an ancient cave dwelling in the rock face above… and a mysterious passageway too intriguing to ignore.
Alan Carson has come to the West to contemplate the next chapter of his life, but the future into which he emerges is beyond imagination; and the world he’d known before is changed beyond recognition. Can he ever come to grips with this new reality he must face? Can he ever return to the life he knows and understands?
Displaced is Book One of the Times to Come Series: a story of survival and courage in a near-future dystopian nightmare.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 26, 2022
About the author
Scott B. Williams
159 books68 followersScott B. Williams has been writing about his adventures for more than twenty-five years. His published work includes dozens of magazine articles and twenty-five books, with more projects currently underway.
His interest in backpacking, sea kayaking and sailing small boats to remote places led him to pursue the wilderness survival skills that he has written about in his popular survival nonfiction books and travel narratives such as On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean, an account of a two-year solo kayaking expedition he undertook at age 25.
With the release of The Pulse: A Novel of Surviving the Collapse of the Grid in 2012, Scott moved into writing fiction full time. His post-apocalyptic and action & adventure stories draw heavily on his personal wilderness and ocean experiences to create believable scenarios often set in dire circumstances. To learn more about his upcoming books or to contact Scott, visit his website: www.scottbwilliams.com
His interest in backpacking, sea kayaking and sailing small boats to remote places led him to pursue the wilderness survival skills that he has written about in his popular survival nonfiction books and travel narratives such as On Island Time: Kayaking the Caribbean, an account of a two-year solo kayaking expedition he undertook at age 25.
With the release of The Pulse: A Novel of Surviving the Collapse of the Grid in 2012, Scott moved into writing fiction full time. His post-apocalyptic and action & adventure stories draw heavily on his personal wilderness and ocean experiences to create believable scenarios often set in dire circumstances. To learn more about his upcoming books or to contact Scott, visit his website: www.scottbwilliams.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
January 5, 2026
HEAD OUT FOR A WEEK & A HALF HICKING TRIP TO HONOR A FALLEN FRIEND & COME BACK 17 YEARS LATER
1/04/26 Review:
☆☆☆☆☆
In Times To Come - Displaced by Scott B. Williams is a well-written, action-packed, and intriguing, time travel masterpiece that will hold your interest from the first page to the last. You truly will not be able to put it down once you start. What a great start to what is no doubt going to be a great series.
Alan Carson heads to New Mexico to meet up with his best friend's family to spread his remains in his favorite camping and hunting grounds in the Gila Wilderness Area south of Albuquerque and then heads out on a solo hiking trip in the remote area in the national forest to say his final goodbye to his Sergeant and friend who gave his life in Afghanistan for his country.
Alan plans only to be gone for a little over a week and meet back up with Kurt's, Alan's friend, father and spend a few days with Kurt's family before heading back home to be with his parents and help out with his troubled younger brother. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong and Alan stumbles back to the forest service road to meet up with Kurt's father only to find out that everything has changed and not for the better. From 2012 to 2029 when he stumbled out of the national forest everything changed. The family of his deceased friend is no longer at their ranch, everywhere he turns, someone is trying to put a bullet in him. The country he fought for and was enjoying on his little hiking trip is not the country he knew.
This first book was really enjoyable and like I stated above, I really had a hard time putting it down once I started it and the minute I finished this first book, I started the second one. I hope you too will enjoy reading this book as much as I have.
1/04/26 Review:
☆☆☆☆☆
In Times To Come - Displaced by Scott B. Williams is a well-written, action-packed, and intriguing, time travel masterpiece that will hold your interest from the first page to the last. You truly will not be able to put it down once you start. What a great start to what is no doubt going to be a great series.
Alan Carson heads to New Mexico to meet up with his best friend's family to spread his remains in his favorite camping and hunting grounds in the Gila Wilderness Area south of Albuquerque and then heads out on a solo hiking trip in the remote area in the national forest to say his final goodbye to his Sergeant and friend who gave his life in Afghanistan for his country.
Alan plans only to be gone for a little over a week and meet back up with Kurt's, Alan's friend, father and spend a few days with Kurt's family before heading back home to be with his parents and help out with his troubled younger brother. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong and Alan stumbles back to the forest service road to meet up with Kurt's father only to find out that everything has changed and not for the better. From 2012 to 2029 when he stumbled out of the national forest everything changed. The family of his deceased friend is no longer at their ranch, everywhere he turns, someone is trying to put a bullet in him. The country he fought for and was enjoying on his little hiking trip is not the country he knew.
This first book was really enjoyable and like I stated above, I really had a hard time putting it down once I started it and the minute I finished this first book, I started the second one. I hope you too will enjoy reading this book as much as I have.
July 12, 2022
Nice clean apocalypse time travel yarn
A former marine on a hike of back country finds himself thrust in the future with no friends and the country he served changed. As a nice clean story without the usual messy bedroom scenes this was refreshing.
A former marine on a hike of back country finds himself thrust in the future with no friends and the country he served changed. As a nice clean story without the usual messy bedroom scenes this was refreshing.
December 30, 2022
An OK read, slow.
February 4, 2026
Great Read
I really enjoyed this book and it’s take on things. Was a great twist. I look forward to reading more and this series.
I really enjoyed this book and it’s take on things. Was a great twist. I look forward to reading more and this series.
August 6, 2022
John boy says
The story starts out a little slow but it picks up it interest pretty quickly. For me I gave it four stars, but I'm sure other readers who like time travel syfy will find it a defined 5 star.
The story starts out a little slow but it picks up it interest pretty quickly. For me I gave it four stars, but I'm sure other readers who like time travel syfy will find it a defined 5 star.
September 10, 2022
This book provides an insight that the US Government would sell off national park land to pay debt owed to foreign nations. That was a twist on dystopian apocalyptic possibilities that I had not heard of before.
May 21, 2022
I liked it
It kept my interest enough that I hated to have to lay it down. Going to get the second follow up book asap...
It kept my interest enough that I hated to have to lay it down. Going to get the second follow up book asap...
October 28, 2022
Outstanding time travel and cautionary tale of political dangers!
A new author for me and a series I have already preordered the sequel. The author has his fingers on the current political clone of unrest and its possibly cataclysmic results for this country. Time travel is thoughtfully presented, action is nonstop and characters live and breathe! A winner!
A new author for me and a series I have already preordered the sequel. The author has his fingers on the current political clone of unrest and its possibly cataclysmic results for this country. Time travel is thoughtfully presented, action is nonstop and characters live and breathe! A winner!
March 5, 2023
Devil is in the details
Alternate universe, time travel, dystopia
Aside from the distasteful country-folk-good, city-folk-bad or misled theme running rampant, it has a few good parts. But they don't make up for the odd slips. Carson gets an old mare, gives her a name, and never once does he water her or make sure she gets food. The MC doesn't know about horses, but surely growing up in rural West Virginia, he would know that animals need care? When he exits the cave, he chambers a cartridge in the Winchester, never fires it, and three pages later chambers it again. Not only did this Marine forget, we find out after three full tours, he mustered out as an E-3? What kind of screw-up was he? It's not until the last ten pages that the MC realizes he really has traveled in time? Hello? And the girl he just met wants leave everything and to go back and time travel with him? Should I be grateful he got the weapons right?
Some of the writing is decently good. But then inexplicably characters act stupid. And all the things that supposedly happened? Rampant corrupt government conspiracies? Kill switches in all electronics? There's suspension of disbelief and there are really tall tales like Munchausen liked to tell; this was definitely one of the latter. A lot of people enjoyed this book. I'm wondering what I just spent my afternoon reading. If you enjoyed it, go for it. For me, the characters weren't believable and the premise too over the top. I'm done.
Alternate universe, time travel, dystopia
Aside from the distasteful country-folk-good, city-folk-bad or misled theme running rampant, it has a few good parts. But they don't make up for the odd slips. Carson gets an old mare, gives her a name, and never once does he water her or make sure she gets food. The MC doesn't know about horses, but surely growing up in rural West Virginia, he would know that animals need care? When he exits the cave, he chambers a cartridge in the Winchester, never fires it, and three pages later chambers it again. Not only did this Marine forget, we find out after three full tours, he mustered out as an E-3? What kind of screw-up was he? It's not until the last ten pages that the MC realizes he really has traveled in time? Hello? And the girl he just met wants leave everything and to go back and time travel with him? Should I be grateful he got the weapons right?
Some of the writing is decently good. But then inexplicably characters act stupid. And all the things that supposedly happened? Rampant corrupt government conspiracies? Kill switches in all electronics? There's suspension of disbelief and there are really tall tales like Munchausen liked to tell; this was definitely one of the latter. A lot of people enjoyed this book. I'm wondering what I just spent my afternoon reading. If you enjoyed it, go for it. For me, the characters weren't believable and the premise too over the top. I'm done.
March 24, 2024
Keep reading!
In Times of Come - Displaced is Book 1 of the In Times To Come Series. While not an actual cliffhanger, it did end in the middle of a high energy scene with no real resolutions or conclusions.
It was very hard for me to stay involves in this book. It's very much a slow build up. The first 50%+ really dragged out. I was really intrigued and have read and thoroughly enjoyed this author before so I kept reading. I'm very glad I did!
I would absolutely love this book and am headed to Book 2 right now!
In Times of Come - Displaced is Book 1 of the In Times To Come Series. While not an actual cliffhanger, it did end in the middle of a high energy scene with no real resolutions or conclusions.
It was very hard for me to stay involves in this book. It's very much a slow build up. The first 50%+ really dragged out. I was really intrigued and have read and thoroughly enjoyed this author before so I kept reading. I'm very glad I did!
I would absolutely love this book and am headed to Book 2 right now!
July 8, 2025
IDK, time travel is always going to be an iffy thing to absorb my attention. After the tremendous success of projects like "Back To The Future" and "The Handmaid's Tale", dystopian stuff either grabs you from the beginning and barrels along at breakneck speed or it waffles out like water running from a clogged bathtub and leaves you feeling a bit grimy and sluggish, neither satisfied nor disgruntled, just unaffected.
That's rather how I feel after this first segment of the series. It never really hits the mark of excitement and thrill, but it doesn't fall like water dripping from a cracked ceiling. It's actually a bit boring.
As a veteran, I found the MC reference to his time in the Marine Corp definitely ridiculous. Three tours in combat and he's not noted for anything other than seeing his best friend take a fatal round? Was he a cook or a POG? I served in three combat hospitals in SE Asia, even in the medical setting, we knew the difference between hostile and friendly fire. This guy apparently doesn't.
I think there's just so much story someone can stuff into 239 digital pages. In the end, there's lots of scenery, but scant action or plausible effect.
One thing I will say, and then I will leave politics on the cutting room floor is that this could be the maga-verse most normal Americans see happening in our nation today, (2025). Heaven help us all if that orange-toned baboon gets his way and gets the US into a war we cannot win, because no one cares to fight and die for him. If I were still AD, my arse would be AWOL.
All in all, there's not much dystopia, or much time travel or surely any science to this word salad. I AM reading the second installment, only because I want to see if it ever develops into some decent fiction. I have my doubts. I'll update a review if I survive the second in line.
That's rather how I feel after this first segment of the series. It never really hits the mark of excitement and thrill, but it doesn't fall like water dripping from a cracked ceiling. It's actually a bit boring.
As a veteran, I found the MC reference to his time in the Marine Corp definitely ridiculous. Three tours in combat and he's not noted for anything other than seeing his best friend take a fatal round? Was he a cook or a POG? I served in three combat hospitals in SE Asia, even in the medical setting, we knew the difference between hostile and friendly fire. This guy apparently doesn't.
I think there's just so much story someone can stuff into 239 digital pages. In the end, there's lots of scenery, but scant action or plausible effect.
One thing I will say, and then I will leave politics on the cutting room floor is that this could be the maga-verse most normal Americans see happening in our nation today, (2025). Heaven help us all if that orange-toned baboon gets his way and gets the US into a war we cannot win, because no one cares to fight and die for him. If I were still AD, my arse would be AWOL.
All in all, there's not much dystopia, or much time travel or surely any science to this word salad. I AM reading the second installment, only because I want to see if it ever develops into some decent fiction. I have my doubts. I'll update a review if I survive the second in line.
September 1, 2026
This was a simple story that seemed to get better as it progressed. The world building was solid and so were the characters. I'd pick of the sequels if I saw them.
Since it started in 2012 I expected it to have been written near that time but it was written in 2022.
Since it started in 2012 I expected it to have been written near that time but it was written in 2022.
January 28, 2026
I stumbled across this title and gave it a shot. Definitely was not disappointed.
Contrary to the usual time travel machine story, here the lucky (or unlucky) person moves through time by touching some hidden glowing gems. Without any control over your destination.
It's set in the US backwoods and follows our very capable hero, Alan. The author takes time to build the world and explain things for readers that may not be versed in the ranch life. Which is a good and eventually a bad thing as the books get bogged down in skippable text.
I'm writing this review when I'm reading book five and I will say that the length of these do it a disfavour. As the books seem more like short-stories. Perhaps two could have been combined each time.
The dystopian world is described well, with aspects that clearly are in motion in the current day.
Contrary to the usual time travel machine story, here the lucky (or unlucky) person moves through time by touching some hidden glowing gems. Without any control over your destination.
It's set in the US backwoods and follows our very capable hero, Alan. The author takes time to build the world and explain things for readers that may not be versed in the ranch life. Which is a good and eventually a bad thing as the books get bogged down in skippable text.
I'm writing this review when I'm reading book five and I will say that the length of these do it a disfavour. As the books seem more like short-stories. Perhaps two could have been combined each time.
The dystopian world is described well, with aspects that clearly are in motion in the current day.
March 23, 2026
The MC, Alan Carson, is transported about 20 years INTO the future. The America in which he arrives is not the country that he left. The country he is now saddled with is a fractured, lawless country, severely affected by some sort of attack which he surmises must've been an EMP attack.
The MC is stuck in New Mexico in the mountains and barren ranch land. In this novel, he figures out what happened, and then looks to see if he can find Sergeant Timm's family. Once he accomplishes that mission, he's on the run as book 1 finishes, leaving things a bit open-ended, with no real resolution.
The MC is stuck in New Mexico in the mountains and barren ranch land. In this novel, he figures out what happened, and then looks to see if he can find Sergeant Timm's family. Once he accomplishes that mission, he's on the run as book 1 finishes, leaving things a bit open-ended, with no real resolution.
February 15, 2026
I like time travel and dystopian stories. This had both, but I found it rather rushed and a bit confusing as the character went back and forth between eras. The length of the book felt short, seems the goal was to put out several books while continuing only a single story. All in all, not bad, but I couldn't finish the series as I found it repetitive and sometimes even felt trite in the storytelling.
September 17, 2026
Good, quick read! Action, Logic and Guts.
I hate book reviews. That being stated, I enjoyed the dystopia aspects of this book. I like its Western setting. I appreciate the small details involving guns, ammo, and incidents. I have no clue if this book would appeal to anyone other than myself. I have ridden horses my whole life, camped a bit and enjoy exploring the wilds. I enjoy spirited women. I look forward to the next book.
I hate book reviews. That being stated, I enjoyed the dystopia aspects of this book. I like its Western setting. I appreciate the small details involving guns, ammo, and incidents. I have no clue if this book would appeal to anyone other than myself. I have ridden horses my whole life, camped a bit and enjoy exploring the wilds. I enjoy spirited women. I look forward to the next book.
May 12, 2022
The future
The building of the characters and story line. When I read I infusion some of the story and different paths it can take. That's the intriguing part for me. Coming out of cave and finding the backpack gone started me thinking something happened after touching crystals. Then next I knew what happened now to find my friends. Can't wait to see what happens in book 2.
The building of the characters and story line. When I read I infusion some of the story and different paths it can take. That's the intriguing part for me. Coming out of cave and finding the backpack gone started me thinking something happened after touching crystals. Then next I knew what happened now to find my friends. Can't wait to see what happens in book 2.
October 11, 2022
I really don’t know what to say about this book, neither dull nor exciting, but it kept me with just the right amount of interest to keep going, which was clever of the author. I supposed I liked it but can’t really say why. The story was OK,the execution was OK, characters were OK, therefore it was…..OK
February 18, 2023
Plausible
The dystopian environment is believable considering current political events however the method of time traveling is simplistic. Too many loose ends and unexplained occurrences by the end of this first book. It is a clean quick read however and worth the several hours it takes to digest on a lazy Saturday morning.
The dystopian environment is believable considering current political events however the method of time traveling is simplistic. Too many loose ends and unexplained occurrences by the end of this first book. It is a clean quick read however and worth the several hours it takes to digest on a lazy Saturday morning.
September 28, 2024
So far so good.
This is the second series I am reading from Scott B williams.
Since I am reading it in September 2024, it is scary as the USA seems to be approaching a period leading to what happened in this book.
I do not wish to become political. However, one of the parties has become very socialist.
This is the second series I am reading from Scott B williams.
Since I am reading it in September 2024, it is scary as the USA seems to be approaching a period leading to what happened in this book.
I do not wish to become political. However, one of the parties has become very socialist.
April 2, 2025
A very interesting book to read.
This is one strange story to read when Alan goes for hike with backpack , he is in a national park with caves . Then when he explores a gave and a flash of light and strong force kocks him out then everything gets real strange. The author did a great job with the book and keeps you wanting more , well done.
This is one strange story to read when Alan goes for hike with backpack , he is in a national park with caves . Then when he explores a gave and a flash of light and strong force kocks him out then everything gets real strange. The author did a great job with the book and keeps you wanting more , well done.
January 30, 2026
Scott Williams is an experienced outdoorsman, and the best parts of the novel are his descriptions of hiking in the Gila National Forest in the mountains of New Mexico. He also learned the lesson that Elmore Leonard said he learned when writing westerns: make sure you get the guns right, or your readers will complain. The less said about the future history or the time travel gimmick, the better.
March 8, 2026
I like time travel books. This one though was short on relationships and long on fighting and wondering in a dystopian world. It did become more interesting toward the end and I bought the next one in the series to see if the relationship at the end of the first book, makes the action in the second more interesting.
May 7, 2023
awesome, and dragged a little bit
Very good book it drags a little bit, and the author repeats himself a couple times, but I find it very intriguing. I think it would make a good movie or TV service. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.
Very good book it drags a little bit, and the author repeats himself a couple times, but I find it very intriguing. I think it would make a good movie or TV service. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.
November 17, 2023
Interesting
This is a different time travel book that will definitely leave you thinking! I liked the angle this book leads you and is a page turner. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
This is a different time travel book that will definitely leave you thinking! I liked the angle this book leads you and is a page turner. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
July 29, 2026
Good story but too wordy
The story line was good but it was just too wordy. Long drawn out conversations that were just not plausible. And very long, over the top descriptions of everything. So much potential not realized. Ill stop with the first book.
The story line was good but it was just too wordy. Long drawn out conversations that were just not plausible. And very long, over the top descriptions of everything. So much potential not realized. Ill stop with the first book.
August 3, 2026
First book in the series sets the stage
I finished the first book and feel I have a good foundation for the next book. The book is a little slow in the middle but not so much that I didn’t want to keep going. Give the book a try!
I finished the first book and feel I have a good foundation for the next book. The book is a little slow in the middle but not so much that I didn’t want to keep going. Give the book a try!
July 4, 2022
Great book and had me from the get go. Read it in a couple of pickups. Already pre-ordered the next one. treat yourselves.
July 19, 2022
Just okay. Not really my cup of tea as I'm not so enamoured with firearms.
July 25, 2022
the book ended at half the story
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews