Buckyball

by Fabien Roy

Buckyball is a first person narrative. James Pissola tells the story of how one night of partying with his best friend in South Beach changed his life. Listening to a specific song always transports him back to the same time and place, which happens to be the Miamillennium nightclub in Miami. These flashback moments are called life-turns and James claims to have lived over one hundred and seventy-one of them, some lasting between 13 and 26 years. Buckyball was great fun to read. What an imaginative and smart idea! And it holds together well, and fails to become repetitive, as it so easily could have done. James is a compelling character, and you create great sympathy for him and his plight. Congratulations on a fine achievement! Alana Wilcox, Senior Editor, Coach House Books.

Genres: Time Travel, Science Fiction, Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2010

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

After much research, James Pesola and his friend John decide that they're going to toss caution to the wind and finally give ecstasy a try for their night at the club. The pill, which their dealer calls a Buckyball, is shaped like a hexagon and has different pictures stamped on each side. This is a decision that will follow them through many lifetimes as they keep spiraling back to that same moment on the dance floor where the same girl with a white dress is in a gyro ride in front of them. It takes several life turns before they realize that hearing a specific club song is the catalyst for being sent back to that same moment on the dance floor. At first, they party like there's no tomorrow. But then they start to realize that a growing number of people are also experiencing life turns, and when these people start disappearing from what seemed to be a moment in time that was unchangeable, the game changes completely.

What would you do with infinite lifetimes? What would you do if any actions could be erased only to try again a different way? What if you were living the perfect life and lost it all because of a song? How far would you go to maintain control over your abilities? How would it feel to go from elderly to 20-something again in an instant?

This novel reminds me of Replay in that the main character keeps being transported back to relive life again at the same point. In both books, the main character meets others who are also experiencing life again and again. In both books, the worst loss is that of children than can never exist again. I can't say that one book is better than the other because they are different. This one, however, kept me turning the pages on into the early morning hours. I wish it were better known. Perhaps with a new cover and some well-placed marketing, it could be. It's one of the better time travel books I've read in a while. It's hedonistic in parts, but it also realistically tragic. Still, you have hope in the end that James may be on the path to something great or that he at least has a raison d'etre to consume him for a few more life turns.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked BUCKYBALL:second edition much more than I thought I would. It is a soft sci-fi romp through territory pioneered by the now-classic REPLAY by Ken Grimwood and the movie GROUNDHOG DAY. Protagonist James Pesola is a 20 something sous-chef at a Miami restaurant interested in sex, drugs and rock and roll (actually, it being 2005, it's technopop dance music). One day he and several of his friends, trying to score some ecstasy, instead buy something called "buckyballs" from a dealer. It's a great high that lasts a long time and comes with the mother of all déja vu experiences. That repeat. A lot. Pretty soon James and his friends realize that it's not deja vu, but that for some reason., after a variable period of time, they all "turn" and find themselves back on the same dance floor in a Miami club at exactly the same time on the same day that they first took the buckyballs. This is the main premise and the rest of this short novel involves James' and his friends' search for an explanation for what is going on and how to control it.

The turns vary in length from a few hours to several decades. By the end I reckon James has lived the equivalent of well over 75 "extra years", most of the time still as a 20-something. There is some romance and some heartbreak and some thrilling scenes. But oddly enough, James' character never seems to mature as he should from all those extra years of living. James' character is complex and somewhat ambiguous. He is "our hero" but does some pretty terrible things during the course of his hundreds of turns.

The writing is OK - there are a few typos and misspellings typical of indie pubs, but nothing egregious. Author Roy's take on the repeating life/day story is original and interesting. There are several mysteries to be solved that prevent the novel from becoming repetitious and boring. I'm not sure that I like the ultimate explanation that is presented at the end of the book for what is going on In fact, I think the novel would be stronger without the attempt at a mechanistic explanation, but it doesn't spoil anything.

For a first novel, this was a pretty good, compact read. Recommended.

JM Tepper

disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for a no strings attached review.

[Nooilforpacifists · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well above-average time travel-cum mystery novel, of the "alternate universe" variety. (See my review of "Dark Matter" for the three literary theories of time travel.) Basically, a bad acid trip recalls an amorphous group of revelers to the same South Miami Beach nightclub at 3:34am--but only upon the playing of a certain song. Which has plenty of possibilities, until the group starts disappearing one-by-one, like an English country house murder plot. The three questions: how many people "spring back"; who is the murderer; and what can stop Groundhog Day?

[CaroleHeidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buckyball is such an awesome book title - it immediately made me want to read it (after I had finished reminiscing about making a model Buckyball in chemistry at school, of course).

I wasn't sure about the book at first, the opening chapter had me a bit baffled but was interesting enough to keep me turning the pages. It didn't take long for me to get sucked in to the story of James and his friends as they experience the fascinating (and terrifying) after-effects of taking a new type of ecstasy called 'Buckyball'.

I described this book to a friend as 'trippy' when I was about half way through and that still stands as an accurate description - for a fair while you aren't sure whether the gang's trips back in time are real or just a figment of their doped-up imaginations. The story is told in the first person so you only know what James knows and for a while he isn't sure if it is all real or not either!

All does become clear as the story unfolds and the pacing is brilliant - it could so easily have become slow and boring or repetitive but it never does. In fact as the story goes on a sense of foreboding and fear begins to build as you read, cleverly controlled through the narrative.

I really enjoyed Buckyball - it was quite different to anything I have read before and a really clever idea. It was easy to read yet left me thinking quite a lot about how I might have reacted if I had been in the characters' shoes and found myself repeatedly flashing back to the same point in time.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a couple years ago, and was just checking to see if Fabien Roy had written more books. I liked the book so much, that I had sent him a message about it, and he had told me about one of his ideas for one he would be writing, so I had hoped it would be available.

I really loved this story and I'm surprised that I didn't review it here. Here's my review, which is cross-posted on Amazon:

The pacing is absolutely perfect. The plot is unique and was extremely well-thought out. I can tell that Roy put a lot of time into it. While reading it, I had many questions about what was theoretically possible in the world of the story and about what would happen in that world if such and such happened, and I was surprised that the author answered just about every question, which shows how well-crafted the story is.

I could not put this books down. The plot is unlike any other time travel novel I have read, and it is the most complex (yet told well enough that is easy to follow). The book does need editing, but the storytelling is so superb that it's not a huge issue.

[glitrbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It takes you back to your twenties, hanging out with your friends and going clubbing. I had friends like these that acted that way. The book gets you all comfortable and then there is the twist. Wow. Not what I expected. I'd call it a Sci-Fi/urban fantasy if I had to put a label on it. Not easy to pin down. I think most anyone would enjoy reading along as the story unfolds. I love that the author shows the main character grow up and change and then change again. It's interesting picking up on the hints and clues along with the main character so you figure out what the heck is happening. There are lots of characters but there is also plenty of information about them so they don't all blend together. You get to know them and like them.
It was great to read something a little different. Highly recommend it.

The author gave me a copy of the book in hopes I would like it and write a review.

[Jan Lakatos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not your typical sci-fi time travel story with several interesting ideas and points of views. It gets troublesome when time frames start to vary and you're expected to have an emotional reaction to a lifetime worth of events which read as if they lasted a day. Then the ending is revealed too soon and sadly it falls very flat compared to the fun craziness that preceded it.

[Suzanne Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the book. I usually don't care for the first person perspective but this was interesting. Kept me guessing what was going to happen next. Would be a good mini-series or movie!!

[Steve Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a clever original idea that is told well. And at a very quick pace. I highly recommend this book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good time loop story with a unique rule. Worth a read

[Tarun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buckle up for a captivating journey through time loops with "Buckyball"! This novel injects a unique twist reminiscent of Ken Grimwood's "Replay", using an experimental party drug to drive the recurring events. Despite a few stumbling points, "Buckyball" manages to strike a balance between comfort and surprise, offering readers both the expected and the unexpected.

While the story may have its occasional missteps, the overall experience is a fun and thought-provoking exploration of time. The inventive use of the experimental drug adds a fresh perspective, keeping the plot dynamic and engaging. The characters are compelling, and the fast-paced plot ensures that the book is a genuine page-turner.

If you enjoy time loop narratives and can embrace a few familiar elements, "Buckyball" promises an enjoyable ride, even if it doesn't deliver a mind-blowing revelation.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Buckyball

Author: Fabien Roy

Publication Date: Apr 2010

Genre: Magic realism (?)

Score: 4/5

Buckyball tells the story of a group of people who take an experimental party drug called Buckyball that causes them to repeat a portion of their lives over and over again. The Groundhog Day looping trope is a staple and is in full effect here. Fortunately for me, I love that particular trope. It starts off unevenly but narrows the focus about midway through. There are a few pointers towards plot points that never get explored but they are early on. If you can get past the beginning, this novel is rewarding. I liked it. It’s actually a 3.5 but I’m rounding up. Recommended.

[Mark Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clever 'looper' scenario revolving around a pill called a Buckyball. I can't say much due to spoilers. However, the characters are enjoyable and it's well-written. I'm not into 'looper' stories because I find them repetitive by their nature, but I enjoyed it.

[Karlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe 4.5 but I love time travel so I am biased. A great idea of it happening to a group of people everytime and not just one person. Definitely great!

[Ⓜ️₳✝️✝️🦎 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread. Ironically not as good the second time around. I wonder what it’ll be like the third…🙄