The Future Happens Twice: The Perennial Project [Paperback]

With his carefully crafted novel "The Future Happens Twice" Matt Browne leaves the reader thinking could this really happen, or perhaps has something like this happened already? This fast moving story is a brilliant combination of science fiction and modern-day thriller.

The Future Happens Twice covers a wide range of issues such as long-term space travel, the future of mankind, the freezing of embryos, secret scientific research, and the very chilling thought of children being raised by androids. Not something you would initially expect to be bundled into one novel, but Browne's straightforward approach to story telling and unloading of information makes for exciting and enjoyable reading (should appeal to most age groups, and both sexes).

However, it is the clever weaving together of the plot where this novel really earns its spurs. This author has an incredible imagination, and what's more, the events in this book are not just based on fantasy. On the contrary it is very clear that a considerable amount of time was spent researching the subject matter before setting pen to paper (the educational aspect of this novel was very much appreciated!).

The novel is large and forms part of a trilogy, but I think this should be seen as great value for money, rather than anything else. I am really looking forward to the release of the next novel. Given the interesting plot, this novel could form the basis for an exciting movie or TV series at least. Truly a tale of our times and the current uncertainty faced by mankind. Highly recommend!

This is the most original sci-fi book I have read since Dragon's Egg.

For such a long book, so many "secrets" are revealed so early on, that you quickly wonder what else the author can come up with. But the book is less about frequent plot twists, and more about the author's vision behind the technology and planning needed to sustain a starship for tens of thousands of years. Although it is told sequentially (with the obvious big jump in the middle), the parallel lives of the two groups of travellers are cleverly merged to cleanly flow the story.

The level of detail and the breadth of science covered is impressive. Many topics are presented in a straightforward manner, casually dropped into a story that equally focusses on character development.

The author has considered cryo-storage, bio engineering, genetics, android software and hardware technology, the effects of deep space on man-made machines, atmospheric requirements for life, redundancy, long-range planning and the effect of deviations to the plan, and the emotional and technical demands of raising life on a starship. For some of these topics he proposes a solution, which seems adequate, then later in the book he demonstrates the weakness and how the solution was improved upon -- thus making us feel like we are part of this lengthy project, learning as the team did.

The early part of the book is set on not-too-distant Earth, and some of the author's predictions are already reality (e.g. car radios that adjust volume to incoming phone calls), which possibly shows the length of time he spent researching and writing it, and is amusing more than distracting.

Not quite sure what one of the other reviews means when it says women are stereotyped in follower/non-techie roles, since the lead character on Earth who designed the critical android software is a woman, and (SPOILER ALERT) the first person to walk on Acantarius is female.

What keeps the book gripping is the interplay of the project team's devotion to success and secrecy, with the children's thirst for knowledge and the real truth. Since the reader identifies with all groups of characters, instead of a good-vs-evil plot, by the time we are thrust into the future we genuinely want to know how it turns out.

If you judge this book by its cover, you'll be missing out on a great tome. the cover certainly doesn't do justice to what's inside...

This is a truly captivating and intellectually stimulating book. I was challenged when trying to categorize it -- Is this a sci-fi work? An action/adventure? A study of the human mind? An exploration of female heroism? Well, at the end, I realized this book defies a single categorization and encapsulates all these genres. "The Future Happens Twice" will appeal to sci-fi buffs, action/adventure readers and those fascinated by the study of the human mind and relationships.

At first, the premise of a supervolcano eruption resulting in total annihilation of all living things on earth ("extinction-level event") seemed like stuff of fiction. But as I kept reading, the more I understood how possible such an event could be. The project's mission to save humanity (or at least part of it) is thwarted by a number of things, not the least of which are the dark forces of human ego and duplicity.

I was impressed by the depth and breadth of the author's knowledge in the various science fields that are at the core of the book (e.g. bio-engineering, long-distance space traveling, geology). The author manages to make all this science stuff appealing to the lay reader and to build a chillingly realistic, action-packed and suspenseful plot around it. More impressively, the author's understanding of the human mind and his position on the future of humanity made me look to the future and at the same time be introspective about who we are and what we are here for.

All in all, I thought the science of this book was very thoroughly researched, the plot frighteningly real, and the story-telling gripping.