The Island on the Edge of Forever is Andrew M. Crusoe’s second book in the Aravinda series.
It carries with it the same deep spiritual core that his first conveyed, without becoming preachy or evangelical. He simply portrays his universe as it is, one with life beyond the material, one with layers of meaning and complexity for those who care to look.
It’s not easy to go into concrete detail of the book without giving away any spoilers, so I’ll focus instead on the experience of reading it.
One of Crusoe’s strongest talents is his worldbuilding, not only in the setting itself, but in the way he portions it out in dribs and drabs to the reader. Never does he outright just tell you any facts about his Aravinda Galaxy, but instead he provides the reader with the clues and details needed to create your own internal virtual copy assembled from the parts he provides you with.
I’ll be honest: I don’t have a lot of time to invest reading these days, but The Island on the Edge of Forever’s pages pass effortlessly. The author’s prose is smooth and rhythmic. I was drawn into the fictive dream well enough that I didn’t have all the tasks I need to complete nagging at me in the back of my mind, and I could simply immerse myself in story.
If you’re looking for deep science fiction that deviates from standard tropes and stereotypes, give The Island on the Edge of Forever a read. Supporting unique stories such as this allows more to be published, and more variety is always a good thing.
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Thanks so much for being the 1st to publish a review of the book, Michael!
So glad that you enjoyed it. It was influenced by a lot of different sources, and out of everything I’ve ever made, I’m the most proud of The Island on the Edge of Forever.