Time Within


Fiction - Time Travel
110 Pages
Reviewed on 04/18/2021
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

“If we were able to time travel in the mind, would you really be able to distinguish it from reality, or just a dream?” In Time Within by Greg Brian, 30-year-old Rosaline Brennan is a renowned physicist who has hyperthymesia, a rare ability that allows her to remember every event of her life with great precision. She's been having increasingly vivid dreams which lead her to focus on the answer to the classic science question: is time travel possible? For a woman who has lost so many people who were dear to her, the opportunity can offer herself and other people much-needed solace. As she shares her experience with her fans and cynics, little does she know that her ability and reputation are considered dangerous, agitating some powerful figures.

Time travel is one of my favorite themes but I didn't expect it to be contemplated so profoundly and differently in Greg Brian's Time Within. The story premise is intriguing and allows the plot to develop in an unpredictable way. Protagonist Rosaline is a fascinating character; her hyperthymesia is part of her strength but also her vulnerability. Her vivid dreams are an enigma as they reveal answers but also lead to more questions. The narrative's subtle methodical style makes references to films about time travel, Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, and most importantly the Proustian effect. The truth is revealed as the story nears the end, which provides a satisfying conclusion to an interesting angle on the time travel theory, quantum reality, and the unexplored potential of the human mind. Simply put, this is a great read.

Edith Wairimu

In Greg Brian’s absorbing time-travel novella, Time Within, a popular physicist with uncommon abilities delves into the possibility of time travel. In the past, Rosaline Brennan had, like other scientists, held the belief that time travel was impossible. But her recent vivid dreams have her questioning this principle. Rosaline has an edge over other people as a result of her powerful memory. At thirty, she is an expert on any topic related to astrophysics. She also has a loyal fan base and is a frequent guest on various television shows. While examining the topic of time travel, Rosaline picks from the research of her late friend and scientist, Rhonda, to try to establish a safe way for her fans to access the ability.

Greg Brian’s Time Within begins with an absorbing conversation between different scientists who have different opinions regarding time travel. Time Within later explores the ethical principles of research within its main plot. Despite losing close people around her, Rosaline is trusting and entrusts her life to her two friends who she believes know her more than she knows herself. Her dreams are striking and they explore past memories. Between balancing her popularity and her abilities, Rosaline strives to do what she believes is best for her fans but other parties are involved. Beyond what she assumes is straightforward research are antagonists who are finally revealed in the end. Time Within is an interesting novel with an absorbing plot. It contains surprises and creative ideas related to the topic of time travel and the field of astrophysics.

Lesley Jones

In Time Within by Greg Brian, renowned physicist Rosaline Brennan is loved by the media and her television audiences. Rosaline has always believed that time travel was impossible and the explanation could be found within our own minds as we sleep. Rosaline has experienced vivid dreams since she was a child and which she can recall in minute detail. When she suddenly loses her brilliant memory, everything she holds dear seems to be in jeopardy. Rosaline discovers that the work of a deceased friend could hold the key to explaining the theory of time travel. As she recovers, she plans her next television appearance along with fellow scientists and confidantes Joe and Deb to calculate if time travel is possible or just an occurrence when we dream. Together they try to unravel the mysteries of time travel for viewers. But as the broadcast nears, Rosaline is faced with the possibility her work could have caused a fatal accident. Will Rosaline regain the passion she once had or will she have to completely reevaluate her entire life?

Time Within by Greg Brian is such a fascinating and unique plot that grabbed my attention from the outset. Every character was believable and clearly created with so much consideration and detail. I found the relationship dynamics between Rosaline, Joe, and Deb brilliantly developed as the story progressed. I loved how aspects of their backstory and personalities were revealed gradually, which made the plot even more intriguing. The twists and turns throughout the story gave a fantastic layer of tension and interest. The plot twist at the end was particularly shocking but heartwarming at the same time. I love a novel that makes you consider how powerful your mind can be and that the Universe holds so many possibilities that we are not aware of.

Vincent Dublado

Time Within by Greg Brian is a fascinating mixture of time travel and subconscious memory. Celebrity physicist Rosaline Brennan has always taken the scientific principle to heart that time travel is impossible, even if no one she knows has ever found an answer. Now she wants to focus on the answer with passionate intensity the way Carl Sagan had focused on the possible existence of alien life forms. Brennan’s drive to find the answers stems from the idea that the key to the mysteries of time travel lies in the human capacity for vivid dreaming, as she has been experiencing vivid dreams since childhood. On top of that, her ever-increasing fan base is begging her for a new show. As she ponders the idea of a foray into creating a new scientific theory, tragedy strikes when she suffers from psychogenic amnesia, and it threatens to wreck everything she has worked hard for. But all is not lost, as her deceased friend, Rhonda Galen, has left a body of scientific work on time travel that may well be Rosaline’s key to the theory that she seeks to develop.

On a personal note, I have been practicing lucid dreaming for some time now, and this novella entertained and intrigued me as Greg Brian weaves a storyline that establishes the time-travel and mind connection. The plot is ingenious as it intercuts two angles. On one level, Time Within is about decoding the riddles of time travel that alludes to the work of Einstein. On the second level, it is about exploring the full power of the human mind with respect to Proust’s involuntary memory idea. The scientific concepts are so well done that you become involved like a part of Rosaline’s avid fans and viewers. Time Within is an easy read that will easily lure you into finishing it in one sitting. It is unpretentious and develops its theme with sincerity, and it does not cop out with any of that overblown hype that you see in many time travel stories.