The Crossroads of Space and Time
Following an intergalactic quest initiated by a royal commission, The Crossroads of Space and Time is a heartfelt science fiction novel.
In Charles and Irene Jean Nickerson’s wholesome science fiction novel The Crossroads of Space and Time, a crew of intelligent, noble bears travels various star systems to save the universe from dark cults and corrupt organizations.
Ti and his wife Babs are secret agents of the Bearilian government and members of the royal Maximus family. They lead a spaceship crew to the Aldrin System—long deserted by its humanoid inhabitants—to search for the Key of Epoch. The Key would enable anyone to travel anywhere in the universe. As Ti, Babs, and their crew uncover the secrets of Aldrin, they confront shapeshifters and demon-summoning cults serving evil deities. The Bearilian crew must find the Key before these cults can weaponize it; if they do, they could liberate many other planets from the influence of evil cults too.
The continuation of a series following Ti’s relative, Prince Beary Maximus, the story operates under a generally Christian framework. Good characters are called followers “of the Creator and His Word,” for example. The text is conversation heavy, but too much of it is devoted to characters reiterating their beliefs and affections for one another, leading to lags. For example, Babs’s father praises Ti for his honor and wishes him and Babs many sons and daughters; Ti’s cousins on both sides of his family do the same, as do business partners and members of their crew.
Not enough background is shared about the characters’ personalities or how their relationships formed, though, making some expressions of trust and affection fall flat. Further, there’s a reigning lack of tension because of the focus on the crew and their allies. Even the relationship between Ti and Babs is developed in terms of generic, surface-level acknowledgements, as with “I love you Babs, more than life itself… . We Maximus Bears don’t fall in love very easily. Because we hunger for the love our wives give us. It’s like a drug we have to have.”
The prose is direct and simple, with rare flourishes of heightened language to embellish scenes of diplomatic and royal events, as when the empress deploys their people’s ancient tongue. As the story unfolds, characters reveal the history and ancient pacts between the Maximus family and their allies, refreshing the storyline. Symbols from drawings left by the inhabitants of the Aldrin System remain mysterious to Ti and Babs, but learning more about their allies and their past connections still drives interest in the puzzle of the Aldrin System and the Key.
In the heartwarming science fiction novel The Crossroads of Space and Time, heroes demonstrate honor and kindness in their efforts to liberate planets from the grip of evil.
Reviewed by
Andrew Ma
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