Journeys Through TimeSpace by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

‘Journeys Through TimeSpace’ by James Talisman is the second entry of his ‘Journeys Through…’ series and picks up from the events of the first book to primarily focus on returning characters from the EarthVerse and Elipsson worlds. It was rewarding to see familiar faces like Matt and Tysson again and to witness the next phases of their journey. Talisman’s decision to mainly cast a spotlight on these two rather than all six of ‘Journeys Through SpaceTime’s’ protagonists was a smart one- allowing the author the time and space (ha!) to flesh out Matt and Tysson to a greater extent and to concentrate on the cultivation of their abilities and powers.

The narrowing down of characters also permitted for a deeper exploration into the worlds Matt and Tysson hail from and further build upon their unique cultures, structures and histories. The space expeditions and lizzard hierarchy of Elipsson was joy to learn about like last time and, while in theory, Matt’s familiar realm of Earth should not be as interesting, Talisman manages to make the setting fresh and intriguing by not pigeon-holing the narrative in one location- following Matt and his friends and family all around the globe on their adventures. It’s evident that Talisman did his research before going into this book- he paints such a vivid and accurate picture of different countries like Nepal and France with an appropriate level of sensitivity and cultural care, nor does he render the inhabitants of such places mere caricatures or stereotypes.

Another thing that Talisman manages to knock out of the park even further than in ‘Journeys Through TimeSpace’s’ predecessor is his exploration and analysis of his series’ unique wisdoms and ideas of the collective consciousness binding many as one. As Matt and Tysson learn to harness their abilities and develop their skills, the audience’s knowledge of the powers holding the fabric of the MultiVerse deepens. It’s a delight to see the clear influence drawn from eastern, western and religious tradition as Talisman continues to further distinguish and develop the distinct lore of his story.

A sequel is only as good as its capacity to build on themes and storylines of its predecessor, and ‘Journeys Through TimeSpace’ does not come up short in this regard. The events of the first book are seamlessly incorporated and followed here, allowing for natural story progression and character beats and development. Never once did a plot-point feel bizarre or odd- the first book was clearly written with the second one in mind and vice versa with consequences from the former shaping the latter and some aspects of character evolution explored being direct repercussions of the happenings of its preceding book.

If you loved ‘Journeys Through SpaceTime’, then picking up ‘Journeys Through TimeSpace’ is a no-brainer as it reaches even greater heights than its predecessor. For a story spanning the MultiVerse and time itself, you could not ask for better.

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