All Our Wrong Todays (2017) Elan Mastai

Another book about the multiverse. Unlike American Elsewhere and Dark Matter our here - Tom (John, Victor) Barren - creates his different realities by time travel. His first reality in 2016 was the “World of Tomorrow” made possible by the Goettrieder Engine invented by Lionel Goettrieder in 1965. Not really an engine at all but a generator of unending power – like the perpetual motion machines. Barren’s father - himself an inventor – has designed a time machine and the first traveler is to be Tom’s dream girl Penelope. Unfortunately, Penelope is ruled out as a candidate because she becomes pregnant with Tom’s child and in remorse she kills herself. Tom’s reaction is to send himself on the journey. Back to 1965 to observe the demonstration of the Goettrieder Engine. Unfortunately Tom does not just observe but IS observed by Goettrieder himself and this results in some changes so that when Tom returns 20 2016 it is the 2016 of our lives - not the world of tomorrow that he is used to. The good side is that his father is kind, his mother is alive, he now has a sister -Greta - and the girl of his dreams – Penelope is alive and well – and better than ever. Tom (now John) is a world famous architect. What could go wrong? Well Lionel Goettrieder is still around and not too happy. He sends Tom / John back to 1965 to correct his intervention. Along the way (a very long journey it turns out) Tom / John discovers Victor. Another version of Tom that occurred when the worst case happened and the Engine exploded in 1965 creating a 2000-mile crater and havoc worldwide. Which world does Tom /John /Victor choose? Well read it to find out but don’t’ expect anything too dark. This is a funny book. It is undoubtedly the happiest multiverse book that I have read. Although none of them present a too positive view of multi-dimensional living.