The novel “Timewise” by Robert Leet was published for the first time in 2017.
Ron Larsen is just a teenager when he first meets Regina Russo, a physics teacher who is doing some research in the field of quantum physics. When she talks to him about the hypothesis that awareness generates time and her other speculations on the subject, that’s enough for him to direct him towards physics and a few years later Regina becomes Ron’s mentor.
Despite his studies, Ron Larsen isn’t particularly interested in scientific research. Trying to make some money playing poker, he ends up using his math knowledge for a completely different purpose. The consequence is that he starts working on mathematical applications in the field of finance, but it’s only a matter of time before he finds himself attracted again to the studies about time conducted by Regina, who also started conducting experiments.
“Timewise” is told in first person by Ron Larsen, a bright boy with limited possibilities because he’s an orphan who has passed through various foster families without taking roots. The opening part of the novel is above all the story of how he tries to make do, but there’s also the bond that is created when he meets Regina Russo for the first time. She recognizes Ron’s skills and tries to stimulate him, influencing his life. Initially, he has a crush on her, but their relationship is never romantic even though he loves her in some way.
Regina’s importance in Ron’s life determines the importance of quantum physics in his story. Through the characters, Robert Leet explains various concepts in simple words and with some drawings, but simple is a very relative concept when it comes to quantum physics. This means that the novel can be heavy for readers who can’t follow the explanations and speculations that are illustrated, which take up many pages. The research and experiments conducted by Regina are based on real theories extending them with various speculations, so it can be said that “Timewise” is borderline, with a decidedly hard science fiction element.
All of this forms a story developed with a generally slow pace, based mostly on conversations and only occasionally on sudden events that have a quick course. This is linked to the novel’s foundations, connected to scientific speculations, a field in which experimental applications also require time, attempts, and refinements. Not surprisingly, the story spans several years of Ron’s life, with occasional leaps forward.
Ron’s personal story, also with some romantic developments, is closely connected to his career, also with the great developments that are seen over time. The beginning can be a bit difficult because it’s mainly about chess and poker. Only the first meetings with Regina show that it’s something more than the story of an orphan who tries to make it in life. Only by going forward with the novel does it become clear that those are also the foundations for developments that go into science fiction. For this reason, “Timewise” is a novel that is fully appreciated only at the end, when the various pieces of the story come together.
“Timewise” is a novel that is probably suitable more for readers who appreciate scientific speculation than for normal science fiction fans. The discussions concerning quantum physics and time in particular offer various food for thought also on a philosophical and existential level. In my opinion, if you have the patience to follow a story that requires attention, it will give you satisfaction.
