''A Time Odyssey'' is a series of novels co-written by Arthur C. Clarke (author of the 1968 novel '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'') and Stephen Baxter. , the series consists of: *Vol. 1 – '' Time's Eye'' (3 March 2003) *Vol. 2 – '' Sunstorm'' (29 March 2005) *Vol. 3 – ''

Firstborn A firstborn (also known as an eldest child or sometimes firstling) is the first child born to in the birth order of a couple through childbirth. Historically, the role of the firstborn child has been socially significant, particularly for a firstb ...

'' (26 December 2007) The 2008 Gollancz edition of the most recent book describes itself on the cover as the "Conclusion" of the series, but the plot is not concluded in the book. The immediate threat is averted but the enemy is not defeated, suggesting that further novels in the series were intended. Arthur Clarke, one of the two authors, died in March 2008 soon after the book was published and there have been no further books in the series.

Premise

The story is based on Clarke's previous ''

Space Odyssey The ''Space Odyssey'' series is a series of science fiction novels by the writer Arthur C. Clarke. Two of the novels have been made into feature films, released in 1968 and 1984 respectively. Two of Clarke's early short stories may also be co ...

'' novel series. In the introduction to the '' Time's Eye'', Clarke describes the premise as "neither a prequel nor a sequel" to ''Space Odyssey'', but an "orthoquel"Review of “Firstborn” on www.scifidimensions.com
(a

neologism A neologism Greek νέο- ''néo''(="new") and λόγος /''lógos'' meaning "speech, utterance"] is a relatively recent or isolated term, word, or phrase that may be in the process of entering common use, but that has not been fully accepted int ...

coined by Clarke for this purpose, combining the word ''sequel'' with ''ortho-'', the Greek prefix meaning "straight" or "perpendicular", and alluding to the fact that time is orthogonal to space in

relativity theory The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated theories by Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity, proposed and published in 1905 and 1915, respectively. Special relativity applies to all physical phenomena in ...

). In ''Space Odyssey'', a race of benevolent godlike aliens with highly advanced technology decides to use machines called "monoliths" to travel across the galaxy with the intention to ensure the survival chances of intelligent life (including Earth) and "test" and "weed out" species that have no possibility for intelligence. In the ''Time Odyssey'' series, not-so-benevolent godlike aliens start an endless mission to regulate the development of sentient life throughout the known universe, in order to prevent all other species from harnessing too much of its energy, which would only accelerate the inevitable

heat death of the universe The heat death of the universe (also known as the Big Chill or Big Freeze) is a hypothesis on the ultimate fate of the universe, which suggests the universe will evolve to a state of no thermodynamic free energy, and will therefore be un ...

. Consequently, these "Firstborn" are destroying other intelligent species. To preserve a record of these eradicated species, the Firstborn create a new alternate universe containing the species' home world in different time periods. This preservation universe is the main plot of the first book, ''Time's Eye''. Time periods in Earth's history are taken and reassembled. The periods seem to date from 2.5 million years ago to June 8th, 2037. Characters caught up in this include Bisesa from 2037,

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

from 1885, the hordes of Genghis Khan from the thirteenth century and the army of

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to ...

from the fourth century B.C. This patch-work Earth is later rechristened

Mir ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to&n ...

, Russian for Peace and World. The second book opens with Bisesa being taken from Mir and placed in her London flat on June 9th, 2037. It follows the building of the Shield on April 20th, 2042, to the opening of the first

space elevator A space elevator, also referred to as a space bridge, star ladder, and orbital lift, is a proposed type of planet-to-space transportation system, often depicted in science fiction. The main component would be a cable (also called a space tethe ...

in 2047. The last book switches between Mir—years 32 to 35, Mars and Earth—years 2069 to 2072.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Time Odyssey, A Novels by Arthur C. Clarke Stephen Baxter series Book series introduced in 2003