In a dual-timeline narrative, a microbiologist is sent 10,000 years into a post-human future to search for signs of surviving humanity, while his colleagues in 2068 AD race across a climate-ravaged Earth to find a fertile woman who might help save the species from extinction. Blending survival adventure with ecofiction, the story explores humanity’s fragility, the resilience of nature, and the ethical limits of scientific hope in the face of environmental collapse.

Reader Review Summary

Set across two timelines separated by 10,000 years, the novel follows a team of scientists in 2068 as they attempt to save humanity from extinction after a hyperpandemic renders most people infertile and society collapses. Their plan, originally part of the Centauri Project for interstellar travel, is to send a fertile microbiologist, Nicholas Hindman, into the far future using a Time Dilation Sphere, with the hope that Earth will have recovered and that he might find or help restart human life. The narrative alternates between Nick’s solitary survival in a rewilded, post-human New Hampshire and the Centauri team’s perilous sea journey across a devastated, climate-ravaged world in search of a fertile woman to send forward as a companion. The story incorporates detailed environmental descriptions, scientific concepts such as quantum mechanics and cryogenics, and explores the aftermath of climate disaster, societal breakdown, and the ethical dilemmas of species survival.

Readers praised the novel’s vivid and immersive descriptions of both the far-future wilderness and the near-future, post-apocalyptic world, often highlighting the author’s attention to ecological detail and the sense of awe at a planet healed in humanity’s absence. The dual timeline structure and alternating perspectives were frequently cited as effective, with the epistolary journal entries from the 2068 timeline providing a strong narrative voice and contrast to the third-person future sections. Many found the emotional resonance of the characters’ struggles—especially Nick’s isolation and the Centauri team’s desperation—compelling, and appreciated the integration of scientific plausibility without overwhelming technical detail. The book’s exploration of climate change, human extinction, and the philosophical questions of meaning and legacy were also noted as thought-provoking, with several readers mentioning that the story prompted reflection on current environmental issues and humanity’s place in nature.

Some readers expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the characterization, particularly regarding Dr. Natalie Quist, who was described as unrealistically flawless and lacking in depth or flaws, which affected engagement with her role in both timelines. A few found the prose, while often praised for its lyricism, to be occasionally dry or distracting, with some sections feeling more like nonfiction or overly focused on environmental description at the expense of narrative momentum. The depiction of societal collapse and the extremity of some survivalist or antagonist characters were seen by some as contrived or implausible given the short time frame since disaster. Additionally, a number of readers felt that the book’s length limited the development of its setting and characters, and that certain plot developments in the final chapters stretched believability within the context of the story’s scientific grounding.

The book has been recognized as a finalist for the Prism Prize for Climate Literature and is categorized as science fiction, fantasy, and ecofiction, with elements of time travel and environmental themes. It has received an average rating of 4.27 out of 5 from 105 reader ratings and 46 full reviews, with many reviewers receiving advance copies from the publisher. The narrative draws comparisons to works by Richard Powers, Andy Weir, and Kim Stanley Robinson, and has been noted for its avoidance of nihilism despite its bleak subject matter. The story includes a mix of adventure, survival, romance, and philosophical reflection, and features both journal and third-person narrative formats. The book’s release is scheduled for June 3, 2025, and it has generated discussion about eco-anxiety, the ethics of species survival, and the resilience of both humanity and the natural world.