Kayne Milhomme's Reviews > Io Deceneus: Journal of a Time Traveler

IO Deceneus is a complex, sophisticated tale laced with intellect, intrigue, imagination, and spacetime physics. As a reader/reviewer, I would classify my experience with IO Deceneus as ‘original’—almost completely unique to experiences I have had with other novels—based primarily on the nature of the mental acuity infused in the story. Categorically, the novel is deep science fiction, but with a far-reaching, visionary scope and a mix of concrete plot points peppered with abstract experiences and thoughts, the latter usually philosophical in nature. For the most part, I liked the challenge that the novel presented to me as a reader; over the initial few chapters I learned to approach the book not in a leisurely manner, but with concentration so as to try to keep pace. In truth, I was not always successful and there were times when I had to backtrack to make sure I had an accurate understanding of a certain event or series of events; regardless, I enjoyed the read as such.
The story itself consists of a universe of living entities—a universe where sentience is a layered, hierarchal attribute. This is displayed by the myriad of intelligent forms presented throughout the novel, most of whom (or of which) appear to possess superior intellect to humans, and therefore use humans as tools—or more appropriately, pieces in the grand game of the universe. One way this ‘game’ plays itself out is in the form of attempting to control fate itself, or in a more technical fashion, the events that occur in timelines (both a current timeline and seemingly alternate timelines), and thus shape not only those events, but the events to come. The motive for these adjustments (the adjustments are crafted by the beings of superior intelligence) are sometimes altruistic, and other times simply for amusement (or so it seems). But the end result of tampering with spacetime, regardless of the motive, is one that typically and critically impacts the wellbeing of other races in the universe, even to the point of eliminating their existence altogether.

The protagonist of IO Deceneus is in effect a time traveler who is first identified as a likely candidate, and then sent on various assignments of increasing difficulty. Certain physical and mental challenges prepare him for the worlds/timelines that he will be introduced to, and he learns skills and attributes specifically relevant to his task. The protagonist’s conflict stems from his own limitations initially, and then transfers to outward conflict. The outward conflict includes his role as a member of a ‘Faction’ (term for one of these conglomerates working to fashion space-time), in which he has a goal to shape events in a certain manner which is at odds with a rival Faction’s mission to also shape events for a different, conflicting outcome. As these events unfold, the reader’s knowledge is not holistic, but restricted to the protagonist’s point of view; thus, the revelation of the mechanisms, purpose, and impact of time travel on both the protagonist and his surroundings are introduced in a step-wise fashion. Sometimes the reader experiences these events with him; other times, it is through his memory or events.

All in all, this was a challenging yet rewarding read and provided me as the reader some interesting insights into an imaginative and complex universe.