A Symbol of Time is a sweeping work of science fiction that follows a dying species as it flees its collapsing Homeworld and sets course for the “Third World,” a dangerous and vibrant planet filled with prehistoric monsters, hostile climates, and uncertain hope. The story opens with the political struggle of leaders like Elthyris, who pushes her people toward escape, and then expands into a tense generational mission through deep space where fear, mutiny, and loss threaten the survival of everyone aboard. By the time the colonists finally approach their new world, the book has painted an entire civilisation wrestling with extinction, guilt, and the fragile possibility of beginning again.

The story moves with a clarity and earnestness that makes the stakes feel heavy without bogging the story down. Author John Turnbull spends time on sensory details: the grit in the air of the dying planet, the hum of the ship’s systems, the sharp dread in a crowded briefing room as monstrous creatures appear on a screen. These moments gave me the sense of being there, not as a distant observer but as someone tucked into those cramped ship corridors, overhearing worries and watching loyalties shift. Sometimes I wanted certain conversations to go deeper, especially when characters brushed up against big ethical questions. But the writing carries a steady confidence, and it kept me curious about what each character would choose next.

The story blends large-scale worldbuilding with interpersonal tension, letting us watch society shrink down and then stretch again under pressure. I liked the way the book raises questions about responsibility and survival without forcing neat answers. The mission logs, political debates, and emotional undercurrents between characters all layer together until you feel how messy a desperate exodus would really be. Some plot beats arrive suddenly, especially the catastrophic loss of Ark Hope, but that abruptness made sense to me. Space is indifferent. Disaster doesn’t wait for pacing. That raw edge worked.

I felt the book speaking to anyone who enjoys science fiction that leans into survival, moral tension, and the rebuilding of society. It will especially appeal to readers who like their sci-fi grounded more in people than in technology, even when dinosaurs and starships share the page. If you’re drawn to stories about second chances and the uncomfortable truths that come with them, A Symbol of Time is one you’ll want to pick up.

Pages: 234 | ASIN : B0G2CP49WX