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When Do the Ends Justify the Means?
The Loss of What Is Past continues the journey of a physicist and time traveler, trapped decades in the future, who is torn between a lost love from the 2050s and the new life he has built in the future. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
My debut novel, The Lightning in the Collied Night, explored the power of love and forgiveness to transform a person, or perhaps a world. I thought it would be interesting in the sequel to introduce a different, darker aspect of love: what happens when love becomes obsessive, such that it clouds judgment? I also delved into what can happen when brilliant, well-intentioned people overestimate their abilities to the point of overconfidence, or even arrogance. Also, I wanted to answer questions that readers of Lightning may have had about events that were mentioned there but not covered in detail.
Your characters go on a deeply emotional and transformative journey in your novel. Is this intentional or incidental to the story you want to tell?
The transformative aspects of the characters’ journeys were intentional. As for the emotional impacts, I strove to have those flow naturally out of the situations the characters were faced with. Some of those were extremely difficult for the characters involved–and also very hard for me to write–as they dealt with acute, even heartbreaking, trauma and loss. We see how, with help and love from family and friends, the characters cope with such deep loss, carry on, and grow.
I find that, while writing, you sometimes ask questions and have the characters answer them. Do you find that to be true? What questions did you ask yourself while writing this story?
I guess that is true! I didn’t set out to do a “Q&A” with the characters; the questions (and answers) arose organically with the story. Some of the questions that were posed in the story are, are some actions unforgivable? What should be the role of AI in the future? When do the ends justify the means? At what point do we need to let go of the past and live in, and for, the present? And, as mentioned earlier, when is too much love not a good thing?
Where does the next book in the series take the characters?
As I mention in the Acknowledgements in the back of the book, there won’t be a trilogy. (There wasn’t supposed to even be a sequel!) Thus, except for some additional flash fiction stories–one of which will be an alternate ending to the sequel–that I’m planning to publish on my blog in coming months, I must say goodbye to these characters from my imaginary world of the near future, and beyond. I’m going to miss them.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
The Loss of What Is Past
The Loss of What Is Past is a sweeping science fiction epic that picks up where The Lightning in the Collied Night left off, continuing the journey of physicist and time traveler Kapono Ailana. Set largely in the 22nd century, the story blends time travel, futuristic science, and human emotion into a tale of exploration, both personal and cosmic. Kapono, torn between a lost love from the 2050s and the new life he’s built decades into the future, collaborates with brilliant scientist Aroha Whakatane on antimatter research that unexpectedly leads to a way to send matter—and potentially people—back in time. What begins as a scientific endeavor quickly becomes a deeply emotional struggle about love, loss, ethics, and what it means to let go.
Reading this book felt like watching an aurora borealis—beautiful, mysterious, and just a little haunting. Backman’s writing is richly detailed and deeply empathetic. He has a knack for writing smart characters who talk like real people, with warmth, curiosity, and humor. The pacing takes its time in places, but I didn’t mind. I appreciated the way he slowed down for emotional beats and gave space for characters to breathe. The best parts weren’t the high-tech experiments or the theoretical breakthroughs, they were the tender moments. Kapono’s conversations with his daughter, with Aroha, and the memories of Lai, those were the heartbeat of the story. And while the time travel mechanics were rooted in scientific language, they never drowned the narrative in jargon. Backman managed to make theoretical physics feel surprisingly personal.
The book explores the risks of altering the past with thoughtful care, which I appreciated. At the same time, it sometimes leans toward the idea that grief is best resolved by simply letting go. I found myself wanting a bit more complexity, some gray areas, I think, could’ve added extra depth. A few of the plot developments, while emotionally satisfying, tied up a bit more neatly than I expected. I also would’ve loved to see more of Aroha’s world outside of her work and her connection to Kapono. She’s a compelling character, and there were glimpses of something richer beneath the surface.
The Loss of What Is Past is not just a sci-fi novel; it’s a meditation on time, memory, and the fragile hope of second chances. I’d recommend this book to anyone who loves character-driven science fiction with a beating heart. If you’ve ever wondered what you’d do if you could go back, or if you’ve ever struggled to move on from a love that shaped you, this story will speak to you.
Pages: 315 | ASIN : B0F6VTYMD9
Love and Forgiveness
Lightning in the Collied Night follows a group of scientists who embark on a bold mission to harness the power of a newly discovered wormhole in a desperate bid to secure the survival of the human race. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The original story idea came to me several years ago. Back then, it was a simple story about a young physicist who overcomes personal and external challenges to travel to the future through a wormhole and discovers… well, I can’t get into that as it’s the crux of the story! I can say that there were multiple inspirations for the story, from literary and sci-fi sources; those are brought out in the novel. Over time, I added twists, layers, and characters to my story until I thought it might be suitable for a novel. When I retired in 2023 and had time to learn how to write fiction, I decided to share my story.
A lot of time was spent crafting the character traits in this novel. What was the most important factor for you to get right in your characters?
Probably the most important factor was that I wanted the characters to be relatable to readers. The story is set (mostly) about 30 years from now. I wanted readers to be able to understand and feel what these characters were going through as they overcame many challenges, both from within themselves and the outside world. One of the ways I did that was to try to make the dialogue seem “natural,” like people actually talk, and liberally use interior monologue to let readers get “into the heads” of the main characters.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Probably the most important theme was the power of love and forgiveness to transform a person… or perhaps a world. Another theme is that AI can be an extremely powerful and useful tool when used appropriately, but it’s not the best solution for every problem. There’s a difference I think between what AI could do for humankind, and what we should allow it to do. Finally, I wanted my novel to reflect our wonderfully diverse world, and thus I strove to have the characters be representative of that diversity.
Will there be a follow-up novel to this story? If so, what aspects of the story will the next book cover?
I hadn’t planned on a sequel. But I’ve fallen in love with the characters (most of them, anyway!) and believe there’s much more of their story to tell. Thus I’ve started outlining a sequel, with a planned release of Summer 2025. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I will share that the draft tagline is, “How far would you go for love?” The sequel will be more of a traditional sci-fi story than Lightning, but still approachable by people who aren’t quantum physicists. Like Lightning, it will be focused on the characters, their relationships, and their struggles. I think it will be entirely based on Earth of the future–no trips to wormholes, this time. And, like Lightning, the title will be from Shakespeare. 😉
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
In the mid-21st century, a brilliant American physicist joins a secret mission to travel through the galaxy’s lone stable wormhole. When a series of challenges threaten the project, she must find another way to accomplish its objective: save the human race. With help from an unexpected ally, the young scientist races to harness the universe’s mightiest force and preserve humanity’s future.
The Lightning in the Collied Night
David Backman’s Lightning in the Collied Night plunges readers into a near-future world on the brink of collapse. Humanity faces mounting crises brought on by climate change and geopolitical instability, and a group of scientists embarks on a bold mission to harness the power of a newly discovered wormhole, in a desperate bid to secure the survival of the human race.
The novel introduces a diverse ensemble of characters, each wrestling with both the harsh realities of their world and their personal demons. Their stories unfold against the backdrop of advanced physics and space exploration, interwoven with the Hawaiian tradition of ho’oponopono, a spiritual practice offering reconciliation and healing. This unexpected cultural element provides a counterbalance to the cold, scientific ambition driving much of the narrative, creating a unique blend of hope amid the chaos. Backman crafts a vivid and unsettling vision of the future, where the consequences of humanity’s environmental neglect are laid bare in deeply personal ways. His characters are complex and carefully developed, their emotional arcs both moving and relatable as they navigate a world on the edge of ruin. These individuals are the heart of the story, elevating it beyond its dystopian setting into something deeply human. While the novel’s scope is vast and its themes are layered with philosophical depth, it may challenge readers unfamiliar with speculative fiction. Yet, Backman’s talent for intricate character development and his ability to pose profound ethical questions make the story captivating and thought-provoking.
Lightning in the Collied Night transcends its speculative science fiction roots. It offers a powerful meditation on environmental destruction and personal responsibility, with its strongest appeal found in the emotional journeys of its characters. Backman’s ability to weave together complex narrative threads makes this novel an essential read for fans of speculative fiction and those who appreciate thought-provoking storytelling.
Pages: 310 | ASIN : B0DDDYHGJY
LITERARY TITAN 