THE EVENTS OF EARTH'S PAST MAY HOLD THE KEY TO EARTH'S FUTURE
SALVATION
Marty Cohen was a gifted linguist and student of ancient military
strategy who stepped away from academic Egyptology and opened a
woodworking shop. Away from the bitter politics and petty rivalries,
he's happy to take care of his people, play the occasional war game, and
try to make a good life.
Then mysterious visions begin to rob him of sleep. Soon after they
start, he gets summoned back to Egypt: an off-the-grid dig funded by an
eccentric financier has discovered texts that may be the earliest Egypt
has produced, and they'll pay Marty silly amounts of cash just to fly
out and take one little look.
Marty turned his back on the academia game, but he's a small business
owner who has to make payroll during a recession, and he can't say no to
the money.
But the texts open doors to more visions and to an astonishing journey:
the ragtag team of archaeologists finds itself in protohistoric North
Africa, a drying land dominated by monsters, where humanity is badly in
need of champions.
And behind the war against the monster overlords lies a greater
struggle: Marty and his team have been chosen to be champions of all
Earth and to run a gauntlet on humanity's behalf.
Failure will mean extinction.
Praise for Time Trials:
"This highly enjoyable novel by Rothman and Butler is full of nonstop
action, bits of science, mystery, humor, and enough Ancient Egypt trivia
to satisfy any history enthusiast. The quest narrative and the Dungeons
& Dragons-style team structure recall familiar fantasy tropes, but the
authors manage to develop the characters well, giving each of them their
own distinct arcs and it results in a tale that's well worth reading.
The overarching mystery keeps the pages turning in an adventure tale
that refreshingly shows respect for ancient civilizations and their
accomplishments. An entertaining first entry in what promises to be a
fantastic time-travel series." --Kirkus
Praise for D.J. Butler:
"I have come to appreciate the work of D.J. Butler; He is a recent
writer in a tradition of science fiction and fantasy I associate with
Harry Turtledove, S. M. Stirling, Eric Flint, and Jerry Pournelle, with
a sort of grittiness and focus on societal dynamics that I very much
enjoy." --Warped Factor
