Yet in the world Mr. Jackson has created, this might not be a bad thing as in the 25th century, the Earth is covered in a growing ash fed by pollution and decay. It is deadly to humans. So they have gone underground, and, even more, they are dying out from exposure. Certain factions want to use the time travel technology to travel to the past and get rid of the ash.

To succeed, they must first prove the time travel capability to the world at large. So they reach into the past to draw forth a soldier from the American Civil War as a kind of live exhibit. The experiment goes awry and suddenly they are confronted with a time anomaly linking the 25th century with the 1860's.

The interaction between the two times provides some interesting sequences and dialogues. Civil War soldiers are described vividly and given lively characterizations. Perhaps the most memorable scene is when a stumbling horse is inadvertently hurled through time to a day and age when it has become extinct. The amazement of those seeing the huge beast for the first time is stunning and rings true.

As in most novels there is conflict between good and evil. Yet Phil Jackson does not draw these lines sharply. We see motivation for all of the characters, and the motivation for the "bad guys" is not always bad. And the choices made by the hero do not always sit well with a conservative mind-set. Without revealing too much of the plot line, suffice it to say, the hero feels that certain knowledge is not fit for all elements of the society.

This does not keep the book from being an exciting sci-fi thriller. Phil Jackson has produced a tour-de-force that will have readers sitting on the edge of their loungers.