We go from the future and the past, one time stream to another, but the real issue is the continuation of humanity. Issui Ogawa has done a lovely job of addressing the ultimate destruction of humanity and the knowledge that the only way to stop it is by going back in time to change time. There is also the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) to do the job for you.
Ogawa takes use from 98,579 B. C. to 2598 A.D with the story revolving around one A. I. (Messenger O). Although the story centers on humanity’s survival, the real story is all about Messenger O, or Orville, and his constant perseverance and unswerving love of one woman whom he only knew for a few months in a life that spanned thousands of years. It all starts in 248 A.D. with Orville’s arrival in ancient Japan and his struggle to begin the process of bringing these primitive peoples together to fight an invading monster. Then we jump to Orville’s beginning and the relationship that will have be the guiding light for his next 1200 years of life and more.
Orville is an A. I. that was given a human form with much of human understanding and emotion but with unlimited life and one rule to live by, to save humanity. In 2598 only 5% of humanity survives and has fled to the outer planets to elude the monstrous E. T. that have come to destroy all humans. Humans have developed the ability to create intelligent life and also travel in time. Understanding that they are about to become extinct they have only one option, to send the A. I. back in time and stop the enemy, with the knowledge that these actions will change their own time stream. The battle goes so far back that it comes down to the A. I. trying to set up defenses at humans earliest existence. It is unknown how many time streams they have changed but it is know that they have had some real effects.
The book takes on some standard Science Fiction topics and also explores some atypical subjects. I have to hand it Issui for not losing focus with all the possible angles to branch out in this story line. He address the time travelers dilemma and understanding that they have to create the time paradoxes just to save humanity. But, I was attracted to the individual story of a machine that represented all that is great about humanity and at the same time I felt as though these A I should have been allowed to exist for themselves and not to serve those who made them. I was also continually asking myself if these saviours should try to save this species at all. Once the ultimate irony is brought forward I was less enthusiastic about humanity, but wanted the AI to live on.
Being a real Sci Fi fan and also having an appreciation of eastern philosophy, it was great fun seeing how the Japanese deal with their general approach to life and how it translates into this genre. I was very skeptical before I started the book, but within the first few chapters I was drawn in and a convert. I found this book to be very easy to read. It is only 196 pages and is a great get away. The imagery was fairly developed, but there were moments I really wanted more. The jumping from time period to time period made perfect sense after the forth chapter and helped focus the plot around Orville. Issui Ogawa did a wonderful job with this story and I would recommend any Sci Fi fan to try this you’ll like it.
ComicsOnline gives The Lord of Sands of Time 4.5 out of 5 Mononoké.
