Version Control

A Novel

By: Dexter Palmer

Narrated by: January LaVoy

The acclaimed author of The Dream of Perpetual Motion returns with a compelling novel about the effects of science and technology on our friendships, our love lives, and our sense of self.

Rebecca Wright has reclaimed her life, finding her way out of her grief and depression following a personal tragedy years ago. She spends her days working in customer support for the Internet dating site where she first met her husband. But she has a strange, persistent sense that everything around her is somewhat off-kilter: She constantly feels as if she has walked into a room and forgotten what she intended to do there; on TV, the president seems to be the wrong person in the wrong place; her dreams are full of disquiet. Meanwhile, her husband's decade-long dedication to his invention, the causality violation device (which he would greatly prefer you not call a "time machine") has effectively stalled his career and made him a laughingstock in the physics community. But he may be closer to success than either of them knows or can possibly imagine.

Version Control is about a possible near future, but it's also about the way we live now. It's about smart phones and self-driving cars and what we believe about the people we meet on the Internet. It's about a couple, Rebecca and Philip, who have experienced a tragedy, and about how they help - and fail to help - each other through it. Emotionally powerful and stunningly visionary, Version Control will alter the way you see your future and your present.

©2016 Dexter Palmer (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Mind-bending.... A compelling, thought-provoking view of time and reality." (Booklist)

"Far more than a standard-model time travel saga.... Palmer's lengthy, complex, highly challenging second novel is more brilliant than his debut, The Dream of Perpetual Motion.... Palmer earned his doctorate from Princeton with a thesis on the works of James Joyce, Thomas Pynchon, and William Gaddis. This book stands with the masterpieces of those authors." (Publishers Weekly)

"A Mobius strip of a novel in which time is more a loop than a path and various possibilities seem to exist simultaneously. Science fiction provides a literary launching pad for this audacious sophomore novel by Palmer. It offers some of the same pleasures as one of those state-of-the-union (domestic and national) epics by Jonathan Franzen, yet its speculative nature becomes increasingly apparent.... A novel brimming with ideas, ambition, imagination, and possibility yet one in which the characters remain richly engaging for the reader." (Kirkus Reviews)

A very different kind of Time Travel story

As some have said, it is hard to talk about this novel without talking about the details. The story is slow burn and there is not much "sci-fi" in it. If you are looking for an in your face kind of time travel story this is not for you. If you like a subtler type of story that has rich and detailed characters, give it a try.I thought he nailed the end perfectly.
January LaVoy is fantastic. I will have search out other audio books by her.

It grabbed me more than I thought

Would you listen to Version Control again? Why?

I don't listen to audio books more than once, so no. I can see how/why someone would however.

What did you like best about this story?

Character driven story, with enough drama/action/ scientific reasoning to keep it interesting. There are great leaps of faith required to keep the story moving forward, but on balance it does a reasonably job of keeping on track.

Which character – as performed by January LaVoy – was your favorite?

Our hero Rebecca Wright is rich and interesting.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Current title works for me.

Any additional comments?

This offering really did grab me. It was rich, complex, thoughtful and in places moving. Clearly the author was using this a platform for their own POV on many aspects of life, which is sometimes irritating, but not in this instance.
The story did have some plot holes and issues however, so i did need to knock it down a notch.
Notwithstanding, it's worth the credit.

Great performance

I can't wait to go through the book again and again and discover new information and foreshadowing.

Awe inspiring!

I am literally awe-struck by Dexter Palmer's imagination and intellect as demonstrated in this book. A multi-dimensional and highly creative narrative coupled with a profound knowledge and insight into the conduct of science made this book one of the most compelling I have ever come across! Truly a tour de force! Coupled with January LaVoy's outstanding performance, I couldn't stop listening!

Definitely a Hidden Gem

I loved this book. It is very well written, has relatable, lovable characters, and a fantastic, yet still believable plot. I will definitely be relistening to this book again.

Great time travel book

A new take on time travel that doesnt dissapoint.now i need to go read all his other stuff!

Lots of detail, no real payoff

I wanted to get to the part where all of the details came together. There was never that moment for me. It just drifts off at the ending.

Loved the book so much I listened to it twice!

The unraveling of the story and the possibilities are fascinating. The writing is exceptional as are the characters.

masterpiece.

this book drove me to tears, repeatedly. it has great female characters, and a most romantic storyline, that pierced right thru my heart. I'm still in shock.

Personal

Compelling characters. About the creation of a time machine and the potential implications. Skims over philosophy (categorical imperative etc). Deus ex machina ending.