**In this Familiar Multiverse **
Infinity Gate and Echo of Worlds present a familiar concept if you’ve read other multiverse stories, like Dark Matter or The Long Earth. There’s a macguffin that allows stepping into a different dimension. Some of these dimensions are imperceptibly different, while others are completely alien. I enjoyed the multiversal play and while the premise was worn, the characters and pacing were enough to keep me going.
Essien, Hadiz, and Moon were fun enough to follow that the pages kept turning. I wish there was more to Paz. Her portrayal as an innocent child seemed to lock her into a one-dimensional role, with little character development that stuck. In terms of the overall plot, by the time we got to Echo of Worlds I was all in on the story. Cross-dimensional wars with superweapons? Count me in. Echo of Worlds is also more like a heist plot, which is something I can absolutely get behind.
I find it fascinating how comfortable authors are becoming with AI in their narratives. In this duology, it’s just taken for granted—we have AI, now what kind do we get: the individualist or the conforming type? And how do they mix with humanity?
The world-building was mediocre. The stepping technology didn’t feel thought out from first principles, at least not as thoroughly as Long Earth did it. That said, Infinity Gate and Echo of Worlds is still a satisfying duology and I’ll be keeping an eye out for more from this author.