Barnabus J. Wildebear's comfortable life of teaching Junior High School English comes to an abrupt halt when his fifteen year old nephew Ridley is recruited by an alien to help fight a war half-way across the galaxy. After having promised his sister on her deathbed that he would take care of her son, nothing means more to Wildebear than keeping Ridley safe.
Unfortunately, rescuing Ridley will mean travelling through a dangerous portal capable of transporting Wildebear to other worlds and times. Just about anywhere, it seems, except where he actually wants to go. Accompanied by an obnoxious talking wristwatch, Wildebear will find himself forced to evade armies, survive telepathic assaults, and inhabit the minds of alien beings. He will come to question the nature of free will and his own sanity. But he cannot fail. To do so would mean failing not only his sister, her son, and humanity, but Wildebear himself.
Praise for A Time and a Place:
"Mahoney skillfully... uses Barnabus's multilayered adventures to yank readers into moments of comedy, tragedy, horror, and philosophical contemplation of time, free will, and personal responsibility. ...Mahoney's work is great for those who like their speculative fiction thoughtful, eloquent, and messy." Publishers Weekly
"A Sci-Fi Fantasy with literary notes, there is so much to love about this book. The magic of A Time and a Place resides in its rich description of places we'll never see-not even in dreams-and the people who must manipulate impossible situations to save their kith and kin." A.B. Funkhauser, author of Shell Game: A Black Cat Novel
"A Time and a Place provides an entertaining frolic through the imaginary blue and yellow purple hills of someone desperately in need of therapy. And I loved it! Written in a Neil Gaimanesque style of witty prose and existential, thought-provoking dilemmas, it will captivate you, entertain you, and keep you out of mischief until it's time for tea. Excellent stuff . . . and highly recommended." Andrew Weston, author of the internationally bestselling IX Series
"An intricate plot laced with Mahoney humour and excellent writing makes this a must read for all lovers of good books." Brian Wyvill, Author of The Second Gate
"It's a great book." Matt Watts, Comedian, Actor, Writer (Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, CBC Television)
