Quantum Consequence By Mike Murphey 2025 Reviewed by Angie Mangino Rating: 4 stars The introduction pulls readers in, even if new starting with book five in the "Physics, Lust and Greed" series. “Ignoring the aches and pains of his recent beating, ten-year-old Baptiste Bedeau crept aboard a sailboat berthed near the far end of a dock in Grenada’s Prickly Bay. Swelling had nearly closed his left eye- the spot were Aquillar’s angry fist had landed.” Readers find themselves in the "I Love Lucy Universe" on a Wednesday in May 2047, where young Baptiste is at the bow of Somewhere Over China. He overhears Marshall Grissom and Marta Hamilton having an odd conversation. “He tried not to eavesdrop. But then he heard Marshall say, ‘Really, Marta, I don’t mean to kill them. It just … happens. You know?’ Baptiste had to learn more.” With this intriguing hook, readers, too, want to learn more. The author continues sharing a bit about Marshall Grissom and Marta Hamilton, time travelers from previous books. Yet coming into the story at book five has its disadvantages. It takes time to enter the world built and to get to know the characters. Yet the strong appeal of Baptiste makes readers want to read on. Readers discover that they returned to their Caribbean life only to face the suspicious death of their friend Cecil. They find themselves protecting Cecil's young charge, Baptiste, from his mother's abusive boyfriend, Ignace Aguillard. What starts as investigating the death grows to involve parallel universes, evolving artificial intelligence, a secret time travel facility beneath the Arizona desert, and a looming dystopian future called the "Christian Fundamentalist States of America.” This satirical science fiction uses absurdity to deliver social commentary. Even though it involves quantum physics and time travel, the character relationships keep readers grounded. As Marta and Marshall protect Baptiste, they simultaneously work to prevent larger catastrophes across multiple realities. It’s Baptiste who adds the emotional pull of the story about timeline manipulation and parallel universes. The Chanticleer 2023 Humor and Satire Grand Prize awarded to this novel recognizes that science fiction can be both humorous and intellectually stimulating. While occasional technical jargon might pull readers out of the story, the human relationships and satirical observations keep them reading.