Some books are timely, some are timeless and some are about time travel. Nicklois Leonard’s The Quantum Effect: Mission Covid-19 manages to be two of the three. With a subtitle referencing the one topic on everyone’s mind these days, it would be stating the obvious to say that this military thriller is “of the here and now.” How does one get “timelier” than the global pandemic that has altered the course of lives everywhere for over a year? But the sci-fi elements that frame this story make it not just of the here and now but also of the past … and future.
The novel opens with Commanding Officer Clint Maxwell and Command Master Chief Paul Mitchell, formerly Navy SEALs, at the QSTCC (Quantum Space-Time Continuum Command) headquarters, located in the Nevada desert at Area 51. The two soldiers prepare for their new assignment: use newly developed technology to peer backward or forward in time and determine the validity of conspiracy theories relating to major events. The task is certainly odd, but as they open the mission file marked “COVID-19 Cover-Up,” they come across a document that makes little sense.
The case file labeled “SEAL Team 2 Disaster” gives Clint and Paul pause. They were a part of SEAL Team 2, but the events that the file describes do not match up with their own recollections. There must be some mistake. They weren’t even supposed to see this document in the first place; it’s marked “For National Security Team Eyes ONLY.” Then again, it must have been included in the case file for a reason, right? And they are dealing with the space-time continuum after all.
Fire up that quantum transporter, Dr. Maxwell! Clint and Paul are headed to Wuhan, China, circa the recent past. As they step through the glowing portal that leads to a different time, presumably to ensure the success of their SEAL Team 2 mission, the readers also find themselves in the past, except they’ve landed stateside in the spring of 2020 as two scientists make progress on the very project that will create time-travel technology.
From here, the readers move forward, meeting up with Clint, Paul and the rest of SEAL Team 2 on their mission to extract Dr. Shun, “China’s leading expert regarding the ability to weaponize viruses for biological warfare,” and bring him to the states. Riding shotgun on this highly dangerous mission, the readers watch as the events of “SEAL Team 2 Disaster” unfold. Will future Clint and Paul arrive in time to intervene and save the lives of their team? If not, perhaps they can try again. With time travel, who knows what’s possible?
The Quantum Effect is a fast-paced read that will appeal to time-travel enthusiasts and readers who enjoy the organized tension of military operations … and let’s not forget conspiracy theories! Replete with code names, military acronyms and special ops lingo, this story tosses its readers into a mission alongside expertly-trained operatives.
Should readers want more when they reach the end of this mission, here’s a reminder that “COVID-19 Cover-Up” wasn’t the only mission file Clint and Paul had access to at QSTCC. With mentions of “California Secedes from the Union” and “United States Second Civil War” among other provocative missions at the start of this book, Leonard has opened the door for plenty of future adventures with this team.
To learn more about Nicklois Leonard, visit his author profile page here.
