Review
"An engaging SF tale whose cause-effect plotline takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Datta's formidable mainsprings of deep thought, causality, horology, music, and shameless romanticism help set up this first installment of an SF series. It is not a time-travel novel that trades in pulp thrills and fighting Morlocks (despite political shenanigans). The book is closer to Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife (2003) in dealing with matters of the heart. But just when readers might have the plot strands all decoded, a concluding twist and a surreal-vision finale turn the storyline into a dense, snarled mesh of gears and escapements.—Kirkus Reviews
"A story that pleasantly teases your ability to grasp and perceive information with every flip of the page... With a gripping and engrossing plot, Avi Datta adopts a complex style of writing, presenting his thoughts and ideas through random flashbacks and digging back and forth into the story... Time not just as we know it, but time that is painted in all its glory from the very beginning until the end, turning back on itself until the circle is complete."—Keith Mbuya of Reader's Favorite
"An expansive, genre-bending story for readers craving romance combined with gripping sci-fi. Datta's wide-ranging interests set the novel apart from the pack—the thrilling plot is as expansive as it is gripping, swinging from complex deconstructions of science and technology to literary musings on language and intricate references to classical music. Time Corrector novel succeeds in holding adventurous readers in thrall with a fast-paced storyline, a strong narrative voice, and polished prose that often is touched with beauty. "—Booklife/ Publishers weekly
"Suspenseful...Kept me glued to the book. The plot was arranged so perfectly that it was easy to understand, even when the author used flashbacks." —Online Book Club
"Avi Datta has woven, a complex tapestry of possibilities surrounding the concepts of time and multiple existences, which may come across to some as a little daunting in some respects, given the paradoxes these theories can create. The true strength of this story, however, lies in the human drama that is brought to life in rich relief. All the characters are not only unique but also have a depth of personality that makes them extremely powerful magnets to the reader's emotions. The relationships built on these are quite true to life, and probably reflect experiences from everyone's past; Emika's rapid transitions through relationships are a prime example of this. This is definitely a science fiction story that will provoke not only questions about reality, but also about the things we carry through life, and how these things can impact our destiny."—Steven Robson for Readers' Favorite
"Avi Datta spins an intricate and inventive sci-fi narrative that engages the mind and merges several interesting themes: loss, love, politics, fantasy, martial arts, orphanhood, friendship, racism, artificial intelligence, and more. The Winding moves back and forth in time as it juxtaposes the young with the mature version of the protagonist. Told through a first-person perspective, the story does a fantastic job of portraying the emotions and thoughts of the protagonist through a comprehensive internal dialogue. I could relate with Vincent and his attempts to improve his chaotic relationships." —The Manhattan Book Review
"Avi Datta has a unique take on alternate realities. He keeps a well-tempered jargon to sustain believability in a highly speculative topic, and it works because he complements it with good pacing and tight plotting. His characters spring to life because his narrative includes their preoccupations and what motivates them to do what they do. Intricate but not confusing, Datta's grasp of time turbulence is a well-researched aspect of the story that conjures up the plausibility of time travel in a future that we may not live to see. This is the kind of sci-fi story that like-minded readers will talk about in their circles for its intelligent plotting, stunning imagery, and larger-than-life characters. And for that, The Winding is an absolute must-read." —Vincent Dudladofor Readers' Favorite
"The Winding is an innovative science fiction tale that mixes action with deep introspection to create an engaging and sometimes surprising narrative. It'll be interesting to see what Datta has in store for readers in the next volume in the Time Corrector series."— San Francisco Book Review
"The Winding captures you from the first page and keeps you hooked until the end. This feels like a solid start to what seems to be a promising sci-fi series. Vincent is the most fleshed-out character, and his storyline makes you root for him all the way to the end. ... The narrative switches between the early 90s and 2024, and you find yourself glued to the pages as the reveals keep churning out with each turn of the page."—Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
"A compelling, extraordinarily readable book...Datta skillfully uses usual time-travel tropes mixed with the elements of an alternate reality, but where this book really shines is in its cleverly constructed plot and immaculately drawn characters. The narrative shifts between the present day and Vincent's past. Between careful attention to Vincent's development, Akane and Emika's chapters, and the near-constant jumps through time, the story charges along until Datta brings it all together. The cliffhanger ending will raise readers' fervor for the next installment. Fans of morally serious hard SF will be greatly rewarded. Datta is an author to watch."—The Prairies Book Review
"The book is both intriguing and meticulously executed, and Datta is skilled when it comes to employing the time-travel tropes. The near-future technology is conceivable, the concepts of Artificial Intelligence and physics are plausibly presented, and the suggestion of time-turbulence fascinates. An intelligent, transporting time-travel tale brimming with music, ideas, emotion, imagination, and possibility. This is a stunner." —The BookView Review
It moves at a good pace and you get a look at Vincent's whole life and how he has dealt with his 'gift'. If you want a book that makes you think and is entertaining, then I would recommend The Winding. —Samantha Gregory for Readers' Favorite
"The Winding is an intricately detailed story full of deep emotion. It also makes the improbable seem possible. However, what really stands out is not just how well the plot is constructed with all of its connections but how deeply the characters connect to one another. If you enjoy love stories with a bit of science fiction such as The Time Traveler's Wife or books like The Great Gatsby this book is an excellent read and well worth the time. If you just love great stories, this is a must read book. And the best part is this is only the first in the series. It will be exciting to see where it goes from here"—Adam Wright of Reedsy Discovery
From the Author
Copyright © 2022 Avi Datta
All rights reserved.
***This is an excerpt from an advanced proof***
I can barely keep my eyes open with the makeup lights glaring at my face. Sophie, the show's stylist, is struggling to make my face presentable, using all kinds of pigments. She sees a little sweat on my forehead and quickly rubs it. The chair is squeaky, with no lumbar support, and I shift uncomfortably. I've placed my briefcase and scarf on the chair next to me. The wall opposite the mirror has eight posters of Maurice Johnson, the host.
"Nervous, Dr. Abajian?" Sophie asks around the makeup brush in her mouth.
"A little."
"I didn't think you would be." She takes the brush off her mouth. "I saw how you rebuked the senators in the hearing. That was totally awesome." Her eyes glow.
I shut my eyes and recall every incident that led me to the Senate floor in April this year. "They had it coming."
"Dr. Abajian? Did you mean it when you said that politicians can be replaced with algorithms?" she asks, squinting at me.
I smile. "Yes. And it doesn't have to be a complicated one either."
She fans the brush across my face. "It will be just a sec." As she leans closer, the top note of her perfume is revealed—jasmine. Then she leans away again to look at her art, smiling. "You have nice wavy hair."
"Thank you, Sophie."
She puts her brush back, contemplates for a second. "Can I ask you a favor?"
"Sure."
After reaching into her bag, she hands me a paperback of The Time Fixer: Three Lives of Philip Nardin. I scribble, "Dear Sophie, The future has already happened. But you can change it, Vince—August 15, 2024."
Grabbing the book with both hands, she jumps up and down. "Thanks so much. Can I take a selfie with you?"
"Absolutely, but you should know, I am not on social media."
She tilts her head. "I know that." Then she gets uncomfortably close to me, pouts her lips, and snaps a selfie. "Jim will come and get you soon. It was totally awesome to meet you."
I blink. "Likewise, Sophie."
She leaves, waving at me as she goes out the door.
Alone again, my mind starts racing, and my chest begins to pound. What questions will Maurice ask? About my book? About my performance in the Senate that put three senators in jail? Those are easy ones. What if he asks about my personal life?
I snap my fingers. Sparks transform into a miniature core—a white luminant sphere levitating an inch over my palm. As I examine the sphere I think about what it means. I am the key to the time turbulence, a secret I discovered only a few days back. Inside the time turbulence, I can change the past and the future. Closing my palm, I dissolve the core. Mr. Kruger never revealed what I could do with the sparks, and only recently had I understood why—I had to find out myself.
I straighten my necktie and adjust my pocket square. The necktie button has gotten looser. I've lost fifteen pounds, five of which were since August 13, when I did the unthinkable. Yes, given the task's magnitude, I'd had my doubts—my incompetence with the sparks to create turbulence. And, even if I could muster the power, should I? Emika would forget me. But, as my resolve strengthened, I could create turbulence through these sparks. There was no stopping me. Emika is now free, and I am OK with her not remembering me. Maybe that's why she never returned my voicemail that I left on August 13. But, that dream this morning... Is she coming back?
I lift my cuff to look at my watch. It's 4:25 p.m. My JLC Reverso is now ticking beautifully at 21,600 vibrations per hour, 6 ticks per second. But, it stops when I enter my property, just like all my mechanical watches. It means only one thing—my action on the thirteenth removed my property from this reality.
Which dial goes better with my blue shirt and charcoal plaid suit? The white dial with local time or the black dial with GMT—Emika's time? Let's toss a coin. I throw a penny into the air, and there's a knock on the door. As soon as the door opens, I can hear the crowd chanting "Maurice, Maurice" against the poorly orchestrated sound of the trumpet, drums, and bass guitar. Jim comes forward. "We are ready for you." The coin lands on my left palm. Showtime.
From the Inside Flap
"The knotty narrative is captivating in stretches."—Kirkus Reviews
"Avi Datta gives very clear and vivid depictions of his scenes and characters. Reading The Winding felt like watching a great movie." —Keith Mbuya of Readers' Favorite
"The concept of time turbulence is particularly intriguing and represents a significant point of differentiation from other science fiction novels"—San Francisco Book Review
"Provoke not only questions about reality, but also about the things we carry through life, and how these things can impact our destiny"—Steven Robson for Readers' Favorite
"The Winding excels in is the vivid descriptions of its characters and environments."—The Manhattan Book Review
"The characters spring to life because his narrative includes their preoccupations and what motivates them to do what they do." Vincent Dudladofor Readers' Favorite
"The dialogue is sharp, pacing measured, and the storytelling entertaining"—The Prairies Book Review
"With an intricate plot and some creative concepts incorporated seamlessly into the narrative, author Avi Datta weaves an engaging sci-fi tale that is bound to woo readers who love stories based on time travel and alternate realities." —Pikasho Dekafor Readers' Favorite
"Datta enlivens his protagonists' lives with captivating detail, making them remain richly engaging for the reader."—The BookView Review
From the Back Cover
"An engaging SF tale whose cause-effect plotline takes a licking and keeps on ticking"—Kirkus Reviews
"Ingenious plot... The Winding is a masterpiece, so far the best science fiction book I've ever read"—Keith Mbuya of Reader's Favorite
"Time Corrector novel succeeds in holding adventurous readers in thrall with a fast-paced storyline, a strong narrative voice, and polished prose that often is touched with beauty"—Booklife/ Publishers weekly
"This is definitely a science fiction story that will provoke not only questions about reality, but also about the things we carry through life, and how these things can impact our destiny"-- Steven Robson for Readers' Favorite
"Suspenseful...Kept me glued to the book. The plot was arranged so perfectly that it was easy to understand, even when the author used flashbacks."—Online Book Club
"This is the kind of sci-fi story that like-minded readers will talk about in their circles for its intelligent plotting, stunning imagery, and larger-than-life characters. And for that, The Winding is an absolute must-read-- Vincent Dudladofor Readers' Favorite
"Avi Datta spins an intricate and inventive sci-fi narrative that engages the mind and merges several interesting themes: loss, love, politics, fantasy, martial arts, orphanhood, friendship, racism, artificial intelligence, and more"-- The Manhattan Book Review
"The Winding is an innovative science fiction tale that mixes action with deep introspection to create an engaging and sometimes surprising narrative."— San Francisco Book Review
"You find yourselfglued to the pages as the reveals keep churning out with each turn of the page"-- Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
"A compelling, extraordinarily readable book... The cliffhanger ending will raise readers' fervor for the next installment. Fans of morally serious hard SF will be greatly rewarded. Datta is an author to watch-- The Prairies Book Review
"An intelligent, transporting time-travel tale brimming with music, ideas, emotion, imagination, and possibility. This is a stunner." —The BookView Review
Would you alter reality for love?
At the age of eight, Vincent loses his closest friend, Akane, to a time turbulence-a random rift in space and time. Twenty-two years later, still obsessed with Akane and what-ifs, Abajian is at the forefront of artificial intelligence and robotics advancements, leading a university research team. Everything changes when Emika Amara, a temperamental, genius, post-doc joins Vincent's team. Vincent is convinced that Akane is inside irresistible Emika. As he falls for her, he realizes that unknowingly, Emika is torn between what she wants and what Akane wants from her. With his newfound power, Vincent struggles with whether or not he should create another time-turbulence to free Emika from the grasp of Akane once and for all, risking Emika to forget him.
About the Author
Dr. Avi Datta is an award-winning author of the genre-bending sci-fi series, The Time Corrector. The Winding (Global Book Awards Gold Medalist, Reader's Favorite top five SciFi-Time Travel Fiction and 5* Rating) is his first novel in the series, and The Movement is his second installment. Often regarded by critics and readers as a master of non-linear storytelling, Avi doesn't like to box his stories into one sub-genre. Instead, he challenges the core assumption that causality and time are linear. Through that lens, he explores themes like loss, love, politics, fantasy, art, friendship, racism, alternate realities, music, and artificial intelligence.
He is a Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Illinois State University. He is also affiliated with Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo, Japan. He is an accomplished scholar in Radical Innovation, Management of Innovation, Technology Strategy, and Strategic Entrepreneurship. He is a writer, an avid painter, a watch collector, and a coffee enthusiast who enjoys classic rock and western classical music outside his day job. He can be reached at
