Review: Artefactum by J.E. Tobal

Author J.E. Tobal combines sci-fi with some heavy inter-dimensional soul-searching in Artefactum, a cerebral and kaleidoscopic new thriller.

After coming into unlikely possession of Mictlantecuhtl, a powerful artifact that grants him the power to leap between realities, Sam’s semi-stable life spins into an epic quest for a timeless goal that spans the multiverse, and beyond. From mile-high death deities, living inside porn movies, and cross-dimensional betrayals to nightmare realms, rips in time, and existential quandaries, this book goes mind-bendingly hard into the endless possibilities presented by multiverse theory.

A bartender who defies the usual tropes, Sam may overindulge in whiskey and a fair bit of self-loathing, but there is also something deeply original in his no-holds-barred approach to life, love, and defying the fundamental laws of the universe, as well as being driven by tragedy. It doesn’t hurt that readers are likely to fall in love with Una as easily as Sam does; that immediate emotional investment – and loss – will pull readers exponentially deeper into this mind-expanding story.

The concept of inter-dimensional travel as a core plot device is far easier to do poorly than well, given its complexity, but Tobal manages to pull it off with panache, given his creative world-building that deftly establishes each setting. You don’t need to be a hard sci-fi reader to understand the particulars, but prepare for a wild sensorial ride through realms and realities never before explored in a pop culture multiverse. Beyond the pure pleasure of aesthetic strangeness encountered by our lead character, there are also plenty of philosophical knots to untie, and allegories to recognize, from classic time-travel paradoxes to the Gordian knots of grief and the Sisyphean task of self-actualization.

One line early in the novel has a particularly prophetic weight as one moves through this read, though it is far from the only cryptically profound piece of prose: “It’s always the end of the world for someone.” As Sam’s hectic adventures undoubtedly show, the gravity of that sentiment only grows. Watching his emotional capacity and personality shift in real-time, as he struggles, suffers, and grows, delivers an emotionally rich and satisfying journey.

Tobal also creates a cast of rough-and-tumble, wisecracking characters that are viscerally real and somehow ethereal in their coolness, or at least half-drunken charm, making them both fascinating and empathetic reflections for the lead character. The author’s skill with creating engaging and believable characters is one of the main driving forces of the novel, which will pull readers beyond the somewhat slow intro – the familiar awkwardness of flirtation, the brash facades of the emotionally damaged, the siren songs of self-destructive heroes, and the casually tossed monologues that deeply resonate.

There are occasional flubs of grammar and punctuation, as well as carefully crafted lines of dialogue that miss the mark for their unreal perfection, which could use another polish for narrative flow, but overall Tobal has crafted an impressively immersive read – jaw-dropping in its originality, defying tropes at every turn, and bringing science fiction into entirely new territory.