Unwittingly transported to the future, one man must determine the fate of time travel itself in THE TIMESTREAM VERDICT, a bold new sci-fi tale by first-time novelist, Jordan Berk, who explores what happens if people could be transported to the future and back again.
Jordan follows in the footsteps of his father Peter Berk, a published novelist, and his grandfather, the late Howard Berk (Rockford Files, Mission Impossible and other well-known book and movie titles).
Jordan and his father, Peter talked with Authorlink’s Doris Booth about the challenges and rewards of being a novelist.
In Jordan Berk’s debut novel, a time-traveling jury is summoned to rule on the first-ever case of time-travel murder, and must reach a verdict on the nature of time itself. This is the premise of The Timestream Verdict (IngramElliott, September 10, 2024)
Thought-provoking, tinged with humor, mystery and action, The Timestream Verdict will appeal to fans of time travel novels and legal thrillers alike.
Tackling the mind-bending complexities, potential world-changing ramifications and confounding ethical quandaries associated with time travel, The Timestream Verdict not only spans several fiction genres, but finds an inventive new way to tell the classic story of an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances. The story visits fate vs free will and the courage to do the right thing.
Jordan encourages new writers to “find the right story”and write for the love of it. He hopes the tale will be adapted for film or TV, a special focus of his traditional publisher, IngramElliott.
In The Timestream Verdict, the hero, Aaron Barnett falls asleep as an ordinary 1980s accountant and wakes up sixty years later as a juror for the trial of the century. As he soon learns, the utopian society of 2042 is grappling with the murder of the legendary scientist deemed the ‘mother of time travel.’ And only this jury of inadvertent time travelers is equipped to reach an impartial verdict.
Once the shock of his situation begins to wear off, Aaron finds the world of the mid twenty-first century to be a paradise. Far removed from his monotonous life, he savors the advancements and luxuries that the seemingly idyllic future has to offer.
Unfortunately, Aaron’s initial euphoria is shattered once he uncovers the complicated, hidden truths behind time travel, and realizes that his own past, present, and future are suddenly at risk. Because the harsh reality is that Aaron and his fellow jurors may be ruling on far more than a lone case of temporal homicide. They may be delivering a verdict on the very nature of time itself.
Commented Jordan Berk, “I’m so grateful to IngramElliott for the opportunity to contribute to my favorite genre of fiction, and to follow in my father and grandfather’s footsteps as a novelist. Being a lifelong, avid reader and watcher of time travel books and films, I feel like this is the story I was always meant to write.”
“We knew instantly that Jordan was a rising star,” said publisher P.E. Calvert. “The premise of The Timestream Verdict struck us immediately as a fresh take on a beloved and familiar genre. We loved following along with the characters as they encounter this incredible new world and our entire team resonated with the humanity that Jordan brought to the science fiction genre. We immediately saw its potential for adaptation to film and TV.”
In this regard, the company will soon begin actively exploring opportunities to develop The Timestream Verdict into a theatrical movie or television film.
About The Author
Jordan Berk is the grandson of noted screenwriter and novelist Howard Berk, whose credits included Columbo, Mission: Impossible and The Rockford Files. Jordan’s father is Peter Berk, co-author (with Howard Berk) of IngramElliott’s award-winning TimeLock series of action/sci-fi novels and the author of a political legal thriller entitled First Line of Defense that will be published by IngramElliott October 1, 2024
Jordan, a software engineer by trade, and a self-described nerd by nature, has loved time travel stories for as long as he can remember, which is why it’s no surprise to those who know him that his first-ever novel would be in that genre.
In addition to writing, Jordan enjoys basketball, technology, and songwriting. He lives near Los Angeles with his wife, Stephanie, and two young children.
Connect with Jordan on Facebook and Instagram @
About IngramElliott Publishing
IngramElliott is an award-winning independent publisher with a mission to bring great stories to light in print and on-screen. For more information, please visit www.ingramelliott.com.
