Displacement Zero - A Character-Focused SciFi Novel

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Aurelie Jane has only a faint memory of her family: a mother with large grey eyes and the words ‘you are loved’.

That’s why she took the job in the Bureau of Space-Time Management: while rescuing wayward time travellers can be fun, traversing the multiverse is the only chance she has to figure out where she came from. When a routine retrieval reveals her home universe, everything finally seems to be working- until management steps in. That universe is due to implode, and they can’t risk anyone causing problems.

But management is hiding something, and the deeper she and her coworkers dig, the greater the danger they find themselves in. Now Aurelie must ask herself: how far is she willing to go to find her home?

Information

Status: Completed
Year: 2024
Author: MeercatWhisperer112

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.9/ 5.0
Followers: 26
Views: 6,112

Chapters(15 total)

Reviews

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Community Reviews(6)

DracorexRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I know lots of people (myself included) get turned off by short chapters. I read chapter one, and while I greatly enjoyed it, I almost didn't continue reading because it was so short.
But boy am i glad I continued. Not only are the later chapters much longer (like 6k words), they are fantastic! Everything is well written and very enjoyable and creative. It reminds me of some Pratchet novels, as well as Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy.
If you're a fan of anything time, sci-fi, mystery, or comedy, give this novel a shot. It's fantastic!
Gabrielle CharlotteRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
First chapter is super creative, though a bit confusing at first. Still, I enjoyed it, even if it felt a bit trippy at times. The second chapter is awesome, and a great way of diving into the story. The protagonist has a great voice, and the worldbuilding is immersive, well-woven into the narrative with practiced ease. Honestly the banter between characters was great fun to read, and the whole thing has sort of a Guardians of the Galaxy/TVA from Marvel feel to it, but more creative (after I wrote that I realized that another review said the same thing, lol). Excited to see what happens next. Thanks for the read!
Also dang that was a long chapter. But like it's not a bad thing.
GanuRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This reminded me of Loki, TVA and Deadpool 3, the whole Timeline angle, and If you’re into sci-fi stuff like that and some multiverse action, this story might just be your next favorite!
The characters are a real treat. They each have their own quirks and personalities that make them stand out, and Aurelie’s journey to find her home universe is both relatable and engaging. The way she interacts with the others, like Jackelty and Alvedo, adds a nice mix of humor and depth to the story. The world is also explained through smooth dialogues and info is not just randomly dumped.
The plot itself is pretty cool, diving into some complex space-time stuff without losing sight of the characters. It’s not just about the science; it’s about how it all connects back to their personal stories, which keeps things interesting. The pacing works well, with enough explanation to make sense of the sci-fi elements while still keeping the story moving.
The writing is smooth and easy to get into. The dialogue feels natural, with a good amount of wit that brings the characters to life. There are a few small grammar slips, but nothing that’ll take you out of the story.
Once more chapters are out, this will definitely become a great book read by many.
Overall, if you’re looking for something different from the usual sci-fi fare, this story is definitely worth a read!
SAH_AuthorRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
MeercatWhisperer112 has a unique way of creative a multiverse story that is both expansive and local all at the same time.
Let's start with the aliens. Each one is utterly unique in design. There are no carbon copies from other stories. Meercat has designed each one, which includes references to their societies, biology, and psychology. And despite this, Meercat also creates a story where humans are clearly the oddities, not everyone else.
As much as scifi drives the mechanics of this story, it is really about friendship between Aurelie and her alien coworkers. Aurelie has problems - who wouldn't after being raised in this environment- and her caring but nosy co-workers will do their utmost to help her through it. Whether she wants them to or not.
The story is well written, and I found that each chapter gets better, particularly once you learn more about her job and her history. It is a thinking story, driven by the unique personalities of each of her alien coworkers - they all have different ways of speaking because they are all vastly different species, not simply humans in alien forms as many other stories do.
The thinking is a feature, not a bug. 😄
Finally, each chapter reads like an episode, with a definitely purpose. Sometimes it is action. Other times it is to build character. Every single one has a point and drives the story forward. Meercat is not one to waste words.
I found myself drawn into the story, and I will keep reading! I recommend driving into it, especially if you are in the mood for something displaced from the usual (you see what I did there 😜)
Check it out!
daes0Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi, but this book has a way of just grabbing you and not letting go.
The main character, Aurelie, seems quiet and unassuming at first but the deeper we get into her thoughts, the more complicated and sympathetic her motivations become. The lovely prose compliments her well, a sort of nonchalance at her existence that further highlights how she is viewed by the other races. Despite that, she's an incredibly deep character.
The main thing I loved about this book was the sheer beauty of its prose. Seriously, it's hard to put into words how engaging it is and how balanced it's comedy and tone is. It's very technical and elaborate, but the more I read the more it sold me.
While at first it feels a little too detail-oriented and exposition-heavy, its executed perfectly as it goes on. The way it gives the details on each character makes it a rich and living universe, and it's exploration of Aurelie in particular is amazingly good. Those details are absolutely delightful.
I was originally going to give this 4.5 stars but I can't justify docking that last .5 knowing that I'm just not attuned to sci-fi tropes. I'm not someone who seeks out sci-fi, after all.
What should've been a quick technical explanation of its Space-Time left me unnecessarily confused. I think it expects you to have seen this concept in other media and that this is simply the rules this book goes by, but I found that it wasn't beginner friendly. Which is fine, not everything has to be, but I needed to make that note.
Anyway, this book is wonderful and I can't wait to read more.
storybookknightRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
A fun little story so far, written with a tongue-in-cheek meta humor approach to time travel and bureaucracy. While it doesn't reach the satirical heights of Douglas Adams, it's still a very fine example of science fiction mixing with comedy.
The narrative feels a little slow to start, but is coming along gradually as things progress.
Definitely a good start, and I look forward to seeing the rest!