Approaching 400 years after being set on a hitherto fruitful path to galactic belonging by an alien power (the Lyrians, or the 'Bods') that rescued us from the aftereffects of a nuclear conflict, problems are beginning to multiply worldwide. Explosions are occurring at a wormhole terminal under development when trying to contact the Lyrians directly for a solution to the impasse.

Lexin Solberg, son of the president of the 'Society' - voluntarily modified humans spearheading galactic progress - thinks the Societans have been overreaching themselves. He has been having strange experiences with his personal activity synthesizer, a long neglected gadget linking Societans individually with the Lyrians as an advisory resource. Lexin struggles to convince his incredulous fellows that his 'visions' are an indication that not only he, but also they, are being asked in effect to reaffirm their link with the Lyrians by getting involved in the rebuilding of two broken families in other ages. Central in these families are two teenage girls, each of them worthy models for the level of dedication the Lyrians are clearly aiming to restore in Earth's people, but their obstacles are formidable. How can today's feisty Marcelle Weston, however loyal and charismatic, put aside her mother Ida's abuse of her, penetrate the depths of her dissolution and then self-criticism, continue to love and care for her in life-threatening illness and hope to reunite her with Tom? How will even such a plucky, single-minded girl of 14 as (the uncharismatic) Shining Face fare as she searches for her mother, Red Hair, in a harsh stone-age world of wild beasts and threatening starvation?

But the girls are not alone. Others come to share their burdens, and not only theirs. Gradually a spirit of empathy, even self sacrifice, takes hold that knows no barriers of time and into which the novel's chief characters in three different ages are drawn and in which they interact.

Meanwhile, however, the world's problems have worsened to the point of widespread social and technological chaos. The press and the World Government are inclined to follow the somewhat mysterious Societan J.P. MaurÉ, a neuroscientist among other things, and attribute all this to hostile alien influences. When events take a sudden frightening turn, Lexin's ever growing difficulties are brought to a head.

A fuller synopsis can be found at my website michaeljohndenniswriter.co.uk