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Mind

Sci-fi thriller Dissolution smartly interweaves time travel and memory

In his new novel Dissolution, Nicholas Binge plays with time travel and memory to craft a thriller reminiscent of Memento and Inception. It is well-deserving of its upcoming big screen treatment, says Emily H. Wilson

By Emily Wilson

26 February 2025

Couple waiting at airport Description Couple sitting, waiting at the airport behind small squared glass wall, evoking a mirage, memory and dreams in blue and grey tones. Zurich, Switzerland. 2009

Time travel stories often trap characters in loops for our enjoyment

Virgilio Ferreira/Millennium Images, UK

Dissolution
(Nicholas Binge (Harper Collins (UK, 27 March); Penguin Random House (US, 25 March))

Time travel is, of course, a staple of science fiction. The means of travelling through time may differ – from a 1960s police box to a set of ancient standing stones – but time shifting generally leads to all kinds of problems with “timelines” and important things being erased from or added to them. Our heroes can also get stuck in loops, doomed to repeat themselves endlessly for our pleasure unless…

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