The Sword of Forever

The Sword of Forever combines archaeology, time travel, and ancient mysteries in a science fiction adventure. Following archaeologist Bernice Summerfield, the story begins when she discovers her own DNA inside a dinosaur fossil - an impossible finding that launches her investigation. The narrative moves backward through time as Bernice teams up with Patience, an intelligent velociraptor, to uncover the truth. Their quest centers on the Sword of Forever, a powerful artifact with the capacity for massive destruction. The book incorporates elements from historical legends and secret societies, including the Knights Templar and the Ark of the Covenant. Set against the backdrop of a future Earth, the story connects to the broader universe of the Doctor Who New Adventures series. This science fiction novel explores themes of causality and determinism, questioning how past and future events influence each other in a universe where time travel exists. Through its premise of backwards time travel, it presents an unconventional perspective on archaeological discovery and human origins.

Limited reader reviews exist online for The Sword of Forever. The book appears to be out of print and relatively obscure, with no official reviews on Amazon and only a handful of ratings on Goodreads. The few readers who did review the book noted: Liked: - Creative Doctor Who storyline featuring the 8th Doctor - Complex, surreal plot elements - Ambitious ideas and plot design Disliked: - Confusing narrative structure - Hard to follow multiple plot threads - Writing style described as "experimental" and "disorienting" - Some readers couldn't finish due to difficulty following the story Available Ratings: Goodreads: 2.86/5 stars (7 ratings) No ratings found on Amazon or other major review sites. One reader on a Doctor Who forum described it as "interesting but frustratingly convoluted." Another noted it was "too ambitious for its own good."

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🦖 Velociraptors were actually much smaller than shown in popular media - only about 6.8 feet long and 1.6 feet tall at the hip, making Patience a more realistically-sized companion than typical Hollywood depictions. ⚔️ The Knights Templar, featured in the book's mythology, were founded in 1119 CE and became one of the wealthiest and most powerful religious-military orders before their dramatic suppression in 1307. 🧬 The concept of finding modern DNA in dinosaur remains mirrors real scientific debates about the preservation of genetic material, with the longest verified DNA survival being about 1 million years in permafrost. 📚 Bernice Summerfield first appeared in Doctor Who novels before getting her own spin-off series, making her one of the most enduring characters in British science fiction literature. 🎭 Author Jim Mortimore has written extensively for both Doctor Who and Judge Dredd franchises, bringing his experience with complex sci-fi universes to this standalone adventure.