A whimsical introduction of plot and characters reminded me of classic Vonnegut. Next, building plot and characters with a richness and depth comparable to Heinlein or Bradbury. And the last third of this story had the action and hard sci-fi you expect from Asimov or Crichton. The time travel science is spot on to modern theory and Merritt may even have gave us a new theory to explain Fermi’s Paradox!!