In Tobal’s SF novel, a 20-something man discovers a  technique for traveling between alternate universes—which, in the long run, could cause a cosmic apocalypse.

Bartender Sam Cattan and tattoo artist Una Malia Owens are a couple in New York City. One day, Sam accidentally discovers that, among Una’s collection of pagan god idols, there’s a particular effigy of a fertility deity that has the power to teleport them to alternate realities; in their case, the worlds seem based on the setting of whatever pornographic videos they’re watching. (Thankfully, the descriptions are not overly graphic.) This becomes the recreational foundation of their affair, but it ends badly when Sam cheats on Una in one of the X-rated universes. Tormented by loss, guilt, and desire, Sam starts questing through other settings, hoping to find one where he and Una didn’t break up; in the process, he learns more about universe-jumping and the surprisingly large number of people—including members of a shadowy government regulatory agency—who also know the trick. Although Sam seems like an ordinary guy driven by love, the ease with which he traverses the multiverse signifies that he's much, much more—and therefore unimaginably dangerous. Tobal’s narrative is a hell of a ride—and, indeed, Hell is one of the first places Sam visits. It’s a tale that’s ambitious on a scale that brings to mind the works of Olaf Stapledon, laying out a map of reality based on potentially infinite numbers of universes and choices—although in Sam’s case, whether he possesses free will in his cross-dimensional rampages is seriously in question. Ultimately, the novel delivers a lucid, credible, mechanistic explanation for its multiverse and its human wanderers. Genre readers may be reminded of Ursula K. Le Guin’s classic The Lathe of Heaven (1971), but this book is very much its own creature, combining science, philosophy, Lovecraft-ian horror, dark humor, romantic tragedy, and the origin of all creation. It’s a tall order, but Tobal keeps the plates spinning in multiple dimensions at once.

Complex, conceptual speculative fiction that’s rendered with breathtaking ease.

this was a great concept for a scifi novel, it had a great concept and I enjoyed reading this from beginning to end. The characters worked well in this universe and getting to know them. It worked well as a scifi novel, and I thought J.E. Tobal does a great job in telling the story.

While Artefactum begins with a hilariously bizarre form of travel through the multiverse involving a sculpture of an Aboriginal fertility goddess, the story grows darker and more serious the deeper you dive. Although the book maintains an offbeat and darkly comedic element throughout, author J.E. Tobal does not let this interfere with the more profound themes the story explores.  Purchase Here.

All the characters in Artefactum are deeply flawed people who often end up hurting those they love and getting in the way of their own happiness. However, while these flaws can, at times, make you angry at the poor choices that are made, they are also the reason that they are all so relatable.

J.E. Tobal combines humor, sci-fi, vulgarity, and philosophy in a perfect cocktail served up for the reader by bartending protagonist Sam Cattan. As Sam hops through time and space, he makes a thorough exploration of all the lows and highs of the great experiment known as humanity. From the first page to the last, it is a challenge to put the book down, as each new twist makes you eager for the next.

With worlds to match everything we desire, along with everything we dread, you will be pulled along as Sam continues to try and build his own little perfect world. Although the tools he has to accomplish this task may be far beyond what any of us have to work within the real world, he struggles with creating his ideal life just as much as anyone in our corner of the multiverse.

In Artefactum, Tobal achieves the rare accomplishment of creating a story that is equal parts absurd and poignant. The twists and turns of the novel make it a compelling read that will keep you guessing about the true nature of both the universes created by the author and that in which we live. With the powers available to Sam through the artefactum that are scattered throughout the multiverse, he is able to continually answer the question, “What if…?” with the response of, “Let’s find out.”