The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart

The Five Times I Met Myself by James L. Rubart
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (November 10, 2015)

Review by Mae Clair

Brock Matthews is a successful businessman—part owner (along with his brother, Ron) of Black Fedora, a specialty coffee company started by their father. Although life has treated Brock well—now in his fifties—he’s met with several challenges. His wife is growing distant, he never managed to heal the strained relationship with his father, and Ron has been keeping secrets about the solvency of Black Fedora. Brock’s life is suddenly balanced on a pinhead.

When a friend gives him a book on lucid dreaming, he sees a way of changing the hand he’s been dealt. Through manipulating dreams, he’s able to encounter his younger self and suggest changes to life paths already taken. Problems arise when those changes—small at first, growing more dramatic with each dream—result in altered timelines and unexpected consequences.

Imagine making a mistake then causing more and more damage each time you try to correct it. That’s the situation Brock finds himself in. As a Christian, it’s both a test of his faith and a wake-up call to examine his life. What results is a thought-provoking journey of faith, and a look at the complexity of family relationships and the tangled mess we sometimes make of them.

I had a hard time selecting a single quote from this book—there are so many good passages—so I ended up choosing two. These should provide an idea regarding the flavor of the novel.

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Brock turned the box over and his breath caught. Carved into the bottom were the three overlapping circles Shagull had shown him. The place where the past, the present, and the future meet. And the place where the Father, the Son, and the Spirit intersect.
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“It is truly an amazing thing to fully surrender to the living God. To completely give yourself over to the Spirit living inside you. Maybe that’s what dying to self means. Where you’re not worried about being loved, but how well you can love another.”

The Five Times I Met Myself, James L. Rubart

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This is an intricate story that required deft skill on the part of the author. Time shifts occur frequently, so if you dislike novels with fluid timelines, you might find the plot challenging. Otherwise, it’s a polished journey of speculative fiction featuring strong, engaging characters. I anticipate you’ll contemplate it long after closing the cover.

I give The Five Times I Met Myself four solid fish.

I purchased the Kindle version of The Five Times I Met Myself.