Tandem (Many-Worlds Trilogy, #1)

by Anna Jarzab

Don't let the sci-fi elements scare you away from TANDEM, as the book feels more like a fantasy than anything else. The story is basically a version of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK except with a female protagonist and a sci-fi twist involving parallel universes. It starts in our modern day world, but most of the book takes place in an alternate version North America that has a monarchy ruling it. There is a lot of political unrest and warring factions seeking to overthrow the government. So when the princess goes missing, they abduct her double (or analog) from our world.

As a premise, it's fun. As a twist on the classic THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, again it's fun. I even liked the sprinkling of theoretical physics that explain the multiverse and how people can move between worlds. The characters are what fell a little flat for me, and by extension, the romance. Sasha and Thomas were just a tad on the dull side. I never got really swept up in what was happening to them because of their portrayal. They both felt very standard.

That being said, the plot was inventive and offered up several fun and unexpected turns. I'm probably going to check out the sequel, TETHER, because I am curious to see how it all turns out. Hopefully the characters will be more engaging next time. As far as comparisons go in terms of story lines, TANDEM should appeal to fans of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series.