Final Variation is the eighth book in The Traveler Series, the final installment in the story that began in Variation Seven and continued in Strange Times, Living in the Future, Dying in the Past, Travelers' Tales, Past and Future Tense, and Future Imperfect. Travelers are the men and women who possess timebands -- cybernetic devices that allow the wearer to travel in time and change history. There are only twelve timebands and twelve Travelers, and those individuals have divided themselves into two rival factions, each with a different view of what the destiny of mankind should be. One group is attempting to steer humanity toward a bright future where it colonizes the stars, and the other is determined to work toward the extinction of the human race before it can infest the galaxy like spreading plague.
After the team has been shattered by horrible tragedy, the Travelers must come together to rescue one of their own from captivity in the far future. The Family, the descendants of Ruthie and Miles Terwilliger who are all born with the ability to manipulate time itself, threatens to extend its domination of humanity throughout all eras, both past and future. The team must accept the help of old adversaries in order to defeat this unstoppable foe.
Meanwhile, a new threat appears. The Scion, a genetic experiment gone wrong, has decided to begin hunting Travelers, and he succeeds in abducting one of the team. The Travelers must find a way to subdue a brutal killer whose ability to control time far exceeds their own.
During the time of their greatest despair, the Travelers discover that impossible hope still exists, as each of them finds that their courage and loyalty is tested as never before. Old enemies become new allies, but the ultimate triumph comes at a terrifyingly high price.
Final Variation is the eighth book from author Mike Manolakes in the Traveler Series, the story of Ruthie Terwilliger, her friends and foes, and the alternate histories they create. The Traveler Series will take readers on a trip through worlds that never were, timelines where history has followed a drastically different course. For readers who enjoy exploring the various "what ifs" of history, Final Variation and the Traveler Series will provide unexpected twists and turns as Ruthie discovers the unexpected potential in the power that the timeband gives her.
