The incredible machine, invented by the very real Victorian scientist Lord Kelvin, is omnipotent. It is subject to gravity, electromagnetic fields, and even time itself! But if it falls into the hands of academic bureaucrats or madmen like vivisector Will Pule, expect trouble. And, feeling his responsibility to humanity, Langdon St. Ives time after time stands in the way of the coming catastrophe, although all his thoughts are about something else: he dreams of punishing the killer of his beloved wife Alice - the sinister doctor Ignacio Narbondo! But when the machine falls into Langdon’s hands, it turns out that he is now able to rewrite history, both personal and even world history, as many times as necessary to achieve success.