Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus (1996) is a science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card that reimagines the life of Columbus through the eyes of future scientists who use time travel to alter history. In a world plagued by ecological collapse, researchers from the organization Pastwatch discover they can influence the past. They target Columbus, whose original vision to reclaim the Holy Land was redirected westward by a future-generated hologram. To prevent centuries of imperialist violence, the team travels back to reshape the encounter between Europe and the Americas. By empowering Indigenous civilizations and guiding Columbus toward peace, they forge a new, more humane timeline—one where colonization gives way to coexistence.
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