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story identification - Book about time portals inside an asteroid in Earth orbit


I read this book many years ago and it had a nice plot. For the life of me I can't remember the name or author so I need help.


Story: one asteroid shaped object appears close to Earth orbit or in the Sol system.


People get on board and start exploring. They find machines/computers that can teach them anything in a very short time (languages, crafts etc).


Towards the end, something happens and one of the characters goes into a long tunnel where he/she opens a portal in time with the help of a device he/she has.


In the epilogue it states that he has been transported back in time to Egypt. I think there were no pyramids.


Sorry for being brief but this is all I remember. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.




Answer



Could this be Greg Bear's Eon? A mysterious artifact arrives in Earth orbit, it is a long cylinder. As the book progresses, the main characters start traveling down the Way, the inside of the cylinder, where they find various wonders, including "portals" that allow them to travel in time and between alternate universes I think.


If I recall correctly, one of the characters does indeed end up in an alternate ancient Egypt but I don't remember if the pyramids were there or not.


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