Crosstime [Hardcover]

The first book in this volume, "Crossroads of Time" is, in my mind, THE classic novel of multiple probability worlds. When Andre Norton wrote this, her ideas of what COULD be ranged farther afield than anybody else had at the time, and even fifty years after it was published, those ideas are still more imaginative than the "Roman Empire Survived" or the "South Won the War of Northern Aggression" that have become staples of such things. It was an exciting and innovative story of a young man who may or may not be from OUR Earth caught up in a police operation that ranges through worlds much like ours to the utterly bizarre, and who must survive at all costs lest the peace of our world be destroyed by a madman who makes Stalin the Murderous look like Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm. The book's ending is one I've never been able to forget, and even before I re-read the story in this volume, I could still quote the last few paragraphs practically word-for-word.

The second book, "Quest Crosstime" was the sequel, and now Blake Walker is a Wardsman (cross-time policeman) among the people who took him in at the end of "Crossroads." He must deal with a vicious plot to take over the crosstime-travelers and turn them into an inter-temporal version of the Mongol Horde. It was also fun to read, but it felt a bit flimsier than "Crossroads."

"Crossroads of Time" makes this book worth buying and reading, and the sequel is frosting on a VERY well-made cake.

I first read this book in high school back in the early 1960's. Of course, it was two books then. As usual Andre Norton has done an outstanding job and this omnibus edition was a great reminder of the stories. The first book in the omnibus was one of the first books I read which dealt with Cross Time travel, what we call alternate history today. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Crosstime (2008) is an SF omnibus edition of the Crosstime series, including The Crossroads in Time and Quest Crosstime. These novels are about travel between alternate timelines and feature Blake Walker, an orphan found in an alley.

The Crossroads of Time (1956) is the first novel in this series. Blake is an entering art student at Havers who is staying in a hotel prior to registering at the school. Since both of his foster parents are now dead, he has no known kin.

Blake has a premonition that something dangerous is about to occur in his vicinity and, when it peaks, he is drawn to the corridor. After easing the door open, he finds a man holding a gun on another man who is unlocking the room across the way. Blake grabs the gunman's throat and yanks his head back, providing the other man with an opportunity to knock the gunman unconscious.

The rescued man introduces himself as Kittson, an FBI agent. Soon, two of Kittson's associates come and take away the gunman. Shortly thereafter, someone identifying himself as a hotel security officer knocks on Blake's door, but Kittson tells Blake to say that he is going to check with the desk and the stranger goes away.

Since someone is obviously curious about the recent events, Kittson takes Blake with him when he leaves. They travel to a loft apartment atop a warehouse, where Blake finds three other men in addition to Kittson. Apparently, these men are doing a great deal of reading, for piles of books -- with numerous bookmarks -- are all around the living room.

Jason Saxton claims that the books are part of his hobby -- the study of history -- and turns the conversation to the subject of decision points in history which cause diverging timelines. Later, Blake is awakened to find Kittson injured and being helped into another bedroom. The next day, that bedroom is locked and then someone or something comes up the elevator to the outside door and sends a mental presence into the room, attacking Blake. Although Blake holds out for a while, he collapses after the attacking presence is scared off by the returning agents.

When the others learn of the intrusion, they prepare to move their operation elsewhere. However, they tell Blake a little more about the crosstime secret and their mission to catch a power-mad renegade. Blake learns just enough to pretend to be totally ignorant of the true mission when he later falls into the hands of the opposition.

Quest Crosstime (1965) is the second SF novel in this series. Marva disappeared from the Project. Although her personnel disk indicates that she is well, her twin sister Marfy cannot reach her mind. So the detector is wrong.

Blake travels to the sterile timeline of the Project to deliver a minor instrument and to check up of the girls. When he arrives, neither girl is in the camp. Marfy is out in the storm and Marva is supposedly away in the helicopter.

When the storm lets up, Blake meets Marfy out by the rocks. She explains her concern over Marva and asks to return with him to Vroom. Then the Project loses contact with the helicopter.

Blake and Marfy take his crosstime shuttle back to headquarters, but it loses the settings and slips out into an unknown timeline. Blake checks the controls and finds them damaged beyond repair. Then they are attacked by intelligent turtles and lizards. Finally another shuttle detects their emergency beacon and takes them back to headquarters.

While not the first of their type, these novels are an early example of travel between probability universes or alternate timelines, such as in Smith's The Probability Broach. It did precede Piper's Paratime and Laumer's Imperium series by a few years but has a similar premise. These works also influenced Turtledove's Crosstime Traffic novels.

Highly recommended for Norton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of alternate timelines, political intrigue, and personal courage.

-Arthur W. Jordin

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