The time hoppers
by Robert Silverberg
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ROBERT SILVERBERG confronts the paradoxes of time travel in a brilliant novel of the 25th century, when the only escape from suffocation in a totally controlled environment is to hop backward through time.Since time hopping rearranges the past on which the structure of current existence is based, it must be stopped - but not too quickly. For the history of the 1970's includes the arrival of hoppers who have not yet left the 2490's - and whose departure thus must not be stopped!Tags
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Robert Silverberg's novel originated with a short story entitled "Hopper" which he had published a few years previously. In it, a 25th century bureaucrat named Quellen is tasked with finding the person who has been sending people from the underemployed population back into the past for work. In the space of a few pages the reader learns about Quellen's claustrophobia, his secret home on an African reserve, his workplace environment, and how the pressures upon him result in a dramatic, if understandable, decision.
For the novel, Silverberg expands upon his world in a number of respects. In it we are introduced to his sister and brother-in-law, both of whom are trapped in the misery of an aimless, overcrowded world. We also learn more show more about the government of this world, one that is focused more on self-preservation than on improving matters. We also discover how time travel became part of human history, and how this influences the search for its perpetrator. All of this exploits further the possibilities of the premise in Silverberg's story, yet in the end it is all developed to little purpose. Rather than taking the original story in different directions or elaborating on its ending, Silverberg concludes it in the exact same place as his original work. Nearly all of his additions to the story serve little purpose other than to pad out the background and fill the covers of a novel . While Silverberg's talent for recycling is commendable, it's use here results in a book that doesn't add much to the original story and ultimately feels like a waste of his talent. show less
For the novel, Silverberg expands upon his world in a number of respects. In it we are introduced to his sister and brother-in-law, both of whom are trapped in the misery of an aimless, overcrowded world. We also learn more show more about the government of this world, one that is focused more on self-preservation than on improving matters. We also discover how time travel became part of human history, and how this influences the search for its perpetrator. All of this exploits further the possibilities of the premise in Silverberg's story, yet in the end it is all developed to little purpose. Rather than taking the original story in different directions or elaborating on its ending, Silverberg concludes it in the exact same place as his original work. Nearly all of his additions to the story serve little purpose other than to pad out the background and fill the covers of a novel . While Silverberg's talent for recycling is commendable, it's use here results in a book that doesn't add much to the original story and ultimately feels like a waste of his talent. show less
The Time Hoppers was billed as an exploration of the paradoxes involved in time travel. It's hard to say what was worse: the two-dmensional characters, the imagined future society, the predictable story, or the utterly flat style. The only interesting observation was that it's those at the top of the power structure who would fear most the uncertainty that could be introduced by changing the past.
After enjoying Silverberg's Up the Line, I was happy to see he had written a previous book about time travel. Sadly, this was not as good as the first one. The book takes place in the late 25th century, where society is very hierarchical, with a Class system. Unemployment is high, but all are given enough money to survive. Many are disillusioned and are doing back in time to find new, more meaningful lives. The book was at its best when dealing with the consequences of using or preventing time travel however, I did not like his characters or the kind of hopeless society portrayed. Nonetheless, I will read more by Silverberg.
2-2.5
Basically your a-typical 60's/70's pulp sci-fi fiction. (Even has the old cig ad in the center). Not a horrible novel by any means but just your 'bland' here's a contrived plot based on a few science ideas (ie. time traveling, stat machines to go from one continent to another, a future caste system), with a quick easy to follow storyline that kind of peters out/ends with no true victory for either side or anything. Forgettable, but a decent 'fun' read.
Basically your a-typical 60's/70's pulp sci-fi fiction. (Even has the old cig ad in the center). Not a horrible novel by any means but just your 'bland' here's a contrived plot based on a few science ideas (ie. time traveling, stat machines to go from one continent to another, a future caste system), with a quick easy to follow storyline that kind of peters out/ends with no true victory for either side or anything. Forgettable, but a decent 'fun' read.
Some interesting ideas about a future shaped by extreme overcrowding. Appalachia seems to be one large city comprising the eastern coast of the United States. Random access to data doesn't seem to have been discovered in a world that has teleporters.
This book is rather like the current TV Series "travellers", in that people are being sent back in time, and may be changing the present. However the POV is radically different, as Silverberg starts with a badly damaged world, but the object of his hero is to prevent backwards time travel by the disadvantaged from his period. Blood gets spilt.
2-2.5
Basically your a-typical 60's/70's pulp sci-fi fiction. (Even has the old cig ad in the center). Not a horrible novel by any means but just your 'bland' here's a contrived plot based on a few science ideas (ie. time traveling, stat machines to go from one continent to another, a future caste system), with a quick easy to follow storyline that kind of peters out/ends with no true victory for either side or anything. Forgettable, but a decent 'fun' read.
Basically your a-typical 60's/70's pulp sci-fi fiction. (Even has the old cig ad in the center). Not a horrible novel by any means but just your 'bland' here's a contrived plot based on a few science ideas (ie. time traveling, stat machines to go from one continent to another, a future caste system), with a quick easy to follow storyline that kind of peters out/ends with no true victory for either side or anything. Forgettable, but a decent 'fun' read.
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- Canonical title
- The time hoppers
- Original title
- The Time-Hoppers
- Original publication date
- 1967
- People/Characters
- Quellen; Helaine Pomrath; Norman Pomrath; Stanley Brogg; Kloofman; Lanoy (show all 19); Koll; Spanner; Beth Wisnack; Leeward; Donald Mortensen; David Giacomin; Mauberley; Judith da Silva; Brand; Dr. Richard Galuber; Jennifer Galuber; Brose Cashdan; Lisa
- Important places
- Appalachia
- Epigraph
- One can conceive of Heaven having a Telephone Directory, but it would have to be gigantic, for it would include the Proper Name and address of every electon in the universe. But Hell could not have one, for in Hell, as in pr... (show all)ison and the army, its inhabitants are identified not by name but by number. They do not have numbers, they are numbers. W.H. Auden, Infernal Science
That Time should be a length travelled over is, all said and done, a rather elaborate conception; yet that this is the way we do habitually think of Time is agreed to by everyone, both educated and - which is much more curious - uneducated...How did we arrive at this remarkable piece of knowledge? - J.W. Dunne, An Experiment with Time - Dedication
- For Michael Moorcock
- First words
- There was a beauty in the crowded world, so they said.
- Quotations
- There were times when Helaine suspected that Judith did not exist - that Quellen had invented her as camouflage for some solitary vice he preferred, or worse, for some homosexual involvement. Sodomy was acceptable socially t... (show all)hese days; it helped to keep the birth rate low. But Helaine did nto like to think of her brother Joe taking part in such practices.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Palm upraised, smiling at last, Quellen went forward to meet him.
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