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peregrine's review against another edition
4.0
This is the ultimate time-travel book. I can't really imagine reading another time-travel book this satisfying, because this one does it all in just over a hundred pages. "All You Zombies" used to be my favorite time travel story, but this one does everything that one does but better, while being super queer, super philosophical, and deeply imbued with the sense of wonder that is the reason I read science fiction.
lesserjoke's review against another edition
5.0
This short novel starts out feeling like it will be a fun sci-fi romp, but it soon turns mind-bending and profoundly reflective in equal measure. Bequeathed a device that can travel back and forth along the timestream, our hero encounters many alternate versions of himself: some from his relative future, some from his past (often with him playing first the younger and then the older role in quick succession), and some from branching realities that his / their meddling has since prevented. In the book's most daring section, he even strikes up a romantic relationship with himself -- and although many writers would treat that as a simple punchline or an excuse for prurience, gay author David Gerrold instead delivers a tender consideration of coming to terms with one's desires without shame.
Like the best of its genre, this story entertains readers with fabulous inventions while also posing smart questions on topics like human nature, identity, free will, and fate. It's clever in a way that serves its character(s) rather than merely showing off twisty paradoxes, and its lonely traveler reminds me strongly of Steven Gould's Jumper, a staple of my own wayward youth. Gerrold is most famous for screenwriting the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," but this Hugo and Nebula nominee proves that his long-form fiction is just as striking.
[Note #1: Although the book was originally written in 1973, my library only had the updated version released 30 years later. I can't speak to what all has changed beyond the new 9/11 references, but I understand that this is the author's preferred text anyway.
Note #2: This is the first title that I'm reading and reviewing at a Patreon donor's request. Want to nominate books for me yourself (or otherwise support my writing)? Sign up for a small monthly donation today at https://patreon.com/lesserjoke!]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
Like the best of its genre, this story entertains readers with fabulous inventions while also posing smart questions on topics like human nature, identity, free will, and fate. It's clever in a way that serves its character(s) rather than merely showing off twisty paradoxes, and its lonely traveler reminds me strongly of Steven Gould's Jumper, a staple of my own wayward youth. Gerrold is most famous for screenwriting the classic Star Trek episode "The Trouble with Tribbles," but this Hugo and Nebula nominee proves that his long-form fiction is just as striking.
[Note #1: Although the book was originally written in 1973, my library only had the updated version released 30 years later. I can't speak to what all has changed beyond the new 9/11 references, but I understand that this is the author's preferred text anyway.
Note #2: This is the first title that I'm reading and reviewing at a Patreon donor's request. Want to nominate books for me yourself (or otherwise support my writing)? Sign up for a small monthly donation today at https://patreon.com/lesserjoke!]
Find me on Patreon | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter
jaredlasserre's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
jcerva54's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
caleb13g's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
For mechanics of time travel, I'd give it 5 stars. If you're an author writing a time travel novel, read it for that reason. However for the story, I give it zero stars. The story itself is hot garbage.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Gay sex and gay sexual harassmentgossamerwingedgazelle's review against another edition
3.0
The two positive sides of the book were that it is a clever idea and a fun, quick read. The negatives are that there is a lot of navel gazing, which I hate, and the end isn't all that new (it might have been fresher in '73, but there was still All You Zombies. So, even then it couldn't be all that original.) Still, it was certainly worth reading.
trin's review against another edition
2.0
This is a hard book to review, because from what I’ve heard/read/absorbed through fannish osmosis, this book has been influential in inspiring/shaping a lot of time travel narratives since it was first published in 1973. Unfortunately, a lot of what was once innovative now seems old hat—I’m not sure anything featured in this book was new to me. So I guess I appreciate it, intellectually, but on its own it didn’t do much for me.
I knew all the major things that were going to happen from the beginning, and I enjoyed some of them more than others (a lot of other reviewers seem skeeved by the protagonist having a lot of sex with himself, which frankly sort of puzzles/amuses me—but then I guess I am a big old perv, so perhaps I should envy them their innocence). The knotty logic of how the various time jumps affect everything eventually gave me a bit of a headache; I still don’t understand all the intricacies of it, really, nor can I be sure it actually works, although this is all so theoretical that I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I’ve actually gotten much more pleasure out of time travel narratives that make much less sense—Terminator, Back to the Future, etc. This book is really more of an intellectual exercise than a fun story, and again, I see why that was important, but now that the groundwork’s been laid, I didn’t find it terribly exciting.
Also, the protagonist’s kind of an idiot. If I wanted someone to pen an article entitled, “How Not to Have Any Fun at All With Your Awesome Time Travel Belt,” I’d totally look to him to write it.
And speaking of idiocy…I really wish the copy of this that I got off BookMooch hadn’t been the 20th anniversary edition. Because “anniversary edition” turns out to mean “updated edition.” I hate this trend of “updating” books so that newer readers only have to be exposed to books that take place in their present, instead of in the time they were written. One of the things that I love about older books is that they’re artifacts of their times—I want all the crazy clothing trends! The pop culture references! The outdated political concerns! (I also feel, on some level, that it’s insanely stupid to do this to a time travel novel. Or is it just really meta?) I don’t need to read a book that I’ve tried to get into a ’70s mindset to enjoy, only to be confronted with a reference to 9/11.
Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is that this is a good book to read if you’re trying to learn about the history and development of science fiction, but if you’re just looking for a fun yarn, you should search elsewhere. And I suppose I could go back in time to say that much more succinctly, but we all know that WOULDN’T END WELL, would it?
I knew all the major things that were going to happen from the beginning, and I enjoyed some of them more than others (a lot of other reviewers seem skeeved by the protagonist having a lot of sex with himself, which frankly sort of puzzles/amuses me—but then I guess I am a big old perv, so perhaps I should envy them their innocence). The knotty logic of how the various time jumps affect everything eventually gave me a bit of a headache; I still don’t understand all the intricacies of it, really, nor can I be sure it actually works, although this is all so theoretical that I suppose it doesn’t really matter. I’ve actually gotten much more pleasure out of time travel narratives that make much less sense—Terminator, Back to the Future, etc. This book is really more of an intellectual exercise than a fun story, and again, I see why that was important, but now that the groundwork’s been laid, I didn’t find it terribly exciting.
Also, the protagonist’s kind of an idiot. If I wanted someone to pen an article entitled, “How Not to Have Any Fun at All With Your Awesome Time Travel Belt,” I’d totally look to him to write it.
And speaking of idiocy…I really wish the copy of this that I got off BookMooch hadn’t been the 20th anniversary edition. Because “anniversary edition” turns out to mean “updated edition.” I hate this trend of “updating” books so that newer readers only have to be exposed to books that take place in their present, instead of in the time they were written. One of the things that I love about older books is that they’re artifacts of their times—I want all the crazy clothing trends! The pop culture references! The outdated political concerns! (I also feel, on some level, that it’s insanely stupid to do this to a time travel novel. Or is it just really meta?) I don’t need to read a book that I’ve tried to get into a ’70s mindset to enjoy, only to be confronted with a reference to 9/11.
Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is that this is a good book to read if you’re trying to learn about the history and development of science fiction, but if you’re just looking for a fun yarn, you should search elsewhere. And I suppose I could go back in time to say that much more succinctly, but we all know that WOULDN’T END WELL, would it?
hakimbriki's review against another edition
4.0
As John Lennon once sang: "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together." Yeah, this pretty much summarizes what happens in this book.
I would describe The Man Who Folded Himself as time-travel porn (those who read the book will excuse the pun). It's the story of Danny, a young man who inherits a time-travel belt from his late uncle. He then starts duplicating himself and creating new realities, he rewrites his life as he sees fit and thinks he's God. So far, it's your basic time-travel novel. Only, when Danny starts interacting with himself and finding himself very charming... things get unexpectedly eerie. Some would say sick, but please! Having sex with our future/past selves is everybody's fantasy, right? Right ?
I had a lot of fun reading this book, despite the repetitive scenes and generic telling of Danny's adventures through time (which was fair enough, as the story is character-driven). The plot is stimulating and though-provoking, but never too confusing. David Gerrold facilitates the comprehension of basic time-travel paradoxes and whatnot to the reader and addresses the right issues at the right time.
Seriously though, I would totally hit on a female version of myself, just for a laugh.
I would describe The Man Who Folded Himself as time-travel porn (those who read the book will excuse the pun). It's the story of Danny, a young man who inherits a time-travel belt from his late uncle. He then starts duplicating himself and creating new realities, he rewrites his life as he sees fit and thinks he's God. So far, it's your basic time-travel novel. Only, when Danny starts interacting with himself and finding himself very charming... things get unexpectedly eerie. Some would say sick, but please! Having sex with our future/past selves is everybody's fantasy, right? Right ?
I had a lot of fun reading this book, despite the repetitive scenes and generic telling of Danny's adventures through time (which was fair enough, as the story is character-driven). The plot is stimulating and though-provoking, but never too confusing. David Gerrold facilitates the comprehension of basic time-travel paradoxes and whatnot to the reader and addresses the right issues at the right time.
Seriously though, I would totally hit on a female version of myself, just for a laugh.
nurullahdogan's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5