Time Machines: The Greatest Time Travel Stories Ever Written (1998)

Time Machines is made up of twenty-two really diverse short science fiction stories all centered on time travel or time machines.

• A Shape in Time by Anthony Boucher - Agent L-3H is hired to prevent marriages until she fails to seduce her man. This story has one of my favorite quotes, "Temporal Agent L-3H is always delectable in any shape; that's why the bureau employs her on marriage-prevention assignments" (p 1).
• Who's Cribbin' by Jack Lewis - someone from the past is stealing a young sci-fi writer's work. Who is the plagiarist?
• The Business, As Usual by Mack Reynolds - a 20th century souvenir hunter visits the 30th century.
• The Third Level by Jack Finney - Somewhere in the bowels of Grand Central Station there is another level which will take you to 1894 New York.
• A Touch of Petulance by Ray Bradbury - what happens when you meet your future self and he tells you you will murder your wife.
• The History of Temporal Express by Wayne Freeze - what if you could go back in time to meet a deadline you previously missed?
• Star, Bright by Mark Clifton - a widower's child, abnormally bright, learns how to transport herself through time but her father isn't as smart. Interestingly enough, someone drew a Mobius slip in the book possibly to illustrate the phenomenon of a one-sided plane.
• The Last Two Days of Larry Joseph's Life - In This Time, Anyway by Bill Adler, Jr. - Two roommates watch as their third roommate quietly disappears.
• Three Sundays in a Week by Edgar Allan Poe - Two lovers get around the stipulation they can only marry when there are three Sundays in the same week.
• Bad Timing by Molly Brown - an archivist in the 24th century falls in love with a woman from the 20th century but he's a bumbling idiot when it comes to time travel. As an aside, this story reminded me of the movie, "Lake House."
• Night by John W. Campbell - a pilot testing out an anti-gravity coil has an accident and he needs the help of aliens to get home.
• Time Travelers Never Die by Jack McDevitt - a crazy story about a man who has two deaths.
• Rotating Cylinders and the Possibility of Global Causality Violation by Larry Niven - what if time travel doesn't work?
• What Goes Around by Derryl Murphy - a ghost from the future comes to help a washed up actor.
• You See, But You Do Not Observe by Robert Sawyer - Sherlock Holmes visits the future to find alien life.
• Ripples in the Dirac Sea by Geoffrey A. Landis - a man tries to flee his own destiny by using a time machine but keeps returning to the same moment when he is to die.
• The Odyssey of Flight 33 by Rod Serling - an airplane en route to New York curiously picks up speed and somehow lands 200 million years ahead of schedule.
• Fire Watch by Connie Willis - not read (on Challenge list elsewhere)
• What If by Isaac Asimov - not read
• There and Then by Steven Utley - not read
• Wireless by Rudyard Kipling - not read
• The Last Article by Larry Turtledove - not read

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A great anthology of one of my favorite genres of science fiction. Each story includes a brief introduction by Bill Adler, Jr. , the editor of the anthology. The following stories are included:

A Shape in Time: Anthony Boucher
Who's Cribbing? Jack Lewis
The Business, As Usual: Mack Reynolds
The Third Level: Jack Finney
A Touch of Petulance: Ray Bradbury
The History of Temporal Express: Wayne Freeze
Star, Bright: Mark Clifton
The Last Two Days of Larry Joseph's Life-In this time anyway: Bill Adler, Jr.
Three Sundays in a Week: Edgar allan Poe
Bad Timing: Molly Brown
Night: John W. Campbell, Jr.
Time Travelers Never Die: Jack McDevitt
Rotating Cylinders and the Possibility of Global Causality Violation: Larry Niven
What Goes Around: Derryl Murphy
You See, But You Do Not Observe: Robert Sawyer
Ripples in the Dirac Sea: Geoffrey A. Landis
The Odyssey of Flight 33: Rod Serling
Fire Watch: Connie Willis
What if: Isaac Asimov
There and Then: Steven Utley
Wireless: Rudyard Kipling
The Last Article: Harry Turtledove ( )

These stories are not necessarily the ones you'd see up for the Hugo Awards -- this isn't really a "best of" kind of anthology. However, this is exactly the reason why I enjoyed this book so much. I've already read the "best of" stories, and I was looking for something new. This book did a wonderful job of combining some of my favorite short stories in the genre with other excellent stories I'd never even heard of before. I originally purchased the book solely to get my hands on a copy of the story "Star, Bright" by Mark Clifton (one of my favorites since childhood), but thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the book as well.

As an aside, I've also found these stories to be well read and enjoyed by the junior and senior high students I teach. Short stories are a great way to introduce them to the genre of science fiction! ( )

Some really outstanding stories. Most enjoyable collection of time travel stories I've ever read. ( )