Book Details
“Himself in Anachron” by Cordwainer Smith | The Time Traveler’s Almanac collection
Editors: Ann VanderMeer, Jeff VanderMeer
Total Pages in the collection: 960
Published: March 18, 2014 by Tor Books
My Review
I liked this one!
Most people want to go to an exotic island for a honeymoon, but Tasco caves in to his new wife Dita’s plea to go time traveling–despite the fact that the ship they’ll be using is technically built for one person.
As a result, they end up getting into a tangle with the dreaded Knot in Time, and the only way to break free is to lighten the ship’s load. Tasco makes the brave decision to eject himself and save his wife so at least she’ll be able to make it back to their time.
As Tasco exits the ship and is lost in Anachron, he basically steps outside of time. In a sense, he’s in eternity. It’s interesting that the name is “anachron,” because an anachronism is something existing in a time other than its (appropriate or true) own.
Tasco became an anachronism, existing outside of his time and able to view other “times.” I imagine the story was intended to take place far into our future (perhaps?) since quasi-religious references were made that hinted at Tasco coming from a society where religion and gods were long forgotten.
My Rating:
4 out of 5
About The Time Traveler’s Almanac
The Time Traveler’s Almanac is the largest and most definitive collection of time travel stories ever assembled. Gathered into one volume by intrepid chrononauts and world-renowned anthologists Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, this book compiles more than a century’s worth of literary travels into the past and the future that will serve to reacquaint readers with beloved classics of the time travel genre and introduce them to thrilling contemporary innovations.
This marvelous volume includes nearly seventy journeys through time from authors such as Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, William Gibson, Ursula K. Le Guin, George R. R. Martin, Michael Moorcock, H. G. Wells, and Connie Willis, as well as helpful non-fiction articles original to this volume (such as Charles Yu’s “Top Ten Tips For Time Travelers”).
The Time Traveler’s Almanac Review Group
This review is part of an on-going review series. We’re trying to review a short story per week from The Time Traveler’s Almanac. Please join us and share your thoughts! My partners in crime on this reading adventure includes the following authors and bloggers. Check out their reviews as well:
I really did like the plot, and how we saw him traveling through time when in was space SPOILER…. that whole prophecy with the picture things on the wall was a cool twist… SPOILER END but that was about :/ Wasn’t a big fan of Dita – or their relationship – and I thought Smith tried to male the the time travel seem more complicated that it needed to be. I did enjoy reading it, though!
Yes, his relationship with Dita kind of irked me and the ending got a little muddled, but I did appreciate the better aspects for sure 🙂
I liked the plot, too, DJ and Alesha. Just not the way it was carried out. I was left too foggy. But I”m glad you liked it, lady, and I LOVE THE PICTURE you chose. It’s perfect.
A bit sad that, being an anachronism, he wasn’t actually able to view the other times as he was falling too fast down through the times. I like your take that he was in eternity… that makes some sense.