Time After Time (32 page)
Authors: Karl Alexander
London
CIRCA 1893
“It's against reason, Wells!”
“Perhaps. But so is defying gravity. You do know that more than one man has risen over five thousand feet above the Earth's surface in a balloon, don't you?”
Stephenson started to speak, then sagged and thought furiously. Ten years ago, who would have thought of an electric light blub? Or a talking machine? One hundred years ago, who would have thought of a camera? Or a gramophone? Technology did appear to be developing faster and faster. Maybe Wells was right about a Utopian future with a contented population. His theories seemed sound.
Smythe had the floor, and as he spoke he gestured triumphantly. “Doesn't this all sound suspiciously familiar? Much like a collection of absurdities Wells published in the Journal five years ago?” He turned and addressed H.G. “What did you title that piece?”
“âThe Chronic Argonauts.'”
“Oh yes.” Smythe continued. “Wasn't it about a young man who traveled through time encountering great civilizations in the future? What a lot of simplistic rubbish that is! Give up this thinking about a time machine, Wells. It's a waste of time, and it doesn't suit you.”
H.G. cleared his throat and smiled smugly. “I haven't just thought about a time machine, gentleman, I have constructed one.”
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“A nifty, fresh and clever combination of romance, horro, suspense and a touch of science fiction.”
âSanta Barbara News-Press
Karl Alexander
, a fifth-generation Angeleno, is the author of five novels to date, including Papa and Fidel, a novel of Hemingway, Castro and Cuba. Time After Time was made into a hit film starring Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steen-burgen, and earned him the honor of being dubbed a Knight of Mark Twain for his contribution to American Literature. He also produced and co-wrote the horror film, “Rattlers.”
, a fifth-generation Angeleno, is the author of five novels to date, including Papa and Fidel, a novel of Hemingway, Castro and Cuba. Time After Time was made into a hit film starring Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steen-burgen, and earned him the honor of being dubbed a Knight of Mark Twain for his contribution to American Literature. He also produced and co-wrote the horror film, “Rattlers.”
The recipient of an MCA Playwriting Fellowship at the University of Iowa Writers Workshop, he was also a Leighton H. Johnson scholar, San Francisco State University.
He served as a Marine Corps officer in the Vietnam War. He has been a college professor, and has also worked as a lighting director in Hollywood.
He and his family live in Los Angeles, where he is working on a new novel.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.
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TIME AFTER TIME
Copyright © 1979, 2010 by Karl Alexander
This book was previously published in 1979 by The Delacorte Press and Dell Books in somewhat different form.
All rights reserved.
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Edited by James Frenkel
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A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
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eISBN 9781429944496
First eBook Edition : February 2012
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ISBN 978-0-7653-2622-5
CIP DATAâTK
First Edition: February 2010
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