Crosstime

~ An Omnibus for the Crosstime Series by Andre Norton

(Series aka) Blake Walker

Contains ~

• The Crossroads of Time (1962) Published by ACE, PB, # D-546, $0.35, 169pg ~ cover by Schultz

• Quest Crosstime (1965) Published by Viking, HC, LCCN 65018159, 253pg ~ cover by Yukio Tashiro

Synopsis ~

From the front flap of dust jacket ~

An orphan, Blake Walker has never really known who he is, and his strange flashes of intuition have always set him apart from those who raised him and everyone else he has known. Acting on one of those flashes, he prevented a murder. But neither the assailant nor his intended victim were from the world Walker had always known, and he had stumbled onto the greatest secret of the ages.

Our Earth is only one of an infinite number of Earths, each with a slightly different history from the others, each separated from the others in a crosstime dimension. Walker was drafted into a frantic search for a madman from an advanced Earth who desires to be an absolute ruler of men. The would-be tyrant has chosen our Earth as the place where his reign will begin.

And, if the powerful technology he controls does not give him complete control of the planet, he will not hesitate to destroy it utterly . . .

Write-up from a fan ~

The Crossroads of Time ~ There are many stories by many authors about alternate worlds side by side like pages in a book, where new timelines were formed by decisions and events {example: a man turns right instead of left at an intersection and a cure for a plague is never discovered and ninety percent of human life is wiped out. Or if only Germany and Japan got the A-Bomb and went on to rule the world.}
This is one of the earliest stories with this plot device. I cannot recall any earlier, but that is just me and my faulty memory. Please correct me if I am mistaken.
As with many of Andre's protagonists, Blake Walker was alone, an abandoned baby of unknown origin found in an alley by patrolman Blake and Sgt. Walker, hence the name. Forward twenty years....
As usual, Blake is in the wrong place at the wrong time (or was it the right place at the right time?) and he saves the life of an agent in a secret group that monitors and patrols the alternate worlds. Blake discovers that he has some psi powers, but the agents are more powerful and well trained in the use of their gifts. And then the "fun" starts. This group is chasing down a powerful psi criminal mastermind who is looking through all the levels (alternate worlds) to find one where he can set himself up as ruler of the world. Blake gets recruited by one side and kidnapped by the other and is caught in a cosmic tug-of-war. Good Book. ~ PG

Quest Crosstime ~ This is an odd one. This is an Alternate worlds set-up, where every decision anyone makes leads to another reality. These range from Barren worlds where no life has developed to those devastated by nuclear wars to those with thriving cultures. On an analog called Vroom, many people have developed telepathy. With Vroom having been ravaged by nuclear wars, their population has survived by trading with other "levels" using time-hoppers. Blake Walker, a master "Wardsman" (cop?) is investigating a station where Marfy and Marva Rogan, twin telepathic daughters of a Vroomian bigwig have been visiting. Marva has disappeared Blake and Marfy have many hair-raising adventures caused by a dissident group, the Limiters who want to take over and loot all the levels for their own gain. A page-turner that I had forgotten all the details for. ~ PG

Bibliography of English Editions ~

• (2008) Published by BAEN, HC, 1-416-55529-3, $23.00, 361pg ~ cover by Stephen Hickman

• (2008) Published by BAEN, DM, 1-416-55529-3, $9.99, 368pg ~ cover by Stephen Hickman

• (2021) Created by Trantor Audio, Audible, length 11hrs & 54mins, $18.37 ~ narrated by Graham Rowat

View the 1999 BAEN contract

• Crosstime - 2008 Crosstime - 2008
• Crosstime - 2021 Crosstime - 2021
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