The Skull by Philip K Dick - Short Story Review

This was a cool time travel story.  One that plays with the grandfather paradox.

A prisoner, his name being Conger, with skills in hunting, tracking and killing is dispatched to the past to prevent the rise of a religion that upsets the status quo.

I liked how so many of the aspects of the story are now hardwired into storytelling today.  Messing with the timeline can have unexpected consequences.

It was well done and terrific to know that Dick helped to lay the foundation in this type of story.

You can read the story online here - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/30255/30255-h/30255-h.htm

Philip K Dick

Cameron Rhyder’s Legs by Matthew Kressel

November 2014

19/100

What a strange time travel/alternate reality story.

A rock concert is the ultimate battleground in a war to preserve True Time.

In this battle technology so advanced is used to instantly occupy and control minds.  Warriors from the future try to change the outcome of the concert by manipulating small details of the lives of people in the concert hall.

Sound confusing?  Well, it kind of is but the author does a great job of keeping the story from spinning out if control.  It's disorienting enough to make you feel like you've had one too many drinks before you started reading.

This was definitely strange and fun. 

Matthew Kressel's website:
http://www.matthewkressel.net/

Matthew Kressel

Daily Teds by Ron Collins

April 2015

14/100

This is a fun time travel/cloning mash up. 

What if you can travel forward in time? 

What if you can only travel a short distance forward?

What happens when you catch up with yourself?

Human nature and math is what. 

An entertaining and thought provoking story.

Gather your best geek friends and have each of them read the story.  Then sit down at a table together, pour your selves some drinks and start talking about it.  You'll be discussing it for hours. 

Ron Collins web site:  http://typosphere.com/

Analog Magazine:  http://www.analogsf.com/

Ron Collins

Expiration Date by Duane Swierczynski

On a recent visit to my parents, I was able to spend some time reading.

One of my favorite authors is Duane Swierczynski I've read all his books except his first, Secret Dead Men.

His latest is Expiration Date which is a wonderful twist of a book: a murder mystery / time travel story.  The book is old school in that it also has illustrations sprinkled around it.  I tore through it in the time I was there and I was very happy with the story but disappointed that it ended.  I could have kept reading for another 300 pages.