Book Details
“Forty, Counting Down” by Harry Turtledove | 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
Usually I’m a sucker for going back in time to right a wrong or save a lost love–but our protagonist Justin only left me feeling dissatisfied and giving him major side-eye.
It’s 2018, and Justin, using String Theory mojo, finds a way to make it back to 1999 in order to build a more “solid foundation” so that his wife does not divorce and leave him in the future. At first, I assumed she had died at some point, because if she’s still alive in 2018 and does NOT want to be with him, he should’ve either A) owned up to his muckery and tried to make things right with her in 2018 or B) respect that she didn’t want to be with him and maybe work on himself. But going back in time and using manipulation only made Justin look selfish, controlling, and showed me why his wife left to begin with. And the end just makes it look like he’s been rewarded for his selfishness.
I don’t want to spoil the drama for you, but if you read this short story, you might come to the same conclusion I did (or not?). It’ll be interesting to see what my fellow TTA readers say about this one 🙂
My Rating:
2 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:
No, Justin is a grade A douche, but I love that Megan seems to know that no matter what time period. I like the time travel idea, but was constantly thinking, “Ack! You’re a terrible being!”
Agreed!
I didn’t think that he was being rewarded for his selfishness. If we remember the previous story where the people had their presents changed by someone else mucking with them in the past, eventually the person forgets the old time continuum for the new one. It sounded like the new John was a far more stable, secure person (within himself, first), and for that I was quite pleased. He forgot Megan and got on with his new life as if it had always been.
But yeah. Really selfish and… conceited? in the first instance, for sure!