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Groups > rec.arts.sf.written > #441357

Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines

From Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net>
Newsgroups rec.arts.sf.written
Subject Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines
Date 2016-06-07 05:02 +0000
Organization A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID <20160606d@crcomp.net> (permalink)
References <robertaw-1E77DA.22232604062016@news.individual.net> <a92f9e59-c521-4f8d-a1c3-af6f723da848@googlegroups.com> <f35blbp76mko6glouv1jko1psukirj515a@reader80.eternal-september.org> <20160606b@crcomp.net> <9ca77997-a73a-4bae-a752-fedb399639e5@googlegroups.com>

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nuny@bid.nes <Alien8752@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Monday, June 6, 2016 at 5:49:47 PM UTC-7, Don Kuenz wrote:
>> Lawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net> wrote:
>> > On Mon, 6 Jun 2016 03:57:23 -0700 (PDT), Robert Carnegie
>> > <rja.carnegie@excite.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>Terry Pratchett kind of explicitly gave up on keeping
>> >>a straight timeline in his Discworld novels, by
>> >>introducing an organisation of secret monks who were
>> >>responsible for stopping people in the story from
>> >>noticing the contradictions.  Or something like that.
>> >
>> > It's a world where magic (including time travel) is cheap and easy,
>> > and reality is fragile, so yeah, the Time Monks are needed.  They
>> > don't just keep people from noticing the contradictions, they actively
>> > patch the paradoxes.
>> >
>> >>And the big city setting went from 16th century
>> >>London-ish to 19th century in about one generation.
>> >>(The guy in charge is very determined.)
>> >
>> > Again, magic is common and there's a reality shortage.  There's also a
>> > surplus of narrativium, the element stories are made of.  So not only
>> > did Ankh-Morpork invent movies and railroads and newspapers and flash
>> > photography and rock 'n' roll in a single generation, but it has a
>> > grand 19th-century opera house just down the block from its equivalent
>> > of the Globe Theater, with neither one seen as anachronistic or
>> > obsolete.
>> >
>> > Not to mention the clacks, a semaphore system that's equivalent to the
>> > internet.
>>
>> peaking of time travel paradoxes, it seems to me that the Grandfather
>> Paradox only applies to suicidal travelers. Off the top of my head,
>> there are at least four stories where travelers meet young version of
>> themselves: "By His Bootstraps" by RAH, "All You Zombies" by RAH,
>> "The Man Who Folded Himself" by Gerrold, and "The Time Travelers Wife"
>> by Niffenegger.
>
>  I don't know that last one; have to look it up.
>
>> In these stories, travelers protect their younger selves out of a sense
>> of self-preservation. They also guide their younger selves.
>
>  In Gerrold's _Man Who Folded Himself_ the protag assembles many versions of himself from alternate timelines in one place
- I recall one scene where a beefy creepy alter mentions he'd like to boink one of the more "delicate" alters.
>
>> These stories are also deterministic. Does the Grandfather Paradox
>> become moot in deterministic time travel?
>
>  MWFH is anything but deterministic (despite the
>
> SPOILER
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  protag eventually "closing the loop" that started it all.
>
>  Anyway, if there isn't one, there should be a story about somebody
> going back specifically to kill their grandfather who
> succeeds, but the Universe collapses from the paradox...

In "Thompson's Time Traveling Theory" by Weisinger, a man named Thompson
travels back into past and shoots his own grandfather between the eyes.
When he returns he asks two men how far it is to New York. The men
tell him that New York was wiped out of existence in the war of 1920.
Despondent over changing his present, Thompson turns the gun on himself.

Then readers find out that the two men are asylum inmates. And that
Thompson's grandfather "had had a white, furrowed scar on his forehead
that might have been caused by a glancing bullet."

ISFDB shows that this story appears in "Fantasy Magazine," January 1937.
[1] My copy appears in "Amazing Stories," March 1944. But the "Amazing"
publication is missing from ISFDB. Is it possible for anyone to add
"Amazing" to the story's listing? TIA.

Note.

1. http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?1295738

--
Don Kuenz KB7RPU

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Thread

Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> - 2016-06-04 22:23 -0700
  Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Ahasuerus <ahasuerus@email.com> - 2016-06-05 06:47 -0700
    Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2016-06-05 10:01 -0700
      Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2016-06-06 21:19 -0500
  Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines mcdowell_ag@sky.com - 2016-06-05 08:37 -0700
  Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-05 10:57 -0700
    Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-05 18:33 +0000
      Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-05 11:43 -0700
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-05 20:40 +0000
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2016-06-05 17:22 -0400
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines goldfarb@ocf.berkeley.edu (David Goldfarb) - 2016-06-09 01:29 +0000
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-09 07:54 -0700
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-06-09 12:35 -0400
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-09 12:45 -0700
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2016-06-10 21:46 -0600
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-11 09:35 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-06-11 14:06 -0400
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-11 23:32 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-06-11 23:49 -0400
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-12 04:34 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2016-06-13 22:32 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-06-14 14:09 -0400
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Joe Bernstein <joe@sfbooks.com> - 2016-06-09 09:17 -0700
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-09 18:35 +0000
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Woodward <robertaw@drizzle.com> - 2016-06-09 21:31 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-10 05:16 +0000
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2016-06-10 02:37 -0500
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2016-08-04 18:41 -0400
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-09 11:56 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Joe Bernstein <joe@sfbooks.com> - 2016-06-09 18:55 -0700
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Jerry Brown <jerry@jwbrown.co.uk.invalid> - 2016-06-09 21:04 +0100
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines leif.roar@dimnakorr.com - 2016-06-10 03:24 -0500
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-10 15:00 +0000
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Gene Wirchenko <genew@telus.net> - 2016-06-10 14:05 -0700
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Richard Botting <rjbotting03@gmail.com> - 2016-06-22 09:59 -0700
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lenona321@yahoo.com - 2016-06-23 17:57 -0700
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-25 00:16 +0000
      Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Brenda <brendawriter@yahoo.com> - 2016-06-11 22:01 -0400
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2016-06-11 21:13 -0600
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Lawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net> - 2016-06-12 02:04 -0400
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-12 07:18 +0000
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2016-06-12 06:57 -0400
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines goldfarb@ocf.berkeley.edu (David Goldfarb) - 2016-06-12 06:24 +0000
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Juho Julkunen <giaotanj@hotmail.com> - 2016-06-12 10:44 +0300
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines mcdowell_ag@sky.com - 2016-06-12 05:48 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2016-06-12 13:28 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2016-06-12 14:53 -0600
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2016-06-12 20:46 -0500
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Jesper Lauridsen <rorschak@sorrystofanet.dk> - 2016-07-14 00:04 +0000
  Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2016-06-06 03:57 -0700
    Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Lawrence Watt-Evans <lwe@sff.net> - 2016-06-06 11:30 -0400
      Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net> - 2016-06-07 00:49 +0000
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2016-06-06 19:52 -0600
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2016-06-06 21:25 -0500
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David Johnston <Davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> - 2016-06-06 20:59 -0600
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "nuny@bid.nes" <Alien8752@gmail.com> - 2016-06-06 20:25 -0700
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net> - 2016-06-07 05:02 +0000
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-07 05:09 +0000
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net> - 2016-06-07 05:51 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-07 06:21 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Moriarty <blues95@ivillage.com> - 2016-06-06 23:31 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Jerry Brown <jerry@jwbrown.co.uk.invalid> - 2016-06-07 09:43 +0100
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Stephen Allcroft <stephenallcroft@lycos.co.uk> - 2016-06-07 02:22 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-06-07 14:30 -0400
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> - 2016-06-07 12:05 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Howard C <howard.r.carter@gmail.com> - 2016-06-07 07:55 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2016-06-08 02:23 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-07 23:02 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net> - 2016-06-10 01:39 +0000
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Ahasuerus <ahasuerus@email.com> - 2016-06-07 05:04 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Kevrob <kevrob@my-deja.com> - 2016-06-07 09:58 -0700
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <garbage@crcomp.net> - 2016-06-07 20:54 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Ahasuerus <ahasuerus@email.com> - 2016-06-07 14:50 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan <tednolan>) - 2016-06-07 21:58 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Ahasuerus <ahasuerus@email.com> - 2016-06-07 15:19 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines djheydt@kithrup.com (Dorothy J Heydt) - 2016-06-08 13:53 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines lal_truckee <lal_truckee@yahoo.com> - 2016-06-07 16:03 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Ahasuerus <ahasuerus@email.com> - 2016-06-07 16:34 -0700
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2016-06-07 04:59 -0700
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Peter Trei <petertrei@gmail.com> - 2016-06-07 05:33 -0700
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2016-08-04 21:01 -0400
          Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <g@crcomp.net> - 2016-08-05 02:53 +0000
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines wdstarr@panix.com (William December Starr) - 2016-08-04 23:19 -0400
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> - 2016-08-05 18:32 +1200
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "Brian M. Scott" <b.scott@csuohio.edu> - 2016-08-05 08:37 -0400
              Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2016-08-06 04:53 -0700
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <g@crcomp.net> - 2016-08-08 16:07 +0000
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Greg Goss <gossg@gossg.org> - 2016-08-09 08:43 -0600
                Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Don Kuenz <g@crcomp.net> - 2016-08-09 19:36 +0000
            Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines "J. Clarke" <j.clarke.873638@gmail.com> - 2016-08-06 04:35 -0400
        Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Paul Colquhoun <newsposter@andor.dropbear.id.au> - 2016-08-05 14:04 +1000
    Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines David DeLaney <daviddelaney@earthlink.net> - 2016-06-06 21:23 -0500
  Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Robert Carnegie <rja.carnegie@excite.com> - 2016-06-23 02:24 -0700
    Re: Examples where authors messed up Timelines Quadibloc <jsavard@ecn.ab.ca> - 2016-08-07 00:24 -0700

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