Book Review: Mind Out of Time

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Mind Out of Time     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Christopher Stasheff
Class/Genre:   Fantasy   Time Travel   [Short Stories]
Five star, Jan 2003, $25.95, 312 pp.

This collection from the author of The Warlock In Spite of Himself and subsequent mythos consists of six sensational short stories and a long terrific time travel tale "MIND OUT OF TIME" that expands the Christopher Stasheff cosmos to the merriment of his followers.

Each of the shorter tales is well written with strong characters while supporting the Stasheff cosmos underlying supposition that misfits struggle to find a group or a loved one to belong to and reciprocally belongs to the antihero too. Mr. Stasheff expands on his theme in a two-page introduction to this anthology that his supporters will want to read. Fans of the Wizard universe will gain much delight with these six entertaining tales starring humanity’s outcasts.

However, this book belongs to the title novella, MIND OUT OF TIME. Though born with a deformed body, Angus McArcan is brilliant having secured many patents for the company that employs him. When co- worker Yorick talks about a Neanderthal skull found in Michigan, Angus decides to astral time travel to find out if Neanderthals ever made it to North America. He lands in the body of Alaspar, a Neanderthal living in what will one day be Michigan. Angus learns from Alaspar that he will invent a time machine, be the founder of GRIPE (Guardians of the Rights of Individuals, especially patent holders) and will develop a sense of future. When he returns to the present, he meets Yorick again who is also a time traveler sent to save him from those who don’t want GRIPE to succeed. This is a whimsical time travel tale starring an unusual but likable hero.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner