WMcD Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 (edited) The movie, "Interstellar" brought up some discussion of the paradoxes of time travel between my brother-in-law and myself. I'm trying to identify a short story I read long ago. I read in an anthology in about 1975. I can't find mention of it on the Internet. Maybe someone on the forum can identify it. I'll recount what I remember: (It is entertaining for folks here even if they're not in a position to assist.) It is told in the first person and opens with the narrator saying that he wants to strangle his grandfather.It seems that his grandfather created a time machine and then vanished in it. Then shortly thereafter grandfather reappeared in his time machine holding a sword made of blue glass, and died on the spot. Grandfather's time machine would no longer work. The sword was examined by experts and a notch was taken out of it with a diamond saw to determine its composition. Eventually the sword was put in a museum. Then, the narrator is able to make his own time machine. He is able to set it to travel into the future a few seconds behind his grandfather. He sees grandfather go into the future ruins of the museum in which the sword as been placed in present day, and then grandfather goes to his time machine and vanish to return to present day. And the narrator returns to present day. The narrator says he can accept the concept of the sword continually circulating in time. It goes into the museum and stays there until the museum is in ruins and then is brought back to the present by grandfather to be put in the same museum. The process repeats endlessly. But, the narrator explains further an anomaly. When the sword is brought back from the future it has no notch and the expert in present time then make the notch with a diamond saw, and the sword is put in the museum, with the notch. But then eventually in the future, grandfather brings the sword back from the future and it has no notch. The narrator says that is why he wants to strangle his grandfather. Does anyone out there know the title and author? WMcD Edited December 7, 2014 by William F. Gil McDermott 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Sounds like a cool story Gil, but I am not familiar with it. I've read literally thousands of sci-fi novels including batches of time travel novels, but that doesn't ring a bell. This looks like a good place to ask this question: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/2032694-best-use-of-time-travel-in-a-novel I seem to recall having answered this question before. Many, many times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I seem to recall having answered this question before. Many, many times. I see what you did there... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Richard Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I seem to recall having answered this question before. Many, many times.I see what you did there... So that's where Thebes keeps getting those NOS tubes from. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybob Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 It sounds vaguely familiar. Someone knows... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 (edited) Gil, A friend of mine thought it might be a story by JG Ballard, but nothing has turned up. Easy enough to find out as there is a concordance of all his works available online. I'm still looking for you. Bruce EDIT: The research librarian at our school suggested this: Science fiction story index, 1950-1979 /Marilyn P Fletcher; Frederick Siemon1981 2d ed.English Book Book xi, 610 pages ; 28 cmChicago : American Library Association, ; ISBN: 0838903207 (pbk.) 9780838903209 (pbk.) I can get it through inter library loan at no cost and search it. You may be able to get it locally in Chicago. Edited December 11, 2014 by Marvel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebes Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Good work Marvel. I see you held onto and opened the envelope I left you marked December 11, 2014. Remember, whatever happens, don't open the box I left you until February 3, 2017. Everything is dependent upon your keeping the faith. It will all make sense at that time, and be a proper reward for the faith I, and the entire cosmos, have placed in you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJkizak Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 If you have a thorough knowledge of Quantum Physics (only God does) with all of the teeny- weeny particles exiting in a no time zone (Black hole 2 dimensional theory) in order to transport yourself into another time zone you must first disintegrate yourself by computer then re-integrate again which leaves a mess of particles where you were disintegrated. I feel sorry for the sword caught in this syndrome. JJK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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