Time Travel discussion

This week we are tackling a short story by George R.R. Martin. (Sorry for the late start, Memorial Day Weekend got the better of me. Moved all weekend and am still not exactly sure which box my copy of the book is in. Will find ASAP.)

So maybe George R.R. Martin can write stories that aren't massive tomes with all of your favorite characters getting killed off straight away? We'll see.
I am a definite fan of his Game of Thrones series, even though I wanted to throw book five at a wall when I read the ending.

Let's start there. Have you read the GOT series, or perhaps watched the show on HBO? Does that influence your enthusiasm going into a story about American time travelers and a post-apocalyptic Solviet Union?

Still scouting the web for any online version of the story.

Got into this a little bit last night. I am liking it so far. I still want to picture the opening protagonist standing atop an icy wall though...

I've no interest in anything GOT or even anything like that. I hope I know enough history to appreciate the American and USSR interactions (?) in the story, but I'm not sure I do. I will read it anyway, though, asap, and report back.

Just finished this last night and I enjoyed it. Our hero was a quirky character but he had a conscience. Made me think for sure. Never knew I would be interested in Finland and Sweden's roll in the rise of the USSR but this did the trick.

Hm. I really don't know enough history to appreciate alternative history stories. I liked the characters and writing style here, but I'm still confused by the plot.

Question: (view spoiler)[Did the geek succeed? Did he change history so that he and Nan etc. were never born? Are those two sides of the same question, or two different questions? It seems to me that maybe he found an unexpected solution, by staying in rapport with Bengt? (hide spoiler)]

I finished this last night. I am way behind on these short stories. I liked this one and am a kind of fan of his writing style. I wasn't familiar with the historical background so not too clear about the ending but an enjoyable story none-the-less. 4 stars from me. :)

Glynn,

If you are way behind you have a two week jump on me...

I like this story and its written well. It reminded me of the TV series the 12 monkeys on Syfy. If the time traveler succeeds he will be eliminating the future.

(view spoiler)[In answer to your question Cheryl the plan was for our protagonist to kill the Russian big wig under a flag of truce...he got angry and drew his sword and contemplated doing so....but changed his mind and offered his sword in surrender...thus leaving the history in place and decided that a crappy future is better than nothing at all.

The question this raises I suppose is was the protagonist honorable or a traitor? (hide spoiler)]

Ah... well, that's a good question then, Lincoln. I'm glad I don't have to decide. but can choose to duck out.

Cheryl wrote: "Hm. I really don't know enough history to appreciate alternative history stories. I liked the characters and writing style here, but I'm still confused by the plot.

Question: [spoilers removed]"

Cheryl, I think I have an explanation for the ending:

(view spoiler)[ The geek felt so betrayed and angry by what he saw and heard when he watched Ronnie and the Maje that last night that he decided to roll the dice and kill himself (with pills) during the timeriding. He made Bengt offer the sword to the General rather than kill him with it so that the massacre that Salazar was so nonchalant about wouldn't take place. He decided that whatever would happen, would happen and he ended up 'sharing' and enjoying Bengt's life with him and changing history in other ways. He no longer cared whether the remaining people in his own future lived or died, since his only friends were the other geeks and they were already dead. He ended up with the last laugh. (hide spoiler)]

I thought it was a great ending.

Ah, ok, ty.

I enjoyed this story, but I got a slightly different interpretation of the ending. (view spoiler)[Although he decided not to go along with the main plan, he did effectively change history by giving the U.S. a different president and "predicting" the future. (hide spoiler)]

hmm...