The Man Who Folded Himself

Rating:
Summary: Worth the effort!
Review: I'm a sucker for a good old-fashioned time travel story, especially one which presents a paradox. Having David Gerrold's THE MAN WHO FOLDED HIMSELF back in print is a blessing, as this book has paradoxes in spades. In it, Daniel Eakins receives a "Time Belt" from his deceased uncle's estate. Of course, he can't resist the temptation to use it. By doing so, he embarks on an adventure-with-a-price, with a somewhat predictable, but nonetheless eye-opening, conclusion. Instead of presenting time travel as a linear event (where the traveller moves throughout one timeline), Gerrold describes it as a branching phenomenon (where each movement in time is a branch off of the previous timeline). As a result, you can not only meet yourself, but eventually meet millions of different versions of yourself. And returning to your original timeline gets harder and harder as you go, to the point where it may become eliminated. There is much more effort required by the reader in order to keep it straight, but it's worth it.

The "science", such as it is, is fairly ambiguous, but the theoretical discussions of the physics behind this type of time travel are pretty wild and play a prominent role in Dan Eakins' development. As a result, you get a story which is heavy on the psychological effects that this activity could have on the individual. This is a book for adults, as there are adult situations; however, they do serve to further the plot in a very interesting way. While the weak-at-heart may flinch at the sexual situations presented in the book, they did play a integral part and were not gratuitous. Honestly, for this type of story, the terms "homosexuality" and "incest" really don't apply, so relax, be patient, and enjoy a mind-expanding read!

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic read that will stay with you for years
Review: In 1975 (the year events begin in this book), I borrowed a copy of TMWFH from my brother (I was 15 that year). The book left such an impression on me; it got me started on a life-long fascination with time-travel -- the paradoxes, the ability to manipulate the present through events in the past, etc. The fact that 26 years later, I was motivated to order a used copy off Amazon says a lot for the staying power of the story. Wonderful re-read after all these years, the story still holds up extremely well.

This is a book about the human aspect of time travel -- perception of self, free will, loneliness, wanting, hopelessness, etc. Not a particularly uplifting read but it will make you think. Isn't that what a good book should do?

Rating:
Summary: I am pretty sure I liked it.....Hmmmm.....
Review: Ok, I just read this book last night (it is a short read), and I've been thinking about it. A lot. As the title to this review states, I am pretty sure I liked this book, maybe even loved it, but something is holding me back from singing its praises.

I did feel that the sexual themes were an interesting touch yet at times the writing surrounding the more intimate scenes felt like it was in a different voice -- more stilted. I think Gerrold limited himself some, too. This book could easily have been 300 or 400 pages. I agree with some of the earlier reviewers that are wondering why we were not given more details of what Dan was up to in his time travel pursuits.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It is an intriguing novella that really approaches some fascinating topics. If you enjoy time travel fiction, I do suggest you pick up a copy.


Rating:
Summary: "The Man Who Fondled Himself," more like
Review: Potential paradoxes be damned, I wouldn't mind going back in time a few weeks and spending my $13.95 on something else. The protagonist behaves like a particularly annoying adolescent and seems to get little out of his travels through the decades and centuries other than endless onanistic booty calls. Compiling a two-and-a-half-page list of pivotal historical events prefaced by "I saw" and "I was there for" is unfathomably lazy and does an extreme disservice to the potential of the setup. And had H.G. Wells read "The Man Who Folded Himself" and "The Time Traveler's Wife," he would scramble to use the timebelt to excise from his memory the fact that modern-day authors seem to find the best use of limitless chronological possibilities is to have sex with one's self. It all devolves into a bleak "Outer Limits" scenario that would be depressing were the book and its characters capable of engendering anything more than apathy.

Rating:
Summary: This is NOT appropriate for the under-16 crowd
Review: Rocket fuel for adolescent angst - great stuff if you're looking to push your teen boys towards the broody wasteland of Colombine.

Overrated. A simple point about the potential consequences of time travel is explored, with great tedium...over...and over...and over.. again. The "surprise" ending of the book was transparent and obvious from the first page. The protagonist is completely socially isolated, completely caught up in himself (literally!), and living by no rules but his own. Homosexuality, incest, and orgies are front and center as themes in this paen to voyeurism and perversion. Easily identifiable as a creation from the "Me decade", where it deserves to stay.

Rating:
Summary: blech!!!
Review: Science fiction is supposed to be fun. It is supposed to be interesting even if it is not fun. This book's science was the sort of lame non-disprovable techno-babble you would expect of a star trek writer. It was not fun, it was not interesting, it was extremely boring and lame. The only time travel you will be interested in is seeing if you can go back and convince yourself from yesterday not to read it. Just remember, I warned you, you will want those hours back.

Rating:
Summary: The Quest for your Essential Being
Review: Sometime in the last year Toby Johnson and his partner Kip Dollar were over for supper one evening and the subject turned to science-fiction. This is a genre in which I write and Toby has written and published. We discussed how rare an overtly gay male theme is in the genre. I mentioned David Gerrold, whose War Against The Chtorr Series and more recent Dingilliad Trilogy involved themes of sexually ambivalent males and in the latter, a young narrator whose gay older brother gets custody of him. Though young adult novels, the stories of the Dingillian brothers are among my favorite sci-fi reads in recent times.

I'm a big fan of Gerrold's fiction, which often reads a lot like vintage Heinlein but more current and I asked did Toby know if Gerrold himself is gay? "Oh yes," Toby said, his eyes rounding with his typical enthusiasm and candor. "He's recently got a novel out called The Martian Child. It's been nominated for a Lammy in Gay Men's Fiction, but it's really an autobiographical account of his adopting a boy who's considered a high-risk child-as a single gay father.

"But have you read his classic time-travel novel The Man Who Folded Himself?"

"No," I said. "I've heard of it. It was one of his earliest books, right? But I know it's out of print."

Toby said: "Well, the narrator is a young man who inherits a time-travel belt from his elderly uncle. He travels into the future, where he meets a slightly older version of himself, and also into the past, where he meets younger versions of himself. He finally ends up having sex with some of these other versions of himself. And then in the end-"

"Maybe you shouldn't tell Bruce the ending," Kip, a handsome and boyish red-head interrupted strategically. "He might want it to be a surprise."

"That's right," Toby agreed with one of his patent Ben Kingsley grins of delight. "If you haven't read it, you must."

"Only I don't know if I can find a copy," I said.

Anyway, the conversation branched off into various other topics . . . delightful as it always is visiting with those two superb gentlemen.

Now almost a year later, I was recently in the bookstore and happened upon a brand-new re-issue of The Man Who Folded Himself: 21st Century Edition. It's proven to be a concise and thoroughly entertaining little story, just 115 pages long, and I know it's been revised and updated. As far as I can tell, Gerrold hasn't made major changes in the plot itself, though perhaps the multiple-universe model of "time-travel" reflects more current physics.

Indeed, the narrator Daniel Eakins not only ends up being his own lover, but at some points involved with numerous versions of himself engaging in gay orgies as his "selves" pop in and out of the timelines, past and future. However that's far from revealing the further implications and final outcome. Suffice it to say that I consider this a long-lost gem of great sci-fi storytelling and imagining. It need not be considered symbolic or metaphorical, yet in a sense, aside from the premise that some may find implausible, the philosophical implications are quite profound. In that sense, it's actually about anyone who lives a somewhat examined life-the quest for your essential being, plus the wisdom and necessity of uncertainty.

This review by Bruce Grether appeared in the Winter 2003 issue of White Crane, A Journal of Gay Spirituality

Rating:
Summary: I'm surprised that the other two reviews ignore...
Review: the perplexing human relationships issues brought up by this book. When I remember having read this book in the dim past, it is because of the aspect of the man's relationship with himself, his different incarnations. The boy, given the keys to the universe, lives his life and dies in a remarkably conventional fashion - of old age. So we see, no matter how far we go, we are still contained by our essential humanity. Oh, no transcendence here. But had this book truly grasped it's potential, Gerrold would still be writing it. So I can't fault him for doing justice to some interesting ideas and then wrapping it up in a way consistent with the Science Fiction era in which it was written. END

Rating:
Summary: What's up with the sex?
Review: This book had a fascinating premise and some pretty neat twists and concepts. However, it was pretty much ruined by the inclusion of sex, both gay and straight. Now, I have nothing against sex or depictions of it (in either film or literature), but it just felt so wrong here. I expected a science fiction story and instead I got soft core porn.

Rating:
Summary: The best time-travel book ever!
Review: This book is the most accurate, detailed, logical, fascinating time-travel book I've ever read. And the time-travel theme is my favorite story line. (If I had one of the time-travel belts described, I'd go back and buy Amazon.com stock.) Do search for this book. You will love it.