The Far Shore of Time (Eschaton Sequence) [Mass Market Paperback]

Frederik Pohl (Author)

Book Description

Series: Eschaton Sequence | Publication Date: March 15, 2000

Dan Dannerman has been through hell. Caught in the middle of an interstellar war that will end only with the death of the universe, he's been captured by aliens who call themselves the Beloved Leaders, cloned repeatedly, torn from his wife, and brutally tortured.

Sitting in a prison cell on an alien world, slowly going mad, Dan is finally freed by the Horch, the sword enemies of the Beloved Leaders. The time has finally come for Dannerman to strike back--but at whom?

Trusting neither side, Dannerman must somehow convince the Horch to send him back to Earth so he can warn humanity of the approaching alien menace. But when he finally returns he finds an Earth far stranger than he can possibly imagine, an Earth that already has two Dan Dannermans--an Earth already under seige by the Beloved Leaders...

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In the admirable conclusion to Pohl's 21st-century trilogy of alien invasion, the Eschaton Sequence (The Other End of Time; The Siege of Eternity), Federal agent Dan Dannerman survives another perilous series of other-worldly encounters before returning home to save Earth. At the start of the novel, Dannerman is cloned by a group of alien Horch and imprisoned so they can interrogate him about life on our planet. The Horch are a threatening, reptilian people who are battling the most dangerous aliens of all, the mind-controlling, empire-building Beloved Leaders, for dominion of the universe. Nonetheless, a faction of independently minded Horch rescue Dannerman from captivity. With the help of a Horch named Beert and a six-armed female "medical sapient" named Pirraghiz, the human finds a way back to Earth. There he faces another sequence of trials: he must prove his identity several times, keep the National Bureau of Investigation from concealing Horch technology and defeat the Beloved Leaders' elaborate plans for subjugating the blue planet. Much of the novel won't make sense to those who haven't read the preceding volumes, but Pohl's fertile imagination and subtle characterizations are as evident as ever. The book's densely packed action and impressive world-building make it a gratifying wrap-up to an entertaining series. (Aug.) FYI: Pohl has won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, including the Grand Master Nebula, and is the author of more than 50 novels.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Held captive by the alien Horch, agent Dan Dannerman learns that the race of interplanetary conquerors has a more complex agenda that he once believed. Dannerman's escape and return to Earth prove to be just the beginning of a bold scheme to lead a revolt against the Beloved Leaders who control the Horch and numerous other alien races. The conclusion of Pohl's madcap Eschaton series provides a fitting end to a rollicking galactic escapade. Full of the author's biting wit, this sf adventure belongs in most collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Tor Science Fiction; 1st edition (March 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812577833
• ISBN-13: 978-0812577839
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,399,817 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Lion in Winter, March 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Far Shore of Time (Eschaton Sequence) (Mass Market Paperback)

Let it be said at the outset that Frederik Pohl's Eschaton Sequence ("The Other End of Time," "The Siege of Eternity," and "The Far Shore of Time") does not represent Pohl at his peak. Each novel seems a good deal longer than it needs to be and, taken as a whole, the sequence could probably completely lose the second novel without any damage to the main ideas. The main story--an involved alien abduction/invasion saga involving two alien races, the so-called Beloved Leaders and the Horch--might, except for a few contemporary scientific notions, have been written fifty years ago. And it is indeed frustrating that the most potent concept in the novels--the idea of Heaven as a scientifically-verifiable state, or place, which all living things will enter after the "Big Crunch" collapse of the universe--remains almost totally undeveloped. In all, it must be admitted that these novels are not the place to start for a reader new to the works of Frederik Pohl.

And yet I give this book (and the other two) four stars. Why? Perhaps because all three represent such a marvelous time-traveling experience; for those of us who grew up on 1950s-style SF, it's wonderful to see that such work is still written and can still be published. The fact is, for all its bloat, The Eschaton Sequence is marvelously entertaining, with interesting characters and constant unexpected twists of plot. The books work on the most basic level: the reader wants to know what will happen next. And contrary to some opinions on this page, I immediately ran out and purchased "Siege of Eternity" and "Far Shore of Time" after reading the first in the sequence. It never crossed my mind not to finish all the novels; they are truly engrossing, as Frederik Pohl almost always is.

No, these books are not science fiction classics. And, in fact, the ending of "Far Shore of Time" leaves the question very much open as to whether or not the sequence is even finished--"Far Shore" is billed as the "conclusion," but there is plenty of room for another novel. With Pohl now over 80 years old, it's unclear whether this possible next novel will be written. But if it is, I will certainly purchase it the day it is released. Frederik Pohl, even at less than his best, is still better than 90% of the writers in the field; and at this point in his life and career, Mr. Pohl can surely be forgiven for not producing masterpieces. Anyone who knows SF knows how many he has already given us--"Gateway," "Man Plus," and "The Space Merchants" all jump immediately to mind. Consider the Eschaton novels as highly enjoyable minor dividends from a glorious career. The Lion in Winter still has a few good roars left in him.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I expected better, October 29, 2001

By 

Cystem Phailure "cystemphailure" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Far Shore of Time (Eschaton Sequence) (Mass Market Paperback)

There just isn't much to praise in this book. Standard aliens, standard plot, and one glaring scientific error at the end when Pohl's plot relies on methane having a greater density than average Earth atmosphere and sinking and pooling at the surface of the Earth-- in fact, methane has only about half the density of "air" and rises up through it. How does someone of Pohl's experience and stature make a freshmen chemistry mistake like this? Answer: it was a rushed book, and it shows.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pohl with another good one, November 4, 2006

By 

Mr. Shawn M. Moore - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Far Shore of Time (Eschaton Sequence) (Mass Market Paperback)

Now I am not going to lie to you and tell you this is the War and Peace of SF...however if you are in the mood for some light entertaining SF this series is for you. The author comes through again with a fun story.