Jack Havig In The Twenty-First Century

There Will Be Time, V.

One reason for Jack Havig to do a stint in the Army:

"'...I'd better learn about weapons and combat techniques. I damn near got killed in the twenty-first century. Couple members of a cannibal band took me by surprise, and if I hadn't managed to break free for an instant -'" (p. 45)

(The fate of more than one time traveller, we suspect.)

Twenty-first century? Cannibal band? That is us that you are talking about, Jack! For twentieth century sf writers, the twenty-first century was the future when there were either spaceships or post-nuclear war survivors. Now we have a different perspective on the matter.

Also, being "...posted to Europe..." will give Jack an opportunity to "'...explore a lot of history...'" (ibid.) Remember, he is a time traveller, not a space-time traveller. It is easier for an American time traveller to explore European history if he is already in Europe. Otherwise, he must first fly from New York to London, Paris or wherever, like anyone else who wants to see something of Europe.

"Uncle Jack," i.e., his older self, imposes on his younger self the need for secrecy as Jonathon Kent does to Clark Kent with disastrous consequences of deceit and distrust in the Smallville TV series. However, Jack Havig does not have a Lex Luthor equivalent - a friend turned enemy. But he does acquire some time travelling allies turned enemies later in the novel. This was probably inevitable. The mutant ability to time travel does not prevent a man from being a nineteenth century racial supremacist. A conflict develops between nineteenth century and twentieth century attitudes. It sure does matter which century we come from.