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Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

Time Travel is of course a favourite, and so is H.G. Wells (sans time loop). The masks as chin warmers is an astute observation of reality... 😅

I just remembered a story I read ages ago where the protagonist realises he is stuck in a simulation/loop because he had passed out in the basement and so has accidentally escaped the memory wipe/reset protocol applied to all citizens every night. Can't remember what it was called now... not sure I even remember correctly either, damned time loops, make your memory so fuzzy!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

It sounds a bit like Adjustment Team, by Philip K Dick https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adjustment_Team

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Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

That could be it! Somehow I keep thinking David Brin but that may be because of Piecework. I might mix different stories together and given I have read PKD extensively years ago, I think you may be correct!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

I hadn't heard of piecework. The film, The Adjustment Bureau, was based on Adjustment Team. It's not a true rendering of the story, but who cares, given that it stars the lovely Emily Blunt?!

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Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

I saw Adjustment Bureau recently (for the first time) I quite enjoyed it! David Brin's Piecework is fantastic. Highly recommended. Nothing to do with time loops, though.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Nothing to do with time loops? Get thee behind me etc. OK, I'll check it out anyway though. Thanks!

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Alexander Ipfelkofer's avatar

😅 sowwy! It's a short piece (of work). Bad pun...

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C.L. Steiner's avatar

Terry, have you read Blake Crouch’s “Recursion?” I think you’d like it.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

No, not heared of it, but I'll seek it out. Thanks!

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Yes to the preview, love that kind of stuff.

Time travel is one of my favourite concepts. If you've never seen it, I highly highly recommend "Dark" on Netflix, especially the first season. It's time travel done to the absolute pinnacle of success. Gritty, wonderful German drama.

The film "Primer" is one of the most complex films on the concept. You need a lot of pens and paper to try to track the plot 😄

I totally missed the sedative hint when I read the Bang on the Head story, but that's a brilliant inclusion.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Thanks for kind comments, Nathan. Primer added to my list on Amazon; Dark ditto on Netflix!

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Great. Look forward to any thoughts whenever you get to them. If there's one TV show I wish I could wipe my brain of and go watch again, it'd be Dark.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

OK, Nathan, what are you trying to do? Come on, out with it. Trying to ensure I have a coronary? I've watched 1.25 episodes of Dark so far, which so far I'm finiding one tenth intriguing ("It's happening again"), and nine tenths horrifying.

Yesterday I measured by heart rate. While sitiing in an armchair reading and writing, it was between 55 and 60 BMP. Then I meditated, and during that it was between 52 and 55 BMP. Then I watched Dark and it shot up to 77 BMP. It's a wonder I'm still here. Well, you've recommended it, and I trust your judgement, so I'll persevere until my BPM exceeds 150. I can't say fairer than that. Cheers!

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Nathan Slake's avatar

Hehe, oops, sorry. The first episode or so does have a spooky angle, but soon it turns to more intrigue and "no way!" type revelations rather than anything sinister and scary.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Thanks, Nathan. I'll watch some more tomorrow, when my pulse has come down into double figures. 🤣

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Thanks for the recommendations, Nathan. For some reason Netflix isn't letting me in on my phone at the moment, so I will check them out later on tv!

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Anu Prabhala's avatar

Terry, I like your internal monologue;) upfront justifying why you are opening this up to all:) Thank you. “Bonkers” took me right back to teen years…so miss that word and “humbug”. I think we inherited both from the British. The time loop is hard for me to wrap my head around, but I attribute it to mommy brain! I envy your job of a book reviewer. How do you get through books you don’t warm up to? Did you ever have that situation?

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Terry Freedman's avatar

😁

It IS hard to wrap one's head around.

Good Q about book reviewing. I have had that situation, many times. I try to find some good things about it to keep me going, and then try to be as balanced and fair in my review as possible. See https://terryfreedman.substack.com/p/the-romantic-life-of-the-book-reviewer

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Rebecca Holden's avatar

"Anyway, I realise that all this is completely bonkers" - yes, but sooo clever, and really interesting, Terry! Thank you for another great post, even though I do feel a bit 🤯 after reading it. 😀

I'm looking forward to your proposed future EiS which includes editorial comments - such a great idea. 💡

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Thanks, Rebecca!

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Jim Cummings's avatar

I love the time loop and the associated conundrums. Great job on this one, Terry. Also chuckled at the editing notes.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Cheers, Jim! 😁

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

The rewrites have the potential to be endless. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around a time loop. I understand the explanation but the implementation would drive me “bonkers.” (My new favorite word.)

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Terry Freedman's avatar

It drives EVERYONE bonkers -- unless they are already bonkers. Glad you like the word!

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Mary B's avatar

Love the editorial comments, the red pen is always a friend. I like that version very much and if I were in your class, I think you might ask me if I had been paying attention *at all* to anything you've ever said. 😅

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Terry Freedman's avatar

Chortle!

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Donna McArthur's avatar

I applaud you for tackling this difficult topic! This is fascinating and can be examined from every possible angle. I have no answers other than there is just so much we don't know which sounds like a cop-out but is more of an admission of truth (from my perspective).

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Good Humor by CK Steefel's avatar

What she said.

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Terry Freedman's avatar

LOL. Thanks, Carissa!

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Terry Freedman's avatar

😁 Thanks very much, Donna. I agree with you, and I don't think it's a cop-out

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