Up the Line

Up the Line (1969) is a time travel novel by American science fiction author Robert Silverberg. The plot revolves mainly around the paradoxes brought about by time travel, though it is also notable for its liberal dosage of sex and humor. It was nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1969, and a Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1970, finishing behind Ursula K. Leguin's The Left Hand of Darkness for both awards. The story's protagonist is Jud ... more

Up the Line (1969) is a time travel novel by American science fiction author Robert Silverberg. The plot revolves mainly around the paradoxes brought about by time travel, though it is also notable for its liberal dosage of sex and humor. It was nominated for a Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1969, and a Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1970, finishing behind Ursula K. Leguin's The Left Hand of Darkness for both awards. The story's protagonist is Jud Elliott III, a failed Harvard history masters student in 2059. Bored with his job as a law clerk, he takes up a position with the Time Service as a Time Courier. After an introductory course, Jud shunts up and down the time line ("up the line" is travel into the past; "down the line" is forward time travel, but only to "now-time," Jud's present of 2059) as a guide for tourists visiting ancient and medieval Byzantium/Constantinople. Jud's problems include not only stupid tourists, but also greedy and mentally unstable colleagues who attempt to... less