Alternate Orbits/The Dark Dimensions

John Grimes / Rim World

by A. Bertram Chandler

Ace double-novel 13783.

Alternate Orbits: John Grimes travels to Kinsolving's planet, which is on the rim of space, where the fabric of time is stretched almost to bursting.

The Dark Dimensions: Near the rim of space, John Grimes searches for a rumored storehouse of science and technology, and ends up meeting himself.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

253 pages, Double book softcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Arthur Bertram Chandler (28 March 1912–6 June 1984) was an Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Paul T. Sherman, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M.

He was born in Aldershot, England. He was a merchant marine officer, sailing the world in everything from tramp steamers to troopships. He emigrated to Australia in 1956 and became an Australian citizen. He commanded various ships in the Australian and New Zealand merchant navies, and was the last master of the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne as the law required that it have an officer on board while it was laid up waiting to be towed to China to be broken up.

Reviews

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace Double Novel 441-13783-075
1982 Dark Dimensions, grade C+, estimated series number GS22
1982 Alternate Orbits, grade A-, estimated series numer GS19

2017 Alternate Orbits, Grade A-

Four short novels grades B,A,A,B the first time I read them.
This time grades B,A,B,A for the same average result.
These stories deal with his wife Sonya, a fun character.

[Tim Deforest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Dimensions:

This is part of A. Bertram Chandler's Rim Worlds series, following the career of spaceship captain John Grimes.

In this one, Grimes is ordered to survey a strange object known as the Outsider Ship, which turns out to act as a focal point for various dimensions. Grimes is soon dealing not just with mutineers who are plotting to take over his ship, but several other ships from alternate realities who also want to lay claim on the Outsider.

The book is a solid, fun science fiction story with a lot of dry humor. I also enjoyed a suprise appearance by a character from another SF writer's novels--crossing into the Rim Worlds universe via the Outsider ship confluence. I'm a big fan of that character and, since I missed the thank you to the other author on the title page, his appearance was a delightful surprise for me.

Another visitor from another reality is an alternate John Grimes, who made a different choice about whom to marry than did Grimes #1. This creates some awkwardness.

So Grimes has to figure out who he can and can't trust from among the various cross-dimension visitors, as well as figure out how to recapture his ship from mutineers. It's all great fun.

Alternate Orbits:

This one is a series of four adventures in Grimes' career. (I don't think it's a mash-up of previously published stories, but I'm not certain of that.)

All four stories are fun, but the oddest is the first one. Grimes returns to a planet that is located at stress points in the fabric of time and space. Essentially, the author uses this planet as an excuse to toss in weird plot elements. This time, Grimes is teleported to a dimension inhabited by fictional characters, where he meets Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Faust, Jeeves and a few others. Then he ends up in the 20th Century, meeting the author of HIS stories and learning that he himself is a fictional character. It's weird and entertaining.

Other stories involve a stint in a sea-going navy on a colony planet; getting kidnapped by rebels on yet another planet and taken aboart a dirigable; and having another cross-dimension adventure where he becomes a much less successful verison of himself.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good old fashioned SF

[Love of Hopeless Causes · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spotty, aged poorly.