Tower at the Edge of Time

by Lin Carter

Carter, Lin

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Pulp

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Lin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.

Reviews

[Leothefox · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hilarious! This is only the second Lin Carter book I've read (the first, "The Black Star" wasn't that impressive). I was so taken with the comical misfire that I actually forced two of my friends to read it as well.

I know just where Carter is coming from, since ERB and REH are among my favorites, and try as he might he just missed the boat. Our hero, Thane of Two Swords starts out overpowered and then just gets insanely overpowered later on!

I appreciate the sword and planet genre and the barbarians and monsters and evil princes, but the book sort of glosses over the really fun stuff and instead powers up the hero for a cheap escape or two, leading to a conclusion like an after-school special.

Was it worth it? Hell yes! It's not every day you come across something this hilarious.

[Arybo ✨]

DNF @ 16%

So bad written.

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first dive into low-effort pulp fiction slop. This book is such a strange experience. It is one of those pieces of media that is so bad, it's good.

The protagonist is perfect and over-powered (OP) from the start. Then half way in, he gains super powers. The worldbuilding is heavy handed, which I guess could be argued is part of the stories theme. At times the imagery was evocative.

Lastly the writing is pretty bad, multiple obvious grammatical errors and explaining actions by writing "Somehow" or "impossible to explain" is laughably bad. Overall not what I expected from my first pulp fiction experience. I will read a few more and see how it goes.

[Steven T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up at a used bookstore in Austin, TX for fifty cents or so. I think it was one of a box full of books I walked out with. I'd never heard of the title or author, but for fifty cents it didn't matter.

I glanced at the Goodreads reviews before starting it, which weren't very favorable, especially considering Goodreads' reviews are usually a little inflated compared to my own standards/ratings. Nonetheless, I was looking for some light reading at bedtime and gave this a try.

I was pleasantly surprised. It certainly starts out kind of cheesy and cliche, but, other reviews not withstanding, I found the writing pretty good and the story was sufficiently interesting to keep me reading. I particularly enjoyed the final chapters when the protagonist reaches the "tower at the edge of time".

There is nothing really profound or insightful about the book. There are no particularly surprising plot twists. The story itself is somewhat predictable and, one might even say, prosaically didactic. But, it was a "good read", well-written and interesting. So, I rated it accordingly.

It should, perhaps, be added that I don't read, comparatively, that much fiction or sci-fi. Consequently, for true sci-fi aficionados this is probably not a "good read", but for someone who only occasionally reads sci-fi, like myself, it might be.

[Nicola Strangis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una schifezza, metto due stelle anziché una solo per come è scritto il capitolo 12 e parte del capitolo 13. Il resto è da buttare. Addio!

[Sergio · Rating 1 out of 5]

Come allontanare dalla lettura della fantascienza un neofita!

[Devero · Rating 1 out of 5]

Una specie di Conan il barbaro del futuro, un fantasy tutto sommato scarso sia come spessore dei personaggi sia come trama. Carter aveva dei pregi, ma qui proprio non si vedono.
Forse la cosa migliore è la copertina di Karel Thole.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun bit of Robert E. Howard inspired sci-fi sorcery that displays a better than average imagination and fast-paced space adventuring.

[Tina · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah... I finished this book with one eyebrow raised and then a rolling of my eyes. Usually I like campy 70s sci-fi books, even if they are ridiculous or take themselves too seriously, but this one was just so dry, predictable, and wordy. There is a part where the author lists off a huge pile of wealth (for FOUR PAGES), but does so by referencing cultures that have been dead for centuries already in our time. This novel supposedly takes place centuries after our civilization has re-colonized planets and then lost most of our technology. So would these gems and gold really be worth all that much? And how would Thane and his posse even know the worth of these things?

Anyway, there are some other gems in this book, particularly when Thane is shown the death of the universe and says something about how people could never perceive this event! Apparently the five-page description was supposed to blow my mind. Sorry, but we can watch stars die all the time now. We know how it happens, and we understand that our universe is not immortal. Maybe in 1968 this wasn't common knowledge (probably not), but for me, I was like, yeah, I just watched a TEDtalks about supernovas - I got it, STOP TELLING ME ABOUT IT.

There was also a city they pass by that was "constructed of some time-resisting stuff." Really. Ok, fine. I guess entropy doesn't exist at the edge of time. Whatever.

My biggest issue wasn't these hilarious observations (which were more annoying than hilarious, I must admit), but how BORING and PREDICTABLE the story was. There was no threat to Thane's life, ever. You just knew he would survive. He was like the perfect man too, which was boring. Also amusing (and by amusing, I mean painful), the villain was an albino sadist with red eyes. Really? And then the girl, who it was OBVIOUS was a spy/traitor, but really loved him, was such a flat character. And she was naked 90% of the time, of course.

I won't even get into the cheesier than pizza ending.

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Carter's stand alone novels. Combines Sword & Sorcery and Sword & Planet fiction, although more in the S & P camp. Carter was not a great writer, I thought, but his books are certainly easy reads and have some entertaining settings.

[Opskar01 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago and this image of shifting blue and gray sand stays with me to this day.

[Garau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gradevole racconto di heroic fantasy anni '70. Niente di trascendentale ma piacevole e scorrevole nella lettura.