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Dracula #7
A Question of Time
Sixty years after Conservation Corps worker Jake Rezner disappeared without a trace into the Grand Canyon, private detective Joe Keogh is hired to locate a missing girl in that area and stumbles upon an ancient mystery.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
11 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Fred Saberhagen
335 books496 followersFred Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his ''Beserker'' and Dracula stories.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 14, 2025
Interesting but not engaging. The story had some interesting ideas but nothing was explored to my satisfaction. The characters were fine, but I never found them or their plight all that engaging.
October 23, 2014
It was OK, not as good as some of the others in the series. We've jumped forward in time from the mid-1970's to 1991. Saberhagen came up with a nifty gimmick for this one. I felt a little too much was left as a mystery, though - maybe not described or wrapped up in detail well enough. There were several situations that were resolved, but they were mentioned as done deals without really describing them after we'd spent a lot of time working through them. Disappointing. Still, it was a good read.
November 17, 2023
Although I’m a fan of Fred Saberhagen’s Berserker novels and Swords novels, I had somehow missed the fact that some of his novels dabble in the Drakulya mythos. Indeed, A Question of Time seems to have been the seventh in a series of novels where the vampire known as Dracula appears. Still, readers expecting Bram Stoker’s Dracula will be disappointed. Saberhagen’s version of the classic vampire touches base with the legendary Dracula in that Mina makes a cameo appearance at the erstwhile home of Charles Darwin, no less. And though Saberhagen’s Drakulya plays an important role in the solution of the major problem in the novel, he is not the protagonist nor the antagonist of the novel.
A Question of Time is built around parallel disappearances. One disappearance from a Civilian Conservation Corp camp in 1935 doesn’t make a ripple. Another disappearance gets considerably more attention because it concerns a wealthy young woman who has disappeared. Wrapped around these two disappearances is an impossibly old and brutal character who enslaves both the living and the dead in trying to control life. In the same way, he has discovered a pocket in time that allows him to enslave and exploit his slaves and experiments. All of this takes place in the beautiful setting of the Grand Canyon.
Unfortunately, for my enjoyment of the novel, I can’t figure out who the protagonist is supposed to be. The mysterious old and brutal character is the antagonist, not the protagonist. Jake Rezner, who disappears from the CCC camp, starts out like a protagonist but ends up as a supporting player. Bill Burdon and Maria Torres can’t be co-protagonists because they simply don’t do enough in the novel. Joseph Keogh seems to be in charge of the investigation (as he apparently has been in several novels), has a lot of the right ideas, and even gets injured in the course of his efforts, but he isn’t the proactive protagonist I would expect.
Perhaps, my take on this novel is harsh because it is part of a series and I haven’t read the others. Maybe some of these characters have more depth if you’ve seen them develop in the series. Yet, I found these characters very two-dimensional. Despite a number of entertaining twists and revelations and despite a clever premise, A Question of Time was a question of spending too much time to read it. It was okay, but it’s not a series I will seek out in the future.
A Question of Time is built around parallel disappearances. One disappearance from a Civilian Conservation Corp camp in 1935 doesn’t make a ripple. Another disappearance gets considerably more attention because it concerns a wealthy young woman who has disappeared. Wrapped around these two disappearances is an impossibly old and brutal character who enslaves both the living and the dead in trying to control life. In the same way, he has discovered a pocket in time that allows him to enslave and exploit his slaves and experiments. All of this takes place in the beautiful setting of the Grand Canyon.
Unfortunately, for my enjoyment of the novel, I can’t figure out who the protagonist is supposed to be. The mysterious old and brutal character is the antagonist, not the protagonist. Jake Rezner, who disappears from the CCC camp, starts out like a protagonist but ends up as a supporting player. Bill Burdon and Maria Torres can’t be co-protagonists because they simply don’t do enough in the novel. Joseph Keogh seems to be in charge of the investigation (as he apparently has been in several novels), has a lot of the right ideas, and even gets injured in the course of his efforts, but he isn’t the proactive protagonist I would expect.
Perhaps, my take on this novel is harsh because it is part of a series and I haven’t read the others. Maybe some of these characters have more depth if you’ve seen them develop in the series. Yet, I found these characters very two-dimensional. Despite a number of entertaining twists and revelations and despite a clever premise, A Question of Time was a question of spending too much time to read it. It was okay, but it’s not a series I will seek out in the future.
December 8, 2022
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A missing child becomes a lead Dracula has no intent on losing again, for it seems it leads to someone he once knew. Possibly a friend back in the day, now an adversary this old vampire must stop for the greater good of all. For somewhere there, in the depths of Great Canyon, among the twisting paths, caves and tunnels, and rifts in the earth as old as time itself, there lies something his kind was never supposed to touch…
My Opinion: The idea is there, and it’s good. Rifts in the stone, layers of time, and this here vampire seems to have learned to manipulate it by tapping into what he calls Planet’s Life, essence like the one that keeps us alive, but not, per se, as literal as blood is. But the writing is dully complex, with attempted twisting that leads no where, as it either isn’t fleshed out, or just falls flat without reaching the full potential. A tale of various characters walking various paths, and pointing at things that could, possibly, indicate what time period they are in right now. Said characters so dull and lacking of personality, that I couldn’t provide names if I wanted to.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A missing child becomes a lead Dracula has no intent on losing again, for it seems it leads to someone he once knew. Possibly a friend back in the day, now an adversary this old vampire must stop for the greater good of all. For somewhere there, in the depths of Great Canyon, among the twisting paths, caves and tunnels, and rifts in the earth as old as time itself, there lies something his kind was never supposed to touch…
My Opinion: The idea is there, and it’s good. Rifts in the stone, layers of time, and this here vampire seems to have learned to manipulate it by tapping into what he calls Planet’s Life, essence like the one that keeps us alive, but not, per se, as literal as blood is. But the writing is dully complex, with attempted twisting that leads no where, as it either isn’t fleshed out, or just falls flat without reaching the full potential. A tale of various characters walking various paths, and pointing at things that could, possibly, indicate what time period they are in right now. Said characters so dull and lacking of personality, that I couldn’t provide names if I wanted to.
April 10, 2022
A fissure in the Grand Canyon causes Drakulya to face an old foe who has apparently kidnapped an innocent child.
Saberhagen's saga meanders through some interesting ideas and while these are good, they do not necessarily serve the plot well. Also, the problem here is that Drakulya seems to take more of a back seat to the main villain.
Saberhagen's saga meanders through some interesting ideas and while these are good, they do not necessarily serve the plot well. Also, the problem here is that Drakulya seems to take more of a back seat to the main villain.
July 11, 2020
To quote a line from the book’s final pages:
“Acceptable if not entirely satisfactory.”
“Acceptable if not entirely satisfactory.”
February 6, 2021
This novel read very quickly up until the ending which got somewhat confusing. Possibly, because this was the seventh book in the series, it may be helped by reading earlier books in the series.
July 10, 2022
Saberhagen has gotten his mojo back with this book. The last one had an ending that felt rushed but this one came together nicely. A fine addition to the series.
May 24, 2025
this was stupid fun
June 26, 2025
Again he phoned in the ending.
July 11, 2015
Yet another switch in writing styles, this one more like Dominion. And as has happened in this series from book three on, the story drags on and on and then suddenly, as if the author has grown bored, there is a rush to the ending with little to no explanation. The reader is left with gaping plot holes and though the book is over, no true feeling of resolution.
I have one more book left in my possession to read, a return to Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and I hope it will be a better endeavor than 3 through 7.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
I have one more book left in my possession to read, a return to Sherlock Holmes and Watson, and I hope it will be a better endeavor than 3 through 7.
Since I don't normally write reviews unless I have something specific to say, here's the break down of how I rate my books...
1 star... This book was bad, so bad I may have given up and skipped to the end. I will avoid this author like the plague in the future.
2 stars... This book was not very good, and I won't be reading any more from the author.
3 stars... This book was ok, but I won't go out of my way to read more, But if I find another book by the author for under a dollar I'd pick it up.
4 stars... I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be on the look out to pick up more from the series/author.
5 stars... I loved this book! It had earned a permanent home in my collection and I'll be picking up the rest of the series and other books from the author ASAP.
Want to read
April 6, 2010Read several books in this series when my older son (who was born in 1993) was in NICU immediately after birth. I read the books out loud to him, and it was fun hearing the nurses tell each other at shift change what had happened in the story :)
Anyway, I've read all the books in the series and want to go back and re-read them.
Anyway, I've read all the books in the series and want to go back and re-read them.
February 7, 2008
Another in the Dracula series, quite interesting and includes more about the vampires and their interactions with people.
November 28, 2012
What kind of ending was that??? Jeesh!
November 1, 2013
Excellent addition to the Dracula series.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews