Atlantis Endgame: A New Time Traders Adventure

Time Traders/Ross Murdock #7

by Andre Norton, Sherwood Smith

Andre Norton and Sherwood Smith have collaborated on Solar Queen and Time Traders novels, but never before have they created as rousing an adventure as awaits Ross Murdock, Gordon Ashe, and the rest of the Time Patrol in Ancient Atlantis.

In Earth's future, when time travel has become possible, the Time Patrol is the top secret government agency that protects Earth's past, so that our history will not become corrupted by invaders from either our future or from other worlds. For many years, Murdock, Ashe, and other members of the Time Patrol have contended with threats to our time continuum, none more deadly than the alien Baldies, who hate other high-tech civilizations and want to destroy Earth.

Evidence of time travel has been found in ruins dating to the ancient world . . . in the legendary realm of Atlantis. So Murdock, Ashe, Eveleen Riordan, and other Time Patrollers deck themselves out as foreign traders to discover whether something is amiss in Atlantis. They find that the Baldies are there, as evidenced by sophisticated, high-tech equipment, whose purpose it is impossible to fathom. As they try to derail the Baldies' plot, the Time Patrollers realize that time is running out on their mission, when Atlantis is shaken by tremors that presage a cataclysm that may be the disaster that sank the fabulous island state.

But they must be sure they act to preserve, not destroy, history--and if they're wrong, it'll be too late . . . for them and for Earth's future.

Genres: Science Fiction, Time Travel, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fantasy, Audiobook, Speculative Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published December 2, 2002

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really don't like time travel stories very much, but since I grew up reading Andre Norton novels, I decided to pick this one up. Sherwood Smith, the co-author, had also worked with Ms. Norton on other novels, from this and another series.
In the original, there was always the sinister but unexplained group of bad guys, bald humanoids who seemed to be out to sabotage the human past in odd ways. Their actions never quite made sense to me, and in this novel there is an attempt to explain their motivation. I am now convinced that they are more annoying and crazy than sinister, but no less dangerous.
What didn't work for me was part of the basic plot, which was the question of whether mankind's technology only develops during times of warfare and crisis. It is implied that a nice, peaceful, friendly civilization is doomed to stagnation. I'm not sure that is valid, but it certainly makes for interesting moral choices in the story.

[Kris Sellgren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fine science fiction novel in the Time Traders series begun by Andre Norton. It is clearly written by the collaborator rather than by Norton herself. The story starts when Eveleen’s earring, clearly modern, is found by archeologists under many feet of volcanic ash from the catastrophic explosion of Thera in 1600 BCE (many think that the destruction of Thera is the basis for the Atlantis myth, thus the title). Eveleen is a Time Agent, married to Time Agent Ross Murdock, and so this is solid evidence that a team of Time Agents traveled to just before the explosion. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy; they have to investigate why they were there. Once there, they find alien technology inserted into the volcano, and the tension becomes unbearable as the humans try to undo whatever the hostile aliens have done, keeping in mind that once the explosion happens, nothing within 100 miles will survive. It is a grand adventure, made more complex by discovering at last the motivation for the alien Baldies having made several attempts at altering human history. This was a pleasure to read, even though the differences between this and Norton’s original series are clear.

[Jerry Petersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters lack depth, making it hard to keep track of who’s who, with the exception of the newcomer Linnea. This may be because this is a sequel, and I haven’t read the earlier volumes which might have fleshed them out. But this time travel story deals with something that many others don’t: the problems with language, especially ancient ones. It’s a nice touch of realism.

[Larry Wegman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun sci-fi time travel novel to Atlantis - where aliens have also time travelled to the past to try to destroy Earth's civilization. Good and bad guys both need to get out before the volcano blows the place to bits.

[Peter Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is characterized by having two authors, lacks subsequent reading through, and the logic falters in far too many places.

is, however, interesting enough that I read it to the end

[anthony Lang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great finish

But WHY did you end the way you did?
Never been to the big volcano, but now I want to go!

[Suellen Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So thank you

Excellent

Was Bob
Ccc, ddd, eee, fff, ggg, huh jjj, mkk, lll, aaasss, ddd, zzz
Will do that that he can't

[Al · Rating 5 out of 5]

another good story by Norton

I started reading Norton in 7th grade over 50 years ago and thought I had exhausted the supply. This was a real treat to find and read.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite liked the mentions of actual discoveries in this; The Antikythera mechanism most notably:


I also found the pace and scenes fitting for the time.

I will always wonder, if the series does end here what the "entity" was and how it related to the priestess/seers spoken oracles; and if the "Baldies" and "Fur Faces" told the truth about why they are doing what they are. I do like to have a little insight to why "bad guys" are bad, and if this is it, late as it is/was in coming - it is none the less interesting to chew on.

Also it was hinted here, and in the previous books, that the "Baldies" might be related into humanity and the reason the "Baldies" were after humanity was to slow progress into space so we would not be a plague upon other worlds; which apparently hasn't happened yet in the series. I will be very frustrated if, indeed, this is the end of the "game" as the title seems to suggest.

But, there are always a chance of finding answers in other of Andre Norton's books as I saw in "The Defiant Agents" what might have been the start of the Beast Masters legacy.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This appears to be the last novel in the Time Traders series. I will miss Ross Murdock, Gordon Ashe, and the rest of the Time Traders, but this last story is one of the best.

Project Star or the Time Traders is a top secret government agency charged with protecting Earth's past, so that our history will not become corrupted by invaders from either our future or from other worlds. Generally, this meant fighting the little aliens in the blue suits, Baldies, who hate other high-tech civilizations and want to destroy Earth or so it appears.

When evidence of time travel is found at the site of what is believed to be the site of the legendary realm of Atlantis, the Time Traders disguise themselves as foreign traders and go exploring. They find that the Baldies are there, but there are others aliens, enemies of the Baldies also present, as well as some other unknown entities. As time runs out on their mission, they must discover the truth about Earth's history before Atlantis undergoes the cataclysm that sank the fabulous island state.

Like all of the Time Trader stories, this one has plenty of action, some romance and history, and a great story line.

[Ruby Hollyberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some distinctly slow patches in this one, and some parts where the description of what characters are seeing is insufficient to explain what they are doing. That being said, I still enjoyed it. The plot continues to move and the characters stay clear throughout, and both the premise and setting are quite intriguing.

[Esther_a · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay, I get that a series which has been added to intermittently over the course of several decades is going to have some stylistic variations, and it started out more pulp fictionish, but was it really necessary to totally retcon the evil aliens?

[Gary O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

As expected, this is a very good science fiction novel.

The team goes back in time a few thousand years to save the timeline as we know it.

They have to deal with aliens who are trying to change time for their own purposes.

So as not to spoil the story I will say no more.

[Terry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sherwood Smith is certainly not Andre Norton. This is one of those "Greed" publications riding on the name/reputation of an established author. Another disappointment for readers but remember!The publishing companies NEED that money. They just won't get it from me.

Sorry. One of my pet peeves.

[Mary Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not written in Andre Norton's signature style, but an enjoyable revisit with these classic characters. I wish the loss of Travis had been dealt with more conclusively, but I am glad I came across the later works co-authored with Ms. Smith.

[Lee Litchfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story but a little short

Time Traders was one of the first books I read from this author! I'm grateful to have found these latest books by her. A chance to revisit some of the wonder of these characters again. Highly recommend reading the whole series.

[Matthias · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was all right. not the fastest page turner i've ever read. i enjoyed "watership down" better, though i realize i'm comparing apples to crayons.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's just sci-fi

[Michael Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok read; not too challenging, but not the greatest story either. The concept is good, but not really new or fresh even if the setting was.

[David Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat interesting for the revelation of what the Baldies were on about