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Time Safari
Henry Vickers leads an expedition of big game hunters back into time in order to hunt dinosaurs
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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91 people want to read
About the author
David Drake
306 books886 followersDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the major authors of the military science fiction genre.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 27, 2014
I mean, really. It’s called Time Safari. Do I really have to explain it to you? It’s “A Sound of Thunder” but without the butterfly and with more sexual tension.
At some point in the future, the Israeli government has developed time travel. With a margin of error plus or minus 5000 years, it is useless for rewriting the recent past, but hunting expeditions to the Cretaceous provide a useful source of funding for the project. Henry Vickers is an experienced guide with the company. With this latest expedition, however, a jealous manbaby of a husband puts everyone’s lives in jeopardy, stranding them in the Cretaceous.
Actually, now that I write the summary out like that, I could see this becoming a compelling full-length novel. It just needs a subplot set “meanwhile, in the future” with Stern and Dr Galli discussing the various machinations of the time travel institute. And the interactions and motivations of the characters in the hunting expedition could be better explored. Most of the characters are mere stock caricatures pasted into the story because they need to be there. Aside from Vickers and Adrienne Salmes, the characters tend to be shallower than a wading pool at low tide.
Time Safari is action-adventure science fiction at its most lush. Drake doesn’t waste any time with any of that paradox temporal logic bullshit; he ignores the entire question of altering the future by hunting dinosaurs because they are hunting fucking dinosaurs. The plot itself could reasonably be set in a hunting expedition in the present; the time-travel conceit merely allows for an increased sense of isolation and more exotic source of danger. Really it’s about a straw person of an “anything you can do I can do better” woman who married a man who “isn’t man enough for her” and deals with this problem by sleeping with other men, who are presumably manlier and therefore more acceptable. Because strong, capable women only want stronger, more capable manly men, amirite? Actually, maybe the best thing about Time Safari is how Drake demonstrates that a man can try to write capable, three-dimensional characters and still fail spectacularly.
If one ignores the gratingly chauvinistic romance subplot, then what’s left is … well, not much. There is a modicum of pleasure to be had in Drake’s descriptions of hunting dinosaurs. Being neither a hunter nor a gun enthusiast myself, these descriptions did very little for me; your mileage my vary. That being said, Drake does a good job when it comes to the more tense action sequences, such as the showdown between the tyrannosaur and the helicopter.
Depending on the scientific explanations one lobs at the respective stories, Time Safari is still probably more believable than Jurassic Park….
Read as part of The Mammoth Book of Short Science Fiction Novels .
At some point in the future, the Israeli government has developed time travel. With a margin of error plus or minus 5000 years, it is useless for rewriting the recent past, but hunting expeditions to the Cretaceous provide a useful source of funding for the project. Henry Vickers is an experienced guide with the company. With this latest expedition, however, a jealous manbaby of a husband puts everyone’s lives in jeopardy, stranding them in the Cretaceous.
Actually, now that I write the summary out like that, I could see this becoming a compelling full-length novel. It just needs a subplot set “meanwhile, in the future” with Stern and Dr Galli discussing the various machinations of the time travel institute. And the interactions and motivations of the characters in the hunting expedition could be better explored. Most of the characters are mere stock caricatures pasted into the story because they need to be there. Aside from Vickers and Adrienne Salmes, the characters tend to be shallower than a wading pool at low tide.
Time Safari is action-adventure science fiction at its most lush. Drake doesn’t waste any time with any of that paradox temporal logic bullshit; he ignores the entire question of altering the future by hunting dinosaurs because they are hunting fucking dinosaurs. The plot itself could reasonably be set in a hunting expedition in the present; the time-travel conceit merely allows for an increased sense of isolation and more exotic source of danger. Really it’s about a straw person of an “anything you can do I can do better” woman who married a man who “isn’t man enough for her” and deals with this problem by sleeping with other men, who are presumably manlier and therefore more acceptable. Because strong, capable women only want stronger, more capable manly men, amirite? Actually, maybe the best thing about Time Safari is how Drake demonstrates that a man can try to write capable, three-dimensional characters and still fail spectacularly.
If one ignores the gratingly chauvinistic romance subplot, then what’s left is … well, not much. There is a modicum of pleasure to be had in Drake’s descriptions of hunting dinosaurs. Being neither a hunter nor a gun enthusiast myself, these descriptions did very little for me; your mileage my vary. That being said, Drake does a good job when it comes to the more tense action sequences, such as the showdown between the tyrannosaur and the helicopter.
Depending on the scientific explanations one lobs at the respective stories, Time Safari is still probably more believable than Jurassic Park….
Read as part of The Mammoth Book of Short Science Fiction Novels .
March 20, 2024
This is a fix-up novel about hunting for dinosaurs via time machine. It's a kind of common staple of the field (Bradbury, de Camp, Crichton...) but with Drake's unique adventurous twist. Good, typical Drake, which was always good indeed.
August 28, 2020
I enjoy this book. It involves dinosaurs, time travel, men hunting dinosaurs, dinosaurs hunting men, strong men, stupid men, and beautiful-and-strong-and intelligent women. And some international intrigue. And guns. "Lots of guns." The character development is decent; Henry Vickers probably has the most (and "best") character development over the course of the stories, followed by his wife, Adrienne Vickers, then probably Avraham Stern (the Israeli in overall charge of the "Time Travel Experiment"). There is a lot of expositions in parts, but there is also plenty of action. The pacing is pretty close to about right; the "worst" part of the book for me was the first story (which introduces the readers to the main character ). The middle story was the best, and the final act was a bit anticlimactic (sadly).
This time around, I did find myself wishing the "middle act" had been longer, or maybe there had been an earlier "time safari" or two between the first and third acts. I think the author's idea does lend itself to multiple short stories or even possible a series of short story anthologies. They would not all have to be about hunting animals, but I am sure after a few such digressions from "hunting" the idea would lose its charm as the stories would be "less exciting." Still, though, I thought the author did a nice job with his idea, overall. It was pretty tight, had a nice "backstory" behind why these "time safaris" are taking place, and the author does not waste time explaining how and why "time travel" came to be; the reader is expected to just accept it and move on. Still, though, it could be interesting to see how "modern people" handle being thrust into such "unnatural times and places" as the distant past and how being removed from what he or she knows affects them, how it changes them. The author clearly "knows his stuff," though, regarding the different weapons that are used in the book as well as how modern technology might be used or adapted to be used in prehistoric history.
It is funny, too, when one considers that various "tracks" are being left behind by both people and machinery as well as various modern objects over the course of the book and how none of these objects or "tracks" are ever mentioned as being found in the "present" or having changed the "present day."
None of the characters in the book are "perfect" people. Everybody (well, I think everybody) is broken, to some extent (or assumed to be "broken" in some way). It does create interesting "interpersonal dynamics" between individuals on the three safaris described in the book. Even Henry Vickers, the "hero," is broken from something that happened in his past. The author makes veiled comments about Vickers throughout the stories, implying he was probably in the military at some point, based on how he reacts as well as his familiarity and comfort around modern military weapons and equipment. Vickers also reacts in specific ways to specific people or specific stimuli, again indicating that something happened to him that made it easier for him to see out a dangerous job with limited human contact as opposed to continuing to interact with the human race at large. The people who go on these "time safaris" are implied to be quite wealthy, to some degree (at least, wealthy enough to pay for these "jaunts" to the prehistoric past), and many of them have the attitudes one assumes automatically go with wealth. I think, to an extent, this "brokenness" helps make the characters more "relatable" and "real" as opposed to "cardboard cutouts" and stock figures.
It is also interesting that Israel is the country that developed time travel and not one of the larger "First World Nations." I "now" think the stories takes place in Israel's "prehistoric past;" I had always assumed, for some reason, that when they traveled back, they ended up in the US of A during prior readings of the book (my own arrogance, I assume?). Most of the author's books that I have read usually involved traveling to other planets (be it via the Hammer's Slammers books or Redliners; granted, his Belisarious books were also about Earth's past history, but involving the Roman Empire some point after Constantine made the mistake of declaring it a "Christian Empire"). It was interesting to read a book that was (supposed to be) written from "an Israeli perspective" (even if that "perspective" was the "larger picture hidden behind the time safaris") as opposed to an "American perspective." There was an ulterior motive behind why the Israelis were doing what they were doing; it might have been interesting to read a book that would have been similar to the ending of A Sound of Thunder had the Israeli plans to "change time" worked.
I think the second story (still) had the "most suspense" to (in) it. Considering the number of times I have read this book over the years, I think it says quite a bit about how successful the author was in creating "suspense" in this middle story.
I also enjoyed the comments and descriptions relating to how the humans "interacted with" the dinosaurs; I thought the responses and reactions were all believable, for the most part.
It was a fun story to revisit, and I am glad I read it. Now, it has gotten me in the mood for Jurassic Park, hahahah!
This time around, I did find myself wishing the "middle act" had been longer, or maybe there had been an earlier "time safari" or two between the first and third acts. I think the author's idea does lend itself to multiple short stories or even possible a series of short story anthologies. They would not all have to be about hunting animals, but I am sure after a few such digressions from "hunting" the idea would lose its charm as the stories would be "less exciting." Still, though, I thought the author did a nice job with his idea, overall. It was pretty tight, had a nice "backstory" behind why these "time safaris" are taking place, and the author does not waste time explaining how and why "time travel" came to be; the reader is expected to just accept it and move on. Still, though, it could be interesting to see how "modern people" handle being thrust into such "unnatural times and places" as the distant past and how being removed from what he or she knows affects them, how it changes them. The author clearly "knows his stuff," though, regarding the different weapons that are used in the book as well as how modern technology might be used or adapted to be used in prehistoric history.
It is funny, too, when one considers that various "tracks" are being left behind by both people and machinery as well as various modern objects over the course of the book and how none of these objects or "tracks" are ever mentioned as being found in the "present" or having changed the "present day."
None of the characters in the book are "perfect" people. Everybody (well, I think everybody) is broken, to some extent (or assumed to be "broken" in some way). It does create interesting "interpersonal dynamics" between individuals on the three safaris described in the book. Even Henry Vickers, the "hero," is broken from something that happened in his past. The author makes veiled comments about Vickers throughout the stories, implying he was probably in the military at some point, based on how he reacts as well as his familiarity and comfort around modern military weapons and equipment. Vickers also reacts in specific ways to specific people or specific stimuli, again indicating that something happened to him that made it easier for him to see out a dangerous job with limited human contact as opposed to continuing to interact with the human race at large. The people who go on these "time safaris" are implied to be quite wealthy, to some degree (at least, wealthy enough to pay for these "jaunts" to the prehistoric past), and many of them have the attitudes one assumes automatically go with wealth. I think, to an extent, this "brokenness" helps make the characters more "relatable" and "real" as opposed to "cardboard cutouts" and stock figures.
It is also interesting that Israel is the country that developed time travel and not one of the larger "First World Nations." I "now" think the stories takes place in Israel's "prehistoric past;" I had always assumed, for some reason, that when they traveled back, they ended up in the US of A during prior readings of the book (my own arrogance, I assume?). Most of the author's books that I have read usually involved traveling to other planets (be it via the Hammer's Slammers books or Redliners; granted, his Belisarious books were also about Earth's past history, but involving the Roman Empire some point after Constantine made the mistake of declaring it a "Christian Empire"). It was interesting to read a book that was (supposed to be) written from "an Israeli perspective" (even if that "perspective" was the "larger picture hidden behind the time safaris") as opposed to an "American perspective." There was an ulterior motive behind why the Israelis were doing what they were doing; it might have been interesting to read a book that would have been similar to the ending of A Sound of Thunder had the Israeli plans to "change time" worked.
I think the second story (still) had the "most suspense" to (in) it. Considering the number of times I have read this book over the years, I think it says quite a bit about how successful the author was in creating "suspense" in this middle story.
I also enjoyed the comments and descriptions relating to how the humans "interacted with" the dinosaurs; I thought the responses and reactions were all believable, for the most part.
It was a fun story to revisit, and I am glad I read it. Now, it has gotten me in the mood for Jurassic Park, hahahah!
August 14, 2014
Just finished reading this for the fourth or fifth time. For some reason, 'Birds of Prey' got me in the mood to read this book again. This 'version' of the book has three parts [stories]. I thought it was a well-written book, overall. The pacing was about right. There was a lot of technical terms in it - I guess I am more familiar with the various dinosaurs as opposed to extinct mammals. I have the 'Tor' edition as well as the Baen; it has an interesting exposition at the end by the author about Dinosaurs and how our views/opinions of them have changed over the years [last 150 years, that is].
We meet 'the Great White Hunter' and his two companions right off the bat as they are exploring a more recent time period involving mammals . The book actually starts out with a saber-tooth tiger attacking - what a way to start a book! The intrepid explorers have no qualms about killing various animals so that their remains can be taken back 'Topside' for study, yet when the scientist in charge wishes to capture a hominid for study, the youngest male member of the expedition acquires unexpected cold feet over sudden worries about how taking a hominid with them or future killings of animals will adversely affect the human race as they know it. The time travelers refer to the modern-day present as 'Topside.'
The next story takes place 'several years later.' Vickers is leading a safari that is hunting big dinosaurs in the Cretaceous Period. He has a pre-prep meeting to help the hunters 'know' what they will be hunting. The 'tour group' is mixed of photographers and hunters [including a feuding husband and wife]. The safari starts off on a good note - pictures shot and trophies taken. Everybody wants a T-Rex, though. The mix is already volatile, what with the alpha-male husband feeling the need to prove himself and his wife stirring up the mix by shacking up with the other safari members out of spite. Vickers, Adrienne Salmes, and one of the other team members crash in the savannah and are hunted by an enraged T-Rex as they try to make it back to camp. Upon reaching the camp, they discover it has been turned into a slaughterhouse - packs of carnivores are feasting on dead herbivores. Vickers and Adrienne climb into a tracked all-purpose vehicle in an effort to lead the T-Rex away from the others. Their only means of escape is to head into the water [river] and hope the aquatic denizens do not find them temptingly tasty.
The third part of the book involves Vickers and Adrienne living at the 'end' of the Cretaceous Period, tracking and capturing live dinos to send back 'Topside' for study. After sending a captured T-Rex 'Topside' for study, Vickers and Adrienne are 'requested' to host one last time safari on behalf of the Israelis for the United States Secretary of State because the Israelis need America's help and influence . The Secretary of State is from Texan and bloodthirsty to boot [not saying all Texans are bloodthirsty; just this guy], emptying entire clips into a single dinosaur when a single bullet would have done the job. He does acquire some nice trophies, but he wants a T-Rex to put his dad's bull elephant trophy to shame. Unfortunately, a T-Rex cannot be made to magically appear. Or maybe it can. Before returning 'Topside', Vickers captures a Titanopteryx to send it back to the present. Vickers and Adrienne return to their 'home' at the end of the Cretaceous Period, mulling over the fate of the dinosaurs and the rise of the mammals .
It was a good book. I really enjoyed it. It kept my attention throughout the entire book, even having read it for the fifth or sixth time. The pacing was about right, and there was very little language or obnoxious sexuality.
We meet 'the Great White Hunter' and his two companions right off the bat as they are exploring a more recent time period involving mammals . The book actually starts out with a saber-tooth tiger attacking - what a way to start a book! The intrepid explorers have no qualms about killing various animals so that their remains can be taken back 'Topside' for study, yet when the scientist in charge wishes to capture a hominid for study, the youngest male member of the expedition acquires unexpected cold feet over sudden worries about how taking a hominid with them or future killings of animals will adversely affect the human race as they know it. The time travelers refer to the modern-day present as 'Topside.'
The next story takes place 'several years later.' Vickers is leading a safari that is hunting big dinosaurs in the Cretaceous Period. He has a pre-prep meeting to help the hunters 'know' what they will be hunting. The 'tour group' is mixed of photographers and hunters [including a feuding husband and wife]. The safari starts off on a good note - pictures shot and trophies taken. Everybody wants a T-Rex, though. The mix is already volatile, what with the alpha-male husband feeling the need to prove himself and his wife stirring up the mix by shacking up with the other safari members out of spite. Vickers, Adrienne Salmes, and one of the other team members crash in the savannah and are hunted by an enraged T-Rex as they try to make it back to camp. Upon reaching the camp, they discover it has been turned into a slaughterhouse - packs of carnivores are feasting on dead herbivores. Vickers and Adrienne climb into a tracked all-purpose vehicle in an effort to lead the T-Rex away from the others. Their only means of escape is to head into the water [river] and hope the aquatic denizens do not find them temptingly tasty.
The third part of the book involves Vickers and Adrienne living at the 'end' of the Cretaceous Period, tracking and capturing live dinos to send back 'Topside' for study. After sending a captured T-Rex 'Topside' for study, Vickers and Adrienne are 'requested' to host one last time safari on behalf of the Israelis for the United States Secretary of State because the Israelis need America's help and influence . The Secretary of State is from Texan and bloodthirsty to boot [not saying all Texans are bloodthirsty; just this guy], emptying entire clips into a single dinosaur when a single bullet would have done the job. He does acquire some nice trophies, but he wants a T-Rex to put his dad's bull elephant trophy to shame. Unfortunately, a T-Rex cannot be made to magically appear. Or maybe it can. Before returning 'Topside', Vickers captures a Titanopteryx to send it back to the present. Vickers and Adrienne return to their 'home' at the end of the Cretaceous Period, mulling over the fate of the dinosaurs and the rise of the mammals .
It was a good book. I really enjoyed it. It kept my attention throughout the entire book, even having read it for the fifth or sixth time. The pacing was about right, and there was very little language or obnoxious sexuality.
May 25, 2021
This book is terrible. Stupid safari guides and stupid scientist lady. When you get your time machine do not investigate the past like this. People who have bad judgement and get themselves in situations they never should have. A little training and preparation (author's knowledge of how real operations and expeditions work would help) would have worked wonders. Don't waste your time on this one.
February 3, 2023
Quick read from the 80s by one of my favorite authors. First time reading this one after picking up at a used book store.
This is a cross between the old Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure stories from the 1930s and 1940s and Michael Crichtons stuff from the 1980s and 1990s.
Just a fun read with Dinosaurs, time machines, and a fun "great white hunter" vibe harking back to late 1800s and early 1900s African safaris.
This is a cross between the old Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure stories from the 1930s and 1940s and Michael Crichtons stuff from the 1980s and 1990s.
Just a fun read with Dinosaurs, time machines, and a fun "great white hunter" vibe harking back to late 1800s and early 1900s African safaris.
August 7, 2017
Awesome time travel, cool dinosaur hunts, but you know what the best part is? The sex-positive feminist character.
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November 22, 2021Full review: https://monsterbookclub.com/2021/11/2...
March 22, 2022
Skip the 1st 3rd of the book - not near as good as the rest of the book, and doesn't really relate to the main story.
May 16, 2024
Those who love the military science fiction novels of David Drake know the author is a master of action-packed plots and battle scenes, and it's a skill he brings to this tale of a time travelling tour guide escorting big game hunters into the past so they can shoot dinosaurs. It's a fun, monster-filled romp that should keep most readers entertained.
March 22, 2020
This is a very fine work which predates Jurassic Park by a number of years. It is a fix-up novel; that is, it is composed of three shorter, connected pieces ("Calibration Run", the eponymous story, and "Boundary Layer). All are well-written and thoroughly researched (by the standards of the 1980s, when it was written). Drake posits a world in which the Israeli government has invented a time machine. In order to defray the expense of their research program, they conduct dinosaur-hunting safaris for wealthy clients. But not much time is wasted on gadgetry. Drake is more concerned with the interactions of his characters with their intended prey, and each other. His view of humanity is thoroughly cynical. His characters, therefore, although sparingly drawn, seem unfortunately familiar. In every case, arrogance and ignorance lead to disaster, sometimes with gruesomely fatal results. His protagonist, the safari guide Henry Vickers, comes to prefer living in the Cretaceous to associating with his fellows in real time. All in all, I recommend it highly. It is one of my favorite "overlooked" SF novels.
April 8, 2013
A scientist backed financially by the Israli government has developed time travel and is sending safari excursions to the Cretaceous period of Earth's history. They send small groups of wealthy people back with the aim of hunting dinosaurs for sport. Also along are those who document these safaris with cameras. Henry Vicars is a senior hunting guide and a very diplomatic leader who deals with the most difficult and dangerous of these clients. Some of these clients have more money than sense and they often put the saftey of the whole group at risk.
Henry is destined to meet and marry a woman who is his equal in shooting ability, bravery and has a calm head in a crisis. These two, and their adventures are the basis for this story.
I thought this book was just ok, I would not recommend it unless you are into hunting or dinosaurs. I did like the possible explanation for the cause of the dinosaurs downfall and ultimate disappearance from Earth. Overall I can say I was glad that this book was only 248 pages, so therefor not a longer commitment.
Henry is destined to meet and marry a woman who is his equal in shooting ability, bravery and has a calm head in a crisis. These two, and their adventures are the basis for this story.
I thought this book was just ok, I would not recommend it unless you are into hunting or dinosaurs. I did like the possible explanation for the cause of the dinosaurs downfall and ultimate disappearance from Earth. Overall I can say I was glad that this book was only 248 pages, so therefor not a longer commitment.
August 11, 2016
Marred by a couple of over the top characters, but answered a question I hadn't realized was being asked. Nice twist at the end.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews