Mixed Doubles

by Daniel da Cruz

A university student uses a time machine to kidnap Schubert from his deathbed. He brings the master to the present and cures him, then exploits his talents to advance his own career.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Time Travel

272 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 17, 1989

About the author

US writer, formerly known for numerous men's action-adventure tales, who began publishing sf with The Grotto of the Formigans (1980), a novel about African grotto Monsters, and who came to more general notice with his Ayes of Texas sequence: The Ayes of Texas (1982), Texas on the Rocks (1986) and Texas Triumphant (1987). The political premises underlying the series – in the late 1990s the USSR, having hoodwinked the supinely liberal US media, has come to dominate the world – have dated, though the American assumption that its media are liberal is still conventional wisdom; the exuberance of the tales themselves remains winning. The protagonist, a triple-amputee World War Two veteran from the newly free Republic of Texas, arms an old battleship (itself called Texas), and sails off to fight the Russians. Much blood is spilt, and a good time is had by all; by the close of the third volume, however, a genuinely sophisticated dubiousness about the nature of the USSR/USA Cold War conflict complicates what might have seemed an unduly simplified picture: the sequence merits revisiting. F-Cubed (1989) is a less entrancing Technothriller; but Mixed Doubles (1989) enjoyably depicts the attempts of a contemporary failed composer who travels back in time to steal Music from those more talented than himself. [JC] - See more at: http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/...

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny story about a music major who inherits a time machine and kidnaps Schubert from his death bed. After many plot twists and turns, after the dust has settled, at the end of the book it's revealed that the first (and only) piece he wrote "The Malibu" is considered his best work. A general rip on the modern classical music scene.

Also see Vance's Space Opera for a book in a similar vein.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at a resale shop because of the cover alone. I'm a big fan of old science fiction cover art - so you can imagine my surprise when not only did I love this book, but i couldn't put it down! I'm a musician myself and love all things time travel. It is purely a fun read - entertaining and easy with so many fun little plot turns. Do not expect hard science fiction with super imaginative time travel - enjoy this for what it is - you won't be disappointed if you go into with this attitude. 5 stars for being an entertaining quick read!

[Ian Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished the final 2/3 of this novel between 1:00 and 4:00 a.m this morning. The resulting delirium during the workday today was arguably worth it. Take that for what it’s worth.

[Ameliedanjou · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a riot! It combines a bunch of my favorite things; music, time travel, the Wall Street Journal...! Unfortunately I must have loaned my copy out because I can't find it. The title isn't very good, but it would be hard to come up with something that conveys the plot in just 2 words. I also have a vague recollection that Texas is involved somehow, but can't remember, as I read this over a dozen years ago.