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Serving in Time
Jan Jeroux is leading a carefree and idyllic life in the serene, underpopulated pastoral earth of the year 2500. His idyll ends abruptly when he is abducted and forced to join the Time Service of the mysterious world government. In the service he learns how history was manipulated and controlled to produce the beautiful world he enjoyed so much. Thinking he understands how to rectify the injustice and devastation inflicted on the world by the time managers, Jan decides to make things right. But he makes a tragic error...
Cover Artist Kelly Freas
Cover Artist Kelly Freas
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
39 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Eklund
103 books15 followersGordon Eklund is a Nebula Award-winning, American science fiction author whose works include the "Lord Tedric" series and two of the earliest original novels based on the 1960s Star Trek TV series. He has written under the pen name Wendell Stewart, and in one instance under the name of the late E. E. "Doc" Smith (1890-1965).
Eklund's first published SF short story, "Dear Aunt Annie", ran in the April 1970 issue of Fantastic magazine and was nominated for a Nebula Award. Eklund won the Nebula for Best Novelette for the 1974 short story "If the Stars Are Gods", co-written with Gregory Benford. The two expanded the story into a full-length novel of the same title, published in 1977.
In his teens, Eklund was a member of a Seattle SF fan club, The Nameless Ones, and in 1977, Eklund was a guest of honor at the 1977 SF convention Bubonicon 9, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Cushing Memorial Library of Texas A&M University has a "Gordon Eklund Collection" housing the typed manuscript of the story "The Stuff of Time".
Eklund has retired from a long career with the U.S. Postal Service, and is considering writing full-time again. He's a member of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association and the Spectator Amateur Press Society.
Eklund's first published SF short story, "Dear Aunt Annie", ran in the April 1970 issue of Fantastic magazine and was nominated for a Nebula Award. Eklund won the Nebula for Best Novelette for the 1974 short story "If the Stars Are Gods", co-written with Gregory Benford. The two expanded the story into a full-length novel of the same title, published in 1977.
In his teens, Eklund was a member of a Seattle SF fan club, The Nameless Ones, and in 1977, Eklund was a guest of honor at the 1977 SF convention Bubonicon 9, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Cushing Memorial Library of Texas A&M University has a "Gordon Eklund Collection" housing the typed manuscript of the story "The Stuff of Time".
Eklund has retired from a long career with the U.S. Postal Service, and is considering writing full-time again. He's a member of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association and the Spectator Amateur Press Society.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 14, 2025
Serving in Time was the first of three novels that Eklund wrote for the Harlequin-owned Laser imprint that was edited by Roger Elwood. I liked it far more than the second (Falling Toward Forever) and haven't yet read the third (Dance of the Apocalypse, which is a cool-sounding title.) It's a kind of standard time-travel novel in which Jan Jeroux is forced to join the Time Service and learns how the lovely world he's been enjoying was artificially created by ruthless meddling and manipulation. Along with his partner Gail, he resolves to fix the problems but unfortunately soon learns where the road of good intentions leads. The end is a little abrupt, perhaps because all of the Laser Books were required to be identical in length, but it's a nice time-cop kind of adventure with a few clever bits and pieces.
July 26, 2022
SERVING IN TIME by Gordon Eklund, published in 1975, was book #6 in the heavily-promoted but ultimately doomed Laser Books line, Harlequin's attempt at replicating their success with romance novels in another genre, science fiction. It's too bad that Laser Books didn't work out because the idea of a line of SF novels aimed at the general public is a good one. Unlike sci-fi movies, which the masses enjoy, prose SF after the 1950s (i.e., since the pulp magazines died out) may seem too intellectual and intimidating for most readers, apart from TV and movie tie-ins (like the Star Trek novels). This has the effect of limiting the audience of prose SF to those who are already fans. Anyway, this was the first Laser Book that I've ever bought, and knowing that they were not held in high regard, I wasn't expecting much. To my surprise I found the novel made for addictive reading, given its heavy emphasis on plot (as opposed to characterization) reminiscent of an old pulp story. The plot of this particular book deals with time travel and alternate history, and since I'll be talking about that in my review, know that there will be Spoilers ahead.
The story begins on a "Homestead" world (basically a farming community) where a young dreamer named Jan Jeroux prefers to sit beneath a tree reading instead of doing his daily chores. Jan is soon abducted into service with the time corps, a secret organization of time travelers who voyage to particular years in Earth history, ostensibly to observe and research. Jan eventually learns that the time corps is trying to change history (and in this story, the focus is on American history) in order to prevent a future takeover of the planet by the Watcher and his followers. The time corps had succeeded in preventing the Watcher's takeover -- which is why Jan's Homestead future existed -- but the Watcher has sent spies into the time corps who are working to undo that work, to change history back. In the real history that leads to the Watcher's takeover, George Washington becomes President and JFK is assassinated, but in the history that leads to the peaceful Homestead future, Washington must be hanged by the British and JFK escape assassination. So, we are rooting for Jan and his colleague Gail to change the history that we know in order to save themselves from a world dictatorship under the Watcher.
As I say, I enjoyed the novel although it does have a pulpy feel. Jan goes from being a layabout in the beginning to being a take-charge action hero by the end. Gail starts out as a more hard-edged character, but by the novel's end she has become more of a typical stock female character needing Jan's action-man leadership. And the novel has a weird ending where he gets the girl, apparently to have sex with her, although previously there had been no hint that they were romantically involved -- apart, perhaps, from Jan's irritation at her interest in one of their male colleagues (who turns out to be a traitor working for the Watcher). The novel is short, only 190 pages, but it packs a punch, and I wouldn't mind rereading it someday to see if there are any details I missed the first time around (since its revelations, such as the true nature of the time corps, are only gradually revealed). The book's brevity may be the reason that some aspects of the story seem unresolved or undeveloped, such as the fate of Jan's parents, or any follow-up info about his Uncle Phineas and older sister Cassie (who we meet at the beginning of the book). Obviously the book spends way too much time on American history at the expense of the rest of the world, and is itself a product of its own time (post-Vietnam War). A writer today would perhaps choose different points in history on which to focus attention. But aside from these minor quibbles, I liked it overall and now have a more favorable opinion of the Laser Books line. I'll have to get some more of them, in time. I rate this novel 3.5 (out of 5) stars.
The story begins on a "Homestead" world (basically a farming community) where a young dreamer named Jan Jeroux prefers to sit beneath a tree reading instead of doing his daily chores. Jan is soon abducted into service with the time corps, a secret organization of time travelers who voyage to particular years in Earth history, ostensibly to observe and research. Jan eventually learns that the time corps is trying to change history (and in this story, the focus is on American history) in order to prevent a future takeover of the planet by the Watcher and his followers. The time corps had succeeded in preventing the Watcher's takeover -- which is why Jan's Homestead future existed -- but the Watcher has sent spies into the time corps who are working to undo that work, to change history back. In the real history that leads to the Watcher's takeover, George Washington becomes President and JFK is assassinated, but in the history that leads to the peaceful Homestead future, Washington must be hanged by the British and JFK escape assassination. So, we are rooting for Jan and his colleague Gail to change the history that we know in order to save themselves from a world dictatorship under the Watcher.
As I say, I enjoyed the novel although it does have a pulpy feel. Jan goes from being a layabout in the beginning to being a take-charge action hero by the end. Gail starts out as a more hard-edged character, but by the novel's end she has become more of a typical stock female character needing Jan's action-man leadership. And the novel has a weird ending where he gets the girl, apparently to have sex with her, although previously there had been no hint that they were romantically involved -- apart, perhaps, from Jan's irritation at her interest in one of their male colleagues (who turns out to be a traitor working for the Watcher). The novel is short, only 190 pages, but it packs a punch, and I wouldn't mind rereading it someday to see if there are any details I missed the first time around (since its revelations, such as the true nature of the time corps, are only gradually revealed). The book's brevity may be the reason that some aspects of the story seem unresolved or undeveloped, such as the fate of Jan's parents, or any follow-up info about his Uncle Phineas and older sister Cassie (who we meet at the beginning of the book). Obviously the book spends way too much time on American history at the expense of the rest of the world, and is itself a product of its own time (post-Vietnam War). A writer today would perhaps choose different points in history on which to focus attention. But aside from these minor quibbles, I liked it overall and now have a more favorable opinion of the Laser Books line. I'll have to get some more of them, in time. I rate this novel 3.5 (out of 5) stars.
May 26, 2017
In 1975 I subscribed to the first year of Laser Books releases and REALLY enjoyed every one that I read, but never got around to most of them. Trying to find copies again (my library went to thrift stores when I moved out of my parent's house) and Serving In Time was the first one I have re-obtained and now finally read.
What a pleasure! There was a magic about 60's/70's science fiction and fantasy that often seems lacking in the more modern work and for me Serving In Time epitomizes that magic. There is a purity to the characters and attitudes of discovery that I also felt during those years.
I give this title 4 out 5 stars because I felt like it had a really nice build up, but then ended both a bit too abruptly and predictably for me. It could have used another hundred or so pages, fleshing out the conclusion.
A really fun read, in any case and I'm looking forward to the next Laser Books read.
What a pleasure! There was a magic about 60's/70's science fiction and fantasy that often seems lacking in the more modern work and for me Serving In Time epitomizes that magic. There is a purity to the characters and attitudes of discovery that I also felt during those years.
I give this title 4 out 5 stars because I felt like it had a really nice build up, but then ended both a bit too abruptly and predictably for me. It could have used another hundred or so pages, fleshing out the conclusion.
A really fun read, in any case and I'm looking forward to the next Laser Books read.
April 25, 2025
The book has literally been on my to-read shelf for 50 years. My father bought it for me when I was a young teen in the mid 1970s and it's been with me since!! Finally read it (I discovered the Bantam Doc Savage paperbacks at this time and Doc sucked the reading life from all others lol). The Laser series was a bold venture by the publishers of the Harlequin romance novels and was aimed at teens who were fans of science fiction - which hit me spot on!! The Laser experiment lasted almost 3 years and I collected most of the series. This installment was a time travel adventure with 2 young heroes (guy and girl) pitted against a ruthless entity known as The Watcher. It was Robert Heinlein-ish and was a solid sci-fi yarn. The plot was very ambitious and seemed "cramped" to complete in 190 pages but again, it was a decent tale.
February 25, 2014
Looks like I'll be the first to write a review! I picked this up at the town transfer station. I always grab the sci-fi... From a series of books in the 70's. I'm going to check out Gordon Eklund. So far it's pretty boilerplate sci-fi...
- p. 25... "Cuzo" s.b. "Cuzco"
Now finished with this OK but uninspiring cheapie. A few interesting ideas here so I can make it a 2.75* which rounds up to 3*. Notes:
- more typos...
- sort of confusing as is common with time travel tales.
- I see that the author was/is pretty prolific, including some Star Trek stuff. Don't recall him though I may have read something long ago. More info available on Wiki...
- I looked up Laser in Wiki. A publishing subsidiary in the mid-70's. Interesting brief history on Wiki...
- p. 25... "Cuzo" s.b. "Cuzco"
Now finished with this OK but uninspiring cheapie. A few interesting ideas here so I can make it a 2.75* which rounds up to 3*. Notes:
- more typos...
- sort of confusing as is common with time travel tales.
- I see that the author was/is pretty prolific, including some Star Trek stuff. Don't recall him though I may have read something long ago. More info available on Wiki...
- I looked up Laser in Wiki. A publishing subsidiary in the mid-70's. Interesting brief history on Wiki...
October 22, 2024
This is an average time travel SciFi story. I did find the part of the story that was about the 1840 president interesting because I was reading book the week of the 2020 presidential election.
Of other interest, I purchased this paperback at a book sale with four other Lazar Books. I made the purchase strictly because all the covers were done by (Frank) Kelly Freas and were in excellent condition. I'm big fan of Frank Kelly Freas.
Of other interest, I purchased this paperback at a book sale with four other Lazar Books. I made the purchase strictly because all the covers were done by (Frank) Kelly Freas and were in excellent condition. I'm big fan of Frank Kelly Freas.
June 25, 2016
Pleasantly surprised with this one!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews