__NOTOC__ ''Key Out of Time'' is a science fiction novel by American writer

Andre Norton Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen na ...

, set on the world, ''Hawaika'', that appears to be a tropical paradise. It is the fourth in Norton's series starts in '' The Time Traders'', part of her Forerunner universe, and continues the series’ premise: A hostile encounter between Western heroes, and the Russian Communists, and the Baldies – a mysterious alien race that used time travel to alter Earth. In the previous novel, '' The Defiant Agents'', events are treated as a Time Agent failure – but re-read that novel for a different interpretation.

Plot

In the present day, Time Agents Ross Murdock and Gordon Ashe come with settlers to the water-dominated planet, Hawaika, to search remains from the distant past of the alien Baldies. They are assisted by intelligent dolphins, with whom the humans can communicate. While setting up their time gate, a storm destroys it and strands them in widely separated locations in Hawaika's unknown past. Murdock learns from a native named Loketh that Gordon is being held in a castle. Murdock and Loketh are captured by seafaring Rovers, then join them. They liberate a Rover island that had been captured by the Baldies. Murdock convinces a coalition of natives that the Baldies are playing them against one another. Murdock finds Ashe at last, in the company of the mystic and advanced Foanna, of whom there turns out to be only three – the last of their race. The Foanna set a trap for the Baldies, using their castle as bait, but with only three of them, they cannot win against the whole attacking force. Murdock and Ashe agree to a process that mentally joins them with the Foanna, and in a second encounter with the Baldies, they win. In a final encounter, Murdock is teleported into a Baldy ship like the one familiar to him from '' Galactic Derelict'', and sets its course to a random destination. The main Baldy installation is simultaneously attacked and the Baldies driven off the planet.

Reception

Kirkus Reviews ''Kirkus Reviews'' is an American book review magazine founded in 1933 by Virginia Kirkus. The magazine's publisher, Kirkus Media, is headquartered in New York City. ''Kirkus Reviews'' confers the annual Kirkus Prize to authors of fiction, no ...

'', strongly supportive after following the series for years, writes

Publication history

''Key out of Time'' was first published in 1963, and as of 2012, had been reprinted in 17 editions with cover changes, as well as twice in a combined edition with ''The Defiant Agents''.

Novels in the series

* '' The Time Traders'' (1958) * '' Galactic Derelict'' (1959) * '' The Defiant Agents'' (1962) * ''Key Out of Time'' (1963) * ''Firehand'' (1994) (with Pauline M Griffin) * ''Echoes in Time'' (1999) (with

Sherwood Smith Sherwood Smith (born May 29, 1951) is an American fantasy and science fiction writer for young adults and adults. Smith is a Nebula Award finalist and a longtime writing group organizer and participant. Smith's works include the YA novel '' ...

) * ''Atlantis Endgame'' (2002) (with

)

External links

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The novel in Open Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Key Out of Time 1963 science fiction novels 1963 American novels American science fiction novels Novels about time travel Novels by Andre Norton