Book description
Johnson is plagued by the absence of his memory and by the strange
dreams of horrific futures that he somehow knows will become reality if
he does not act. He was born in a hopeless future and is doomed to
travel in the past and repair humanity's problems before they can
happen.
Unfortunately, every time he returns to the abyss outside of time he
loses all memory of what just occurred. The only information Johnson has
of his existence is a one-page letter written to himself, reminding him
of his duties. Over and over, he must follow his nightmares and repair
the damage done by those in the past.
Time is in a perpetual state of turmoil for Johnson, but he lives in a
future free of damage. His duty is to erase all possibility of the
predicted Crisis! James Gunn has worked as an editor of paperback
reprints; as managing editor of Kansas University alumni publications;
as director of K. U. public relations; as a professor of English; and
now is professor emeritus of English and director of the Center for the
Study of Science Fiction. He won national awards for his work as an
editor and a director of public relations. He was awarded the Byron
Caldwell Smith Award in recognition of literary achievement and the
Edward Grier Award for excellence in teaching; was president of the
Science Fiction Writers of America for 1971-72 and president of the
Science Fiction Research Association from 1980-82; has been guest of
honor at many regional SF conventions, including SFeracon in Zagreb,
Yugoslavia, and Polcon, the Polish National SF convention, in Katowice;
was presented the Pilgrim Award of SFRA in 1976; a special award from
the 1976 World SF Convention for ALTERNATE WORLDS; a Science Fiction
Achievement Award (Hugo) by the 1983 World SF Convention for ISAAC
ASIMOV: THE FOUNDATIONS OF SCIENCE FICTION; and the Eaton Award in 1992
for lifetime achievement; was a K. U. Mellon Fellow in 1981 and 1984;
and served from 1978-80 and 1985-present as chairman of the Campbell
Award jury to select the best science fiction novel of the year. He has
lectured in Denmark, China, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Romania, Singapore,
Sweden, Taiwan, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union for the U. S.
Information Agency.
