H. Beam Piper's Paratime

"Well, you need a man who'd know the historical background, and you'd need a man with a powerful creative imagination, who is used to using it inside rigorously defined limits."

— H. Beam Piper, "Crossroads of Destiny"

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Piper's conception of Paratime posits an infinite number of parallel timelines (i.e. "para-time"), distinct universes which have diverged from one another at some point in their history.  Many of these timelines are exploited by the parasitic inhabitants of the "Home" timeline who have discovered a way to "transpose" from one timeline to another.  Their Paratime Police are responsible for ensuring that the secret of paratime transposition is not discovered by the inhabitants of any other timeline.  The Paratime yarns consist of the novel Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen, several short stories and novellas originally published between 1948 and 1955 and collected in the collections Paratime and The Worlds of H. Beam Piper edited by John F. Carr, and the authorized Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen sequels by John. F. Carr and his occasional co-authors.

Piper's ideas about Paratime were apparently inspired by the non-linear time theories of British aeronautical pioneer John W. Dunne (1875-1949) which were first discussed in his book An Experiment with Time (1927).

"Last Enemy," Astounding, August 1950, cover illustration by Walt Miller.	Bibliography A comprehensive list by date of publication of Beam's Paratime stories and novels, including republishings and reprintings.
"Temple Trouble," Astounding, April 1951, cover illustration by Hubert Rogers.	Gallery A gallery of cover and interior illustrations from Paratime stories and novels, including republishings and reprintings.
"Time Crime," Astounding, February, 1955, cover illustration by Kelly Freas.	Chronography A complilation of the structure—the hierarchy of levels, sectors, subsectors, belts and timelines—of Paratime.
"Gunpowder God," Analog, November 1964, cover illustration by John Schoenherr.	Concordance A compendium of background and setting information from Beam's Paratime stories and novels, including characters and timelines.
Great Kings' War, Ace 1985, cover illustration by Alan Gutierrez.	Development Officially-sanctioned and fan efforts that expand upon Beam's Paratime yarns.

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