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Time Crime

Written by H. Beam Piper

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Science Fiction

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About this book

"Time Crime" by H. Beam Piper is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around the operations of the Paratime Police, tasked with investigating a sinister slave trade that transgresses multiple timelines. The protagonist, Kiro Soran, a guard captain, uncovers a chilling link between slaves bought at a plantation and their origins on a different temporal line, leading to a complex investigation that intertwines with various characters while grappling with moral dilemmas. The opening of "Time Crime" introduces readers to a plantation on the Third Level Esaron Sector, where Kiro Soran and Dosu Golan, the plantation manager, are involved in the purchase of a hundred slaves from a Calera dealer. As Soran observes the slaves, he realizes they are not local but from the Kholghoor Sector in India, suggesting they were kidnapped and brought through time for sale. This discovery prompts Soran to take action, alerting the Paratime Police and setting the stage for a deeper investigation into the criminal activities of the mysterious slave traders known as the Wizard Traders. The opening establishes a tense atmosphere and the gravity of the situation, hinting at the broader implications of time travel and ethics in the context of slavery and commerce.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Time Crime, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • mysterious
  • tense
  • thought-provoking

H. Beam Piper's "Time Crime" plunges readers into a multi-timeline universe where the Paratime Police battle a sinister slave trade. The story follows Captain Kiro Soran, who uncovers a shocking inter-temporal slave ring when he identifies newly acquired slaves as originating from a different timeline. This discovery ignites a complex investigation into the mysterious "Wizard Traders," forcing Soran and the Paratime Police to navigate ethical quandaries and confront the profound implications of exploiting parallel realities. The novel explores themes of justice, moral responsibility, and the nature of power across the vast expanse of the Paratime worlds.

“"The greatest crime, in a universe of infinite possibilities, is to steal another's freedom."”

Key themes

Slavery and Exploitation
The central theme of the novel, exploring the moral horror of slavery, magnified by the concept of inter-temporal trafficking. It delves into how advanced technology can be perverted for the most heinous forms of exploitation, highlighting the vulnerability of less advanced societies.
Justice and Law in a Multiverse
This theme explores the establishment and enforcement of law and order when reality itself is fractured into infinite parallel timelines. It questions how justice can be administered and what constitutes a universal moral code in such a complex existence.
Moral Responsibility and Intervention
The novel directly confronts the moral dilemmas of intervention, particularly when one possesses the power to traverse timelines. Kiro Soran's initial decision to act, and the Paratime Police's ongoing mission, highlight the burden of responsibility that comes with advanced capabilities.

Worth discussing

How does the concept of parallel timelines amplify the moral reprehensibility of slavery in "Time Crime"?

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