Back in the 60s, Harlan Ellison wrote this story in one 6-hour session. That original draft became the final published document, almost entirely unchanged, and went on to earn both the Hugo and the Nebula award for short stories. So this one has street cred. Fast-forward to modern times, the oversized illustrated version of this story caught my eye. I’m a sucker for books of outrageous proportions.
The story is set in one of those oppressive future societies that we just might be hurtling towards. In this one, it is Time that is under the most strict control of the Ticktockman. Life is run by the clock. Tardiness is punished by proportional reduction in own’s one lifespan. Of course, there’s a hero, the Harlequin, who skitters about making merry and getting things off schedule. It’s a light, breezy read.
I ended this book feeling pretty well unaffected. Eh. I don’t normally read short stories, so maybe my expectations are out of whack. The illustrations are interesting as you flip through the story, but not really worth going back to examine. As a stand-alone title, I don’t think it holds up. But it would be nice as part of a collection.
Mark Larson 