Crossroads of Destiny
The novel is set in the future, in a world where the United States has been divided into two separate nations, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. The two nations are in a state of cold war, and tensions are high. The protagonist of the novel is John Grimes, a former Confederate Navy officer who is now a privateer. He is hired by the Confederate government to investigate a mysterious ship that has been spotted in the area. He soon discovers that the ship is a time machine from the future, and that it is being used by a group of time travelers from the future to alter the course of history. Grimes must now find a way to stop the time travelers and prevent them from changing the past. Along the way, he discovers secrets about the future, and learns more about the mysterious time travelers. He also discovers that the fate of the two nations may be in his hands. Crossroads of Destiny is an exciting and thought-provoking science fiction novel that explores the consequences of time travel and the power of destiny.
By H. Beam Piper · First published 1959 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy · 5,106 words
First lines
I still have the dollar bill. It's in my box at the bank, and I think that's where it will stay. I simply won't destroy it, but I can think of nobody to whom I'd be willing to show it -- certainly nobody at the college, my History Department colleagues least of all. Merely to tell the story would brand me irredeemably as a crackpot, but crackpots are tolerated, even on college faculties. It's only when they begin producing physical evidence that they get themselves actively resented.
When I went into the club-car for a nightcap before going back to my compartment to turn in, there were five men there, sitting together.
What this Textopian page supports
Crossroads of Destiny is listed on Textopian as a novel by H. Beam Piper, dated 1959 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: H. Beam Piper
- Date: 1959 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Mystery
- Length: 5,106 words
- Structure: 1 section, 93 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Crossroads of Destiny by H. Beam Piper
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The book is set in a future where humans have colonized other planets, and follows the story of a group of characters as they navigate their way through a conflict between two planets.
- Adventure — The characters in the book embark on a journey of discovery and exploration, encountering a variety of obstacles and challenges along the way.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of fantasy, such as the use of magic and mythical creatures, which add to the overall atmosphere of the story.
- Romance — The book contains a romantic subplot between two of the main characters, which adds an additional layer of complexity to the story.
Tags
Science Fiction · Short stories · accent · alternate · alternate history · america · century · changed · colonel · columbus · completely · conversation