Conquest Over Time follows Pat Travis, a veteran Contact Man whose legendary reputation has begun to fade just when he needs it most. Racing to reach the newly opened planet Mert, Travis arrives first — only to discover he has landed on the worst possible day according to the planet's strict astrological laws. From that moment forward, everything spirals into chaos. The streets are deserted, his welcome is hostile, and a strange chain of events sends him hurtling into the criminal underworld beneath the city. Surrounded by danger, superstition, and an unfamiliar culture, Travis must navigate a society that believes every moment of life is predetermined by the stars. But Travis, battered but unbroken, refuses to be defeated by fate.
Shaara builds a world filled with tension, cultural complexity, and sly humor. The deeper Travis goes, the more he discovers about this strange planet — including the startling brilliance of a young sewer-dweller who may change everything. His journey becomes part survival, part diplomacy, and part race against cosmic superstition, all leading to a clever and satisfying resolution.
Michael Shaara (1928-1988) wrote science fiction throughout the 1950s and 60s before becoming world-famous for The Killer Angels, which won the Pulitzer Prize. Before that breakout success, he published dozens of imaginative, twist-driven sci-fi tales in the leading magazines of the era. His early work often blended suspense, philosophical reflection, and wry human observation — qualities already visible in Conquest Over Time.
Shaara brought depth, pacing, and a storyteller's instinct to every genre he touched. His legacy today spans classic literature, military fiction, and the golden age of science fiction.
