Dayworld

One of Farmer's better short stories, "The-Sliced-Crosswise-Only-On-Tuesday-World" (most recently in The Grand Adventure, p. 934), provides the scenario for this expanded version: a tightly plotted, often exciting yarn. In the 35th century, Earth is so crowded that people live only one day per week, spending the other six "stoned," in stasis capsules. But senior cop Jeff Caird - his day is Tuesday - is secretly a criminal "daybreaker": under a different identity and personality, he lives every day of the week! (To avoid suspicion he leaves an inflatable dummy in his capsule.) He's also an "immer," an immortal, part of an underground organization dedicated to long-term government reform. So Caird, via the immers, discovers that mad immer genius Chang Castor has escaped confinement and is intent on revenge (Caird helped put him away). And, using his other day-of-the-week identities, the multiple Caird pursues the murderous Castor - while being pursued by government investigators. . . and later by the immers, who no longer trust him. A solid, assured expansion: absorbing, agreeably controlled work from a prolific and major, if erratic, talent. (Kirkus Reviews)