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story identification - Book about a one-armed cowboy who travels across time using a torus (sp?)



The elements of the plot that I remember are:



  1. One-Armed cowboy spots something weird while out riding (torus, torroid, ?)

  2. He breaks a Yale lock using his one hand

  3. He travels through time and picks up a caveman

  4. They then pick up some others, including alien(s) in whose language God means means devil/god



Answer



It's The Beast by A. E. Van Vogt.


As a teenager I was a huuuuuuuuuuge Van Vogt fan, but I have to say that many of his novels are just short stories bodged together to make a rather incoherent book. The Beast is a prime example of this. I first read (and hugely enjoyed) the short story that forms the first part of the book. When, much later, I found and read the book it was a bit of a let down.



But don't let my somewhat downbeat review of this particular book put you off. If you haven't read any Van Vogt then do so RIGHT NOW!!


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