The Time Bender (Lafayette O'Leary, Book 1)

Time Bender (1971) is the first humor SF novel in the Lafayette O'Leary series. It is an alternate universe romp in the style of The Incomplete Enchanter. In this novel, Lafayette O'Leary is draftsman who lives in Mrs MacGlint's Clean Rooms. He has an inquiring mind, experimenting in plastic polymers, bacterial cultures and mesmerism. One day he is reading an old book by Herr Professor Doktor Hans Joseph Schimmerkopf and tries to induce a state of autohypnosis. Red Bull is an infamous cutpurse and smuggler. At first he thinks Lafayette is some kind of Nance, a ribbon-counter Fancy-Dan. But then Lafayette pours him a tumbler of Chateau Lafitte-Rothscholde '29. After several more cups of the wine, they became bosom buddies. Red Bull offers several deals of an illicit sort, but Lafayette is more interested in pouring more wine out of the bottle. King Goruble the First is the king of Artesia. He inherited the throne as a long lost cousin of the old king. Yet his reign is plagued by Lod the giant and his dragon. Nicodaeus is the court magician. He talks the king out of executing Lafayette. Yet he seems to want something from Lafayette. Yokabump is the court jester. He is a stout looking dwarf with a deep bass voice. He declares Lafayette as the long awaited hero who will kill Lod's dragon. Princess Adoranne is the niece of the old king. The princess is very beautiful and Lafayette is literally breathless after seeing her. When someone tells him that she is at risk, Lafayette rushes off to save her. Daphane is a chambermaid. Lafayette first meets her when her bathtub appears in his bathing chamber. Daphane is taking a bath in it at the time. She has a way with a well aimed chamberpot. In this story, Lafayette finds himself in a different world after trying to put himself into an autohypnotic state. Surely he is dreaming. Yet everything seems so sharp and colorful. Even the stench is authentic. After Lafayette returns to his own reality, he begins to understand that he is not truly dreaming. So he can imagine objects in hidden locations -- like wardrobes and saddlebags -- and have them appear. So the wine bottle was never empty. Still, his wounds do not disappear when he tries to heal himself. He decides to just go with the flow and treat it all as real. Then someone abducts Adoranne and Lafayette is the chief suspect. But Lafayette believes the giant Lod is the most likely culprit. So he starts looking for Lod. This tale has Lafayette being pursued by angry mobs, arrested by Royal musketeers, manhandled by court guards and undergoing other troubles. The poor man seems to do everything wrong. If it wasn't for Daphane and Dinny the iguanodon, he would have no friends at all. The story is a totally fun read. The author must have thoroughly relished the writing of this book. Enjoy! Highly recommended for Laumer fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of interdimensional travel, psychic manipulation and a bit of

This is one of my favorite fantasy books (you can maybe call it sci fi if you like). Another volume in the Lafayette O'Leary series, and a good one. (The only book in the series I don't love is "Galaxy Builder"). If you like Laumer's humor, this is for you! If you like "World Shuffler" then this is a must. Like "World Shuffler", this is a book I've read several times and enjoyed each time.