The Big Time
What is The Big Time about?
The Big Time (1958) is Fritz Leiber’s Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel about a war fought across all of time. The story takes place entirely within a "Place"—a rest and recreation station outside of normal time—where soldiers from different eras recuperate between missions in the Change War, a conflict between two factions (the Spiders and the Snakes) who alter history to gain advantage. When an atomic bomb is smuggled into the Place, the diverse inhabitants must solve a locked-room mystery to survive. The novel is a brilliant, claustrophobic thriller that combines time-war spectacle with intimate character drama.
Main themes in The Big Time
Time war
In The Big Time, time war provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Hugo Award
Hugo Award emerges as a defining element in The Big Time, shaping character development.
Locked-room mystery
The presence of locked-room mystery in The Big Time connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Science fiction
The presence of science fiction in The Big Time connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Why The Big Time is still relevant today
The Big Time is a Hugo Award-winning classic that pioneered the time-war subgenre. Its locked-room structure and diverse characters make it a unique and influential work of science fiction.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Big Time about?
Soldiers from across history rest in a station outside time during a war fought by altering history. When a bomb appears, they must solve a locked-room mystery to survive.
Did it win awards?
Yes, it won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1958.
Is it a quick read?
Yes, it is a short, intense novel—essentially a one-act play in science fiction form.
Can I read it free?
Yes, the complete novel is available free on TextStack.