All Times Possible by Gordon Eklund
"All Times Possible" is a speculative fiction narrative set in an alternate version of the United States during the mid-20th century, characterized by a more authoritarian government. The story follows Timothy O'Mara, a political radical who attempts to assassinate General Norton on July 4, 1947, but fails and is executed. This failure leads him to inhabit the body of Tommy Bloome, a man he previously murdered. Armed with foreknowledge of future events, Bloome becomes a fervent labor organizer, igniting a revolutionary movement aimed at overthrowing the government in the early 1930s. The ensuing civil war results in a new regime that mirrors the struggles and purges of Soviet communism, ultimately leading to Bloome’s betrayal by his deputy, Arnold Lowrey. As Bloome retreats into seclusion, the remaining characters grapple with the consequences of their actions amidst a backdrop of ongoing global conflict. The narrative concludes with themes of fate and the cyclical nature of history, as O'Mara/Bloome faces the reality of his inevitable death, mirroring his earlier demise. The tale explores complex themes of identity, power, and the impact of individual choices on broader societal landscapes.
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All Times Possible
First published: 1974
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—alternate history
Time of work: The 1920’s to July 4, 1947
Locale: Various parts of the United States
The Plot
On July 4, 1947, in a United States with a governmental regime that appears considerably more authoritarian than the one recorded in history, a political radical named Timothy O’Mara attempts to assassinate General Norton. He fails and is summarily executed by the general. He then finds himself back in the early 1920’s, inhabiting the body of a man named Tommy Bloome, whom he once murdered in order to take over his identity.
The main narrative describes, from several points of view, how Tommy Bloome, armed with a mysterious knowledge of things to come, becomes a zealous labor organizer, preparing the way for a general strike that precipitates a new American revolution in the early 1930’s. After an extended civil war, Bloome’s insurrectionists finally defeat the last remnants of the Nationalist army and secure power, but their rule follows much the same pattern as that of Soviet communism, involving constant internal power struggles within the hierarchy of the party and frequent purges.
Bloome is ousted from his position as director of the new Free Democratic State by his deputy, Arnold Lowrey, a political opportunist who had been the governor of Arkansas before the revolution. Lowrey is helped in this treachery by the sinister John Durgas and is further assisted by the passive but willing cooperation of Bloome’s wife, Rachel, a former socialite who became an alcoholic during the difficult years of the civil war.
Once ousted, Bloome retires to secret seclusion, accompanied by his longtime friend Bob Ennis, who is the only person loyal to him. Lowrey’s propaganda machine continues to use Bloome’s name, claiming that he is fighting heroically in various distant arenas of the world war, which is still grinding on in 1947. After Tommy’s death, on July 4, 1947, Ennis and Rachel continue to count the cost of their association with him, knowing that they will be killed as soon as Durgas— now the effective ruler of Free Democratic America— can do so.
At the end, the story reverts to the viewpoint of O’Mara-as-Bloome, who is told by Durgas that he has changed nothing, because this world is not the one he left behind. He already has become aware of slight differences in its history for which he could not have been responsible, and he must accept what Durgas says about that other world continuing along its own terrible path. Durgas also assures O’Mara/Bloome that he will die at exactly the same moment as he died in the other world, claiming to know this because he also is a dimensionally displaced person. As the moment of his death approaches, O’Mara/Bloome indeed finds himself slipping back to the moment of his “first” death, seeing General Norton’s bullet heading toward him while the face of John Durgas looks on from the crowd.