5,276words (25–30 minutes)
Genre(s): Science Fiction, Dystopian, Time Travel
Originally published in Galaxy Science Fiction, 1957

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Time in the Round is set in a utopian future where violence has been eradicated, and even pets are programmed to be uninjurable "uninjes." A rebellious young boy called the Butcher, longing for the brutality of past civilizations, finds himself at odds with his peaceful, sanitized world. When he sneaks into the Time Theater, where historical events are viewed in real-time through a "Time Bubble," a viewing anomaly leads to something impossible—past warriors stepping into the future. As chaos erupts, the Butcher and his artificial dog, Brute, become unlikely heroes. But has he truly gotten the blood and carnage he wished for? Leiber's story is a fascinating meditation on human nature, conditioning, and the unintended consequences of tampering with time.