Quantum Leap Continuum

Zine
Title:	Quantum Leap Continuum
Publisher:
Editor(s):
Date(s):	1997
Series?:
Medium:	print zine
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Quantum Leap
Language:	English
External Links:
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Quantum Leap Continuum is a gen 152-page anthology of five Quantum Leap stories by Taerie Bryant.

The front cover is by JM McClure. It contains no interior pictures. The back cover is blank.

JM McClure

flyer for issue #1

From a 1993 ad in GAZ July 1993:

A new collection of five QL stories by Taerie Bryant. In the tradition of the series, these innovative stories present a good mix of fun, suspense, adventure and emotion as Sam and Al leap through five very different lives, including a story where Sam leaps into Al before the QL experiment on a mission to save himself from his time traveling fate! He also becomes a Navy dolphin, a Russian ballet dance, a cowboy in search of a meteor and the victim of bureaucrats back at the project who decide to punch more holes in his Swiss cheese! SASE for flyer.

Content

• Wet Suit ("Sam leaps into a dolphin.") (1)
• Break a Leg ("Sam's a Russian ballet dancer, male this time, with an abusive teacher. He meets a "tourist", a "mind-rider" or, as Al puts it, "the ultimate voyeur", possible alien, possibly a far-future leaper, sharing the body of another dancer. Sam needs her help, but she has non-interference rules to follow.) shock Sam into further memory loss. They don't like the idea that he is in the past, independently altering events and want control.") (25)
• Cheese Grater ("The bureaucrats in control of QL's funding decide that Doctor Beckett is remembering too much for the good of the status quo. They decide to punch more holes in his "Swiss Cheese." Vulnerable and without his memory, Sam needs Al more than ever, unfortunately he doesn't remember him! Can Al win Sam's trust again?") (69)
• Leap Along Cassidy ("Back in the saddle, Sam's a cowboy. He's to guide an astronomer into a wilderness area in search of a meteorite. She's trying to beat the competition - the government that has kept another fragment from the same shower under wraps.") (95)
• A Second Chance ("Sam leaps into Al story, this time at the Project just before Sam makes his initial leap. He gets to argue with himself. Written before "The Leap Back", this story also gives Sam a wife, Helen, though now he has to meet her as Al and remember her without reacting.") (130)

Reactions and Reviews

Two out of five stars. 5 stories by Taerie Bryant, nice cover illo but no interior pictures, 152 pp.

The stories are:

"Wet Suit" - Sam leaps into a dolphin, didn't work for me.

"Break a Leg" - Sam's a Russian ballet dancer, male this time, with an abusive teacher. He meets a "tourist", a "mind-rider" or, as Al puts it, "the ultimate voyeur", possible alien, possibly a far-future leaper, sharing the body of another dancer. Sam needs her help, but she has non-interference rules to follow.

"Cheese Grater" - I really don't like the premise behind this one *at all*. The committee decides Sam is remembering too much and when Al and Gooshie won't cooperate they somehow tamper with the accelerator to shock Sam into further memory loss (I'm not sure how that could even work, once Sam initially leaped, the accelerator is rarely involved). They don't like the idea that he is in the past, independently altering events and want control. This makes absolutely no sense. It sets up a story where Sam has leaped into someone accused of murder, but he can't remember enough to cover what he doesn't know. The second part of the story would have been better without the committee stuff.

"Leap Along Cassidy" - Back in the saddle, Sam's a cowboy. He's to guide an astronomer into a wilderness area in search of a meteorite. She's trying to beat the competition - the government that has kept another fragment from the same shower under wraps.

"A Second Chance" - Yet another Sam leaps into Al story, this time at the Project just before Sam makes his initial leap. He gets to argue with himself. Written before the Leap Back, this story also gives Sam a wife, Helen, though now he has to meet her as Al and remember her without reacting.

The last two stories somewhat redeem the zine, because I liked the first 3 increasingly less.

No art save for the cover drawing. This 'zine is comprised of five stories written by one author, Taerie Bryant. The titles of the stories are: “Wet Suit,” “Break A Leg,” “Cheese Grater,” “Leap Along Cassidy,” and “Second Chance." These stories have Sam leaping into, respectively, a dolphin in danger of being destroyed, a Russian ballet dancer about to defect to the U.S., a vet involved in a murder, a ranch hand leading an astronomer on a search for a meteorite, and Al right before that infamous first leap.

These were all stories that had interesting potential, in particular "Cheese Grater,” which works under the premise that the government has concluded that Sam is remembering too much and decides to remedy that, making his assignment all the more difficult to complete. I found myself wishing, though, that Ms. Bryant had taken a little more time with each story, editing or fleshing out where necessary, as I found little in the stories satisfying. If it is possible for a 'zine to have a “feel”, this one felt like it was rushed. Had more time been put into it, I think I might have enjoyed it a whole lot more.

I could not wholeheartedly recommend this 'zine, except perhaps to those who are interested in reading any Quantum Leap fan fiction they can get their hands on.