>I got bored of the series after god emperor of dune or whatever it was called.

Old man Herbert was allowing his universe to change, and so did his books follow the change. The atmosphere is entirely different in the last two books. He may have lost a few readers who expected more of the same, but, frankly, I respect the way he was doing it.

> "That guy Anderson"? There are a few Anderson novelists. Might you refer to Paol Anderson?

The one I didn't want to mention doesn't merit advertising here.

>I can't find much about him on the web but one of his books "The End of Time" (I think), about time travel (and all the paradoxes inherent) is brilliant and one I wish I'd never allowed ex libris, as I never got t back and haven't seen the novel for years. I can't find ref to it on the web either.

You meant Poul Anderson and his Time Patrol series - I've read a few of those, including the one you mention (judging by the story, not the title), and his level of detail in describing the times and places simply gets you there. Specially loved the Byzantine part. Though, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poul_Anderson#Time_Patrol doesn't mention the "End of time" title. You may have confused it with Asimov's "End of eternity" (which deals with pretty much the same time patrol idea); maybe it was "The only game in town", the title seems familiar.

> Another old hoot was Harrison's "Star Smashers of the Galaxy Rangers" - a SF spoof, that I let go, rediscoverd in a shop, re-read, then let go again, getting neither back. Never lend books to anyone!

Sometimes it's good - I had the pleasure to be visited by an old friend after 20 years or so. She had a good excuse to come, a book to return :).

And Harrison's stuff always amazed me - you get a lot of laughs from a technically correct and very imaginative text, and action never seems to even slow down. Specially his Steel Rat series.