SOLVED. Adult SciFi. Time Travel using 'body hopping' or 'identity transfer' to thwart evil enemy. MC takes over people w weakened bodies - eg. travels to ancient world into leper's body. Time-traveling agency. Cover: evil skull? Read before 1977. [s]

[Les]

Hello, I am trying to find a book I read during school many years ago. Thanks in advance for all input. I got curious what this title was because it predates Quantum Leap by over a decade.

GENRE: Science Fiction
YEAR: unknown: no later than 1976; possibly much older.
PLOT DETAILS: A mysterious main character jumps through time by taking over the bodies of people in weakened conditions.
He jumps clear back to somewhere in the ancient world (Sumer? Babylon? Rome? Egypt?) at one point, into the body of a leper.
He is time-traveling to thwart the evil plans of some vastly powerful enemy.
This main character also has a backstory mentioned: he had been found floating through space in some kind of vessel alone as (possibly) an infant. He was recruited for reasons he is not aware of, by some kind of time-traveling agency. His ability to leap into other bodies may be his own rare gift. He wants to finish his mission so he can reunite with his lady.
COVER: there is a malevolent face depicted on the cover of the edition I read that has an out-proportioned (super-brain) skull.

The title may have something to do with "enemy" or "nemesis". But I have been unsuccessful finding it by name.

[Kris]

Les, is this book written for adults or teens?

[Les]

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I think it was for adults. I read it in 8th grade or before, but I think it was just "standard stuff" sci-fi.

[Les]

Bump

[Les]

I think this one has been found. Maybe.

The title was "The Million Year Hunt" by Kenneth Bulmer. And either I found the same book, or I somehow conflated two books together. This has many of the elements: body hopping (sort of). There are very long periods of time involved. The main character has a mysterious destiny and was an orphan found in a strange place. But no time travel and no ancient Earth destination.

Either way, I'd give it a thumbs up.

[Kris]

Here's the Google Books preview of The Million Year Hunt by Kenneth Bulmer:

https://books.google.com/books?id=Euk...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Les, are you ready to call this Solved?

[Les]

Not quite. I still occasionally look for this book. It was so long ago, however.

[Kris]

I added some details to the header/topic title. You can update it by clicking the small "edit" link after the header. This only works on the full Desktop website - not the Mobile website or app. (On the Mobile website, click the "Desktop version" link at the bottom of the page.)

Moving your request back to the "Unsolved" folder where more people will see it.

[Les]

That's a very succinct description. Thanks. The "skull" part may not be accurate, but it could lead to recognition.

[Kris]

You're welcome.

[Les]

I am going to call this solved, and assume that it is so obscure the other books I recall from the same time period are all I'm going to find, or that this was a mis-recall.

It was intriguing trying to find this on my "35-year Hunt". Thanks for taking the time to look.

Perhaps I can list titles/author I found along the way that seemed somewhat close if anyone is interested. I have given some reviews.

Author Kenneth Bulmer, "The Million Year Hunt" - great read. "The Cycle of Nemesis" - also good. Neither of these are masterpieces, but seem to stand up reasonably well as entertainment over time. Between them they have most of the elements above.

Happy Reading!