I actually stumbled upon 'Killing Time' during one of my deep dives into obscure sci-fi novels. It's one of those books that feels like it was plucked straight from the golden age of speculative fiction—written by Della Van Hise, with a fascinating (and somewhat infamous) publishing history tied to 'Star Trek.' The edition I own is the 1985 paperback from Pocket Books, and it clocks in at 256 pages. Not the longest read, but it packs a punch with its alternate universe Kirk/Spock dynamics. The prose is dense in places, especially when it leans into the psychological aspects, so those pages feel thicker than they appear.
What’s wild is how the page count varies depending on the edition. Some earlier print runs had minor edits that shaved off a few pages, while later reprints sometimes added supplementary material. If you’re hunting for it, I’d recommend checking used bookstores or online listings for the specific version—it’s a niche enough title that details like this matter. Personally, I love how the physical heft of the book matches its intense, moody vibe.