Hardly had man solved his basic problems on the planet of his origin, he began to fumble in space. A century had passed in the exploration of the solar system when he began to grope for stars. And suddenly, with almost religious zeal, mankind gave birth to his fantasy dream of populating the galaxy. Never in the history of a race did ardor reach such a peak and lasted so long. The question of why, it would seem, was ignored. Millions of terrestrial planets beckoned, and desperate desperation of mankind flashed in them. But the obstacles were frightening in scope. The planets and satellites...
The Citadel is a story of deception, manipulation, and broken promises; his cynical anti-hero Marlo in every way - a man of generation after the Cold War - is powerful, manipulating, cold-blooded, lonely and devoid of friends. According to Marlowe, people are a "race of maniacs." That is why earthlings rule the galaxy. After all, our contracts are not binding, and our promises are useless. Our government does not represent our people. It represents our people as they once were. The delay in the democratic process is such that the agreement signed today fulfills the promise of yesterday, but...
Almost any phenomenon can be used - or act - for good or evil. Mutation usually brings evil, but also brings greatness. Change can go in any direction....
These days they talk a lot about secret weapons. If this is not a new wrinkle in nuclear fission, it is a weapon to shoot at corners and winding stairs. Or maybe a good new strain of bacteria is guaranteed to give you radioactive dandruff. Our own suggestion is to send some of our commercials to Russia and bring the enemy to death....
Contacts between different civilizations are extremely complex and dangerous. Many researchers have paid with their lives. But why is it so difficult to find mutual understanding?...
The Stokes Harding couple are creative personalities: Eric is a writer of “chilling romantic stories,” and Nada is a poetess. They were disgusted by civilization, progress and synthetic products, they liked the primitive nature, which, however, was no longer left on Earth. And they go for new sensations to Venus - to where this primitive nature is abundant! .....
Brett spent his whole life in the small town of Casperton. And then one day he decided to look at the world outside the city. The journey led to amazing discoveries....
Jardeen, the companion of Vesta, was the key. Jardine was large and powerful, with a space fleet not surpassed in any other world. A large group of now neutral worlds would follow Jardine’s example, and Jardine’s alliance with the People’s worlds of Verdam would mean a quick end for the Terran Republic. But, if Jardine can be persuaded to enter into an alliance with the Terran Republic, the spreading, clutching hands of the octopus Verdam’s hands will begin to die ......
Hilary Grendon sent her shabby, time-worn space pilot, Vagabond, to the smiling Earth, which quickly rose to greet her. Only the instinctive lightness of long practice prevented the blow, his hands were trembling so much on the control panel. Again the house is an old familiar Earth! He could hardly believe it! Perhaps it was only a dream, and he woke up among Saturn's inhuman sparkling cylinders, shuddering and crawling from their icy gaze....
For at least five centuries, the galactic empire has not known major shocks. The daily routine and ceremonial duties “eat up” almost the entire time of the ruler, Paul XVII. Key ministers and other high-ranking courtiers in conversations with the emperor intrigue in black language and talk about conspiracies that threaten the crown. Psi-mediums of almost all inhabited worlds prophesy of impending big and terrible changes. And the students of the capital’s largest university in the empire unexpectedly and do not know why they are organizing a major rebellion ......
