The Fountains of Paradise (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Arthur C. Clarke
- First Published: 1979
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—technocratic
- Time of Work: Primarily the late twenty-second century, with flashbacks and flashforwards
- Setting: Southwest Asia and various Earth orbits
- Genres: Long fiction, Science fiction
- Subjects: Future, Asia or Asians, Prophecy or prophets, Monasteries, monks, or monasticism, Moon or moons, Elevators
- Locales: Asia, Space
The Plot
Arthur C. Clarke posits in this novel that humankind will continue to explore the solar system and even establish a permanent presence on the Moon, Mercury, and Mars. The shuttles and rockets used to gain access to these new frontiers, however, will prove to be too expensive, inefficient, and destructive of the environment. A better way will have to be found to get people and material off the surface of Earth and into space.
Vannevar Morgan is the chief engineer (Land) of the Terran Construction Corporation. His primary claim to fame is building the Gibraltar...
[The entire page is 936 words long]
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