Voilà vingt ans qu'Asher Sutton est parti dans l'espace. Même son vieil ami,
Christopher Adams, ne s'attend plus à son retour.
Or, un soir, un inconnu se présente à Adams et lui dit
venir du futur. Il annonce le retour imminent de Sutton et demande qu'on
l'abatte à vue.
Effectivement, peu après, Asher Sutton revient sur Terre
dans un astronef hors d'état de voler, sans air, sans vivres, sans
combustible.
Qu'est-il arrivé à Sutton pendant ces vingt années
d'absence ? Pourquoi les hommes du futur veulent-ils l'empêcher à tout prix de
publier son livre ? Un livre qu'il n'a jamais envisagé d'écrire d'ailleurs...
Et, de toutes façons, il y a déjà longtemps qu'Asher
Sutton est mort.
'One of those complex and enormously inventive stories... based on some real, honest, practical ethical thinking. It is an idea book.'
- Groff Conklin in Galaxy Science Fiction
Asher Sutton has been lost in deepest space for twenty years. Suddenly arrives a warning from the future, that he will return- and that he must be killed. He is destined to write a book whose message may lead to the death of millions in centuries to come. For this reason Sutton is hounded by the sinister warring factions of the future who wish to influence or prevent the writing of this book he has not yet begun to write.
Yet already a copy has been found in the burnt-out wreckage of a space-craft on Aldebaran XII.
Description:
'One of those complex and enormously inventive stories... based on some real, honest, practical ethical thinking. It is an idea book.'
- Groff Conklin in Galaxy Science Fiction
Asher Sutton has been lost in deepest space for twenty years. Suddenly arrives a warning from the future, that he will return- and that he must be killed. He is destined to write a book whose message may lead to the death of millions in centuries to come. For this reason Sutton is hounded by the sinister warring factions of the future who wish to influence or prevent the writing of this book he has not yet begun to write.
Yet already a copy has been found in the burnt-out wreckage of a space-craft on Aldebaran XII.