A long way back by Ben Bova
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"A Long Way Back" by Ben Bova is a science fiction novel written in the early 1960s. The narrative is set in a post-apocalyptic future where civilization is struggling to rebuild after a devastating war. The story centers around the theme of human resilience and technological hope, particularly focusing on the journey of the protagonist as he attempts to assemble a power-beaming satellite that could restore energy to a world plagued by
destruction and despair. The protagonist, Tom Morris, is a former historian who becomes the unlikely pilot tasked with assembling the satellite in orbit. Facing numerous challenges, including intense cold and his own doubts, Tom works to connect the satellite’s components under the direction of his superiors, including the ambitious Jason. Throughout his mission, he grapples with questions about survival, the future of civilization, and the importance of human knowledge amid a backdrop of secrecy and fear of the outside world. Ultimately, as he completes the satellite, Tom is faced with a choice that weighs not only his fate but the fate of humanity itself—choosing to ensure the satellite's power beams down to a more promising area of Earth, forcing his companions to confront the necessity of reintegrating with the remnants of civilization. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Bova, Ben, 1932-2020 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Summers, Leo, 1925-1985 |
| Title | A long way back |
| Original Publication | New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1960. |
| Series Title | Produced from Amazing Stories February 1960. |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 85.6 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Astronauts -- Fiction |
| Subject | Satellites -- Fiction |
| Subject | Apocalyptic fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 72553 |
| Release Date | Dec 30, 2023 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 329 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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