Against the Fall of Night
Dust-jacket of the first edition
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| Author | Arthur C. Clarke |
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| Cover artist | Frank Kelly Freas |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Gnome Press |
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Publication date
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1953 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 223 pp |
| Followed by | The City and the Stars |
Against the Fall of Night is a science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. Originally appearing as a novella in the November, 1948 issue of the magazine Startling Stories, it was revised and expanded in 1951 and published in book form in 1953 by Gnome Press. It was later expanded and revised again and published in 1956 as The City and the Stars. A later edition includes another of Clarke's early works and is titled The Lion of Comarre and Against the Fall of Night. In 1990, with Clarke's approval, Gregory Benford wrote a sequel titled Beyond the Fall of Night which continues the story arc of the 1953 novel. It is generally printed with the original novel as a single volume.
The title is from the poem "Smooth Between Sea And Land" by A. E. Housman, published in . Clarke explains: "I was also to discover the lines of A. E. Housman that not only described the locale perfectly, but also gave me the title of my first novel: 'Here on the level sand, between the sea and land, what shall I do or write against the fall of night?'".
Diaspar is a seemingly ageless city in the year 10 billion AD; the last child, Alvin, was born seventeen years ago. Alvin is a child curious about the outside world, which, according to the earliest histories, was destroyed by the Invaders, leaving only Diaspar. Alvin's desire to see the outside world is considered an eccentricity. When Alvin wanders into a tower to watch a sunset, he finds a rock with the inscription: "There is a better way. Give my greetings to the Keeper of the Records. Alaine of Lyndar".
Alvin takes the message to Rorden, the Keeper of the Records, who has access to "all the knowledge of Humanity." Rorden finds the record of the message but does not believe Alvin is ready to understand it.
Three years later, Rorden discloses that not only has he been waiting for Alvin to age, but he has also been trying to find out how people in the past went outside. He and Alvin find a way out and Alvin finds a destination called Lys.
Expecting an abandoned city, Alvin is shocked when he finds a thriving place. The inhabitants are different from his own people, living short but full lives and having telepathic abilities. They know about Diaspar but they like their natural setting. Alvin is prevented from going home as the citizens do not want him to reveal Lys to the people of Diaspar. They contact Rorden, who already knew of Lys, and tell him that Alvin will stay three days to allow the council of Lys time to decide his fate.
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Wikipedia