Lest Darkness Fall and Related Stories
Cover of first edition
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| Author | L. Sprague de Camp and others |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction short stories |
| Publisher | Phoenix Pick |
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Publication date
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2011 |
| Media type | Print (paperback) |
| Pages | 287 pp. |
| ISBN | |
Lest Darkness Fall and Related Stories is an anthology of time travel alternate history stories by L. Sprague de Camp, Frederik Pohl, S. M. Stirling and David Drake. It was first published in trade paperback by Phoenix Pick in March 2011.
The book collects de Camp’s classic novel Lest Darkness Fall, an afterword concerning its significance by Alexei and Cory Panshin, and tales responding to it by the other authors.
Lest Darkness Fall by L. Sprague de Camp. A shorter version first appeared in the magazine Unknown v. 11, no. 4, December 1939; expanded to novel length, it was first published in book form by Henry Holt and Company in 1941. There have been numerous editions since. Martin Padway, an American archeologist visiting Rome in 1938, is struck by lightning at the Pantheon and finds himself transported back in time to the Rome of 535 AD. In that period the Western Roman Empire has long since fallen, and for nearly sixty years Italy has been ruled by barbarians, currently the Ostrogoths. However, the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire is poised to invade and reconquer the peninsula in a ruinous war Padway knows from history will devastate the country and mark the onset of the Dark Ages. To ensure his own survival and prevent the impending collapse of civilization, he sets out to introduce technical innovations from his own time. As Italy is invaded, he also becomes involved in political and military affairs, becoming the power behind the Ostrogothic throne and defeating the Byzantines. By the end of the novel Padway has stabilized the Italo-Gothic kingdom and consolidated his reforms. Due to his actions, Europe will not experience the Dark Ages, and darkness will not fall.
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