The Infinite Man
First edition cover, New York, 1973
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| Author | Daniel F. Galouye |
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| Original title | The Infinite Man |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | A Bantam Book, N7130 |
| Genre | Science fiction novel |
| Publisher | Bantam Books |
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Publication date
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1973 |
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Published in English
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April, 1973 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 202 |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 572755 |
| 813/.5/4 | |
| LC Class | PZ4.G18 In PS3557.A42 |
| Preceded by | A Scourge of Screamers (1968) |
The Infinite Man is a science fiction novel written by Daniel F. Galouye and published in April 1973 by Bantam Books.
A research project, Project Genesis, searches for evidence confirming the Steady State Theory of continuous creation in the area within and surrounding an unnamed American Midwestern city, according to which, 125,000 newly created neutrons (also called neoneutrons, which decay into hydrogen atoms consisting of protons and electrons while giving off hard gamma radiation - here called creation-radiation) should be called into existence in an Earth-sized volume in a twenty-four-hour period. The monitored area is an equilateral triangle with thickness of 50 feet (15 m) and an area of 300 square miles (780 km2) which should, by a proportional estimate, register twenty-one neoneutronic creation signatures in that same period.
Suddenly, not merely twenty-one, but millions of neoneutrons are called into existence in this monitoring area, fusing some of the sensor equipment. After replacing and refusing of the sensor elements, the locus of the phenomenon is traced to a rail-yard on the edge of the zone, and further, apparently emanating from a young drug-user and hobo, Milton Bradford.
Five years later, Milton Bradford (or, "Brad" to his inner circle) has gone from drug-using poverty to the pinnacle of corporate power as the Chairman of Progress and Development Enterprises (P&D), a real-estate and industrial conglomerate who functioned as an important partner during the days of the Genesis Project. P&D was formerly headed by Gerstal B. Hedgemore, who had committed suicide in apparent shame when Bradford was confirmed as his illegitimate heir, consequently leaving him his worldly and corporate fortunes in his will. For the first two years of this time Bradford, now flush with wealth and time to spend it, lives the dream - even so far as to create a self-satirical rock group, Hocker's Mock Rockers, which is a wild success, providing even more income for P&D Enterprises. Five years in, however, Bradford is attempting to grow into his new role as powerful Chairman of a wealthy and powerful company.
The reality is that P&D Enterprises, while a real company, is solely devoted to providing a safe and contented existence for Bradford. For, earlier on, psychological probing has revealed to Project Genesis' staff that the phenomenon that led them to Bradford is in fact the Creative Force that brought the Universe into being in the first place, and (while not immediately clear to the Project staff) the Creative Force has sought Bradford as a hiding place from a Universe that has become tiresomely overwhelmingly complex and the Destructive Force whom the Creative Force had originally brought into being a self-made opponent to stave off ennui. The Creative Force now seeks shelter amongst its favored beings. Hedgemore did not commit suicide, but willingly abdicated his top position and lives in cloistered seclusion within the P&D buildings, never meeting Bradford.
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