Voyage from Yesteryear
| Author | James P. Hogan |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Del Rey Books/Ballantine Books |
|
Publication date
|
April 1982 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 377 |
| ISBN |
Voyage from Yesteryear is a 1982 science fiction novel by James P. Hogan.
According to Hogan, the idea for the book originated around 1976 when he was asked by a friend about whether there was a solution to the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. He said that there was no solution that he could see and that the only thing that might work was separating the children and the adults to prevent the prejudices from being taught at an early age. However, some years later he returned to the concept of a society free from conditioning, which formed part of the basis for Voyage from Yesteryear.
The story opens early in the 21st century, as an automated space probe is being prepared for a mission to explore habitable exoplanets in the Alpha Centauri system. However, Earth appears destined for a global war which the probe designers fear that humanity may not survive. It appears that the only chance for the human species is to reestablish itself far away from the conflict but there is no time left for a manned expedition to escape Earth. The team, led by Henry B. Congreve, change their mission priority and quickly modify the design to carry several hundred sets of electronically coded human genetic data. Also included in this mission of embryo space colonization is a databank of human knowledge, robots to convert the data into genetic material and care for the children and construct habitats when the destination is reached, and a number of artificial wombs. The probe's designers name it the Kuan-Yin after the bodhisattva of childbirth and compassion.
Shortly after the launch, global war indeed breaks out and several decades later, Earthbound humanity is united under an authoritarian government. It is this government that receives a radio message from the fledgling "Chironian" civilization revealing that the probe found a habitable planet (Chiron) and that the first generation of children have been raised successfully.
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