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The Lion of Comarre and Against the Fall of Night
This volume is a collection of two early works by Arthur C. Clarke. Originally published in 1968, it has been reprinted several times. Both concern Earth in the far future, with a utopian, but static human society.
Against the Fall of Night was later expanded and revised into a novel as The City and the Stars, one of Clarke's best-known works.
The Lion of Comarre has a similar theme. It is about a dissatisfied young man in search "something more" in a future society that believes it has discovered everything and ceases to advance. The two are not, however, in the same future history.
Against the Fall of Night was later expanded and revised into a novel as The City and the Stars, one of Clarke's best-known works.
The Lion of Comarre has a similar theme. It is about a dissatisfied young man in search "something more" in a future society that believes it has discovered everything and ceases to advance. The two are not, however, in the same future history.
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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About the author
Arthur C. Clarke
1,646 books11.5k followersStories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include
2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968).
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
July 6, 2021
De apelativa, esta edição para mim só tinha o nome do autor: Arthur C. Carke.
Preterida muitas vezes por outras leituras, acabou no entanto por se revelar um pequeno tesouro. Cedo percebi que era um livro que definitivamente queria ter na estante (mesmo quando se começou a desfazer nas minhas mãos à medida que o lia). Esta experiência de "leitura desconstruída" promovida por uma cola ressequida incapaz de manter as páginas juntas, não impactou no entanto no conteúdo. Só espero não ter perdido nenhuma página no processo 😂
O título "Anti-Crepúsculo" induz em erro. Este livro contém não uma, mas duas das primeiras histórias que Arthur C. Clarke escreveu, reunidas conjuntamente para publicação em 1968 (mas já anteriormente publicadas em revistas de sci-fi):
"O Leão de Comarre" (The Lion of Comarre) e "Anti-Crepúsculo" (Against The Fall Of The Night)
"O Leão de Comarre"
O nosso protagonista é um "rebelde" que deseja ser engenheiro contra a vontade do pai (um artista de renome) e do avô (um estadista, membro do concílio mundial). No ano de 2600, a engenharia tornara-se obsoleta e uma profissão desprestigiante. A ciência estagnara, dominando a ideia de que se "descobrira praticamente tudo". "És capaz de imaginar uma invenção que o mundo não tenha?" dizia-lhe o pai, mas Richard contra tudo e todos, vai seguir o seu coração e leva-nos conosco nessa aventura.
"Anti-Crepúsculo"
Num futuro muito distante, a humanidade está confinada a uma só cidade no planeta Terra: Diaspar. Para além dos muros da cidade, acredita-se que exista apenas areia e sal, os desertos formados pelos fundos dos extintos Oceanos. Diaspar é o ultimo reduto da Humanidade. Mas Alvin, o nosso protagonista, quer ver o mundo com os próprios olhos e persistirá em tentar sair dos muros protectores da sua cidade. Esperam-no (e a nós leitores) aventuras incríveis, depois das quais a história da humanidade nunca mais será a mesma.
As duas histórias têm entre si muitos pontos similares. Temos nos dois casos, personagens principais incoformistas e curiosos, que nasceram num tempo em que as sociedades humanas se encontravam estáticas ou estagnadas. Partilham também o tema da evolução humana, da procura, da aventura, de ir contra o que está estabelecido e tentar ir mais além, ainda que tudo aparente ser perfeito e utópico. A necessidade de questionar para evoluir.
Encontrei também outros pormenores e temas que me fizeram lembrar outros livros de ficção científica (e não só), incluindo outras obras posteriores do próprio autor. Não houve pois assim para mim nenhum tema para reflexão totalmente diferente ou que me acrescentasse, mas foram duas experiências de leitura muito positivas e de enorme entretenimento.
Da segunda história penso que existiram talvez muitas mudanças na linha narrativa para a quantidade de páginas existentes, ou seja acontece muita coisa em muito pouco "tempo", mas sei que Arthur C. Clarke depois a partir desta história, escreveu o livro "The City and The Stars", por isso talvez tenha havido nesse livro posterior alguma revisão. É óbvio que agora também fiquei interessada em ler esse... 😊
E agora parto para outra aventura que se prevê épica e com desenlace incerto: tentar colar as páginas desta edição com sucesso...😂
Preterida muitas vezes por outras leituras, acabou no entanto por se revelar um pequeno tesouro. Cedo percebi que era um livro que definitivamente queria ter na estante (mesmo quando se começou a desfazer nas minhas mãos à medida que o lia). Esta experiência de "leitura desconstruída" promovida por uma cola ressequida incapaz de manter as páginas juntas, não impactou no entanto no conteúdo. Só espero não ter perdido nenhuma página no processo 😂
O título "Anti-Crepúsculo" induz em erro. Este livro contém não uma, mas duas das primeiras histórias que Arthur C. Clarke escreveu, reunidas conjuntamente para publicação em 1968 (mas já anteriormente publicadas em revistas de sci-fi):
"O Leão de Comarre" (The Lion of Comarre) e "Anti-Crepúsculo" (Against The Fall Of The Night)
"O Leão de Comarre"
O nosso protagonista é um "rebelde" que deseja ser engenheiro contra a vontade do pai (um artista de renome) e do avô (um estadista, membro do concílio mundial). No ano de 2600, a engenharia tornara-se obsoleta e uma profissão desprestigiante. A ciência estagnara, dominando a ideia de que se "descobrira praticamente tudo". "És capaz de imaginar uma invenção que o mundo não tenha?" dizia-lhe o pai, mas Richard contra tudo e todos, vai seguir o seu coração e leva-nos conosco nessa aventura.
"Anti-Crepúsculo"
Num futuro muito distante, a humanidade está confinada a uma só cidade no planeta Terra: Diaspar. Para além dos muros da cidade, acredita-se que exista apenas areia e sal, os desertos formados pelos fundos dos extintos Oceanos. Diaspar é o ultimo reduto da Humanidade. Mas Alvin, o nosso protagonista, quer ver o mundo com os próprios olhos e persistirá em tentar sair dos muros protectores da sua cidade. Esperam-no (e a nós leitores) aventuras incríveis, depois das quais a história da humanidade nunca mais será a mesma.
As duas histórias têm entre si muitos pontos similares. Temos nos dois casos, personagens principais incoformistas e curiosos, que nasceram num tempo em que as sociedades humanas se encontravam estáticas ou estagnadas. Partilham também o tema da evolução humana, da procura, da aventura, de ir contra o que está estabelecido e tentar ir mais além, ainda que tudo aparente ser perfeito e utópico. A necessidade de questionar para evoluir.
Encontrei também outros pormenores e temas que me fizeram lembrar outros livros de ficção científica (e não só), incluindo outras obras posteriores do próprio autor. Não houve pois assim para mim nenhum tema para reflexão totalmente diferente ou que me acrescentasse, mas foram duas experiências de leitura muito positivas e de enorme entretenimento.
Da segunda história penso que existiram talvez muitas mudanças na linha narrativa para a quantidade de páginas existentes, ou seja acontece muita coisa em muito pouco "tempo", mas sei que Arthur C. Clarke depois a partir desta história, escreveu o livro "The City and The Stars", por isso talvez tenha havido nesse livro posterior alguma revisão. É óbvio que agora também fiquei interessada em ler esse... 😊
E agora parto para outra aventura que se prevê épica e com desenlace incerto: tentar colar as páginas desta edição com sucesso...😂
June 16, 2013
This volume contains two of Clarke's earlier short works: The Lion of Comarre and Against the Fall of Night. I mostly acquired it for the latter, as its expanded version, The City and the Stars is one of my favourite stories and I wanted to see how the original compared.
I wasn't disappointed, either. The two stories are actually pretty similar, although obviously Night has less depth to it. Characters and broad plot outlines are pretty similar but City gives them more space to breathe and fills in details skimmed over in Night. Comparing the two, I think I prefer City, although this may be because it was the one that I encountered first, although I think that the larger word count does give the story more breadth and depth, particularly in the Seven Suns section.
I enjoyed The Lion of Comarre as well. The two stories were put together because they share similar themes, although Lion is set in the nearer future than Night, but also looks at a utopian society that may be stagnating and introduces change to it. I was quite amused by the opening sequence where Richard Payton's father tries to talk him out of joining a lowly 'engineering' profession in favour of the arts. Its inversion of roles reminded me of Monty Python's Nothern Playwright sketch and made me smile.
I wasn't disappointed, either. The two stories are actually pretty similar, although obviously Night has less depth to it. Characters and broad plot outlines are pretty similar but City gives them more space to breathe and fills in details skimmed over in Night. Comparing the two, I think I prefer City, although this may be because it was the one that I encountered first, although I think that the larger word count does give the story more breadth and depth, particularly in the Seven Suns section.
I enjoyed The Lion of Comarre as well. The two stories were put together because they share similar themes, although Lion is set in the nearer future than Night, but also looks at a utopian society that may be stagnating and introduces change to it. I was quite amused by the opening sequence where Richard Payton's father tries to talk him out of joining a lowly 'engineering' profession in favour of the arts. Its inversion of roles reminded me of Monty Python's Nothern Playwright sketch and made me smile.
April 26, 2015
I must say I enjoy Arthur C. Clarke's writings. His crisp, articulate prose has an emotive effect that I just really dig. Also, of the sci-fi authors out there his generally falls into the category of hard sci-fi. Nothing seems magical other than the human condition (which is to say there is still a sense of wonder in his writing). This particular book is set of short stories that take place at what would seem the end of human history. In both cases he explores the juxtaposition of a stagnate society versus mans innate desire to explore and to grow. In each story the protagonist is a young man born into a world that has seemingly lost that explorers heart who by luck of the draw has this same heart. Each story the young man disillusioned by the stasis that has become human society follows the trail of some mystery that will lead the world back into a period of growth. Sometimes this trail is followed just out of pure instinct to explore, sometimes with rebellion, and always success is achieved despite the young characters naivete. That said the stories are definitely different and both merit reading. In some ways Arthur C. Clarke created a sort of Hebrew thought rhyme, but with two whole stories instead of just two lines, such that shared points are magnified.
March 3, 2022
“I WONDER WHAT YARLAN ZEY WOULD THINK OF THIS?”
Said Rorden thoughtfully. “I doubt if he would approve.”
Said Rorden thoughtfully. “I doubt if he would approve.”
April 9, 2015
Arthur C. Clarke's THE LION OF COMARRE and AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT are the real thing
They really are. Stories like these are the reason I love SF. Just spotting this volume at a used book sale made all the memories of when I first discovered the genre come rushing back. It was one of the first SF books I ever read, one of many I checked out from the Crescent Hill Library in Louisville, KY, and even just catching that first glimpse of this book's cover after all those years, plain and unadorned as it is, stopped me in my tracks.
THE LION OF COMMARRE is the story of Richard Peyton III, who defies both his family and his society to find the "dream city" of Comarre. No one who discovered it ever returned, and Peyton is determined to find out why.
AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT is the better-known work, if nothing else because Clarke later expanded it into the novel THE CITY AND THE STARS. Clarke himself in the introduction to this book says, "One day I would like to conduct a poll to discover which is the more popular version; I have long ago given up trying to decide which is the better one."
This is the story of Alvin, a resident of the city of Diaspar uncounted centuries from now. He's found a place where he can catch a glimpse of the "unending deserts" that surround the city. It's a place of perpetual wonder for him, and his curiosity leads him to want to leave Diaspar and discover the nature of the rest of the world.
Society doesn't look kindly on Alvin, either, and he ends up making several daring escapes in the course of the story.
Clarke acknowledges the similarities among the stories, saying, "Both involve a search, or quest, for unknown and mysterious goals. In each case, the real objectives are wonder and magic, rather than any material gain. And in each case, the hero is a young man dissatisfied with his environment."
Both these tales are pure "sensawonda" SF, and AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT, in particular, is one of my favorites. Highly recommended.
Published on April 08, 2015 21:40
They really are. Stories like these are the reason I love SF. Just spotting this volume at a used book sale made all the memories of when I first discovered the genre come rushing back. It was one of the first SF books I ever read, one of many I checked out from the Crescent Hill Library in Louisville, KY, and even just catching that first glimpse of this book's cover after all those years, plain and unadorned as it is, stopped me in my tracks.
THE LION OF COMMARRE is the story of Richard Peyton III, who defies both his family and his society to find the "dream city" of Comarre. No one who discovered it ever returned, and Peyton is determined to find out why.
AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT is the better-known work, if nothing else because Clarke later expanded it into the novel THE CITY AND THE STARS. Clarke himself in the introduction to this book says, "One day I would like to conduct a poll to discover which is the more popular version; I have long ago given up trying to decide which is the better one."
This is the story of Alvin, a resident of the city of Diaspar uncounted centuries from now. He's found a place where he can catch a glimpse of the "unending deserts" that surround the city. It's a place of perpetual wonder for him, and his curiosity leads him to want to leave Diaspar and discover the nature of the rest of the world.
Society doesn't look kindly on Alvin, either, and he ends up making several daring escapes in the course of the story.
Clarke acknowledges the similarities among the stories, saying, "Both involve a search, or quest, for unknown and mysterious goals. In each case, the real objectives are wonder and magic, rather than any material gain. And in each case, the hero is a young man dissatisfied with his environment."
Both these tales are pure "sensawonda" SF, and AGAINST THE FALL OF NIGHT, in particular, is one of my favorites. Highly recommended.
Published on April 08, 2015 21:40
January 17, 2017
An entertaining two-story collection, with the common theme of battling isolation, decadence & the evils of simply settling for ease and comfort. Clarke is just as enjoyable in concise format as he is in novel form; it's fascinating to compare "Against the Fall of Night" to the larger, more famous novel it inspired. This volume is Clarke as enthusiastic moral crusader, in distilled version...and that's absolutely OK by me.
February 26, 2023
After reading many Arthur C Clarke titles over the years I recently realised he’s not a particularly great writer. It always takes me a while to get into his stories because of his stilted style, and his characters are fairly two dimensional. But once the story is underway and his imagination takes hold, his ideas come to the fore and my interest sparks anew. In both of these novellas Clarke explores the evolution of artificial intelligence. Against The Fall of Night was more epic in its scope than The Lion of Comarre, and I did enjoy the unfurling of his universe-encompassing ideas. These mid-century sci-fi stories need to be understood in light of the times.
June 28, 2021
I liked this a lot but both stories seemed like the same story: a young man dissatisfied with the stagnation of the human race dares to defy his elders to search for knowledge.
And it makes me wonder about whether we have stagnated. We all carry these fantastic computers around in our pockets but don't use them for anything of importance. And we're sitting on the sidelines watching our planet die while being in denial that it will actually happen. May we be so lucky as to maintain life on a planet with no water.
And it makes me wonder about whether we have stagnated. We all carry these fantastic computers around in our pockets but don't use them for anything of importance. And we're sitting on the sidelines watching our planet die while being in denial that it will actually happen. May we be so lucky as to maintain life on a planet with no water.
May 4, 2019
Del libro Cuentos del planeta Tierra, brota el entrañable León de Comarre. El protagonista, Peyton III, que se hallaba de visita en la torre más alta de la ciudad aérea, aproximándose a los cuatro mil metros de altura, en el estudio de su padre el artista escultor Peyton II, huye de un encuentro con su abuelo Peyton I –consejero del gobierno mundial radicado en la luna artificial a treinta mil kilómetros fuera de la Tierra– , y segrega adrenalina libertaria tirándose por la ventana al vacío, es experto en el uso del dispositivo neutralizador de gravedad y frena la caída del cuerpo a menos de trescientos metros del suelo, evitando el golpe mortal y aterrizando suave cual ave del paraíso. Es el mismo joven rebelde que ingresa a la zona de vida salvaje y bosques deshabitados que guardan secretos inescrutables, en un punto ecuatorial de La Gran Reserva Africana, su misión es entrar a la mítica ciudad de Comarre, y aquí nace el título de la historia con el gentil y a la vez impotente león producto de la biociencia, que acolita a Peyton III en su investigación minuciosa en las fascinantes instalaciones de una leyenda de mil años de antigüedad.
Peyton III, que es genéticamente idéntico a su antepasado artista creador de Comarre, recaba la información que un grupo de revolucionarios requiere para sacar del inmovilismo a la sociedad que ha llegado a un punto muerto de la utopía que goza el Homo sapiens del tercer milenio, que si bien había desterrado de sí la estupidez artificial creando máquinas inteligentes a su servicio, al mismo tiempo había perdido el sentido de la aventura terrenal, y con ello el ser Quijote de nuevas utopías. La Tierra alberga ciudades de torres gigantescas en el que los artistas, filósofos y estadistas son la élite de la pirámide social, mientras los científicos ingenieros y otros técnicos son operarios del bienestar general que tiene su centro neurálgico en Ciudad de la Ciencia, Scientia, la que ocupa en una isla remota “millones de kilómetros cúbicos de oficinas y laboratorios”.
La ciudad homeostática de Comarre, es reino de analizadores y proyectores de pensamiento, que hizo realidad los deseos subconscientes de miles de artistas decadentes que se refugiaron en ella para vivir sus sueños que van de la luminosidad a lo teratológico, sin salir jamás de los habitáculos dispuestos para aquello. Siglos después de haber sido creados por Rolf Thordarsen, continúan como custodios de Comarre, dos robots ingenieros que tienen plena conciencia de sí mismos y pueden leer la mente de los humanos, y quienes acaban entregando a Peyton III, el libro que Rolf Thordarsen legó a la posteridad si venía a por él el único receptor posible, su gemelo genético del futuro.
Peyton III, que es genéticamente idéntico a su antepasado artista creador de Comarre, recaba la información que un grupo de revolucionarios requiere para sacar del inmovilismo a la sociedad que ha llegado a un punto muerto de la utopía que goza el Homo sapiens del tercer milenio, que si bien había desterrado de sí la estupidez artificial creando máquinas inteligentes a su servicio, al mismo tiempo había perdido el sentido de la aventura terrenal, y con ello el ser Quijote de nuevas utopías. La Tierra alberga ciudades de torres gigantescas en el que los artistas, filósofos y estadistas son la élite de la pirámide social, mientras los científicos ingenieros y otros técnicos son operarios del bienestar general que tiene su centro neurálgico en Ciudad de la Ciencia, Scientia, la que ocupa en una isla remota “millones de kilómetros cúbicos de oficinas y laboratorios”.
La ciudad homeostática de Comarre, es reino de analizadores y proyectores de pensamiento, que hizo realidad los deseos subconscientes de miles de artistas decadentes que se refugiaron en ella para vivir sus sueños que van de la luminosidad a lo teratológico, sin salir jamás de los habitáculos dispuestos para aquello. Siglos después de haber sido creados por Rolf Thordarsen, continúan como custodios de Comarre, dos robots ingenieros que tienen plena conciencia de sí mismos y pueden leer la mente de los humanos, y quienes acaban entregando a Peyton III, el libro que Rolf Thordarsen legó a la posteridad si venía a por él el único receptor posible, su gemelo genético del futuro.
April 12, 2019
These are a couple of great stories with a terrible cover graphic design.
"The Lion Of Comarre" I would have placed after "Against the Fall of Night" because it is shorter and, therefore gets straight into things while the longer story takes a few pages to set things up and so doesn't seem like as good a story at the beginning.
Regardless, Mr. Clarke is in his prime in shorter stories it seems, because he has so many ideas and it forces him to spin them out with less subterfuge.
These are both morality tales in my opinion and "The Lion of Comarre" is basically about the hubris of defining the reality of another individuals reality. The protagonist believes that he is going to save people from what is essentially euthanasia only to discover that his efforts are not appreciated.
In "Against the Fall of Night" we are introduced to two separate "surviving" civilizations on a future earth where each believe they are superior to each other. They share some common mythology and planetary history but believe that they have each evolved to a higher level.
Over the course of some very interesting events they are both informed of their delusions and realize that they would both be better off to compare the advantages of each others civilizations and incorporate the best practices from both into a new society.
The underlying theme that I see here is that most every civilization develops a religion that they feel defines their existence. This is always eventually unmasked as a construct of their time and place with no real correlation to an individual reality.
People of any "sanctioned" religious belief will find this offensive while any personal seekers will understand and appreciate Arthur's outlook.
"The Lion Of Comarre" I would have placed after "Against the Fall of Night" because it is shorter and, therefore gets straight into things while the longer story takes a few pages to set things up and so doesn't seem like as good a story at the beginning.
Regardless, Mr. Clarke is in his prime in shorter stories it seems, because he has so many ideas and it forces him to spin them out with less subterfuge.
These are both morality tales in my opinion and "The Lion of Comarre" is basically about the hubris of defining the reality of another individuals reality. The protagonist believes that he is going to save people from what is essentially euthanasia only to discover that his efforts are not appreciated.
In "Against the Fall of Night" we are introduced to two separate "surviving" civilizations on a future earth where each believe they are superior to each other. They share some common mythology and planetary history but believe that they have each evolved to a higher level.
Over the course of some very interesting events they are both informed of their delusions and realize that they would both be better off to compare the advantages of each others civilizations and incorporate the best practices from both into a new society.
The underlying theme that I see here is that most every civilization develops a religion that they feel defines their existence. This is always eventually unmasked as a construct of their time and place with no real correlation to an individual reality.
People of any "sanctioned" religious belief will find this offensive while any personal seekers will understand and appreciate Arthur's outlook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2018
I take back what I previously said about utopias. They can be interesting if they have a good enough twist like these two short novels have. 'The Lion' is solid and makes its point without dragging it out. The question of whether artificial bliss is morally ok is tackled well.
Against the fall of night portrays two conflicting utopias, immortal sophistication versus rural idyll. The constantly expanding viewpoint gives an impressive sense of scale and the end leaves you with a sense that is part of a much wider story. Any book which references millennia is going to be ambitious but this really gives that sense of enduring time.
Against the fall of night portrays two conflicting utopias, immortal sophistication versus rural idyll. The constantly expanding viewpoint gives an impressive sense of scale and the end leaves you with a sense that is part of a much wider story. Any book which references millennia is going to be ambitious but this really gives that sense of enduring time.
February 15, 2008
Wow! My father read these two books to my brother and I when we were children. I remember at the time being thoroughly enchanted, looking forward to the continuation of the story each night. Nearly 20 years later I re-read the two stories on my own and found them as amazing, imaginative, and well-crafted, as I had those 20 years earlier. These two stories are a couple of the greatest SF stories ever written. This is Clarke at his best.
February 6, 2012
I think I prefer the City in the Stars - mainly because I like how they travel to the different planets and describe them all. Make you wish we really could travel like that.
August 22, 2013
Wonderful
July 4, 2017
It's been years since I read any Clarke, but his sense of awe and wonder, combined with his imagination, has reminded me why I loved his works in the first place.
March 12, 2018
I don’t read Clarke as much as I used to and it is always nice to visit him again.
November 13, 2024
Two early works from Arthur C. Clarke. These already show some of the story patterns and concerns that would appear in Clarke's later and better works. "The Lion of Comarre" is an early novella (1949) that, like the novel it's coupled with, takes place in the far future. In both stories, future humanity is concentrated in a small number of cities that provide for all one's needs. Yet, at least one young man is dissatisfied with this comfortable life without quite knowing why. He strikes out to seek a new city and comes away with a conceptual breakthrough propelling stagnant humanity to a new age of development. In "The Lion of Comarre," the reader also gets a foretaste of Clarke's stories built around exploration of seemingly abandoned manufactured environments built by intelligences of greater technological knowledge, such as "Rendezvous with Rama." "The Lion of Comarre" is not close to Clarke's best work. It is amateurishly written, and feels more like it belongs in the 1930s than 1949. I will not go through its many flaws. However, the story does have some interest for the potential Clarke fan or scholar in previewing several features of Clarke's later writing.
"Against the Fall of Night," which took a decade to write and went through several drafts, is by far the more accomplished work. Arthur C. Clarke's first novel is an interesting account of humanity's distant future in which humanity has fallen into two distinct utopian societies, neither knowing of the other, while those who do know want to keep the two strictly separated and in ignorance. The hero of this novel, Alvin, comes from the utopia of Diaspar, in which machines provide everyone with everything they need and everyone lives to be thousands of years old. Alvin is the last "child" of this society, already being around 700 years old. He gets the urge to see what is out beyond Diaspar and so accidentally discovers Lys, an agrarian cooperative utopia in which mental powers have been perfected rather than longevity. The novel is something like a quest romance and Clarke here often devolves into an old-fashioned literary style, using words such as "lest," that is not at all the style he will cultivate in the rest of his writing. The characters are rather flat, as well. The rationale for how this state of humanity came to be is not worked out very well, and even though it could be considered the central problem of the story, it gets hastily and unsatisfactorily explained toward the end. The book is still relatively entertaining and has some interesting aspects to ponder regarding the value of cultural isolation.
"Against the Fall of Night," which took a decade to write and went through several drafts, is by far the more accomplished work. Arthur C. Clarke's first novel is an interesting account of humanity's distant future in which humanity has fallen into two distinct utopian societies, neither knowing of the other, while those who do know want to keep the two strictly separated and in ignorance. The hero of this novel, Alvin, comes from the utopia of Diaspar, in which machines provide everyone with everything they need and everyone lives to be thousands of years old. Alvin is the last "child" of this society, already being around 700 years old. He gets the urge to see what is out beyond Diaspar and so accidentally discovers Lys, an agrarian cooperative utopia in which mental powers have been perfected rather than longevity. The novel is something like a quest romance and Clarke here often devolves into an old-fashioned literary style, using words such as "lest," that is not at all the style he will cultivate in the rest of his writing. The characters are rather flat, as well. The rationale for how this state of humanity came to be is not worked out very well, and even though it could be considered the central problem of the story, it gets hastily and unsatisfactorily explained toward the end. The book is still relatively entertaining and has some interesting aspects to ponder regarding the value of cultural isolation.
November 25, 2023
The Lion of Comarre: Somewhere between a short story and a novella, this is another fantastic example of early “Golden Era” Sci-Fi from Clarke, who is one of my favorite authors of all time. The story, concerning a benign and content but very static (very) future society and the (literal) journey taken by a discontented/unfulfilled member looking for more, is deep and fascinating, with some disturbing philosophical/technological questions at its heart. Clarke, as he so often does, explores the possibilities and consequences of “advanced” evolution, and every fan of his and Sci-Fi in general should read this short, sharp work. Then read Childhood’s End and then 2001: A Space Odyssey and then thank me. 90/100.
My earlier review for Against the Fall of Night: This novella is one of Clarke’s earliest works – later expanded into a full novel – and though it’s no 2001: A Space Odyssey or Childhood’s End, it’s pretty good, exploring the themes that run through most of his work: How individuals and societies deal with forms of “First Contact”. It takes place 10 Billion(!) years in the future and involves the discovery by a 17-year-old (the last newborn of his almost immortal species who live in an enclosed city) of another very different group (mortal but psychic) living in a world thought to have been otherwise fully decimated eons before. As the societies learn more of each other, there are as many questions as answers (less so for the later expanded novel) with this version ending on an open, exploratory note. It was a bit slight, but if you like Clarke, his ideas and this type of subject matter, it’s definitely worth the small investment. But if you’ve never read Childhoods End, start there; it’s possibly the most exciting and compelling Sci-Fi novel I’ve ever read. 86/100
My earlier review for Against the Fall of Night: This novella is one of Clarke’s earliest works – later expanded into a full novel – and though it’s no 2001: A Space Odyssey or Childhood’s End, it’s pretty good, exploring the themes that run through most of his work: How individuals and societies deal with forms of “First Contact”. It takes place 10 Billion(!) years in the future and involves the discovery by a 17-year-old (the last newborn of his almost immortal species who live in an enclosed city) of another very different group (mortal but psychic) living in a world thought to have been otherwise fully decimated eons before. As the societies learn more of each other, there are as many questions as answers (less so for the later expanded novel) with this version ending on an open, exploratory note. It was a bit slight, but if you like Clarke, his ideas and this type of subject matter, it’s definitely worth the small investment. But if you’ve never read Childhoods End, start there; it’s possibly the most exciting and compelling Sci-Fi novel I’ve ever read. 86/100
July 17, 2021
Sometimes you come across little things in early sci-fi that just astonish, in this case this sentence on page 100. Now bear in mind, this was written in 1949, when computers were big behemoths with typewriters for input and output if you were lucky.
Here's the sentence : "... in the wall was... a visiphone receiver, beautifully made, its idle screen filled with a maze of shifting colors".
Damn if that doesn't exactly describe my current idle lock-screen.
On the flip-side, there's the librarian who puts in queries to a computer which has 100 trillion facts and takes days to eventually print out an answer... And this is supposed to be a billion years in the future. Oh well.
As to the actual stories...
Lion of Comarre is effectively a modern take on the lotus eaters. It's.... ok.
Against the Fall of Night was pretty good. There are gradually evolving revelations which draw you along. And of course it's a massive concept - what will man be like in a billion years?! This is what sci-fi is made for.
Here's the sentence : "... in the wall was... a visiphone receiver, beautifully made, its idle screen filled with a maze of shifting colors".
Damn if that doesn't exactly describe my current idle lock-screen.
On the flip-side, there's the librarian who puts in queries to a computer which has 100 trillion facts and takes days to eventually print out an answer... And this is supposed to be a billion years in the future. Oh well.
As to the actual stories...
Lion of Comarre is effectively a modern take on the lotus eaters. It's.... ok.
Against the Fall of Night was pretty good. There are gradually evolving revelations which draw you along. And of course it's a massive concept - what will man be like in a billion years?! This is what sci-fi is made for.
June 1, 2023
This book contains two of Arthur C. Clarke’s novellas, so let’s take the two of them in order.
First up, we have The Lion of Comarre, which is a stunning little story about an advanced civilisation and its rediscovery, along with what happens when an explorer finds his way inside. There are a few little twists along the way, and there’s a little something that wants to stop the secrets of the civilisation from ever being discovered.
Against the Fall of Night is basically an earlier version of The City and the Stars, but it’s been so long since I’ve read it that it was hard for me to look at any parallels. Still, I enjoyed it in its own right, although I was more of a fan of The Lion of Comarre.
All in all though, I was pretty happy with this read, and it’s definitely one that I’d recommend to science fiction readers.
First up, we have The Lion of Comarre, which is a stunning little story about an advanced civilisation and its rediscovery, along with what happens when an explorer finds his way inside. There are a few little twists along the way, and there’s a little something that wants to stop the secrets of the civilisation from ever being discovered.
Against the Fall of Night is basically an earlier version of The City and the Stars, but it’s been so long since I’ve read it that it was hard for me to look at any parallels. Still, I enjoyed it in its own right, although I was more of a fan of The Lion of Comarre.
All in all though, I was pretty happy with this read, and it’s definitely one that I’d recommend to science fiction readers.
August 30, 2018
Nice to read some vintage Clark. One of the highlights of my college career was the chance to hear him speak. These are wonderful stories. The fist is the older and second is a novella length re-imagining of the same story. The first is a neat, tightly written short story. The second a more meatier tale. I liked Against the Fall of Night better. Both gave themes of future man becoming bored, complacent, uncreative and loosing their curiosity as sentient machines run everything for them. Of course there will be one curious one born to upset the system.
February 1, 2023
Science Fiction - two novellas from a master of the genre from the 1940's. The bad part is that they read like science fiction from the 1940's; over written, vague ideas and unbelievable time lines. There are two novellas which both deal with the supposed end of human civilization. Robots rule the two surviving cities and Man is stuck on Earth after the Invaders attack. Or do they? I am not really sure and I read the stories.
No Canadian or pharmacy references.
No Canadian or pharmacy references.
August 18, 2018
The Lion of Comarre was ok...familiar sci fi. Against the Fall of Night was a fascinating mystery, with lots of adventure and intrigue until the end. The end was terrible! I hate it when a good story is ruined by a rushed and incomprehensible ending. Darn!!
October 30, 2019
Considering these two were written in the 40s they have aged well. I read this in the 70s. I remember the Lion of Comarre story, but not the other one. The Lion of Comarre is a little like the Matrix - people perpetually dreaming.
November 3, 2021
Most of the old books have a definite skeleton.
An interesting START
A boring MIDDLE
A beautiful END
This one is made of the same.
The Lion of Comarre is a good 3.5/5 for me,
while
Against the fall of Night is just a meh 2.5/5 because of its dragged out space adventure parts.
An interesting START
A boring MIDDLE
A beautiful END
This one is made of the same.
The Lion of Comarre is a good 3.5/5 for me,
while
Against the fall of Night is just a meh 2.5/5 because of its dragged out space adventure parts.
July 27, 2024
Recent Reads: The Lion of Comarre & Against the Fall of Night. Two short novels by Arthur C Clarke, pitting curiosity against decadence, yet delivering very different stories. They're early works, one was lost and the other rewritten into a more familiar novel. Roads not taken.
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October 25, 2025Why you might like it: Earlier version of City & the Stars; essential lineage. Rubric match: not yet scored. Uses your engineering/rigor/first-contact/world-building rubric. Tags: far-future, classic
December 15, 2023
I have not read an Arthur C. Clarke book in quite some time. The first I read was 2001: A Space Odyssey. I found that book on recommendation from my school librarian many years ago in High School. I have since read all of his books that interested me, aka his Science Fiction stories.
Time passed and I had found I stopped reading Science Fiction. Then I ran into a used bookstore, and they had this book. I picked it up as it had been on my list of missing ACC books for my collection.
Having read this, I was reminded that I missed my sci-fi stories. It is time to dust off my ACC and Asimov books and read them again - again.
The first story is barely worth 2 starts. It is simple, mindless and obvious. This is a story for a teen just coming across sci-fi.
The novella included, Against the Fall of Night is the important part. This led to the creation of The City and the Stars. A book I have previously read, but recalled little. I will be reading that book again soon.
The reason that the novella was re-written into a full novel is likely because there were a lot of gaps in the story. The novel was written to fix those. This is why this book only gets 4 stars. A really good novella, but not at the same level as the full novel.
I highly recommend this book to people who don't normally read sci-fi. It is very accessible, and not as high science as some of ACC's other books.
Time passed and I had found I stopped reading Science Fiction. Then I ran into a used bookstore, and they had this book. I picked it up as it had been on my list of missing ACC books for my collection.
Having read this, I was reminded that I missed my sci-fi stories. It is time to dust off my ACC and Asimov books and read them again - again.
The first story is barely worth 2 starts. It is simple, mindless and obvious. This is a story for a teen just coming across sci-fi.
The novella included, Against the Fall of Night is the important part. This led to the creation of The City and the Stars. A book I have previously read, but recalled little. I will be reading that book again soon.
The reason that the novella was re-written into a full novel is likely because there were a lot of gaps in the story. The novel was written to fix those. This is why this book only gets 4 stars. A really good novella, but not at the same level as the full novel.
I highly recommend this book to people who don't normally read sci-fi. It is very accessible, and not as high science as some of ACC's other books.
July 1, 2014
This book contains 2 stories The Lion of Comarre and Against the Fall of Night. Both were written about the same time and there were some similarities in that they were both about civilisations on the declined and exploring cities that may or may not have held secret from the past.
The Lion of Comarre: When I read this I could have sworn that I had read it before, but I can't find it in any of my Clarke books or collections. It not a bad story, but nothing to me jumped out as something that moves it above other similar stories.
Against the Fall of Night: I have read The City and The Stars before I read this and may be that coloured my views. This needed to be longer. There was so much potential that could have been expanded. That's not to say there was anything wrong with it, but it just didn't go far enough.
The Lion of Comarre: When I read this I could have sworn that I had read it before, but I can't find it in any of my Clarke books or collections. It not a bad story, but nothing to me jumped out as something that moves it above other similar stories.
Against the Fall of Night: I have read The City and The Stars before I read this and may be that coloured my views. This needed to be longer. There was so much potential that could have been expanded. That's not to say there was anything wrong with it, but it just didn't go far enough.
February 3, 2017
Dos novelas cortas, imaginando una humanidad en eras más allá de lo que podemos imaginar. Similares a lo que presenta El Fin de la Infancia o Cánticos de la lejana Tierra, personas viviendo en un mundo donde todo ya está resuelto por las máquinas (sin entrar en detalles innecesarios) pero que sin embargo tienen problemas humanos.
Son relatos extraños, no tienen nada que ver con sus cuentos o con historias como Rama en donde hay más "ciencia". Puede no gustarle a muchos de los amantes de la ciencia ficción, pero deben darle una probada y decidir.
Son relatos extraños, no tienen nada que ver con sus cuentos o con historias como Rama en donde hay más "ciencia". Puede no gustarle a muchos de los amantes de la ciencia ficción, pero deben darle una probada y decidir.
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