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Vita con gli automi
L'automa è un personaggio molto discusso, e non solo da oggi, nella letteratura fantastica. Ci è stato presentato ora come un prezioso servitore dell'uomo, ora come un rivale insidioso, ora come uno strumento di progresso, ora come un implacabile, incontrollabile distruttore. James White aggiunge ora a questa vasta gamma di prospettive una sua originale, estremistica visione, fondendo al tema dei robot quello dell'immortalità e quello, inconsueto, di Robinson Crusoe.
Contiene La salvezza viene dalla Terra (Sound Decision, 1956) di Randall Garrett, Robert Silverberg
Traduzione di Cesare Scaglia
Copertina: Karel Thole
Contiene La salvezza viene dalla Terra (Sound Decision, 1956) di Randall Garrett, Robert Silverberg
Traduzione di Cesare Scaglia
Copertina: Karel Thole
144 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
1 person is currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
James White
94 books134 followersLibrarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending some early years in Canada. He became a fan of science fiction in 1941 and co-wrote two fan magazines, from 1948 to 1953 and 1952 to 1965. Encouraged by other fans, White began publishing short stories in 1953, and his first novel was published in 1957. His best-known novels were the twelve of the Sector General series, the first published in 1962 and the last after his death. White also published nine other novels, two of which were nominated for major awards, unsuccessfully.
White abhorred violence, and medical and other emergencies were the sources of dramatic tension in his stories. The "Sector General" series is regarded as defining the genre of medical science fiction, and as introducing a memorable crew of aliens. Although missing winning the most prestigious honours four times, White gained other awards for specific works and for contributions to science fiction. He was also Guest-of-Honour of several conventions.
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending some early years in Canada. He became a fan of science fiction in 1941 and co-wrote two fan magazines, from 1948 to 1953 and 1952 to 1965. Encouraged by other fans, White began publishing short stories in 1953, and his first novel was published in 1957. His best-known novels were the twelve of the Sector General series, the first published in 1962 and the last after his death. White also published nine other novels, two of which were nominated for major awards, unsuccessfully.
White abhorred violence, and medical and other emergencies were the sources of dramatic tension in his stories. The "Sector General" series is regarded as defining the genre of medical science fiction, and as introducing a memorable crew of aliens. Although missing winning the most prestigious honours four times, White gained other awards for specific works and for contributions to science fiction. He was also Guest-of-Honour of several conventions.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 31, 2016
‘NAMED BY READERS AS ONE OF THE BEST SCIENCE-FICTION NOVELS OF THE YEAR
The last man in a universe of robots…
Five miles beneath the surface, Ross was awakened from the deep sleep of suspended animation to find himself in an empty world. There was no noise, no people, and no motion save for the steady activity of the hospital robots.
What had happened to life? Was Ross the last human being in exisitence? Could he find another?
he didn’t know the answers but he did know that soon he had to find some other living creatures. Even if he had to create them syntheticllay, assisted by the robots who would obey his every dersire.
Wit the deep sleep at his command he could experiment with life itself as no other scientist had ever done – and he had all eternity to do it in!’
Blurb from the 1962 Ace Doubles edition F-173
James White again puts his medical background to use – albeit obliquely – in this post apocalyptic tale of Ross, a man put into Deep Sleep until a cure for his leukaemia is found. He is awakened to find robots running the hospital and discovers that not only is he the last human alive, but that all other life on Earth was destroyed by nuclear war.
Initially traumatised by his situation, he begins to restructure the robot workforce, discovers some grass seed in the turn-ups of his trousers and instructs the robots to put him back to sleep, work on bringing the grass back to life and develop it in whatever way they can. During his subsequent Deep Sleeps the robots upgrade themselves, and Ross notices an increased self-awareness in Nurse SB (his personal attendant) with each awakening.
As with most Ace Doubles, the writer is forced to be economical with text and White manages to cram an impressive amount of narrative and description into a scant one hundred pages.
It has echoes of Simak about it, particularly in regard to the robots which have the somewhat disquieting habit of enjoying being the slaves of Humanity, treating their creators almost as Gods.
This device has been somewhat turned on its head in recent years with many brick-sized novels from various quarters examining the advent of The Singularity and seeing AIs as the godlike masters of man.
The concept of jumping through time through suspended animation enjoyed its own brief vogue with authors Vernor Vinge and Brian Stableford for instance, while the consequences of the effects of cryonics were examined as afar back as Wells’ ‘The Sleeper Awakes’. One might also count Mack Reynolds’ ‘Looking backward from The Year 2000’ and some of Heinlein’s ‘corpsicle’ works.
It’s a device which allows the narrator to be as surprised/horrified/delighted as the rest of us by the wonders of the future, as no doubt we will be.
See also ‘The Sleeper Awakes’ – HG Wells, ‘The Walking Shadow’ - Brian Stableford, ‘Marooned in Realtime’ – Vernor Vinge. 'Down and Out in The Magic Kingdom' - Cory Doctorow
The last man in a universe of robots…
Five miles beneath the surface, Ross was awakened from the deep sleep of suspended animation to find himself in an empty world. There was no noise, no people, and no motion save for the steady activity of the hospital robots.
What had happened to life? Was Ross the last human being in exisitence? Could he find another?
he didn’t know the answers but he did know that soon he had to find some other living creatures. Even if he had to create them syntheticllay, assisted by the robots who would obey his every dersire.
Wit the deep sleep at his command he could experiment with life itself as no other scientist had ever done – and he had all eternity to do it in!’
Blurb from the 1962 Ace Doubles edition F-173
James White again puts his medical background to use – albeit obliquely – in this post apocalyptic tale of Ross, a man put into Deep Sleep until a cure for his leukaemia is found. He is awakened to find robots running the hospital and discovers that not only is he the last human alive, but that all other life on Earth was destroyed by nuclear war.
Initially traumatised by his situation, he begins to restructure the robot workforce, discovers some grass seed in the turn-ups of his trousers and instructs the robots to put him back to sleep, work on bringing the grass back to life and develop it in whatever way they can. During his subsequent Deep Sleeps the robots upgrade themselves, and Ross notices an increased self-awareness in Nurse SB (his personal attendant) with each awakening.
As with most Ace Doubles, the writer is forced to be economical with text and White manages to cram an impressive amount of narrative and description into a scant one hundred pages.
It has echoes of Simak about it, particularly in regard to the robots which have the somewhat disquieting habit of enjoying being the slaves of Humanity, treating their creators almost as Gods.
This device has been somewhat turned on its head in recent years with many brick-sized novels from various quarters examining the advent of The Singularity and seeing AIs as the godlike masters of man.
The concept of jumping through time through suspended animation enjoyed its own brief vogue with authors Vernor Vinge and Brian Stableford for instance, while the consequences of the effects of cryonics were examined as afar back as Wells’ ‘The Sleeper Awakes’. One might also count Mack Reynolds’ ‘Looking backward from The Year 2000’ and some of Heinlein’s ‘corpsicle’ works.
It’s a device which allows the narrator to be as surprised/horrified/delighted as the rest of us by the wonders of the future, as no doubt we will be.
See also ‘The Sleeper Awakes’ – HG Wells, ‘The Walking Shadow’ - Brian Stableford, ‘Marooned in Realtime’ – Vernor Vinge. 'Down and Out in The Magic Kingdom' - Cory Doctorow
October 26, 2018
You wake up from cryogenic sleep in a medical bunker underground. The Earth is dead after the final war, first nuked, then radiated, then burned to a sterile crisp. You're not just the last member of Homo Sapiens Sapiens, you're the last biological life form on the planet, full stop. All you have is a bunch of robots of limited AI capabilities designed to Serve Man, your memories, and a cryogenic chamber that can let you sleep for thousands of years at a time if you want. What do you do? Go.
I read this a loooooong time ago and something about it always stuck. Finally managed to find it again and yes, I like it. Sure it's aged a bit, especially technology-wise, but the AI aspect is still pretty clever, and for being basically the inverse of Stapledon's First and Last Men (or a precursor of The Martian with no hope of actual rescue) it holds up. What's man to do but play god, and what's his creation to do but outgrow him?
I read this a loooooong time ago and something about it always stuck. Finally managed to find it again and yes, I like it. Sure it's aged a bit, especially technology-wise, but the AI aspect is still pretty clever, and for being basically the inverse of Stapledon's First and Last Men (or a precursor of The Martian with no hope of actual rescue) it holds up. What's man to do but play god, and what's his creation to do but outgrow him?
December 20, 2024
Anche gli Urania degli anni 60/70 potevano essere buone edizioni, se il testo d’origine non richiedeva di essere tagliato: e questo Second ending del bravo James White (finalista all’Hugo 1962) ne è un esempio, con le sue 96 pagg tanto in originale quanto in traduzione (non è quindi vero che la minore lunghezza degli Urania di allora fosse dovuta all’impaginazione). Breve, come erano spesso gli Ace Double (uscì insieme a Jewels of Aptor di Delany) ma intenso per l’angoscia del superstite a una guerra nucleare, ibernato in un avanzato ospedale, che si risveglia periodicamente per verificare i progressi degli automi che, sotto il suo comando, cercano di riportare vita sulla Terra.le visioni di una Terra devastata e sterilizzata dalla guerra atomica oppure del lontanissimo futuro sono potenti e ricordano capolavori della fantascienza delle origini, come The time machine di Wells.
Il romanzo è piaciuto: oltre alle classiche tre edizioni in Urania (Romanzo, Capolavoro, Classico) è uscito in altre due versioni accorpato con altri testi.
In questo Urania 651 è completato da un’appendice di due racconti; tra questi, Raylyn Moore “If it begin” (insolita costruzione) è un buon esempio del filone “alienazione newyorchese” di cui Ellison e soprattutto Disch hanno dato grandi esempi. Anche l’appendice di Urania può rivelare sorprese: scopro che la Moore fu giornalista e scrittrice dedita al fantastico, studiosa del mondo di Oz, e pubblicò spesso su Fantasy & Science Fiction: dopo questo, negli anni ’70 furono tradotti da noi diversi altri suoi racconti, nell’appendice di Urania o in antologie. Fu moglie di Ward Moore, l’autore del catastrofico-satirico Più verde del previsto.
Eccellenti entrambe le copertine di Thole, anche se di concezione diversa.
Il romanzo è piaciuto: oltre alle classiche tre edizioni in Urania (Romanzo, Capolavoro, Classico) è uscito in altre due versioni accorpato con altri testi.
In questo Urania 651 è completato da un’appendice di due racconti; tra questi, Raylyn Moore “If it begin” (insolita costruzione) è un buon esempio del filone “alienazione newyorchese” di cui Ellison e soprattutto Disch hanno dato grandi esempi. Anche l’appendice di Urania può rivelare sorprese: scopro che la Moore fu giornalista e scrittrice dedita al fantastico, studiosa del mondo di Oz, e pubblicò spesso su Fantasy & Science Fiction: dopo questo, negli anni ’70 furono tradotti da noi diversi altri suoi racconti, nell’appendice di Urania o in antologie. Fu moglie di Ward Moore, l’autore del catastrofico-satirico Più verde del previsto.
Eccellenti entrambe le copertine di Thole, anche se di concezione diversa.
Read
February 6, 2022This is one of my favourite books. The first time I read it - around age 14 - was on the military ship that we were on - returning to the United States from Japan. I found it [the Ace Books double - with Samuel R Delany's 'The Jewls of Aptor' on the other side] in the Ship Library. I was so in love with the book that I had thought of taking it with me when the ship docked - but knew that would not be respectful for the next people who also might want to read it - so I left it behind.
Over the years I thought of the book periodically. On the odd occasion when I would find it at the Library I would re-read the book. At one point I actually found the Ace Books version and bought it. But as happens when one moves to often - things disappear - and this book was one of the things that disappeared.
Blessedly the other day I found a copy of it and now I have the Ace Books double again!!! I am in 'Second Ending' heaven. So, of course I had to read it again.
The protagonist - Ross - is literally the Last Man on Earth. Everyone is gone except for him - and the Robots. Over the many centuries that Ross still lives on the remains of Planet Earth - the robots ceaselessly work to fulfill his every wish which include trying - somehow - to reunite him with his beloved Alice. At the end - in their way - they are successful.
One of the things I liked the most was Ross's relationship with Sister - one of the head Robots. The way they interacted with each other was amazing.
Please - if you - my dear readers - have the chance to find this delightful book - please do read it. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Over the years I thought of the book periodically. On the odd occasion when I would find it at the Library I would re-read the book. At one point I actually found the Ace Books version and bought it. But as happens when one moves to often - things disappear - and this book was one of the things that disappeared.
Blessedly the other day I found a copy of it and now I have the Ace Books double again!!! I am in 'Second Ending' heaven. So, of course I had to read it again.
The protagonist - Ross - is literally the Last Man on Earth. Everyone is gone except for him - and the Robots. Over the many centuries that Ross still lives on the remains of Planet Earth - the robots ceaselessly work to fulfill his every wish which include trying - somehow - to reunite him with his beloved Alice. At the end - in their way - they are successful.
One of the things I liked the most was Ross's relationship with Sister - one of the head Robots. The way they interacted with each other was amazing.
Please - if you - my dear readers - have the chance to find this delightful book - please do read it. I don't think you will be disappointed.
June 11, 2016
Storyline: 3/5
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 4/5
This is one of those science fictions works whose predictions of future technology were too tightly bound to the technology at the time. It may have seemed inventive and cutting-edge at the 1961; now it reads amusingly and archaically.
I know this wasn't the first post-apocalyptic novel or even the first post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. Perhaps it was the first post-apocalyptic environmental, Cold War novella. That it is a very short (today it wouldn't be considered a novel and wouldn't be printed as a stand-alone work) and easy read are merits. You don't have to invest much and there's nothing really wrong with story. It simply isn't that ambitious or original. I'd only recommend it as a quick novelty piece or perhaps if you are studying the changes in science fiction across the decades.
Characters: 3/5
Writing Style: 3/5
World: 4/5
This is one of those science fictions works whose predictions of future technology were too tightly bound to the technology at the time. It may have seemed inventive and cutting-edge at the 1961; now it reads amusingly and archaically.
I know this wasn't the first post-apocalyptic novel or even the first post-apocalyptic science fiction novel. Perhaps it was the first post-apocalyptic environmental, Cold War novella. That it is a very short (today it wouldn't be considered a novel and wouldn't be printed as a stand-alone work) and easy read are merits. You don't have to invest much and there's nothing really wrong with story. It simply isn't that ambitious or original. I'd only recommend it as a quick novelty piece or perhaps if you are studying the changes in science fiction across the decades.
July 31, 2022
I read this book in an Ace Double edition with Delaney's The Jewels of Aptor. I didn't have good luck with the two Doubles I'd read before this one, but these two post-apocalyptical stories pleasantly surprised me. Second Ending is definitely the cozier of the two, and it doesn't come as a surprise after reading a little bit of his Sector General series years ago. He does fluffy, uplifting, medically-orientated science fiction, and Second Ending doesn't disappoint.
This is not the grittiest, most realistic end-of-the-world book you'll ever read, but our main character does wake from stasis at the bottom of an underground hospital complex and learn that he is the last man on Earth. He was a medical student who went under in the hope that in the future he'd be cured. He was, but between then and his awakening humanity had destroyed itself and his colleagues left him an army of conical robots ordered to keep him safe while obeying him. What could go wrong?
Second Ending was published in 1962, but it feels like it's straight out of the fourties or fifties. There's a campy flavor that you just can't shake. I enjoyed it, even though it threw science to the wind and was unrealistic. These robots last for... very long amounts of time, and the things they and the main character are able to do are... well, astounding. They try to rebuild life on a lifeless Earth, and for the most part it's a good diving narrative for the book. Behind the plot the last man on Earth is going through a series of mental crises which are a bit dated but serve the plot well enough. White does do a surprisingly good job of keeping the narrative going with only the MC and the head robot to play around with; it never felt boring or forced.
Both and the introduction and conclusion to the book are a bit kitchy like the other Doubles I've read. Toward the end of the hundred-page read he starts to spend more time in stasis until large amounts of time are passing by, and... without spoiling too much... the last few pages remind me of the last few pages of and that was pretty cool. I love that book... the ending wasn't exactly what I was hoping for (), but the ending was still nice and... well, green.
I'll be starting a read through the Sector General series soon enough, and I'm looking forward to reading more of White. He may be an underrated Golden Sci-fi author; we'll see. Other than that, though Second Ending is far from thrilling and deepening me, I'll always know him as my personal redeemer of the Ace Double Novels, and a little gem in the 'comfy apocalypse' genre.
This is not the grittiest, most realistic end-of-the-world book you'll ever read, but our main character does wake from stasis at the bottom of an underground hospital complex and learn that he is the last man on Earth. He was a medical student who went under in the hope that in the future he'd be cured. He was, but between then and his awakening humanity had destroyed itself and his colleagues left him an army of conical robots ordered to keep him safe while obeying him. What could go wrong?
Second Ending was published in 1962, but it feels like it's straight out of the fourties or fifties. There's a campy flavor that you just can't shake. I enjoyed it, even though it threw science to the wind and was unrealistic. These robots last for... very long amounts of time, and the things they and the main character are able to do are... well, astounding. They try to rebuild life on a lifeless Earth, and for the most part it's a good diving narrative for the book. Behind the plot the last man on Earth is going through a series of mental crises which are a bit dated but serve the plot well enough. White does do a surprisingly good job of keeping the narrative going with only the MC and the head robot to play around with; it never felt boring or forced.
Both and the introduction and conclusion to the book are a bit kitchy like the other Doubles I've read. Toward the end of the hundred-page read he starts to spend more time in stasis until large amounts of time are passing by, and... without spoiling too much... the last few pages remind me of the last few pages of and that was pretty cool. I love that book... the ending wasn't exactly what I was hoping for (), but the ending was still nice and... well, green.
I'll be starting a read through the Sector General series soon enough, and I'm looking forward to reading more of White. He may be an underrated Golden Sci-fi author; we'll see. Other than that, though Second Ending is far from thrilling and deepening me, I'll always know him as my personal redeemer of the Ace Double Novels, and a little gem in the 'comfy apocalypse' genre.
December 20, 2013
Amazing. Makes you think, and wonder, and try to grasp the concepts of time and loneliness...
July 7, 2015
This is a rather good story, about awakening from 'deep sleep' to discover that apart from the robotic staff at the hospital, there is no life remaining on planet Earth, is rather good!
March 6, 2020
Tre racconti: uno lungo che dà il titolo al libro "Vita con gli automi" di James White, due corti "La salvezza viene dalla Terra" di Garrett e Silverberg, "Il marziano in cattedra" di chi non si capisce lo ametto.
Soffermiamoci sui due primi racconti.
"Vita con gli automi" è un disperante racconto dell'ultimo uomo sopravvissuto sulla Terra dopo una serie di violente guerre nucleari, il quale viene assistito da una serie di robot nel tentativo di ridare vita al pianeta. Serviranno migliaia di anni e più risvegli dal Grande Sonno e alla fine...
E' un racconto drammatico che segue la vita di un uomo condannato alla solitudine, a gestire un futuro che non riesce a indirizzare, a contrastare o guidare l'evoluzione di un intero sistema. Doloroso a mio parere, con qualche "ingenuità" di conoscenze da parte del protogonista, ma scritto benissimo e conduce il lettore all'inevitabile destino.
Molto interessante seguire l'evoluzione dei robot e il concetto di scelta obbligata che essi prendono a ogni risveglio dell'essere umano, arrivando a dei livelli di coscienza tipica dei viventi: non più macchine, non solo servitori, non tanto meri esecutori, ma esseri in grado di prendere decisioni, evolversi e anche provare una sorta di tenerezza per chi li ha inconsciamente aiutati in quella evoluzione.
"La salvezza viene dalla Terra" è invece il classico racconto del calcolo delle probabilità e delle scelte dolorose che conducono chi deve prenderle all'accettazione del proprio personale destino: è più etico sacrificare una minoranza di individui per salvare la maggioranza o tentare l'impossibile e cercare di salvare capra e cavoli sapendo che condannerai entrambi a morte certa? Ai posteri l'ardua sentenza. Da alcuni considerata una sf militare, secondo me è limitante perché per quanto l'ambito sia quello e coloro che prendono decisioni abbiano delle stellette, il quesito morale va al di là della divisa.
Una piccola chicca di Urania da ricercare o almeno da ricercare i due racconti.
Soffermiamoci sui due primi racconti.
"Vita con gli automi" è un disperante racconto dell'ultimo uomo sopravvissuto sulla Terra dopo una serie di violente guerre nucleari, il quale viene assistito da una serie di robot nel tentativo di ridare vita al pianeta. Serviranno migliaia di anni e più risvegli dal Grande Sonno e alla fine...
E' un racconto drammatico che segue la vita di un uomo condannato alla solitudine, a gestire un futuro che non riesce a indirizzare, a contrastare o guidare l'evoluzione di un intero sistema. Doloroso a mio parere, con qualche "ingenuità" di conoscenze da parte del protogonista, ma scritto benissimo e conduce il lettore all'inevitabile destino.
Molto interessante seguire l'evoluzione dei robot e il concetto di scelta obbligata che essi prendono a ogni risveglio dell'essere umano, arrivando a dei livelli di coscienza tipica dei viventi: non più macchine, non solo servitori, non tanto meri esecutori, ma esseri in grado di prendere decisioni, evolversi e anche provare una sorta di tenerezza per chi li ha inconsciamente aiutati in quella evoluzione.
"La salvezza viene dalla Terra" è invece il classico racconto del calcolo delle probabilità e delle scelte dolorose che conducono chi deve prenderle all'accettazione del proprio personale destino: è più etico sacrificare una minoranza di individui per salvare la maggioranza o tentare l'impossibile e cercare di salvare capra e cavoli sapendo che condannerai entrambi a morte certa? Ai posteri l'ardua sentenza. Da alcuni considerata una sf militare, secondo me è limitante perché per quanto l'ambito sia quello e coloro che prendono decisioni abbiano delle stellette, il quesito morale va al di là della divisa.
Una piccola chicca di Urania da ricercare o almeno da ricercare i due racconti.
July 12, 2020
Second Ending was a delightful little book by James White. It chronicles the journey of the last surviving man on planet Earth, and the work he's able to accomplish by interacting with a slowly growing army of robot servants. White ruminates at length on loneliness and despair as the ages pass by during great lengths of hibernation.
The book is fairly short, and I was able to read it in just two days. But I was riveted with the story, wondering what would happen as Ross slept through tens of thousands of years of Earth's history during his attempt to find human life and relationships again. Even though this book was set against nuclear apocalypse yet again, I very much appreciated how it presented this context in a plausible way, while also not being overbearing. While the nuclear apocalypse trend in this era of science fiction works continues, it was tastefully done here.
The book also has some very minor ruminations upon artificial life, and how that might affect the world in which we live. In this case, such life was a force for good, and did not carry some of the negative stipulations that often accompany science fiction works on this topic. Skynet, this is not.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. This is one of the rare Hugo nominees that I think was very much deserving of the nomination. This feels like a much more mature and sophisticated science fiction novel compared to some of the novels I've read previously in the early days of this award. I also just happened to be a sucker for happy endings, which is delivered in spades here.
The book is fairly short, and I was able to read it in just two days. But I was riveted with the story, wondering what would happen as Ross slept through tens of thousands of years of Earth's history during his attempt to find human life and relationships again. Even though this book was set against nuclear apocalypse yet again, I very much appreciated how it presented this context in a plausible way, while also not being overbearing. While the nuclear apocalypse trend in this era of science fiction works continues, it was tastefully done here.
The book also has some very minor ruminations upon artificial life, and how that might affect the world in which we live. In this case, such life was a force for good, and did not carry some of the negative stipulations that often accompany science fiction works on this topic. Skynet, this is not.
All in all, I highly recommend this book. This is one of the rare Hugo nominees that I think was very much deserving of the nomination. This feels like a much more mature and sophisticated science fiction novel compared to some of the novels I've read previously in the early days of this award. I also just happened to be a sucker for happy endings, which is delivered in spades here.
March 20, 2022
Nominated for the Hugo Awards in 1962, and losing out to Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land, this is a very short, but extremely readable and thought provoking read, it's a post-apocalyptic tale where our hero awakes from an induced stasis sleep only to find himself the last human on earth.
Earth has been destroyed by Nuclear Holocaust and our hero was just a guy with a rare disease that had been put to sleep while a cure was developed. When he wakes up the only things he can communicate with are the robots left to take care of him.
Throughout the book the character wakes up, gives orders, goes back to sleep and wakes up centuries later to see how it's going. His attempts to recreate the world are generally pretty unsuccessful, but always interesting and the book always keeps you interested because you just want to know what the next time-jump will bring. A quick read which is also great fun, with a satisfying ending, but which had no chance against Heinlein in the Hugos.
Earth has been destroyed by Nuclear Holocaust and our hero was just a guy with a rare disease that had been put to sleep while a cure was developed. When he wakes up the only things he can communicate with are the robots left to take care of him.
Throughout the book the character wakes up, gives orders, goes back to sleep and wakes up centuries later to see how it's going. His attempts to recreate the world are generally pretty unsuccessful, but always interesting and the book always keeps you interested because you just want to know what the next time-jump will bring. A quick read which is also great fun, with a satisfying ending, but which had no chance against Heinlein in the Hugos.
March 1, 2025
Ross is awakened from deep sleep by robots and comes to realize he is the only living human on Earth.
This 100 page story held up amazingly well if you ignore the mechanics of robots and focus on humanity. Ross is a very relatable character who at first thinks he can conquer even this problem, slowly becomes depressed, tries to rebound, and ends up going in and out of deep sleep for millions of years.
I like this author's Sector General stories better but still enjoyed this old-fashioned SF read.
This 100 page story held up amazingly well if you ignore the mechanics of robots and focus on humanity. Ross is a very relatable character who at first thinks he can conquer even this problem, slowly becomes depressed, tries to rebound, and ends up going in and out of deep sleep for millions of years.
I like this author's Sector General stories better but still enjoyed this old-fashioned SF read.
August 10, 2020
Come spesso accade con i miti della giovinezza, riletto oggi mi ha detto molto meno di trenta o quaranta anni fa. Ciononostante un bel romanzo forse un po’ semplicistico ma che si legge tutto d’un fiato.
September 21, 2022
Not too bad, last human on earth/end of the world tale.
A pretty short novella of 107 pages that surprisingly kept my attention and I actually wanted to care about the protagonist and what his outcome would be.
Worth a read imho.
A pretty short novella of 107 pages that surprisingly kept my attention and I actually wanted to care about the protagonist and what his outcome would be.
Worth a read imho.
November 12, 2021
"Second ending" cuenta cómo en un futuro indeterminado el casi doctor Ross despierta en un hospital subterráneo de una preservación criogénica (el sueño profundo) a la que había sido sometido mientras se investigaba la curación de una extraña forma de cáncer que había desarrollado para encontrarse solo, atendido por misteriosas enfermeras que entran en su habitación a oscuras. Cuando por fin logra reunir las fuerzas necesarias para levantarse, empieza a sospechar que puede haber pasado más tiempo del que creía, porque hasta la ropa dispuesta para él se deshace apenas tocarla. Lo peor, sin embargo, está por llegar, porque a la postre descubre que él es el único ser humano que queda vivo en todo el hospital, siendo sus cuidadores un ejército de robots, anhelantes de dotar de propósito su mecánica existencia.
En muchos sentidos, “Second ending” es producto del pánico nuclear de los años cincuenta y sesenta (y eso que todavía faltaba un año para la Crisis de los Misiles Cubanos). Lo que hace, es llevar la idea de los últimos supervivientes, protegidos en algún tipo de instalación subterránea, hasta su última y aterradora consecuencia: el momento en que solo queda un superviviente, el último representante de la humanidad. Es una carga muy pesada que sobrellevar.
James White nos transmite ese horror, ese sentimiento insoportable de soledad y esa necesidad de compañía, contrabalanceada por el anhelo no menos poderoso de los robots por servir, por recibir órdenes que llenen el vacío existencial de una programación de la que no pueden escapar. En ese delicado equilibrio entre la desesperación (humana) y las ansías de vivir (robóticas) discurre la historia de Ross, mientras planifica y espera el resultado de proyectos cada vez más locos y con plazos de ejecución cada vez mayores, entrando y saliendo de hibernación mientras los robots intentan satisfacer su último deseo: volver a reunirse con los suyos.
Reseña completa en Rescepto Indablog: https://rescepto.wordpress.com/2021/1...
En muchos sentidos, “Second ending” es producto del pánico nuclear de los años cincuenta y sesenta (y eso que todavía faltaba un año para la Crisis de los Misiles Cubanos). Lo que hace, es llevar la idea de los últimos supervivientes, protegidos en algún tipo de instalación subterránea, hasta su última y aterradora consecuencia: el momento en que solo queda un superviviente, el último representante de la humanidad. Es una carga muy pesada que sobrellevar.
James White nos transmite ese horror, ese sentimiento insoportable de soledad y esa necesidad de compañía, contrabalanceada por el anhelo no menos poderoso de los robots por servir, por recibir órdenes que llenen el vacío existencial de una programación de la que no pueden escapar. En ese delicado equilibrio entre la desesperación (humana) y las ansías de vivir (robóticas) discurre la historia de Ross, mientras planifica y espera el resultado de proyectos cada vez más locos y con plazos de ejecución cada vez mayores, entrando y saliendo de hibernación mientras los robots intentan satisfacer su último deseo: volver a reunirse con los suyos.
Reseña completa en Rescepto Indablog: https://rescepto.wordpress.com/2021/1...
October 24, 2025
Lonely sci-fi future that felt sleepy after the first 10 pages.
Ross wakes up on an empty hospital ward deep underground in the year 2036. He finds his own patient file and discovers he had been cryogenically frozen and also he’s been cured of some leukemia-like illness. There has been a terrible nuclear war and none of his doctors survived, in fact no other humans survived. But worst of all he misses his wife. The clever robots in charge of hospital maintenance are still there, fully functionally and ready to follow Ross’s every command. With their help he makes it to the surface and discovers a radioactive barren wasteland, all life has been wiped out. But he also discovers there are many millions of more obedient robots, busy maintaining the city infrastructure - all operating with a hive mind that is also 100% under his control. He uses their brainpower to engineer a new kind of plant species, but it will take thousands of years to evolve into a viable food source. So he decides to go back into cryogenic sleep until they're done. He awakes many thousand years later to a lush green earth. But best of all he’s greeted by a friendly population of new humans all based on clones the robots made of his wife. Boy that AI sure is clever.
Overall this novel was a quick read, but it made me feel lonely and impatient for something to happen. Everything is told from Ross’s point of view, so for most of the book you’re as much in the dark as he is. Plot development progresses as Ross acquires more information about his surroundings, and for two-thirds of the book he’s basically wandering around an empty hospital looking for the light switch. The last two chapters did have some interesting ideas going on, and considering all the doom & gloom in the lead-up, you might actually crack a smile by the saccharine ending.
Ross wakes up on an empty hospital ward deep underground in the year 2036. He finds his own patient file and discovers he had been cryogenically frozen and also he’s been cured of some leukemia-like illness. There has been a terrible nuclear war and none of his doctors survived, in fact no other humans survived. But worst of all he misses his wife. The clever robots in charge of hospital maintenance are still there, fully functionally and ready to follow Ross’s every command. With their help he makes it to the surface and discovers a radioactive barren wasteland, all life has been wiped out. But he also discovers there are many millions of more obedient robots, busy maintaining the city infrastructure - all operating with a hive mind that is also 100% under his control. He uses their brainpower to engineer a new kind of plant species, but it will take thousands of years to evolve into a viable food source. So he decides to go back into cryogenic sleep until they're done. He awakes many thousand years later to a lush green earth. But best of all he’s greeted by a friendly population of new humans all based on clones the robots made of his wife. Boy that AI sure is clever.
Overall this novel was a quick read, but it made me feel lonely and impatient for something to happen. Everything is told from Ross’s point of view, so for most of the book you’re as much in the dark as he is. Plot development progresses as Ross acquires more information about his surroundings, and for two-thirds of the book he’s basically wandering around an empty hospital looking for the light switch. The last two chapters did have some interesting ideas going on, and considering all the doom & gloom in the lead-up, you might actually crack a smile by the saccharine ending.
April 23, 2025
(13 January, 2024)
Really cool premise, promising a different kind of story but almost unreadable at times. Ross might just be the most self-absorbed person in all of literature. His mind is closed to all but the most familiar concepts of his time, with zero capability for growth of any kind (unless new circumstances slap him in the face for years till he has no choice but to accept).
Something he wants dearly is staring him right in his stupid face but dipshit here cannot see it as his ability to reconceptualise old ideas are non-existent. He is too anthropocentric to ever know what's really going on.
The story itself stretches my suspension of disbelief, more convoluted aspects of sci-fi are better treated than the time issue herein. As protagonists go, Ross is not engaging in the least, a switch to Sister would have been greatly welcomed - and probably given us a more interesting ending too!
Really cool premise, promising a different kind of story but almost unreadable at times. Ross might just be the most self-absorbed person in all of literature. His mind is closed to all but the most familiar concepts of his time, with zero capability for growth of any kind (unless new circumstances slap him in the face for years till he has no choice but to accept).
Something he wants dearly is staring him right in his stupid face but dipshit here cannot see it as his ability to reconceptualise old ideas are non-existent. He is too anthropocentric to ever know what's really going on.
The story itself stretches my suspension of disbelief, more convoluted aspects of sci-fi are better treated than the time issue herein. As protagonists go, Ross is not engaging in the least, a switch to Sister would have been greatly welcomed - and probably given us a more interesting ending too!
June 12, 2013
http://clarkevivo.blogspot.it/2012/03...
VITA CON GLI AUTOMI: 4/5
Affascinante seguire Ross nella sua lunga solitudine, tra un'ibernazione e l'altra, tra un secolo e l'altro, sempre affiancato da quei robot che però non possono minimamente sostituire gli esseri umani di cui sente, ovviamente, una certa mancanza.
PARTENZA DA ZERO: 2/5
Sarà che non mi piace la fantascienza militare. E' tutto un signorsì, agli ordini, tenente x, colonnello y, maresciallo blabla... Un libro da distribuire nelle caserme di tutto il mondo.
Qualcuno ha detto che in questo numero di Urania Collezione sono presenti il migliore e il peggiore tra i romanzi scritti da White.
VITA CON GLI AUTOMI: 4/5
Affascinante seguire Ross nella sua lunga solitudine, tra un'ibernazione e l'altra, tra un secolo e l'altro, sempre affiancato da quei robot che però non possono minimamente sostituire gli esseri umani di cui sente, ovviamente, una certa mancanza.
PARTENZA DA ZERO: 2/5
Sarà che non mi piace la fantascienza militare. E' tutto un signorsì, agli ordini, tenente x, colonnello y, maresciallo blabla... Un libro da distribuire nelle caserme di tutto il mondo.
Qualcuno ha detto che in questo numero di Urania Collezione sono presenti il migliore e il peggiore tra i romanzi scritti da White.
October 6, 2016
Ammetto di non essere un grande esperto di fantascienza, non ancora, ma spero di diventarlo. Mi mancano troppe letture importanti. James White non lo conoscevo e credo non sia tra i più titolati, ma è un autore onesto e intelligente, non complicato, ma mai banale. Il libro è composto da due racconti lunghi o da due romanzi brevi che dir si voglia. Il primo è più brillante, ha delle trovate notevoli e una buona atmosfera, il finale è un po' fiacco e termina con un happy end da romanzetto d'appendice. Il secondo ha uno svolgimento lento, anche se i personaggi e le situazioni non sono stereotipati, ma hanno una loro credibilità e una ragion d'essere. Si anima nel finale. Direi che è un libro pregevole.
August 20, 2012
Un bel racconto lungo con una variante finalmente positiva degli androidi, volti fino in fondo al servizio dell'uomo. Senza ambiguità. Sicuramente non imperdibile.
Per quanto riguarda il secondo racconto del tomo, Partenza da Zero, potrei commentare l'ennesima rielaborazione del tema della "prigione senza mura" (in questo caso, un pianeta intero), ma il livello di trascuratezza, erroracci e mancanza di virgolettati chiusi dopo essere stati aperti rendono questa seconda parte quasi illeggibile.
Per quanto riguarda il secondo racconto del tomo, Partenza da Zero, potrei commentare l'ennesima rielaborazione del tema della "prigione senza mura" (in questo caso, un pianeta intero), ma il livello di trascuratezza, erroracci e mancanza di virgolettati chiusi dopo essere stati aperti rendono questa seconda parte quasi illeggibile.
February 23, 2015
The end of the world is handled with the usual optimism and creativity that you expect from White's work. The attempt to evolve grasses into a new ecosystem is clever, as is the co-evolution of the robots that attend the protagonist. I was a little disappointed that the hero didn't think to jumpstart evolution with the microbes that live in every human, but still the central conceit of the book works and is entertaining.
December 17, 2014
Vita con gli automi: molto poetico e romantico, con una visione positiva, "asimoviana", del futuro.
Partenza da Zero: fs militare senza troppe pretese. Pochissima originalità, dai personaggi stereotipati e manichei, al piano di fuga fin troppo prevedibile. Non lascia il segno nel lettore.
Partenza da Zero: fs militare senza troppe pretese. Pochissima originalità, dai personaggi stereotipati e manichei, al piano di fuga fin troppo prevedibile. Non lascia il segno nel lettore.
August 2, 2021
This piece of 1950s golden age SF tells the story of the last man in the world, who awakes from cryogenic suspension to a dead world and an underground hospital inhabited solely by robots. Not a very upbeat way to begin a story, but White manages to write a story which is engaging and even uplifting. A book I have read multiple times and one which I look forward to reading again.
May 22, 2024
2.5 Stars
A solid book about a guy who wakes from suspended animation to discover robots but no people. An exercise in imagination rather than anything truly deep. Reasonably well written and a nice Asimovian ending.
A solid book about a guy who wakes from suspended animation to discover robots but no people. An exercise in imagination rather than anything truly deep. Reasonably well written and a nice Asimovian ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2025
Still a very excellent read.
Lots more within the story that I had forgotten (well it was nearly 50 years ago that I last read it).
It has grand concepts that illustrate how GOOD sci-fi can approach grandiose themes that stay with you for years afterwards.
Lots more within the story that I had forgotten (well it was nearly 50 years ago that I last read it).
It has grand concepts that illustrate how GOOD sci-fi can approach grandiose themes that stay with you for years afterwards.
October 1, 2014
Prosaic, stodgy, but compelling at the same time. Not bad.
September 26, 2015
inspired & inspiring
June 5, 2015
Ace Double Novel F173
1984 grade C+
1984 grade C+
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