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"Dwan Ev ceremoniously soldered the final connection with gold. The eyes of a dozen television cameras watched him and the subether bore throughout the universe a dozen pictures of what he was doing.
He straightened and nodded to Dwar Reyn, then moved to a position beside the switch that would complete the contact when he threw it. The switch that would connect, all at once, all of the monster computing machines of all the populated planets in the universe -- ninety-six billion planets -- into the supercircuit that would connect them all into one supercalculator, one cybernetics machine that would combine all the knowledge of all the galaxies."
He straightened and nodded to Dwar Reyn, then moved to a position beside the switch that would complete the contact when he threw it. The switch that would connect, all at once, all of the monster computing machines of all the populated planets in the universe -- ninety-six billion planets -- into the supercircuit that would connect them all into one supercalculator, one cybernetics machine that would combine all the knowledge of all the galaxies."
1 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 1954
5 people are currently reading
112 people want to read
About the author
Fredric Brown
807 books354 followersFredric Brown was an American science fiction and mystery writer. He was one of the boldest early writers in genre fiction in his use of narrative experimentation. While never in the front rank of popularity in his lifetime, Brown has developed a considerable cult following in the almost half century since he last wrote. His works have been periodically reprinted and he has a worldwide fan base, most notably in the U.S. and Europe, and especially in France, where there have been several recent movie adaptations of his work. He also remains popular in Japan.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 14, 2021
I've written reviews longer than this story. But it doesn't need to be long to make its point: it's short, and scary as all hell.
January 2, 2019
This is Brown at his best. It should be made compulsory reading for budding authors, so that they may learn the nuances of economising, while delivering a punch.
March 5, 2019
Oops.
I really don't want to say much more than that. The Goodreads synopsis is about a third of the entire text as it is.
The science fiction feels a little dated. By the time we get to the point where we're connecting every computer in the universe together, I kind of doubt that we're going to be doing it using solder. In any case, the "answer" to the first question asked of this supercomputer is intriguing, awesome, and terrifying.
Take a few seconds and give this one a read.
I really don't want to say much more than that. The Goodreads synopsis is about a third of the entire text as it is.
The science fiction feels a little dated. By the time we get to the point where we're connecting every computer in the universe together, I kind of doubt that we're going to be doing it using solder. In any case, the "answer" to the first question asked of this supercomputer is intriguing, awesome, and terrifying.
Take a few seconds and give this one a read.
Read
September 17, 20251 minute story read 🥀
July 5, 2021
I can't think of a better story of the same length. Short with an impact.
September 19, 2020
In the last centuries, humanity has made huge strides in technological advancements. It started with the Industrial Revolution in England in the 1760s to the Digital Revolution in the latter half of the 20th century. Various research institutions and industries are the hot centers of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the 21st century. From farmers to mechanical engineers and now to computer scientists, trying to apply life-like properties to computers, we have come a long, long way. And so has religion and our beliefs in supernatural entities and our mythologies and fantasies of passionate romance and vampires and superheroes and grotesque monsters. Many of them were inspired by our deep-rooted anxieties and insecurities towards the Unfeeling Abyss - the Universe.
This story has two facets to it. One of them explores those fears and gives them a whole new standard of cold reality. The worse of the worst fears have suddenly come true - a giant supercomputer ready to take over the world and rule over them. The implications of this huge event can be understood by the fact that there are over 96 billion planets in the universe at that moment in the story. Those 96 billion planets have their powerful computers - imagine 96 billion powerful computers on every single planet connected to each other in a network and taking over the world. A place like Matrix can easily be created in such a turn of events, if not much more frightening and dystopian.
The other facet is about humanity being ravaged by its curiosity. We, at present, have many different schools of thought to explore, understand, and reason the basis for our existence. We are naturally curious about the environment around us. That feature has given us an evolutionary advantage to survive. The story takes a dark outlook on the overbearing pitfalls of our curiosity. The question represents those old fears of our existential crisis - "Is there a God?". After huge advancements in the technology and sciences to populate 96 billion planets and inventing supercomputers, this is the question that they ask. It is central to our soul, to explore meaning in a meaningless universe.
All in all, it is one of the most concise SciFi horror stories I have ever read.
This story has two facets to it. One of them explores those fears and gives them a whole new standard of cold reality. The worse of the worst fears have suddenly come true - a giant supercomputer ready to take over the world and rule over them. The implications of this huge event can be understood by the fact that there are over 96 billion planets in the universe at that moment in the story. Those 96 billion planets have their powerful computers - imagine 96 billion powerful computers on every single planet connected to each other in a network and taking over the world. A place like Matrix can easily be created in such a turn of events, if not much more frightening and dystopian.
The other facet is about humanity being ravaged by its curiosity. We, at present, have many different schools of thought to explore, understand, and reason the basis for our existence. We are naturally curious about the environment around us. That feature has given us an evolutionary advantage to survive. The story takes a dark outlook on the overbearing pitfalls of our curiosity. The question represents those old fears of our existential crisis - "Is there a God?". After huge advancements in the technology and sciences to populate 96 billion planets and inventing supercomputers, this is the question that they ask. It is central to our soul, to explore meaning in a meaningless universe.
All in all, it is one of the most concise SciFi horror stories I have ever read.
February 20, 2020
A classic flash fiction (oh, that pun wasn’t intended, but it’s oh so good given the last line of this story) about people creating the largest computing machine to answer some of the big questions. This was hilariously parodied in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, but it’s worthwhile to read the original (I think Fredric Brown was the first) to know what Adams had to play off of.
May 4, 2019
Very short read. Will only take a few minutes to complete. Can be found at here. It was written in 1964 so it does feel a tad dated but it still has an interesting premise.
December 22, 2019
F*ck, this is concise and terrifying.
February 8, 2025
I wonder if my review will be longer than the short story itself :D
I like the idea of ninety-six billion inhabited and interconnected planets, but the ending is unsurprising, nearly obvious. Maybe it's been influential enough back then in a way that makes it nothing to write home about today (yet here I am!)
On the other hand, it's moralistic enough that we can use the name 'Dwar Ev' for pretentious tech bros, but not sure anyone will catch the reference.
I like the idea of ninety-six billion inhabited and interconnected planets, but the ending is unsurprising, nearly obvious. Maybe it's been influential enough back then in a way that makes it nothing to write home about today (yet here I am!)
On the other hand, it's moralistic enough that we can use the name 'Dwar Ev' for pretentious tech bros, but not sure anyone will catch the reference.
Read
March 25, 2024The answer was in me why i must ask mashin
naked as tree my soul know the answer
am i belever
why must ask to test a light
take my hand and i well take yr
my ship sail in sea of question
in the old city i know
my eyes bright as i look to space
how can i walk at sea of joy
when deepth of knowen
love come and huge and talk to us
belver yes whay ask mashin
as snow come
as far from fire i will be
God give and take
and i belver over many tired question
naked as tree my soul know the answer
am i belever
why must ask to test a light
take my hand and i well take yr
my ship sail in sea of question
in the old city i know
my eyes bright as i look to space
how can i walk at sea of joy
when deepth of knowen
love come and huge and talk to us
belver yes whay ask mashin
as snow come
as far from fire i will be
God give and take
and i belver over many tired question
December 2, 2025
Damn! This short piece, I refuse to call it anything but that, is scary as hell. I have read Brown for the first time, and would love to read more of his work. The fact that it is written in 1954, and stood the test of time, seems an additional motivation to read this.
March 10, 2020
Short and reasonably hilarious. The arrogance of humans strikes again!
December 12, 2020
That was good.
Read it here: https://www.roma1.infn.it/~anzel/answ...
Read it here: https://www.roma1.infn.it/~anzel/answ...
December 28, 2020
Awesome and terrifying short story. Definitely worth the short read
January 18, 2022
Short, concise and still terrifying. A 1964 sci-fi!
December 31, 2022
Hahahaha. This made me laugh.
May 4, 2024
A bit long and tedious, but the payoff is worth it!
December 19, 2024
counterpoint to The Last Question
August 28, 2025
the bad but probably the real ending.
September 3, 2025
Well, I guess another one who saw the AI coming in the future.
"If we connect all the AI's, what could happen?"
"If we connect all the AI's, what could happen?"
September 5, 2025
People really need to be careful about what they bring into the world.
September 22, 2025
Scary :(
October 28, 2016
* Personajes recurrentes: Robot y/o IA rebelde.
April 29, 2017
Short yet effective, incredibly witty considered its briefness.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews