Conservation by Charles L. Fontenay
"Conservation" by Charles L. Fontenay is a science fiction novella written in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores themes of technological regression and human survival in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where vast advancements in power and technology are present but largely unutilized. The story is set after a period of catastrophic warfare, presenting a society that has adopted stringent conservation measures to guard against potential threats while neglecting to fully harness their technological
capabilities. The plot follows a crew led by Executive Officer John Gray as they return to Earth after a 258-year absence due to their mission to colonize a planet elsewhere in the galaxy. Upon landing, they encounter a military society that lives amidst advanced machinery yet chooses to use a rudimentary lifestyle reminiscent of earlier centuries. The crew grapples with local customs, governance, and a poorly understood legal system focused on conservation. As they uncover the motivations behind the society's apparent technological hostility, they learn that the Earth has been occupied and had a long struggle against alien invaders. Ultimately, their knowledge and skills from the Deneb III colony may offer a path to rebuilding Earth’s lost technological prowess and help restore a more sustainable future. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Orban, Paul, 1896-1974 |
| Title | Conservation |
| Series Title | Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, April 1958 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 74.2 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Regression (Civilization) -- Fiction |
| Subject | Technology -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 60462 |
| Release Date | Oct 9, 2019 |
| Most Recently Updated | Oct 17, 2024 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 119 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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