by Isaac Asimov
First published 1985
These five stories explore humanity's end through different lenses. One man survives after aliens eliminate his species, struggling alone on a devastated planet. A time traveler witnesses the final moments of civilization. An immortal watches his mortal friends die one by one until he stands completely alone. A dedicated scientist works desperately to save his dying race from extinction. Another person chooses to remain on Earth when everyone else flees to the stars. Each protagonist confronts isolation in a different form. The alien survivor must rebuild meaning without other humans. The time traveler carries knowledge of humanity's doom. The immortal bears the weight of endless loss. The scientist races against biological collapse. The one who stays behind faces voluntary exile. Asimov examines how individuals respond when everything familiar disappears. Some fight against the inevitable. Others accept their fate. All must find ways to continue when continuation seems impossible. The stories reveal what drives people to persist when hope fades and what remains human when humanity itself ends.
Genres: short-stories, science-fiction, speculative-fiction, apocalyptic
Vibes: dark, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: immortality, lone-survivor
352 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Fawcett