First published 1967
After a nuclear holocaust, most Earthlings have fled to the Vega Confederation's colonies. But Conrad Nomikos, the ageless Curator of Earth, remains on a miraculously preserved Greek island. When the Vegan Cort Myshtigo arrives to explore the planet, Conrad must guide him through the dangers of the ruined world. As they traverse the radioactive landscape, they confront mutant creatures and the last remnants of humanity clinging to survival. Through it all, Conrad wrestles with his immortality and role as caretaker of a dying planet, while Cort grapples with his own prejudices about Earth's inhabitants. In the end, their journey becomes a poignant meditation on what it means to be human in the face of extinction.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, 21st-century, apocalyptic
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Vega Confederation, Greece
Period: 21st/22nd Century
213 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Ace