In riva a un fiume, su Aldebaran XII, c'è un'astronave schiantata. Intorno giacciono i cadaveri semicarbonizzati di cinque uomini. Ma non si tratta di un incidente; e tra i cinque «umani» c'è una leggera differenza: tre sono uomini mentre gli altri due, distinti soltanto da un segno sulla fronte, «non sono che androidi». Di qui prende I'avvio questo classico che è uno dei primi e resta uno dei più impegnati romanzi di Simak: un autore che si sarebbe tentati di definire «umanitario» se tutte le sue opere non fossero dirette precisamente a superare quanto c'è di retorico e di ottocentesco, di limitato, di arretratamente antropocentrico, in ciò che comunemente s'intende per «umanitarismo». Copertina di Karel Thole

The legacy of mankind’s future Asher Sutton was an agent for Earth until he returned from an assignment to discover that his own people were trying to assassinate him… On a distant planet he discovered a secret that would make mankind realize its place as one among the enlightened species that inhabited the galaxy. But there were those who wouldn’t be satisfied unless Earth alone ruled the stars, and to these fanatics, Sutton was a dangerous man. To the far reaches of the galaxy, and from Earth of the recent past to centuries hence, his enemies pursued him, determined to keep him from writing a book that was destined to change mankind’s future. Sutton’s only allies were robots so human that they were feared by the xenophobic faction as usurpers. Alone among his kind, tortured by the knowledge that his next move could destroy mankind, Sutton sought refuge through time and space, never knowing when his pursuers would find him and destroy that which he had yet to produce.

When a generation ship that's traveled for a thousand years suddenly stops, one man, the lone "sinner" who can read books, must risk his life to complete the mission. A thrilling space adventure from the author of "Way Station," "City," and "Mastodonia."

Richard Grant is the counter. For the first time in the last 300 years, a population census is taking place, and he is one of those who participates in it. However, there is another reason why the government started the census.: They are mutants. Recently, samples of a completely new artistic creation have appeared, unlike anything else. All of this is anonymous or signed with pseudonyms. And their secret haunts the World Committee.

Two volunteers who have had their bodies turned into “Lopers” so that they can survey the surface of Jupiter disappear. The administrator can’t in good conscience send another volunteer to look for them, so he transforms himself and his faithful dog into Lopers.

A man and a dog spent five years exploring Jupiter in the bodies of racehorses, and now the man returned to his native body and flew to Earth. But being in human form has now become a real torture for him. That's why he's going to invite everyone to follow him to Jupiter and become a horse racer – but how can words describe something for which there are no words in the human language?

Almost all of humanity flew to Jupiter to start a better life in a different guise. But five thousand people refused to leave their home planet. They have no family ties, no business life, no money, no government, no real work, just entertainment. They invent new drinks, paint unnecessary paintings, study a story that interests no one, plunge into eternal sleep with exciting dreams.

The civilization of intelligent dogs and other animals has replaced the human one. The beasts are not allowed to kill each other. Together they build their dream – a great society of animals. All the few living people have become websters for dogs, and only the old robot Jenkins, who recently turned 7,000 years old, still calls them Websters. And so one of the Webster descendants reinvented the bow and arrow.

The earth is inhabited by intelligent animals and wild robots. But there is a third civilization. These are intelligent ants. They are building a building that grows every year. In a thousand years, it will occupy the whole world. Both animals and robots must find a way to stop the ants.

A volume of eleven stories from the Hugo Award–winning science fiction author that explore inner space, future worlds, and the peculiar lives of robots. One of the twentieth century’s most pioneering science fiction authors, Clifford D. Simak had a special fondness for robots. Not only did these thinking machines represent the boundless possibilities of technology, they also had the potential to bring—in his words—“the kindness and the courage that I thought were needed in the world.” The stories in this volume offer a variety of Simak’s unique robot visions. In “Lulu,” a robot built for planetary exploration takes on a female identity, causing unforeseen challenges for her three-man crew. An examination of an unknown planet reveals the celestial body to be a single, gigantic computer whose origins and purpose are a mystery, in “Limiting Factor.” And in the title story, Simak returns to his longest-running robot character, Jenkins, who reflects on all that has come and gone one last time. Each story includes an introduction by David W. Wixon, literary executor of the Clifford D. Simak estate and editor of this ebook.

It's a shame, but in the general galactic classification of intelligent beings, humans are machines, creatures with low intelligence. In the entire history of the human race, only one group of people has been able to reach the stars.

Satisfaction with life and work is extremely important! Your status in society depends on it. In a society that provides you with all the benefits in exchange. The main thing is to get full pleasure from your favorite business. Higher status means more prosperity! But what if the job you decided to devote your whole life to turned out to be a dummy, and your status is going downhill? It's time to relax and take a fresh look at the world.

Richard Webb was looking for an ancient city on Mars, and he met six Martian "ancients" who were searching in vain for the Seventh.

Among the many aliens, there is one race that, over its centuries-old existence, regularly and briefly descends into barbarism. But their behavior looks like degradation only to an outside observer.

The aborigines warned the humans, the scouts of the new planet, that they would never be able to leave here if they did not do it now. The reason was not given. The Earthlings ignored the warning (of course, because they had the most modern technology on their side) and began to conquer the planet. Excavators, flame throwers, soil looseners, etc. got down to business. After a while, the equipment began to fail.