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In a world where the last vestiges of a crumbling regime linger among ruined offices, two unlikely allies navigate the fragile balance between order and rebellion. Veteran strategist Josef Kimmensen, whose body betrays his age, and the energetic newcomer Jem Bendix, newly appointed head of the Freemen’s League, walk through a decaying rotunda that still bears the scars of toppled statues. Their conversation hints at simmering tensions on the border, where families have mysteriously vanished and the relentless encroachment of wilderness threatens the remnants of civilization.
Against a backdrop of snow‑capped mountains and overgrown plazas, the duo must decide whether to confront emerging crises or let the past’s ghosts dictate their future. As they board an aging plane, questions of loyalty, duty, and the true cost of freedom begin to surface, setting the stage for a struggle that will test the limits of both men’s convictions.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (77K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1957.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-10-05
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1931–2008
A sharp, influential voice in science fiction, he wrote psychologically rich novels like Who?, Rogue Moon, and Michaelmas while also shaping the field as an editor and critic. Born in Europe and raised in the United States, he brought a distinctive outsider's eye to questions of identity, technology, and human ambition.
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