02460cam a22003613u 4500 63861 UtSlPG 20260610134454.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Aycock, Roger D., 1914-2004 The Wheel is Death Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Planet Stories Fall 1949 Release date is 2020-11-23 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Wheel Is Death" by Roger D. Aycock is a science fiction novella written in the late 1940s. The story explores themes of progress, the dangers of scientific advancement, and the consequences of ambition, set against a backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity have forsaken technology to live in harmony with nature. The novella portrays a society that has outlawed the use of science and mechanization, illustrating a conflict between preserving this newfound peace and the human drive towards innovation. The narrative centers around Ortho, a young neophyte, and his encounter with the high priest Kaliz after the execution of his friend Gor Zan, who attempted to revive technological progress by creating a simple machine—a wheelbarrow. As they discuss the philosophy behind Gor Zan's actions and the society's rejection of technology, Kaliz explains the historical trajectory that led humanity to its current state, including a catastrophic event caused by technological warfare. The tension between the wisdom of living simply and the allure of technological advancement emerges sharply, culminating in the decision to destroy Gor Zan's creation, representing a deep-seated fear of humanity repeating its past mistakes. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Apocalyptic fiction Regression (Civilization) -- Fiction Produced from Planet Stories Fall 1949 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/63861 104685 104685