02569cam a22003613u 4500 67334 UtSlPG 20260610134544.0 m cr n 260607r20221955utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Wilson, Richard, 1920-1987 Course of Empire Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2022 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Infinity Science Fiction, February 1956 Release date is 2022-02-06 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Course of Empire" by Richard Wilson is a science fiction short story published in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores themes of colonization, cultural misunderstanding, and the unintended consequences of human actions as they extend their reach into the cosmos. Through a blend of humor and critique, the story reflects on the inefficiencies and mistakes inherent in the process of establishing human colonies on other planets. The story unfolds with two men, Roger Boynton and Allister, discussing past efforts to colonize Mars, Venus, and Jupiter under a World Government framework. Boynton shares anecdotes about the decisions made during these colonization efforts, revealing how they were often based on whimsical choices rather than sound strategies. As they reminisce, they realize that their initial plans were thwarted by cultural and environmental misunderstandings, such as the wild Martian camels liberating domesticated ones and rain not falling in the expected manner on Venus. The story takes a sharp turn when 'Medeans, the inhabitants of Ganymede, successfully colonize Earth, highlighting the irony of human colonization efforts being outdone by a more capable alien species. The men’s conversation serves as a critique of human hubris and the unpredictable nature of interplanetary relations. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: United States: Royal Publications, Inc, 1955 Science fiction Short stories Space colonies -- Fiction Stallman, Emmanuel, 1927-1997 Produced from Infinity Science Fiction, February 1956 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67334 108156 108156