02535cam a22003853u 4500 69148 UtSlPG 20260610134611.0 m cr n 260607r20221942utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Gilbert, Joseph The eternal quest 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 Astonishing Stories, October 1942 Release date is 2022-10-13 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Eternal Quest" by Joseph Gilbert is a science fiction novelette written in the early 1940s. The story explores the themes of hope and the search for meaning in a future where humanity has become spiritually and creatively stagnant due to the overwhelming dominance of machines. The narrative intertwines elements of space exploration with psychological and philosophical inquiries about the human condition, highlighting the struggle to reclaim purpose in a technologically advanced yet emotionally barren society. In this tale, a diminutive yet charismatic figure emerges to inspire a world depleted of hope, claiming to have discovered a new civilization that could revitalize humanity. The protagonist, Robert Lawrence, embarks on a journey to Mars that deepens his understanding of the emptiness bred by technology. He encounters a dying being who, in a tragic twist, reveals that his own quest for escape led to despair, mirroring the futility faced by mankind. In the end, Lawrence learns of the quiet, sorrowful existence shared by those who seek fulfillment and the profound sadness of unrealized dreams, culminating in a poignant commentary on the eternal quest for meaning amidst an indifferent universe. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: United States: Fictioneers, Inc., 1942 Science fiction Short stories Psychological fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Interstellar travel -- Fiction Stevens, Lawrence Sterne, 1886-1960 Produced from Astonishing Stories, October 1942 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69148 109944 109944