About this title: In 1941 Asimov published "Nightfall" as a short story. Now this book continues the plot by explaining what happened to the society when the four suns went into eclipse and how the scientists attempt to restore order by joining with The Apostles of Flame.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Bantam Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Fair. No Jacket. 12mo-over 6¾"-7¾" tall. The book is very solid with lightly browned pages. There is a remainder mark on the lower edge of the pages. The cover has minor shelf wear & moderate edge wear with a crease at the lower front corner and a 1 inch tear at the upper back corner of the spine. The spine has a few creases and is slightly warped. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Spectra Books
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Book in great condition. NO marks, stamps, or highlighting. Spine has slight reader's creases. Pages tight. Minimal edge and coverwear. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 352 p. Bantam Spectra Book. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Spectra Books
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Pages unmarked, text clean. Creases and folds to a few pages, no stains or tears. Edges soiled. Cover is shiny and clean with scratches, edge wear, scuffs and small creases. Spine is creased and has slight tilt. Solid book. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 339 p. Bantam Spectra Book. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Spectra
Date Published: 1991-09-01
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Good. Clean copy with normal wear for condition. Spine condition is normal or better for the condition. May have book store stamp, price marking or former owner name. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Spectra
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Good. 0553290991 Mass market paperback, previously read used book in good condition, varying degrees of shelf wear, some spine creases, m..._ read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Spectra
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Good. 0553290991 Mass market paperback, previously read used book in good condition, varying degrees of shelf wear, some spine creases, m...02306199 _ read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Bantam Books
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: Grade: C. Catalog: Science Fiction General Synopsis: 339 pages. Co-author Robert Silverberg. These two renowned writers have invented a world not unlike our own-a world on the edge of chaos, torn betwe... read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: Doubleday
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780385263412ISBN:0385263414
Description: A wonderful copy with some minor edgewear to the cover. Dust Jacket has some edgewear present. A former library book with the usual identifiers in a protective glossy dust jacket covering. -, Hard Cover, Very Good / Very Good. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Spectra
Date Published: 1991
ISBN-13:9780553290998ISBN:0553290991
Description: A good reading copy only. Book has tanning or browning due to normal aging process. Creasing to spine. -, Mass Market PaperBack, Good / read more
"One of the few books I have read more than three times. Great book that incorporates science, psychology, astronomy, geology, archeology, and architecture."
"This is a sci-fi novel about the end of the world. Sort of.
Isaac Asimov is the master of sci-fi short stories. He's a little-known author that has written one or two books. One of his stories is called "Nightfall", and is well worth reading. You should probably get a collection of his that includes that story, but if you search around enough, you can find the text online.
Asimov works the short story perfectly. Many sci-fi books have to present an idea or explanation for some technology of phenomenon that is different than in our world, and unfortunately, they often do it in a pretty clumsy way. Not Isaac, though: he gets to the point, but doesn't shove it in your face. In this case, there's a planet with multiple suns, of which there is always at least one in the sky, thus keeping the entire planet in perpetual daylight. However, once every 2,000 years, a planet eclipses the single sun that happens to be in the sky, turning the world dark. The stories follows a group of astronomers that predict that the darkness will turn people mad, and cause them to destroy society.
As a short story, it works perfectly. It presents a world that has one important difference from ours, and asks: so what? What would, or could, happen, with just that one change? A good sci-fi story will present one storyline, one outcome, but more importantly, it will present the question and let you consider what else might happen. As such, little inconsistencies or things that don't quite make sense aren't so important; the main question remains.
But novels aren't mainly about presenting the question. They flesh out a possibility in great depth. Because of that, a few of the oddities stand out a little more, and detract a little from the story. People flock to a "Tunnel of Mystery" that just consists of darkness, instead of just drawing a shade? The scientists predict mass hysteria months before the eclipse, but then hardly prepare for it? And so on.
In the end, though, the small problems don't really detract much from what is a thoroughly enjoyable read."
"I liked the idea of this book better than the writing. I found the concept of a planet that never gets dark except once every 2000 years fascinating. What would be the reaction even of a technologically advanced society? I got a little tired of the constant descriptions of the blithering, drooling, homicidal insanity that the vast majority of people experienced in the book. I thought the religious thread through the story was interesting and I was actually a little surprised by the ending. But I can understand why this was only a short story to being with."
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