The Outward Urge
A hard science fiction masterpiece, perfect for fans of Kim Stanley Robinson, by one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant—and neglected—writers, whom Stephen King called “the best writer of science fiction that England has ever produced.”
What does the future hold for a species torn between exploration—the outward urge—and apparent self-destruction?
First published in 1959, The Outward Urge follows members of the Troon family as humanity extends its reach into space. The first vignette follows a Troon to a British space station in 1994; the next to the Moon bases as Earth experiences nuclear war; then to Mars and Venus landings, when Brazil is the only world power; and finally to the asteroids.
John Wyndham wrote several short stories before World War II under various names, including Lucas Parkes, John Harris, and Lucas Beynon. It was not until after the war that he began to focus on the themes of disaster, invasion, and evolution under the name of John Wyndham and created two of the most well-known stories of our time--The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos. John Wyndham died in 1969, but his works continue to be read as classics of speculative fiction.
