201:, has been cruising without guidance through interstellar space ever since a mutiny long ago killed most of the officers. Over time, the descendants of the surviving loyal crew have lapsed into a pre-technological culture that is marked by superstition, and have forgotten the purpose and nature of their ship. Since they come to believe the "Ship" is the entire universe, "To move the ship" is considered an oxymoron, and references to the Ship's "voyage" are interpreted as religious metaphor. They are ruled by an
232:
Having become convinced of the Ship's true purpose, Hugh persuades Joe-Jim to complete the mission of colonization since he notices that there is a nearby star that Joe-Jim has observed growing larger over the years. Intent on the mission, he returns to the lower levels of the Ship to convince others
217:
The story centers on a young man of insatiable curiosity, Hugh
Hoyland, who is selected as an apprentice by a scientist. The scientists ritualistically perform the tasks required to maintain the Ship, such as putting trash into its energy converter to generate power, and remain ignorant of their true
249:
However, Narby never believed Hugh and played along only to gain power. Once in control, he sets out to eliminate the muties. Joe is killed in the fighting, but Jim sacrifices himself to hold off their pursuers long enough for Hugh, Bill, Alan, and their wives to get to a highly automated lifeboat.
348:
has been discovered, with its crew long dead because of an unexplained failure in its mechanisms, and its records destroyed or illegible. Its path is traced back, and the descendants of Hugh's people are found, flourishing as highly intelligent savages on a planet which scientists dub "Pitcairn
306:
A paragraph at the start of the novel shows an excerpt from "The
Romance of Modern Astrography," explaining that the ship was part of the "Proxima Centauri Expedition, sponsored by the Jordan Foundation in 2119" (A timeline produced by Heinlein to link different stories in his
38:
392:
The physics of the Ship's artificial gravity is also correct: It spins to simulate gravity, which is absent at the centre. The ship's "Converter" reflects an early 1940s viewpoint of atomic power, with atoms of any element "ripped apart" in an unspecified manner.
236:
Hugh persuades an old friend, Alan
Mahoney, to enlist Joe-Jim's gang in rescuing him. He shows the captured Bill and Alan the long-abandoned command center and a view of the stars. Convinced, Bill then enlists the captain's aide, Phineas Narby, to Hugh's crusade.
400:. It was thought that planets large enough to have an Earth-sized moon would form only above the "snowline," too far from the star for life. It is now believed that such worlds can migrate inwards, and habitable moons seem possible. The existence of
205:
of "officers" and "scientists." Most crew members are simple illiterate farmers who seldom if ever venture to the "upper decks," where the "muties" ("mutants" or "mutineers") dwell. Among the crew, all identifiable mutants are killed at birth.
210:
181:, October 1941). The two novellas were first published together in book form in 1963. "Universe" was also published separately in 1951 as a 10¢ Dell paperback. The work presents one of the earliest fictional depictions of a
349:
Island". Another reference to
Heinlein's Future History is a passage describing Joe-Jim's enthusiasm for the works of "Rhysling, the blind singer of the spaceways," a poet and the central character of the Heinlein story "
233:
to help him, but is arrested by his former boss, Bill Ertz, and sentenced to death. He is viewed as either insane or a previously unrecognized mutant; he was a borderline case at birth, with a head viewed as too large.
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246:, they manufacture swords superior to the daggers that everyone else has. They overthrow the captain, install Narby in his place, and embark on a campaign to bring the entire Ship under their control.
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leader of a powerful mutie gang. Joe and Jim have separate identities, but both are highly intelligent and have come to a crude understanding of the Ship's true nature.
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373:(on May 15, 1955). Those versions have several drastic changes to the story, especially in their conclusions in which Hugh is killed, showing the crew of the
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The notion of a giant planet with a habitable moon went against theories of planetary formation as they stood before the discovery of
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said, "Many hands have worked at improving
Heinlein's impeccable statement of this theme", with none succeeding until
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in the early 22nd century.) A discovered ship's log begins in June 2172, a few days before the mutiny breaks out.
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On a hunt for muties, Hugh is captured by them. He barely avoids getting eaten by the
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284:, although a good many reckless people have tried, because Heinlein said it all."
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361:"Universe" was also performed as a radio play on the NBC Radio Network programs
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concepts" but expressed disappointment in "the limitations of its conclusion."
526:"If the Stars Should Appear", an episode of science fiction television series
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873:
251:
202:
499:, a Canadian-produced science fiction television series devised by writer
209:
146:
677:
519:
254:. The colonists disembark and uneasily explore their alien surroundings.
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about a generation ship whose inhabitants have not forgotten its purpose
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as "a modern classic" and praised "the magnitude and magnificence of
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dwarf Bobo and instead becomes the slave of Joe-Jim
Gregory, the
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1178:
Works originally published in Analog
Science Fiction and Fact
334:, which was commandeered by the Howard Families in the novel
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340:. It is revealed that the vessel had been bound for
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470:For the World Is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky
404:has not been confirmed, but there are candidates.
651:NASA Supercomputer Assists the Hunt for Exomoons
250:Hugh manages to land on the habitable moon of a
159:is a science fiction novel by American writer
717:
567:The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
240:Inspired by one of Joe-Jim's favorite books,
18:Common Sense (short story by Robert Heinlein)
8:
523:, a 2009 German-British science fiction film
30:
330:is briefly mentioned as the sister ship of
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710:
702:
385:Two-headed humans exist, one variation of
193:The gigantic, cylindrical generation ship
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29:
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163:(1907–1988), consisting of two parts: "
617:Timeline for Heinlein's Future History
344:but never landed colonists there. The
1168:Novels first published in serial form
673:Internet Speculative Fiction Database
640:Why Don't We Have Artificial Gravity?
7:
213:The 1951 Dell printing of "Universe"
1173:Fiction set around Proxima Centauri
536:and broadcast on September 28, 2017
280:said, "Nobody has ever improved on
27:1963 SF novel by Robert A. Heinlein
450:"The Oceans are Wide", a story by
25:
1107:The Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein
1148:American science fiction novels
837:The Cat Who Walks Through Walls
302:Links to other Heinlein stories
1188:Novels set in the 22nd century
1158:Fiction about generation ships
472:", an episode of the original
1:
1055:The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
598:Budrys, Algis (August 1966).
511:, a novel by American author
377:the true nature of the Ship.
173:, May 1941) and its sequel, "
1183:Works set on fictional moons
1163:Novels by Robert A. Heinlein
907:Delilah and the Space Rigger
813:The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
1143:1941 science fiction novels
367:(on November 26, 1951) and
1204:
853:The Pursuit of the Pankera
570:, October 1964, pp. 37–38.
320:In Heinlein's later novel
197:, originally destined for
179:Astounding Science Fiction
170:Astounding Science Fiction
900:The Man Who Sold the Moon
845:To Sail Beyond the Sunset
786:The Past Through Tomorrow
754:The Man Who Sold the Moon
544:, a role-playing game by
313:places the launch of the
35:
1153:Fiction about gas giants
977:The Green Hills of Earth
762:The Green Hills of Earth
459:The Book of the Long Sun
351:The Green Hills of Earth
829:The Number of the Beast
949:It's Great to Be Back!
942:The Black Pits of Luna
604:Galaxy Science Fiction
491:with a similar premise
483:Mission of the Darians
478:with a similar premise
214:
991:The Menace from Earth
935:Gentlemen, Be Seated!
805:Methuselah's Children
671:title listing at the
503:and broadcast in 1973
398:"hot Jupiter" planets
337:Methuselah's Children
212:
1138:1941 American novels
1085:Andrew Jackson Libby
880:"Let There Be Light"
821:Time Enough for Love
426:in its U.S. release)
323:Time Enough for Love
243:The Three Musketeers
886:The Roads Must Roll
606:. pp. 186–194.
585:In Search of Wonder
541:Metamorphosis Alpha
94:Victor Gollancz Ltd
46:G. P. Putnam's Sons
32:
31:Orphans of the Sky
956:—We Also Walk Dogs
778:Orphans of the Sky
733:Robert A. Heinlein
679:Orphans of the Sky
668:Orphans of the Sky
600:"Galaxy Bookshelf"
515:published in 2000.
381:Scientific details
267:Orphans of the Sky
215:
161:Robert A. Heinlein
156:Orphans of the Sky
58:Robert A. Heinlein
1125:
1124:
1115:Expanded Universe
1063:Delos D. Harriman
485:", an episode of
452:Frank M. Robinson
152:
151:
122:Print (Paperback)
111:Publication place
64:Cover artist
16:(Redirected from
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1004:
1001:If This Goes On—
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442:Proxima Centauri
431:Captive Universe
357:Radio adaptation
342:Proxima Centauri
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102:Publication date
42:First US edition
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970:Ordeal in Space
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446:Murray Leinster
420:Brian W. Aldiss
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387:conjoined twins
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295:The Watch Below
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199:"Far Centaurus"
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183:generation ship
119:Media type
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85:Science fiction
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738:Future History
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693:"Common Sense"
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629:BBC program on
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1032:Common Sense
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914:Space Jockey
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278:Damon Knight
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189:Plot summary
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175:Common Sense
174:
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153:
1090:Hazel Stone
963:Searchlight
746:Collections
532:written by
529:The Orville
513:Robert Reed
488:Space: 1999
370:X Minus One
364:Dimension X
290:James White
218:functions.
68:Irv Docktor
1132:Categories
1042:Characters
689:"Universe"
552:References
464:Gene Wolfe
265:described
227:two-headed
874:Life-Line
587:. Advent.
564:"Books",
475:Star Trek
258:Reception
252:gas giant
203:oligarchy
147:751436515
90:Publisher
1025:Universe
1011:Coventry
583:(1956).
520:Pandorum
424:Starship
422:(titled
415:Non-Stop
408:See also
402:exomoons
375:Vanguard
346:Vanguard
328:Vanguard
315:Vanguard
282:Universe
195:Vanguard
165:Universe
74:Language
1099:Related
921:Requiem
866:stories
695:on the
271:Orphans
77:English
48:, 1964)
44:(publ.
1118:(1980)
1110:(1966)
1018:Misfit
864:Short
856:(2020)
848:(1987)
840:(1985)
832:(1980)
824:(1973)
816:(1966)
808:(1958)
797:Novels
789:(1967)
781:(1963)
773:(1953)
765:(1951)
757:(1950)
508:Marrow
444:", by
326:, the
54:Author
1003:'
999:'
462:, by
434:, by
418:, by
274:'
82:Genre
691:and
141:OCLC
128:ISBN
106:1963
96:(UK)
735:'s
682:at
353:".
292:'s
177:" (
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20:)
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