The Crucible of Time


The Crucible of Time is a fix-up science fiction novel by John Brunner. It was first published in 1983.

Serials

Parts 1 and 2 appeared in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine as "The Fire is Lit" and "Fusing and Refusing".

Plot

The novel deals with the efforts of an alien species to escape their homeworld and integrate into a new society. In the novel, the plot beings with the system passing through a cloud of interstellar debris, resulting in a high rate of in-falling matter. The species' unique biology and biological technology complicate matters. The book starts with the tale's beginning and then shifts toward the structure of the imagery surrounding the suns, moons, and comets. Then the plot continues on an individual's life and the cultivation culture.

Awards