Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* ReferencedBy: In ''Literature/DriftlessWormhole'', a couple of the main characters discuss "Project Mastodon", a Simak novella about a time travel plan that goes wrong [[spoiler: just before one of them gets TrappedInThePast]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* CameFromTheSky: In ''Mastodonia'', protagonist Asa Steele has been excavating what looks like a meteor crater on his family farm, but his discoveries are making him instead think it's the place where a spaceship crashed thousands of years ago. [[spoiler: He's right. Furthermore, one of the aliens escaped the crash and has been living in the area ever since, hoping for rescue.]]
Added DiffLines:
** In ''Mastodonia'', the alien called 'Catface' communicates by telepathy. [[spoiler: Its ability to create [[TimeTravel portals into the past]] also seem to be this -- at least, it doesn't need any kind of machine to create them.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* InconspicuousImmortal: In the story "Grotto of the Dancing Deer", Luis (the prehistoric painter of the titular deer) explains to the modern-day protagonist that his secret to surviving as TheAgeless is to be inconspicuous, as well as thick-skinned and a DirtyCoward.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. He tended to be more idealistic than cynical.
to:
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, science fictions, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. He tended to be more idealistic than cynical.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* PsychicTeleportation: In "Immigrant", all natives of Kimon are capable of teleporting att will. Some of the Earth immigrants managed to pick up the skill as well.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Portal Network is a subtrope.
Deleted line(s) 59 (click to see context) :
* TeleportersAndTransporters: ''The Goblin Reservation''
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TropeNamer: Of PastoralScienceFiction, meaning science fiction set in the countryside.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most people simply left the Earth and their humanity.
to:
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, UsefulNotes/{{Jupiter}}, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most people simply left the Earth and their humanity.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 41,42 (click to see context) from:
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' as "The Duplicate Man": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
* MergingMachine / TeleFrag: Mentioned to have happened in ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* MergingMachine / TeleFrag: Mentioned to have happened in ''The Goblin Reservation''.
to:
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' as "The "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1963S2E13TheDuplicateMan The Duplicate Man": Man]]": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
*MergingMachine / TeleFrag: MergingMachine[=/=]TeleFrag: Mentioned to have happened in ''The Goblin Reservation''.
*
Changed line(s) 44 (click to see context) from:
* NecessarilyEvil: "{{Literature/Skirmish}}": All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.) They choose to enslave the technology, viewing it as a necessary cost.
to:
* NecessarilyEvil: "{{Literature/Skirmish}}": "Literature/{{Skirmish}}": All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.) They choose to enslave the technology, viewing it as a necessary cost.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1'', and ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] his story "Goodnight, Mr. James" as "The Duplicate Man".
to:
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clifford_simak.jpg]]
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1'', and ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] his story "Goodnight, Mr. James" as"The "[[Recap/TheOuterLimits1963S2E13TheDuplicateMan The Duplicate Man".
Man]]".
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1'', and ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] his story "Goodnight, Mr. James" as
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Link for new trope
Added DiffLines:
* SolarSystemNeighbors: In ''Desertion'', there is apparently life all over the Solar System, a fact which humans have been exploiting by artificially converting themselves into native lifeforms; it's stated that they have already taken over several planets this way (the moral and ethical issues aren't brought up). However, when they do so on Jupiter, the converted volunteers head off and never come back. Everyone assumes they've died somehow, but it turns out that Jovian "Lopers" are vastly physically and mentally superior to humans; having considered their former lives from their newly-gained perspective, they can't bear the thought of becoming human again.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Link for new trope
Added DiffLines:
* AnimalVehicleHybrid: ''The Goblin Reservation'' has an alien species that uses biological wheels.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
minor edits
Changed line(s) 41 (click to see context) from:
* NecessarilyEvil: Humanity in ''Skirmish''. All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.)
to:
* NecessarilyEvil: Humanity in ''Skirmish''. "{{Literature/Skirmish}}": All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.)) They choose to enslave the technology, viewing it as a necessary cost.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
to:
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
1'', and ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted]] his story "Goodnight, Mr. James" as "The Duplicate Man".
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Clifford Donald Simak was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
to:
Clifford Donald Simak (August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Simak is dead, so the past tense seems more appropriate.
Changed line(s) 1,4 (click to see context) from:
Clifford Donald Simak is a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
to:
Clifford Donald Simak is was a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. Hetends tended to be more idealistic than cynical.
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech. He
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 45 (click to see context) from:
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
to:
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.Reservation'', also the cobblies in ''City''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 9 (click to see context) from:
* AllMythsAreTrue: The premise of the novel ''Out of Their Minds''.'
to:
* AliensNeverInventedTheWheel: ''The Big Front Yard'' short story has aliens who never invented paint.
* AllMythsAreTrue: The premise of the novel ''Out of Their Minds''.' [[spoiler:Or rather [[YourMindMakesItReal human imagination made them real]].]]
* AllMythsAreTrue: The premise of the novel ''Out of Their Minds''.
** The town Millville.
Changed line(s) 42 (click to see context) from:
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
to:
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The mystery central to the plot of ''The Goblin Reservation''.Reservation''. [[spoiler:LastOfItsKind. Beloved pet of SufficientlyAdvancedAliens who want to give him to a good home. Accidentally stolen by human time travellers from Jurassic period of Earth.]]
* PortalNetwork: Interstellar teleporters in ''The Goblin Reservation''. Transported by slower-than-light starships, provide cheap instant travel when activated.
Changed line(s) 55 (click to see context) from:
* {{Twinmaker}}: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
to:
* {{Twinmaker}}: Teleporters in ''The Goblin Reservation''.Reservation'' can work that way if someone manages to intercept the signal. It takes SufficientlyAdvancedAliens, though.
Added DiffLines:
* YourMindMakesItReal: [[spoiler:In ''Out of Their Minds'' humans give life to all kinds of monsters by imagining them.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 3,4 (click to see context) from:
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech, but he doesn't [[YouFailPhysicsForever fail physics forever]]. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
to:
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech, but he doesn't [[YouFailPhysicsForever fail physics forever]].tech. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
What can be said in addition? Let's just say that Creator/IsaacAsimov was his AscendedFanboy.
to:
What can be said in addition? Let's just say that Creator/IsaacAsimov was his AscendedFanboy.
PromotedFanboy.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* TheEndingChangesEverything: Simak loved writing novels with an important reveal on the last page:
** ''All Flesh Is Grass'': Flowers try very hard to help humans. They don't want any recompense, or so they claim. [[spoiler:They simply enjoy being loved for what they look like -- beautiful flowers. No alien race has ever done this before.]]
** ''Time and Again'': The hero's life's work won't be liked by many humans. Instead they would publish a "revised edition" that insists on Humanity's superiority. Exactly how popular is the original edition? [[spoiler:None of the hero's friends are real humans. He's doing what's right, rather than what humans would like, and if he knew that, he may abandon the work.]] (Note that this novel was published under several names with different endings.)
** ''Werewolf Principle'': [[spoiler:There's no place for the hero on future Earth. He's going to leave it forever to study new worlds. This entails losing his newly-found love and lonely immortality. Then she tells she is a similar android who has to leave Earth for the same reason,]] making DownerEnding a BittersweetEnding. Then her uplifting speech about the importance of their work arguably turns it into a HappyEnding.
** ''Space Engineers'': Less drastic change, making the happy ending even better. Our universe is populated by StarfishAliens who can hardly communicate with Engineers and cannot help. The similarities between humans and Engineers are too many to be coincidental. [[spoiler:Engineers were created as servants by the late inhabitants of Pluto. The same race created life on Earth and programmed the evolution of mankind. Everything Engineers have created so far should and will belong to humans -- when humans become mature enough.]]
** ''Ring Around the Sun'': [[spoiler:The hero's arch-nemesis and the only man capable of thwarting the good guys' plans is his clone.[[note]]Or, to be more specific, they both are sterile {{Artificial Human}}s based on the same body, but it's the hero, who will be transplanted to the original body to conceive children.[[/note]] To stop the upcoming war the hero just has to tell him everything and invite his brother to join.]]
** ''Out of Their Minds'': [[spoiler:The Devil seems to represent the unanimous opinion of imaginary creatures. Actually, he does not. Others will force him to leave humans alone.]]
** ''All Flesh Is Grass'': Flowers try very hard to help humans. They don't want any recompense, or so they claim. [[spoiler:They simply enjoy being loved for what they look like -- beautiful flowers. No alien race has ever done this before.]]
** ''Time and Again'': The hero's life's work won't be liked by many humans. Instead they would publish a "revised edition" that insists on Humanity's superiority. Exactly how popular is the original edition? [[spoiler:None of the hero's friends are real humans. He's doing what's right, rather than what humans would like, and if he knew that, he may abandon the work.]] (Note that this novel was published under several names with different endings.)
** ''Werewolf Principle'': [[spoiler:There's no place for the hero on future Earth. He's going to leave it forever to study new worlds. This entails losing his newly-found love and lonely immortality. Then she tells she is a similar android who has to leave Earth for the same reason,]] making DownerEnding a BittersweetEnding. Then her uplifting speech about the importance of their work arguably turns it into a HappyEnding.
** ''Space Engineers'': Less drastic change, making the happy ending even better. Our universe is populated by StarfishAliens who can hardly communicate with Engineers and cannot help. The similarities between humans and Engineers are too many to be coincidental. [[spoiler:Engineers were created as servants by the late inhabitants of Pluto. The same race created life on Earth and programmed the evolution of mankind. Everything Engineers have created so far should and will belong to humans -- when humans become mature enough.]]
** ''Ring Around the Sun'': [[spoiler:The hero's arch-nemesis and the only man capable of thwarting the good guys' plans is his clone.[[note]]Or, to be more specific, they both are sterile {{Artificial Human}}s based on the same body, but it's the hero, who will be transplanted to the original body to conceive children.[[/note]] To stop the upcoming war the hero just has to tell him everything and invite his brother to join.]]
** ''Out of Their Minds'': [[spoiler:The Devil seems to represent the unanimous opinion of imaginary creatures. Actually, he does not. Others will force him to leave humans alone.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 1,2 (click to see context) from:
Clifford Donald Simak is a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''The Goblin Reservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
to:
Clifford Donald Simak is a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''The Goblin Reservation'' ''Literature/TheGoblinReservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AscendedExtra: In the short stories eventually collected as ''City,'' Jenkins starts out as a minor character and then moves to the center as humanity disappears.
Added DiffLines:
* FutureSlang: In ''City,'' the intelligent dogs come to call all human beings "websters," after Jenkins' owners the Webster family.
Added DiffLines:
* TheMultiverse: The "cobbly" dimension in ''City.'' All of the characters can move between the cobbly worlds and the original universe; eventually, [[spoiler: Jenkins has to move all of the remaining human beings there to protect the growing animal civilization.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 27 (click to see context) from:
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for the original ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' as "The Duplicate Man": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
to:
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for the original ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' ''Series/TheOuterLimits1963'' as "The Duplicate Man": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* SlidingScaleOfRobotIntelligence: The robots in ''City,'' Jenkins included, operate at the level of a normal human.
Added DiffLines:
* UnableToCry: Jenkins mourns his inability to cry at the end of ''City'':
--> If he could only weep, he thought, but a robot could not weep.
--> If he could only weep, he thought, but a robot could not weep.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
The Messiah has been disambiguated. Missue and zero context examples are being removed.
Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, a telepathic mutant, is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter them, and does not value the very concept of society.
to:
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, a telepathic mutant, is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah [[MessianicArchetype save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter them, and does not value the very concept of society.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, the telepathic mutant is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter with them, and does not value the very concept of society.
to:
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, the a telepathic mutant mutant, is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter with them, and does not value the very concept of society.
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* CosyCatastrophe: The humanity's fate in the ''City''. Human civilization simply lived its course and ended slowly and (relatively) peacefully.
to:
* CosyCatastrophe: The humanity's Humanity's fate in the ''City''. Human civilization simply lived its course and ended slowly and (relatively) peacefully.
Changed line(s) 20,21 (click to see context) from:
** Goblins. He has a very interesting interpretation of goblins as magic eldritch abominations from other dimensions or planets, with reasons unknown, and morality radically different, and their logic will never be understood by us humans.
** Different biological lifeforms [[BizarreAlienLocomotion with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
** Different biological lifeforms [[BizarreAlienLocomotion with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
to:
** Goblins. He has a very interesting interpretation of goblins as magic eldritch abominations from other dimensions or planets, with reasons unknown, and morality radically different, and their logic that will never be understood by us humans.
** Different biological lifeforms [[BizarreAlienLocomotion with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it'san evidence they've been engineered)engineered).
** Different biological lifeforms [[BizarreAlienLocomotion with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
Changed line(s) 29 (click to see context) from:
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most population simply left the Earth and their humanity.
to:
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most population people simply left the Earth and their humanity.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Very different. They are the FairFolk, for one. And they aren't evil, they are just... well, ''really'' alien.
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged by mountains or buidings.
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged by mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for a rocket engine to move around. Some aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for a rocket engine to move around. Some aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
Changed line(s) 38,45 (click to see context) from:
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Very different. They are the FairFolk, for one. And they aren't evil, they are just... well, ''really'' alien.
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged my mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for rocket engine to move around. Some of aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
* WitchHunt: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', witches are people with PsychicPowers. Some of them actually fly on brooms if they want to
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged my mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for rocket engine to move around. Some of aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
* WitchHunt: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', witches are people with PsychicPowers. Some of them actually fly on brooms if they want to
to:
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged my mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for rocket engine to move around. Some of aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 21 (click to see context) from:
** Different biological lifeforms [[StarfishAliens with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
to:
** Different biological lifeforms [[StarfishAliens [[BizarreAlienLocomotion with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* OldRetainer: For possibly the '''Oldest''' OldRetainer ever, we have Jenkins, the robotic butler in ''City''.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
moved to namespace
Added DiffLines:
Clifford Donald Simak is a well-known ScienceFiction writer. His most famous novels are ''City'', ''The Goblin Reservation'' and ''Literature/WayStation''; his short story "Huddling Place" appeared in ''The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume 1''.
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech, but he doesn't [[YouFailPhysicsForever fail physics forever]]. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
What can be said in addition? Let's just say that Creator/IsaacAsimov was his AscendedFanboy.
----
!!The author's works provide examples of:
* AllMythsAreTrue: The premise of the novel ''Out of Their Minds''.'
* AlternateSelf: ''The Goblin Reservation''
* BackupTwin
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, the telepathic mutant is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter with them, and does not value the very concept of society.
* ClarkesThirdLaw: ''The Goblin Reservation'' plays it straight. Magical creatures turn out to have been engineered by SufficientlyAdvancedAliens.
* CloningBlues: Duplicates in ''Good Night, Mr. James'' are treated as legally and morally expendable. [[spoiler:[[TomatoInTheMirror The main character's a duplicate]].]]
* CosyCatastrophe: The humanity's fate in the ''City''. Human civilization simply lived its course and ended slowly and (relatively) peacefully.
* CreatorProvincialism: Simak often set his stories in Millville, where he was born.
* CreatorThumbprint: Many.
** JustOneSecondOutOfSync, especially if it's used to create alternative Earths.
** The hero, the love interest, the nonhuman sidekick and a bunch of loonies go on a quest, loonies gradually vanish from the party for reasons directly connected to the reason they went on a journey in the first place, yadda yadda yadda, happy ending, true love, and some mystical higher forces were behind all this.
** Goblins. He has a very interesting interpretation of goblins as magic eldritch abominations from other dimensions or planets, with reasons unknown, and morality radically different, and their logic will never be understood by us humans.
** Different biological lifeforms [[StarfishAliens with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
* EarthThatUsedToBeBetter: ''City'''s main theme is the decline and fall of humanity, so there's plenty of the examples along the way. Eventually the earth reverts to its original state, but its masters are now [[StarfishAliens sentient, industrious and incomprehensible Ants]], and what will happen to it is a question.
* HumanityIsSuperior: Inverted. Humanity is a young race, if other alien races are adults then humanity is in kindergarten, and going to "school" is one of his favorite plots.
* HumansAreSpecial: ''Literature/WayStation'' and other stories.
* KillAndReplace: ''Good Night, Mr. James''. [[spoiler:The duplicate succeeds in killing the original, but finds out that [[ShootTheShaggyDog he was poisoned immediately after he was made]].]]
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for the original ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' as "The Duplicate Man": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
* MergingMachine / TeleFrag: Mentioned to have happened in ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* NecessarilyEvil: Humanity in ''Skirmish''. All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.)
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most population simply left the Earth and their humanity.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* ReligiousRobot: In ''Message From The Stars'', the humans have [[{{Transhumanism}} transcended their physical forms]], casting aside their old religions as well as as the robots that used to serve them. Having lost the purpose of serving mankind, the robots have instead turned to Christianity. It is implied that their theological discourse will gradually turn Catholicism into a RobotReligion, just like Afro-American churches tend to have a black Jesus on the cross.
* TeleportersAndTransporters: ''The Goblin Reservation''
* TimeTravel: a number of them, starting from his first short story. Note that in most of his works the timestream can't be changed, a human being can be an observer of the past at most. [[spoiler: This tradition dates from his first story, too]]
** In ''City'' the time travel is impossible -- the time there is a string of {{Alternate Universe}}s moving through it, so any attempt of time travel will simply bring you to parallel world.
* {{Twinmaker}}: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Very different. They are the FairFolk, for one. And they aren't evil, they are just... well, ''really'' alien.
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged my mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for rocket engine to move around. Some of aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
* WitchHunt: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', witches are people with PsychicPowers. Some of them actually fly on brooms if they want to
----
His works tend to be soft according to MohsScaleOfSciFiHardness, as he's concentrating on characters and story, not on tech, but he doesn't [[YouFailPhysicsForever fail physics forever]]. He tends to be more idealistic than cynical.
What can be said in addition? Let's just say that Creator/IsaacAsimov was his AscendedFanboy.
----
!!The author's works provide examples of:
* AllMythsAreTrue: The premise of the novel ''Out of Their Minds''.'
* AlternateSelf: ''The Goblin Reservation''
* BackupTwin
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: In ''City'', not only the ants are inscrutable, but the person responsible for the dawn of their civilization, Joe, the telepathic mutant is also an example. This is actually the point of his character: he does not want to [[TheMessiah save]] or [[BewareTheSuperman subjugate]] humankind, he just does not wish to encounter with them, and does not value the very concept of society.
* ClarkesThirdLaw: ''The Goblin Reservation'' plays it straight. Magical creatures turn out to have been engineered by SufficientlyAdvancedAliens.
* CloningBlues: Duplicates in ''Good Night, Mr. James'' are treated as legally and morally expendable. [[spoiler:[[TomatoInTheMirror The main character's a duplicate]].]]
* CosyCatastrophe: The humanity's fate in the ''City''. Human civilization simply lived its course and ended slowly and (relatively) peacefully.
* CreatorProvincialism: Simak often set his stories in Millville, where he was born.
* CreatorThumbprint: Many.
** JustOneSecondOutOfSync, especially if it's used to create alternative Earths.
** The hero, the love interest, the nonhuman sidekick and a bunch of loonies go on a quest, loonies gradually vanish from the party for reasons directly connected to the reason they went on a journey in the first place, yadda yadda yadda, happy ending, true love, and some mystical higher forces were behind all this.
** Goblins. He has a very interesting interpretation of goblins as magic eldritch abominations from other dimensions or planets, with reasons unknown, and morality radically different, and their logic will never be understood by us humans.
** Different biological lifeforms [[StarfishAliens with wheels]] feature in ''The Goblin Reservation'' and several short stories. (In most cases, it's an evidence they've been engineered)
* EarthThatUsedToBeBetter: ''City'''s main theme is the decline and fall of humanity, so there's plenty of the examples along the way. Eventually the earth reverts to its original state, but its masters are now [[StarfishAliens sentient, industrious and incomprehensible Ants]], and what will happen to it is a question.
* HumanityIsSuperior: Inverted. Humanity is a young race, if other alien races are adults then humanity is in kindergarten, and going to "school" is one of his favorite plots.
* HumansAreSpecial: ''Literature/WayStation'' and other stories.
* KillAndReplace: ''Good Night, Mr. James''. [[spoiler:The duplicate succeeds in killing the original, but finds out that [[ShootTheShaggyDog he was poisoned immediately after he was made]].]]
** This ending was [[LighterAndSofter softened]] when the story was adapted for the original ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' as "The Duplicate Man": [[spoiler:The duplicate still dies, but the original not only survives, but becomes a better person because the duplicate reminds him of his younger, more idealistic self.]]
* MergingMachine / TeleFrag: Mentioned to have happened in ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* NecessarilyEvil: Humanity in ''Skirmish''. All human development has been based upon synthetic technology of some kind, and thanks to InstantAIJustAddWater, people must either revert to savagery or knowingly enslave an entire species. (LamarckWasRight isn't an option here--even a ''sewing machine'' comes to life.)
* NoTranshumanismAllowed: Averted for good in ''City'', which eventually brought humanity's downfall. Humans were initially baffled by unexplained disappearances of scientists, transformed to survive the conditions on Jupiter, until one of them finally returned. It happened that the life of the transformed being was so much ''better'', that most population simply left the Earth and their humanity.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* OurGhostsAreDifferent: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* ReligiousRobot: In ''Message From The Stars'', the humans have [[{{Transhumanism}} transcended their physical forms]], casting aside their old religions as well as as the robots that used to serve them. Having lost the purpose of serving mankind, the robots have instead turned to Christianity. It is implied that their theological discourse will gradually turn Catholicism into a RobotReligion, just like Afro-American churches tend to have a black Jesus on the cross.
* TeleportersAndTransporters: ''The Goblin Reservation''
* TimeTravel: a number of them, starting from his first short story. Note that in most of his works the timestream can't be changed, a human being can be an observer of the past at most. [[spoiler: This tradition dates from his first story, too]]
** In ''City'' the time travel is impossible -- the time there is a string of {{Alternate Universe}}s moving through it, so any attempt of time travel will simply bring you to parallel world.
* {{Twinmaker}}: ''The Goblin Reservation''.
* OurGoblinsAreDifferent: Very different. They are the FairFolk, for one. And they aren't evil, they are just... well, ''really'' alien.
* PsychicPowers: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', ''Ring Around the Sun'', the BigBad in ''The World of the Red Sun''...
** Also, in his first story, ''The World of the Red Sun'', the main characters place the TimeMachine on a plane to avoid being {{TeleFrag}}ged my mountains or buidings.
* StarfishAliens: IN SPADES.
** In ''The Goblin Reservation'' we have Wheelers, each of them is a hive of sentient worms in a bag on two wheels using a biological equivalent for rocket engine to move around. Some of aliens, like the Wailer in ''Special Deliverance'', [[EldritchAbomination are just incomprehensible]].
** Ants in the ''City''. They simply ignore everyone else, forcing remaining humans and [[UpliftedAnimal dogs]] to leave the Earth for good.
* {{Immortality}}: Jenkins, the immortal robot in the ''City'', whose fate is to see the twilight of Humanity.
* WitchHunt: ''Time is the Simplest Thing'', witches are people with PsychicPowers. Some of them actually fly on brooms if they want to
----
