Assignment in Eternity (1953)
Assignment in Eternity is a 1953 american science fiction book written by Robert A. Heinlein.
Four Robert A. Heinlein novellas, gathered by Fantasy Press in 1953, each turning on a hidden human potential. In "Gulf," a Federal agent named Joel Abner arrives from the Moon carrying a spool of microfilm worth killing for, adopts the identity of Captain Gilead, and finds his pursuers closing fast. "Elsewhen" sends its characters loose in time. "Lost Legacy" argues that telepathy and teleportation are dormant birthrights of the human race, waiting to be reclaimed. "Jerry Was a Man" rounds out a set built on secret agents, sharpened minds, and the question of what people might one day become.
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A few thoughts on Assignment in Eternity
For more stories of latent superhuman power, The Matrix pushes the mind past its supposed limits, while Ghost in the Shell probes where consciousness ends and machinery begins. Mass Effect 2 and Stargate SG-1 carry the same spry pulp-adventure spirit into deep space, BioShock questions who deserves an engineered advantage, and Interstellar chases the far edge of human reach.
Stories about latent human powers waiting to awaken
Assignment in Eternity argues that extraordinary powers are humanity's dormant birthright. These stories run with that premise, following ordinary people who discover latent abilities and then have to decide what to do once they can no longer pretend to be normal.
Sci-fi about sharpened minds and secret missions
Heinlein built these novellas on secret agents and sharpened minds. These picks share that blend of espionage and intellect, sending capable operatives on high-stakes missions where quick thinking, a well-trained mind and a hidden edge matter far more than raw firepower could ever hope to.
Classic-minded space adventure across galaxies and deep time
Under the intrigue, Assignment in Eternity reaches for the cosmic scale of classic science fiction. These adventures share that sweep, carrying heroes across galaxies and deep time toward wonders, alien vistas and threats far larger than any single world or single lifetime could ever hope to contain.
Concept albums with a cosmic science-fiction reach
The big ideas in Assignment in Eternity translate surprisingly well to music. These concept albums reach for that same cosmic science-fiction ambition, building sprawling sonic worlds around space travel, evolution and the strange future of the human mind, each track playing like a chapter in a larger saga.