Maxima Library

In un futuro lontano, una classe dominante di umani geneticamente modificati ottiene l’equivalente dell’immortalità mediante l’uso di droghe. Questa classe dominante tiene l’intera società in stasi grazie alla manipolazione genetica del genoma umano, eliminando ogni sorta di mutazione spontanea dello stesso. Come se non bastasse, solo poche persone attentamente selezionate hanno la possibilità di riprodursi. Tuttavia nelle megalopoli si sviluppano dei movimenti clandestini ed appare una razza di cyborg, opposta agli immortali.

First published in 1973, Frank Herbert’s vivid imagination and brilliant view of nature and ecology have never been more evident than in this classic of science fiction.

America is a police state, and it is about to be threatened by the most hellish enemy in the world: insects.

When the Agency discovered that Dr Hellstrom’s Project 40 was a cover for a secret laboratory, a special team of agents was immediately dispatched to discover its true purpose and its weaknesses—it could not be allowed to continue. What they discovered was a nightmare more horrific and hideous than even their paranoid government minds could devise.

In un mondo sovrappopolato, che cercava spazio vitale nella giungla, l’Organizzazione Ecologica Internazionale sterminav sistematicamente dei voraci insetti che rendevano inospitali quelle zone. Uomini come Joha Martinho e i suoi aiutanti usavano bombole schiumogene mortali e nuove armi a vibrazione per ripulire l’inferno verde del Mato Grosso. Ma, per ragioni sconosciute, le aree già disinfestate completamente incominciarono a essere di nuovo assalite dagli insetti malgrado le impenetrabili barriere. Dalla giungla si sentirono strane storie… insetti divenuti enormi… creature dalle sembianze umane, ma i cui occhi avevano quel particolare scintillio degli insetti.

Les optimhommes. Hautains, inapprochables, sans bouger de leur sphère ils dirigent le monde. Avec l’insouciance que leur donne l’immortalité. Dans l’ombre, les mystérieux Cyborgs, mi-hommes, mi-robots, guettent l’instant favorable à la prise du pouvoir. Les « Ordinaires », enfin, ne sont guère que des esclaves soutenus par leur rêve permanent : triompher de la stérilité.

Prawdziwymi władcami Ziemi od miliona lat są nieśmiertelni Nadludzie. Starannie strzeżone tajemnice modelowania genetycznego zapewniająca im pełną kontrolę nad zniewoloną Masą, zyjącą na zamikniętym obszarze o promieniu siedmiuset kilometrów.

Wynikiem jednego z nie kończących się eksperymentów demiurgów świata są Cyborgi, ludzie-maszyny. Obracają się oni przeciwko swoim stwórcom, chcąc ich za wszelką cenę unicestwić. Wykorzystują do tego rodzący się wśród Masy ruch oporu. Wspólne działąnia niszczą istniejący od tysiącleci ład.

Das Ehepaar Durant darf ein Kind haben — so haben es die Regenten der Genetik entschieden. Und das Gesetz 10927 gestattet es den Durants, der genetischen Umformung ihres Embryos beizuwohnen. Dr. Potter, der große Künstler unter den Genchirurgen, nimmt die Operation vor. Dabei handelt er den Gesetzen der Regenten zuwider, die kategorisch die Ausmerzung aller Erbanlagen fordern, die Menschen zur Rebellion gegen die jahrtausendealte Herrschaft der Unsterblichen führen könnten. Mit Hilfe einer Untergrundorganisation von halbrobotischen Cyborgs glückt die Entführung des Embryos aus dem Bruttank des Hospitals. Doch der Preis, den die Verschwörer zahlen müssen, ist ungeheuer hoch. In panischer Furcht vor einer Revolte gegen ihre Herrschaft sind die unsterblichen Regenten eher bereit, die übrige Menschheit auszulöschen, als dem neuen Leben eine Chance zu geben.

On the edge of a war-weary and devastated galaxy, charismatic Lewis Orne makes planetfall on Hamal. His assignment: to detect any signs of latent aggression in this planet’s population.

To his astonishment, he finds that his own latent extrasensory powers have suddenly blossomed, and he is invited to join the company of “gods” on this planet.

And people place certain expectations on their gods….

THE MILLION-IN-ONE MAN

The extermination engineers had erected barriers between the Red and the Green zones. In the Green, the men had done their work well—no useless insects survived. But they still had to clear the way in the Red zone, to destroy insect life there—a lower form of life which was presenting a threat to mankind.

The Indian waited at the barrier to be let into the Green zone; he simulated the servility which would identify him as a primitive from the deep Brazilian interior—from the Red zone.

At the barrier he was almost overcome with the repellants sprayed at him. But the brilliant facets of his eyes, the tiny scales of his skin were not detected. The weave of furry separate cells did not become unraveled.

The million-in-one man penetrated the uninfested Green.