cosmic-war-and-violence
The narrative reflects on the tragic and destructive nature of war, suggesting it is a universal and perhaps eternal condition.
1 chapter across 1 book
The Wanderer (1965)Fritz Leiber
In this chapter, a group of 'saucer students' infiltrate the Vandenberg Two base amid an intense interplanetary battle between two planets, the Wanderer and the Stranger, which exchange destructive laser beams and defensive maneuvers. The conflict escalates with visible damage to the Wanderer, culminating in both planets vanishing mysteriously after a final exchange of energy beams. The chapter explores the human perspective on cosmic war, the seeming inevitability of conflict even among advanced beings, and hints at the possibility that solutions to cosmic strife must come from 'below,' i.e., from ordinary individuals.