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The Wall of Darkness
Arthur C. Clarke est l’un des grands maîtres de la SF moderne. Chantre de la conquête de l’espace, il fut également prophète de l’ère des télécommunications universelles, explorateur des fonds sous-marins, humoriste et commentateur de l’aventure humaine dans un univers recelant encore bien des mystères. La collection numérique Brage vous permettra d’explorer toutes ces différentes pistes à travers plus d’une centaine de nouvelles, indispensables à tout amoureux de la Science-Fiction.
ebook
First published July 1, 1949
About the author
Arthur C. Clarke
1,662 books11.9k followersStories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include
2001: A Space Odyssey
(1968).
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.
Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.
He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 2, 2016
Another unique extraordinary tale of science fiction where the big frame is the exploration in a adventure far from home by two friens of the special topologic structure of their little universe, a three dimensional generalization of a one face surface,a Mobius strip, and their surprise when they discover this feature
October 19, 2017
I adore Arthur C. Clarke! I greatly enjoy the majority of his books, especially the short stories. This one particularly had me in awe. Obviously similar ideas have been explored many times throughout history, but the absolute grace and subtle excitement in his way of portraying the idea is phenomenal. I can't stress enough how much I loved this story...
A few quotes from the story:
"He was staring out across the desolate shadow land wondering how far it stretched and what mysteries it held."
"Maybe you have guessed it already? ... No, I have been afraid to think of it.... The old man smiled a little. Why should one be afraid of something merely because it is strange?"
"When I was a boy my old master once said, time could never destroy the truth. It could only hide it among legends."
A few quotes from the story:
"He was staring out across the desolate shadow land wondering how far it stretched and what mysteries it held."
"Maybe you have guessed it already? ... No, I have been afraid to think of it.... The old man smiled a little. Why should one be afraid of something merely because it is strange?"
"When I was a boy my old master once said, time could never destroy the truth. It could only hide it among legends."
April 23, 2017
Had a mind-confused read. Wow what an idea! Möbius shaped world, almosy unimaginable...
And the eternal wish of humankind? Of course it is finding truth. I love the ideas and motives of sci-fi stories. Mr.Clarke amazed me again!
And the eternal wish of humankind? Of course it is finding truth. I love the ideas and motives of sci-fi stories. Mr.Clarke amazed me again!
May 2, 2026
SciFi, short story by a master,with Great Narration!!
October 9, 2016
What if Earth were not a spheroid, or rather a Möbius strip? This is the account of a brave adventurer who travels to the mythical Wall at the end of the world to discover what lies on the other side.
June 6, 2020
great story!
audiobook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JmB...
scientific explanation
https://scifi.stackexchange.com/quest...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ori...
audiobook
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3JmB...
scientific explanation
https://scifi.stackexchange.com/quest...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-ori...
July 24, 2020
That was a bit of a twisted tale ... not what I was expecting at all!! I think what really impressed me was the simplicity of the characters and their innocence, and then BAM! No more.
December 18, 2020
A world with a Wall that separates them from the Darkness. A quest to find out. Nice short story
April 13, 2025
Meh. It's not bad, per se, but the plot twist didn't endear me that much. I appreciate the idea of exploring different kinds of physics universes, and perhaps it's a bit on me too since I'm not a math-head, like at all, but in the end, I just didn't like it that much.
In a way, the writing style was superbus, it reminded me of an ancient medieval story about kingdoms exploring alien technology left on Earth by who-knows-who. But the satisfaction from the twist just wasn't there, and I kind of called it from the beginning, anyway.
I also didn't understand why Clarke left it dubious why the co-protagonist destroyed the structure, leaving Shervane on top of the dark wall. I guess you can infer why, but I noticed he loves to leave open-ended questions at the end of his stories. Sometimes it works, this time, at least for me, it didn't.
Overall would still recommend it. Just temper your expectations.
In a way, the writing style was superbus, it reminded me of an ancient medieval story about kingdoms exploring alien technology left on Earth by who-knows-who. But the satisfaction from the twist just wasn't there, and I kind of called it from the beginning, anyway.
I also didn't understand why Clarke left it dubious why the co-protagonist destroyed the structure, leaving Shervane on top of the dark wall. I guess you can infer why, but I noticed he loves to leave open-ended questions at the end of his stories. Sometimes it works, this time, at least for me, it didn't.
Overall would still recommend it. Just temper your expectations.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2026
Comment ne pas penser à un mélange entre Game of Thrones et le Seigneur des anneaux en lisant ce texte ? J'ai vraiment apprécié la qualité des descriptions. C'est rapidement immersif. Concept intéressant.
"Mais il n'existait aucun moyen de le franchir et nul ne savait ce qu'il y avait de l'autre côté. Véritable monde, il ne s'arrêtait jamais, même lorsque sa hauteur était cent fois supérieure à celle d'un homme. Il ceignait l'océan glacé qui baignait les rives du pays des ténèbres. Debouts sur ces plages désolées, des voyageurs que réchauffaient à peine les derniers rayons de Trilorne, avaient regardé sa masse sombre s'avancer dans la mer, indifférente aux vagues, qui fouettait sa base. Et sur les rivages opposés d'autres voyageurs l'avaient vu traverser l'océan d'une seule foulée et les frôler de son ombre immense, avant de poursuivre son périple autour du monde."
"Mais il n'existait aucun moyen de le franchir et nul ne savait ce qu'il y avait de l'autre côté. Véritable monde, il ne s'arrêtait jamais, même lorsque sa hauteur était cent fois supérieure à celle d'un homme. Il ceignait l'océan glacé qui baignait les rives du pays des ténèbres. Debouts sur ces plages désolées, des voyageurs que réchauffaient à peine les derniers rayons de Trilorne, avaient regardé sa masse sombre s'avancer dans la mer, indifférente aux vagues, qui fouettait sa base. Et sur les rivages opposés d'autres voyageurs l'avaient vu traverser l'océan d'une seule foulée et les frôler de son ombre immense, avant de poursuivre son périple autour du monde."
November 9, 2023
"Many and strange are the universes that drift like bubbles in the foam upon the River of Time."
Beautiful. Haunting. Mind is blown. 1949 and I never heard of this until I read it in Collected Stories. Clarke is a master. My senses and perception feel like they have been stretched thin and put together with more surface area than they had before.
Beautiful. Haunting. Mind is blown. 1949 and I never heard of this until I read it in Collected Stories. Clarke is a master. My senses and perception feel like they have been stretched thin and put together with more surface area than they had before.
February 16, 2025
Hard to believe Clarke was such a geoengineer worried so much about global warming that he writes about walls keeping the population from some climate problem from ages past. We can't match the intelligence of the first dynasty Or any of Fauci's scientists? right? :rofl
September 30, 2024
2.5 - Listened to it as part of "The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..."
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews