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The Masks of Time

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237:. Leo Garfield spends several months with Jack and Shirley to get a break from his physics work. During Vornan-19's first public press conference he mentions the fact that in the future society is very different because they have tapped the energy within all matter so that no one has to work to obtain energy. Leo Garfield tells Jack that he left the University because he had actually finished his thesis showing how to extract the enormous amounts of energy within all particles of matter. He could not bear to release this theory since it would dramatically change 932: 22: 85: 229:. The police try to arrest him but he knocks them over with a touch. He is helped and given clothes by Horst Klein who believes that the apocalypse will come in 389 days. Vornan-19 tells him that he is from the year 2999. Jack Bryant, a graduate student under Leo Garfield at the 284:
on the Earth. An alien spacecraft visited the Earth long ago on a scouting mission and discovered no life forms and so departed; but before they left they jettisoned a load of their garbage that landed on Earth and eventually started life. Vornan then goes to the
293:. Shirley subtly offers herself to Vornan but he shows no interest, Vornan instead seduces Jack. Shirley then sleeps with Leo who has been wanting her for years. Vornan has been made into a messiah by the people of Earth. He visits 297:
using a personal shield technology that should allow him to interact with the crowds. The shield fails and Vornan is grabbed by the crowd and his body is never recovered. Leo remains in Buenos Aires until the turn of the century.
241:. He asks Jack to use his influence to question Vornan-19 on the subject to see if it was his theory that was used in the future. When Jack returns to the University, he has a call from the 233:
is working toward a process to extract huge amounts of energy from ordinary matter. He leaves the physics department, marries pretty blonde named Shirley and they move to the deserts of
534: 1143: 43: 1136: 385:. The story of Vornan-19 has been described as a realistic and ironic parody of the romantic and superhuman adventures of Valentine Michael Smith. 1052: 459: 541: 434: 1221: 1129: 1189: 788: 1029: 1015: 1008: 1001: 994: 973: 1241: 1216: 599: 32: 1236: 1171: 1164: 1157: 473: 61: 289:, and when he returns he takes a break from his tour of the Earth by staying with Leo's friends Jack and Shirley in 1226: 781: 561: 490: 331: 245:
and is forced to join a group of scientists working for the US government on how to best deal with Vornan-19.
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has been described as "a brilliant and nearly flawless performance", and has been compared to
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cited "gratuitous problems", but recommended readers to "go buy it. It's quite interesting".
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Horst Klein — a nineteen-year-old German, the first person to talk to Vornan-19.
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has been described as an ironic and satiric treatment of the theme of salvation.
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Sanford Kralick — Presidential aide who put together the Vornan-19 committee
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and even no money. All citizens have all that they need. After visiting the
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where he meets with the group of scientists, attends an outrageous
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The road to Castle Mount: the science fiction of Robert Silverberg
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Helen McIlwain — Anthropologist on the Vornan-19 committee
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F. Richard Heyman — Historian on the Vornan-19 committee
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Aster Mikkelsen — Biochemist on the Vornan-19 committee
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Morton Fields — Psychologist on the Vornan-19 committee
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Jack Byrant — A graduate student under Leo Garfield.
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Vornan-19 — man from the future, specifically 2999.
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The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964
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It was published in the United Kingdom under the title
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Robert Silverberg Presents the Great SF Stories: 1964
225:. He floats down from the sky naked, landing on the 453: 451: 330:Marcus Ketthridge — Special Assistant to the 1203: 448: 74:1968 science fiction novel by Robert Silverberg 535: 310:Leo Garfield — Physics professor at the 1053:Deep Space: Eight Stories of Science Fiction 221:Vornan-19 arrives on Christmas Day, 1998 in 482: 542: 528: 83: 62:Learn how and when to remove this message 268:Vornan requests a visit to an automated 457: 399: 314:, specializing in the time-reversal of 1204: 1190:Lost Cities and Vanished Civilizations 488: 549: 523: 15: 407:"1968 Award Winners & Nominees" 368:Literary significance and reception 13: 14: 1253: 505: 930: 20: 1222:American science fiction novels 489:Budrys, Algis (December 1968). 468:: Greenwood Press. p. 45. 437:from the original on 2008-09-22 356: 216: 31:consists almost entirely of a 1: 392: 301: 948:The Cube Root of Uncertainty 628:Conquerors from the Darkness 202:. It was a nominee for the 7: 1242:Novels by Robert Silverberg 1217:1968 science fiction novels 1095:Nebula Awards Showcase 2001 1039:The Best of Randall Garrett 10: 1258: 586:Lest We Forget Thee, Earth 458:Chapman, Edgar L. (1999). 382:Stranger in a Strange Land 349:on the Vornan-19 committee 1181: 957: 939: 928: 917:To the Land of the Living 898: 861: 833: 570: 557: 276:. During an interview in 166: 158: 142: 132: 122: 112: 104: 94: 82: 1237:Novels about time travel 621:Time of the Great Freeze 312:University of California 231:University of California 940:Short story collections 875:Lord Valentine's Castle 775:Shadrach in the Furnace 258:New York Stock Exchange 1227:Ballantine Books books 796:The Face of the Waters 698:Across a Billion Years 495:Galaxy Science Fiction 1088:The Nebula Awards #18 719:Downward to the Earth 516:on Worlds Without End 198:, first published in 1212:1968 American novels 803:Kingdoms of the Wall 782:Sailing to Byzantium 1232:Fiction set in 1998 882:Majipoor Chronicles 845:The Shrouded Planet 684:The Man in the Maze 614:The Silent Invaders 497:. pp. 149–155. 345:Lloyd Kolff — 316:subatomic particles 248:Vornan-19 comes to 79: 40:improve the article 958:Anthologies edited 910:Gilgamesh the King 889:Valentine Pontifex 810:The Positronic Man 761:The Book of Skulls 635:The Gate of Worlds 491:"Galaxy Bookshelf" 411:Worlds Without End 377:Robert A. Heinlein 78:The Masks of Time 77: 44:real-world context 1199: 1198: 1123:New Dimensions IV 1109:New Dimensions II 926: 925: 852:The Dawning Light 754:A Time of Changes 677:The Masks of Time 670:Hawksbill Station 607:The Seed of Earth 579:Revolt on Alpha C 551:Robert Silverberg 513:The Masks of Time 373:The Masks of Time 362:The Masks of Time 196:Robert Silverberg 184:The Masks of Time 180: 179: 105:Cover artist 99:Robert Silverberg 72: 71: 64: 1249: 1130:New Dimensions 5 1116:New Dimensions 3 1102:New Dimensions 1 934: 831: 830: 747:The World Inside 663:The Time Hoppers 600:Collision Course 544: 537: 530: 521: 520: 499: 498: 486: 480: 479: 455: 446: 445: 443: 442: 427: 421: 420: 418: 417: 403: 170: 134:Publication date 127:Ballantine Books 87: 80: 76: 67: 60: 56: 53: 47: 24: 23: 16: 1257: 1256: 1252: 1251: 1250: 1248: 1247: 1246: 1202: 1201: 1200: 1195: 1177: 953: 935: 922: 894: 857: 829: 740:The Second Trip 656:Those Who Watch 642:Planet of Death 593:Starman's Quest 566: 553: 548: 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517: 507: 506:External links 504: 501: 500: 481: 474: 447: 422: 397: 396: 394: 391: 379:'s 1961 novel 369: 366: 358: 355: 354: 353: 350: 343: 340: 337: 334: 328: 325: 322: 319: 308: 303: 300: 282:how life began 256:and tours the 218: 215: 178: 177: 172: 164: 163: 160: 156: 155: 144: 140: 139: 136: 133: 130: 129: 124: 120: 119: 114: 110: 109: 106: 102: 101: 96: 92: 91: 88: 73: 70: 69: 28: 26: 19: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1254: 1243: 1240: 1238: 1235: 1233: 1230: 1228: 1225: 1223: 1220: 1218: 1215: 1213: 1210: 1209: 1207: 1192: 1191: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1180: 1174: 1173: 1169: 1167: 1166: 1162: 1160: 1159: 1155: 1153: 1152: 1151:Strange Gifts 1148: 1146: 1145: 1141: 1139: 1138: 1134: 1132: 1131: 1127: 1125: 1124: 1120: 1118: 1117: 1113: 1111: 1110: 1106: 1104: 1103: 1099: 1097: 1096: 1092: 1090: 1089: 1085: 1083: 1082: 1078: 1076: 1075: 1071: 1069: 1068: 1064: 1062: 1061: 1057: 1055: 1054: 1050: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1041: 1040: 1036: 1032: 1031: 1027: 1025: 1024: 1020: 1018: 1017: 1013: 1011: 1010: 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Retrieved 410: 401: 387:Algis Budrys 380: 372: 371: 361: 360: 357:Major themes 295:Buenos Aires 266:stock market 247: 220: 217:Plot summary 210: 208: 204:Nebula Award 183: 182: 181: 58: 49: 38:Please help 33:plot summary 30: 1182:Non-fiction 824:Roma Eterna 712:Up the Line 347:Philologist 254:house party 243:White House 1206:Categories 1172:Universe 3 1165:Universe 2 1158:Universe 1 1081:Legends II 733:Son of Man 691:Nightwings 441:2008-09-16 416:2009-07-11 393:References 302:Characters 278:California 262:capitalism 900:Gilgamesh 817:Starborne 789:Nightfall 332:President 211:Vornan-19 206:in 1968. 191:novel by 152:paperback 148:hardcover 123:Publisher 864:Majipoor 835:Nidonian 466:Westport 435:Archived 175:17316687 138:May 1968 1074:Legends 291:Arizona 274:Chicago 270:brothel 235:Arizona 146:Print ( 968:series 902:series 866:series 837:series 649:Thorns 571:Novels 472:  150:& 95:Author 1060:Epoch 966:Alpha 187:is a 159:Pages 113:Genre 470:ISBN 287:Moon 223:Rome 200:1968 169:OCLC 272:in 162:252 1208:: 493:. 464:. 450:^ 433:. 409:. 213:. 1030:9 1023:8 1016:7 1009:6 1002:5 995:4 988:3 981:2 974:1 543:e 536:t 529:v 478:. 444:. 419:. 318:. 154:) 65:) 59:( 54:) 50:( 46:. 36:.

Index

plot summary
improve the article
real-world context
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Robert Silverberg
Science fiction
Ballantine Books
hardcover
paperback
OCLC
17316687
science fiction
American author
Robert Silverberg
1968
Nebula Award
Rome
Spanish Steps
University of California
Arizona
human society
White House
New York City
house party
New York Stock Exchange
capitalism
stock market
brothel
Chicago

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