The Wheel is Death by Roger D. Aycock
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"The Wheel Is Death" by Roger D. Aycock is a science fiction novella written in the late 1940s. The story explores themes of progress, the dangers of scientific advancement, and the consequences of ambition, set against a backdrop of a post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of humanity have forsaken technology to live in harmony with nature. The novella portrays a society that has outlawed the use of science and mechanization, illustrating a
conflict between preserving this newfound peace and the human drive towards innovation. The narrative centers around Ortho, a young neophyte, and his encounter with the high priest Kaliz after the execution of his friend Gor Zan, who attempted to revive technological progress by creating a simple machine—a wheelbarrow. As they discuss the philosophy behind Gor Zan's actions and the society's rejection of technology, Kaliz explains the historical trajectory that led humanity to its current state, including a catastrophic event caused by technological warfare. The tension between the wisdom of living simply and the allure of technological advancement emerges sharply, culminating in the decision to destroy Gor Zan's creation, representing a deep-seated fear of humanity repeating its past mistakes. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Aycock, Roger D., 1914-2004 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Wheel is Death |
| Series Title | Produced from Planet Stories Fall 1949 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 69.3 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Apocalyptic fiction |
| Subject | Regression (Civilization) -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 63861 |
| Release Date | Nov 23, 2020 |
| Last Update | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 253 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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