A scientist and his crew of World War II–era men conduct an experiment with a potent, experimental gas that renders them comatose. When they awaken centuries later, they find that Earth has been radically transformed. In this future society earthly humans have been subjugated by technologically advanced alien conquerors from Venus, whose civilization is organized along strict, often matriarchal lines. The protagonists—among them the determined scientist, his loyal lab assistant, and a Nazi agent whose memory is restored just in time—discover that the world they knew has given way to a patchwork of human survivors, wild outcasts, and alien overlords who rule through superior science and martial discipline. Revered by certain factions as divine beings—echoes of ancient legends carved in stone—the awakened scientist is recognized as a “Slumberer,” fated in prophecy to lead humankind to freedom. As he navigates this harsh future, he finds that remnants of his own world still persist. The secret to producing the experimental anesthetic gas, methioprane, lies in the almost extinct swamp‐musk plant, an ingredient that may offer a means to induce suspended animation and perhaps even turn the tide of oppression. His loyal friend remains steadfast even as the once–enemy Nazi agent betrays them by aligning with the alien masters. Within a complex future America where human slaves are confined to squalid prison camps and their labor exploited to serve the Venusian regime, the scientist is forced into a double role. To avoid detection and use his knowledge, he must present himself both as a subservient member of the alien hierarchy and as the secret leader of a hidden resistance—the prophesied liberator whose awakening rekindles hope. His journey takes him from claustrophobic laboratory basements and cavernous cells to grand palaces and futuristic spaceports. Along the way he infiltrates the alien ruling apparatus, faces brutal trials and betrayal, and finds unexpected allies among aliens who themselves are secretly human. Political intrigue and savage combat intertwine as factions within the alien society vie for power and human resistance begins to coalesce. A rising human rebellion, bolstered by converts from among the oppressors and guided by ancient legends of liberation, promises an eventual confrontation with the alien space fleet—a technologically supreme force that currently subdues any hope for freedom. The scientist’s covert operations, his efforts to smuggle and manufacture methioprane from swamp-musk, and his strategic internal infiltration all serve a dual purpose: to preserve his own identity as a man of science and to ignite a rebellion that can overthrow the dominion of the alien Daans. Themes of suspended animation, betrayal, the cyclical rise and fall of civilizations, and the indomitable human spirit are explored as the protagonist wrestles with the costs of playing both sides. Every step forward in his mission is accompanied by internal doubts, personal losses, and brutal counterattacks by both alien enforcers and renegade humans. Ultimately, his journey becomes not only a physical quest to reclaim Earth from tyranny but also an internal odyssey confronting the tension between technological domination and the timeless values of freedom and equality. The work’s sprawling narrative moves from laboratory mishap to prophetic destiny, from the subjugation of an entire people to the first sparks of human uprising. Even as the alien masters revel in their advanced science and ruthless order, the awakened scientist vows that, even if he dies, his actions will inspire his kin to rise again. In doing so, the story poses the timeless question of whether a once-proud, resilient humanity can overcome its oppressors and reclaim a future of self-determination in a world transformed by alien conquest and long-forgotten legends.
By Nelson S. Bond · First published 1948 · Genre: Science Fiction, Political Fiction, Adventure · 20 chapters