Forever by Robert Sheckley (1959)
The novel follows the adventures of a man named Jason Taverner, who is a clone of a famous entertainer. He is hired by a mysterious organization to travel to a distant planet and find a way to extend human life indefinitely. Along the way, he encounters a variety of strange and exotic creatures, as well as a number of strange and dangerous situations. The novel is a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and satire, and is considered to be one of Sheckley's best works. It has been praised for its imaginative world-building and its exploration of the implications of immortality.
By Robert Sheckley · First published 1959 · Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure · 4,074 words
First lines
With so much at stake, Charles Dennison should not have been careless. An inventor cannot afford carelessness, particularly when his invention is extremely valuable and obviously patentable. There are too many grasping hands ready to seize what belongs to someone else, too many men who feast upon the creativity of the innocent.
A touch of paranoia would have served Dennison well; but he was lacking in that vital characteristic of inventors. And he didn't even realize the full extent of his carelessness until a bullet, fired from a silenced weapon, chipped a granite wall not three inches from his head.
What this Textopian page supports
Forever is listed on Textopian as a novel by Robert Sheckley, dated 1959 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Robert Sheckley
- Date: 1959 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Mystery
- Length: 4,074 words
- Structure: 1 section, 126 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Forever by Robert Sheckley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — Forever is a science fiction novel by Robert Sheckley, which follows the story of a man who is granted immortality by a mysterious benefactor.
- Fantasy — The novel contains elements of fantasy, such as the mysterious benefactor and the immortality granted to the protagonist.
- Adventure — The novel follows the protagonist's adventures as he attempts to make sense of his newfound immortality.
- Mystery — The novel contains elements of mystery, as the protagonist attempts to uncover the identity of his mysterious benefactor.
Tags
Science Fiction · Short stories · behind · bennet · briefcase · come · dennison · elite · ferris · forever · immortality · invention