Second Ending

Second Ending

Ace, 1962. Words: 35000.

"Five miles below the surface, Ross was awakened from the deep sleep of suspended animation to find himself in an empty world.  There was no noise, or people, and no motion save for the steady activity of the hospital robots" (blurb).  Ross, the sole survivor of World War Last, must meet up with some other human beings -- even if he's got to create them himself.  And, with the hibernation technique and omnicompetent robots at his command, he eventually does just that.  After a fashion.  White's most beautifully fitted piece of work, with this fitting Dedication: "TO PEGGY, who isn't the last girl on Earth, just the only one."

Synopsis by Graham Andrews

First Publication:

FANTASTIC, June & July 1961

First Book publication:

ACE Double F-173,  January 1963

Publication History:

OUT OF THIS WORLD 8 (shortened version), Blackie, April 1970 

Foreign Publication:

Terra Utopische Romane, Bond 278.1963 as Herr der Roboter

URANIA No 309, May 1963, as Vita cum gli Automi 

Utopische Zukunfts Romane No 387,  1964 as Jenseits des Todes

Mondadori reprint, 19/9/73 (of shortened Out of this World version)

URANIA, second Mondadori edition, August 1974

SCIENCE FICTION SERIEN No 1 Lindfors Forlag MB, Stockholm, March 1975 as Evigt Liv