The novel “The City and the Stars” by Arthur C. Clarke was published for the first time in 1956.

When Alvin comes of age, he discovers he’s a “Unique”, a very rare inhabitant of Diaspar who has never lived before, the first of his kind in millions of years. Another difference Alvin notices between himself and the city’s other inhabitants is that they’re terrified at the mere thought of leaving it, whereas he has actively started searching for a way out.

His encounter with Khedron proves helpful, as Khedron is the only one willing to assist him. Nicknamed “the Jester” for the pranks he plays on Diaspar’s citizens, Khedron is intrigued by Alvin and helps him uncover an ancient transport system that, a billion years earlier, had connected Diaspar to other cities on Earth.

The novel “Neom” by Lavie Tidhar was published for the first time in 2022.

Neom is a city on the Red Sea, linked to Central Station and therefore to the routes leading into space. Outside Neom lies the desert, which sometimes hides secrets linked to old wars. Old and new are intertwined in various ways; for example, with Bedouins traveling old routes using new technologies.

The discovery of an old war robot raises various questions. Could its reactivation pose dangers even though its war has long been over? What exactly is it programmed to do? A flower offered to it by Mariam may seem like a small gesture, but its consequences can be significant.

The novel “Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang” by Kate Wilhelm was published for the first time in 1976. It won the Hugo, Locus, and Jupiter Awards for best science fiction novel of the year.

The collapse of the ecosystems caused by massive pollution also causes epidemics, among other things. The Sumner family has the economic and professional resources to isolate themselves in a small community where its members can work to keep human civilization alive.

The Sumners’ initial plans must be replaced when they realize they have been struck by a form of sterility. The only hope comes from the development of a cloning technique, including human cloning. The project is successful, but the clones prove to be connected to each other in unexpected ways. A side effect of this deep connection is that they’re unable to go far from the group without developing mental disorders, which can become profound if they don’t quickly return to the clone collective.

The novel “Circadian Algorithms” by Tom B. Night was published for the first time in 2022.

Madeline is the CEO of a startup that is in a crucial period for its success. Time never seems to be enough, so she undergoes a procedure that significantly reduces her need for sleep. She does so in secret, not even telling her husband, Darwin, because she knows he has his own reasons for doubting the procedure.

Initially, everything seems to be going well for Madeline, but an encounter with a stranger seems to mark the beginning of her problems in telling reality from dreams. When she confesses to her husband what she has done, Darwin reacts badly, and Madeline decides to divorce him. Darwin thinks something strange is going on, and soon it affects his life as well.