This immortal

Centuries ago, the Earth survived Three Days - a world nuclear war, as a result of which human civilization perished. Many cities (mentioned in Washington , Chicago , Brussels , Berlin , Moscow , Leningrad ) are radioactive ashes. The planet is awash with mutants - both humans and animals. The few surviving people focused mainly on the islands and coasts of the Mediterranean - where the radioactive background is not so high. Earthlings live the dream of the Renaissance - the revival of the Earth as a prosperous and prosperous planet. In the meantime, the Earth is forced to be content with the role of the backyard of the Galaxy .

About a hundred years after the Three Days, the Earth came into contact with representatives of alien civilizations. Many people, fleeing radiation, migrated to alien planets, working as servants, librarians, gardeners, petty clerks, art historians. On the Gallery (one of the planets of the Vegan League) is the government of the Earth. Planet Teller is the capital of the Vegan League. Therefore, vegans are often called tellerites.

For aliens, the main interest was the lost earthly culture. They are actively buying up works of art, monuments, and former resorts of the Cote d'Azur and Greece enjoy considerable demand. To counter the greed of aliens, an underground Redpol organization appears on Earth. This semi-terrorist, semi-economic entity does not disdain either the bankruptcy of resorts belonging to aliens, or the direct killings of aliens. The bombing of Madagascar , a favorite resort of aliens, is mentioned. In fact, Redpol destroyed the prosperous vegan agency, which is actively trading in real estate on Earth.

In addition, terrestrial women are of great interest to vegans. It is unclear whether we are talking about interracial prostitution or other relationships unknown to us, but vegans are willing to pay earthly women for escort services, which does not add to their popularity in the eyes of earthlings.

According to rumors, one of the secret founding fathers of Redpole is Conrad Nomikos. The obvious position of Conrad is the head of the Archaeological Department of the Earth. He is entrusted with accompanying a wealthy tourist from Vega, named Courth Mishtigo. Mishtigo announces a desire to visit several places on Earth that are not yet bought up by aliens. Despite the hatred that Conrad has for Mishtigo, he has to save the ward's life from attempted assassination during the trip.

Actors

Conrad Nomikos. On his behalf, a narrative is conducted. Tall and very strong man. One leg is shorter than the other, the eyes are also different colors. Born on Christmas night. In Greece, such people are called callicanzarides. At the time of the story looks like thirty years. It is not known how old he really is, although hints are being made that he is over three hundred years old, moreover, to disguise his age, Conrad changes his name from time to time. His previous name is mentioned Konstantin Karagagis. There is a legend circulating on Earth that it was Konstantin Karagiasis who ordered the bombing of Madakascar. They say that once Konstantin Karagiasis was captured by a rat-spider, but he survived, breaking the creature ridge with his bare hands. He is a travel guide for Mishtigo.

Kourt Mishtigo. Vegan. Humanoid. Bright blue skin, a fundamentally different breathing system (flowing). Under his clothes, there are additional nostrils through which exhaled air is ejected. The color range perceived by his eyes far exceeds the human - he sees both infrared light and ultraviolet. On the hands of six fingers. Mishtigo from the planet Teller, is a representative of the richest Stigo clan. Actor, journalist, politician. Journey to Earth took to write a book.

Gassan. Arab. Payed assassin. Hanged with weapons from head to toe. Effectively kills with a blade, spear, poison, firearms, sling. Conrad mentions that, by order of Konstantin Karagiasis, Gassan destroyed the Athens Real Estate Office of the Earth Real Estate Office. Hired by Dos Santos as a bodyguard, however, Conrad suspects that Gassan must kill him. Calls Conrad his old pseudonym "Karachi." He smokes a pipe with a certain drug, "relieving excitement."

Phil Greber. Conrad's old friend, writer and poet. Very old man, incredibly thin. Single. Diseased heart. Throughout the story, Mishtigo shows a pronounced antipathy, he answers the same. Only at the very end, it turns out that they are real, subtly understanding each other friends.

Donald Dos Santos. It is mentioned that this is a very influential person, but does not explain why, who he is and what he does. Secret member of Redpole. Called to accompany Mishtigo during the trip.

George Emmit. Head of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Biologist, doctor, entomologist. He designed a parasite-tick called "Slish". This tick parasitizes exclusively on rat spiders, without any danger to terrestrial organisms. One of the participants of the trip.

Helen Emmit. The wife of George Emmit. Mishtigo, when he saw her for the first time, asked how much she cost. It seems that he still paid her, because Helen spends all his time in his company on a journey.

Diana. Companion of Dos Santos. Tall, in a bright red wig, very thin. So much so that the skin tightly fits the face and cheekbones, which is why it says that it practically does not move your lips. I slept with Conrad.

Kassandra Conrad's wife, his last love. It was considered dead after a catastrophic earthquake in the Mediterranean when the island of Koss, where Conrad's house was, went under water.

Jason. The son of Konstantin Karagiasis. Looks like a very decrepit old man. He is over a hundred years old. He told Conrad about Dead Man and the Black Beast.

Laurell Sands. Appointed by the Government of the Earth (located on the Galley) as Administrator of the Earth. Thus, is the head of Conrad. He instructed Conrad as a guide to accompany Mishtigo during the trip.

Procrustes. The leader of the tribe of kurets. Very thin and tall, a walking skeleton. Killed by Gassan.

Dr. Mowby. A man born on the planet Teller. He studied medicine, biology, ethology. He flew to Earth to participate in the notorious Renaissance. He was not hired by any Earth Administration, was left without a piece of bread, nailed to the tribe of Kurets. Raised their primitive cannibalism to the highest degree - gave it a kind of religion.

Mutants and alien organisms

Rat Spiders. Flying creatures imported from Titan . Demonstrated in earthly zoos. During the Three Days, they broke free, run wild, took root on Earth. Active and aggressive predators. They founded a colony in former California where mating takes place. George Emmit bred a breed of ticks, "Slish", which parasitized exclusively on rat spiders. After infection, the population of rat spiders abruptly declined.

Boadils. Mutants resembling boas and crocodiles at the same time. A long body, like a boa, a giant jagged mouth, like a crocodile. Six pairs of paws resembling crocodiles. They lie in wait for their victims near the water (like a crocodile), then lashes out and strangles, wrapping themselves in rings like a boa. One of these creatures attacked Mishtigo on the banks of the Nile .

Kurets. A tribe of mutant people living in Greece, in the south of the Balkan Peninsula , in the wild near the city of Volos . Cannibals, traveler eaters. Their leaders are Procrustes and Dr. Mowby. These two still retained traces of the mind, although the rest of the tribe had difficulty understanding human speech and hardly even spoke.

Dead Man Mutant man, oligophrenic of monstrous power. The vampire . He has a genetic disease of porphyria , for this reason he is afraid of bright light. Therefore, it hunts at night. He was revered by the tribe of Kurets as a god.

Black Thessal Beast. Boar, mutant. Boar the size of an elephant, cannibal. He was killed by Cassandra.

Satire. Mutant humans are virtually mindless. Below the waist, hairy legs ending in hooves, human hands, goat horns on the head. Mild and non-aggressive, very shy. They listen to Conrad's flute with pleasure.

• Hugo Award for Best Novel , Winter, 1966 ^[1]

• Hugo Awards 1966