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Spacebred Generations
When a generation ship that's traveled for a thousand years suddenly stops, one man, the lone "sinner" who can read books, must risk his life to complete the mission. A thrilling space adventure from the author of "Way Station," "City," and "Mastodonia."
48 pages, Paperback
First published April 3, 2009
89 people want to read
About the author
Clifford D. Simak
969 books1,060 followers"He was honored by fans with three Hugo awards and by colleagues with one Nebula award and was named the third Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) in 1977." (Wikipedia)
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford...
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clifford...
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 28, 2019
Real Rating: 3.5* of five
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Not for nothing was Simak a journalist/popularizer of science. This generation-ship tale is short, so doesn't go into a lot of details about *how* a thousand-year voyage through space would be accomplished without human maintenance of its workings, and how it came to be that twentieth-century English was the lingua franca of the Ship, and whether the Ship's breeding program took account of skin color variations, and why The Little Woman was still in her place...the list goes on.
But what I see in Simak's story is the basic story I read SF for. It is about the tiny little prisons Humankind builds and calls Paradise. It is about the unquestioning and overly trusting way we accept what is given and hunger only for more, not radically and materially different. Novelty is more important than innovation...gossip more important than erudition. Wake up, Author Simak shouted at the Folk of 1953 who read this story, Life is short so wake up!
His fix-up novel, City, was in much the same vein. The Earth is subject to disasters and cataclysms, but savvy Humankind was ready for that and.... As I think we can imagine, since Simak lived through the Cold War (died only three years before it ended, if we take 1991's collapse of the Soviet Union as The End), that was more a triumph of hope over experience. But his fiction, not precisely deft in execution, was always aimed at making a point about doing your own best, convincing others to do theirs, making the best of the stuff you had to hand. Teddy Roosevelt's formulation would've appealed to Simak, I think: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
And that's all the Folk on the Ship have done. It isn't perfect but they're still alive, and Humanity can chug along somehow. But Mr. Simak, what I wouldn't give to ramp your ideas about women above the helpmeet/homemaker/uterus bearer. Mary Hoff, Mrs. Hero, sees a whole new world and her first thought is, "can we have a baby now?" She's *asking*permission*from*her*husband* to have a baby on a wide-open new planet.
Feminists are duly warned: Probably not enough substance here to outweigh the deep, dark, dank cave of regression Simak lived in. I'm not resentful that I read it. I won't go out of my way to urge you to. But Simak's view of Humanity seems to accord with mine: Pretty damned lazy, really happy to remain stupid, and full of hate and spite, but love 'em or leave 'em.
Does the Shipping News cover off-planet departures?
Read it here free!
Not for nothing was Simak a journalist/popularizer of science. This generation-ship tale is short, so doesn't go into a lot of details about *how* a thousand-year voyage through space would be accomplished without human maintenance of its workings, and how it came to be that twentieth-century English was the lingua franca of the Ship, and whether the Ship's breeding program took account of skin color variations, and why The Little Woman was still in her place...the list goes on.
But what I see in Simak's story is the basic story I read SF for. It is about the tiny little prisons Humankind builds and calls Paradise. It is about the unquestioning and overly trusting way we accept what is given and hunger only for more, not radically and materially different. Novelty is more important than innovation...gossip more important than erudition. Wake up, Author Simak shouted at the Folk of 1953 who read this story, Life is short so wake up!
His fix-up novel, City, was in much the same vein. The Earth is subject to disasters and cataclysms, but savvy Humankind was ready for that and.... As I think we can imagine, since Simak lived through the Cold War (died only three years before it ended, if we take 1991's collapse of the Soviet Union as The End), that was more a triumph of hope over experience. But his fiction, not precisely deft in execution, was always aimed at making a point about doing your own best, convincing others to do theirs, making the best of the stuff you had to hand. Teddy Roosevelt's formulation would've appealed to Simak, I think: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
And that's all the Folk on the Ship have done. It isn't perfect but they're still alive, and Humanity can chug along somehow. But Mr. Simak, what I wouldn't give to ramp your ideas about women above the helpmeet/homemaker/uterus bearer. Mary Hoff, Mrs. Hero, sees a whole new world and her first thought is, "can we have a baby now?" She's *asking*permission*from*her*husband* to have a baby on a wide-open new planet.
Feminists are duly warned: Probably not enough substance here to outweigh the deep, dark, dank cave of regression Simak lived in. I'm not resentful that I read it. I won't go out of my way to urge you to. But Simak's view of Humanity seems to accord with mine: Pretty damned lazy, really happy to remain stupid, and full of hate and spite, but love 'em or leave 'em.
Does the Shipping News cover off-planet departures?
May 24, 2018
When the Mutter began everyone about the ship became nervous. And then when “the floor became a wall and the wall a floor,” and the stars stood still, they all panicked. But the panic was short lived, because everyone knew that despite these foretold signs of the End, the ship will keep them safe. But one man, Jon Hoff, knows otherwise. He’s the one heretic that can read, and he knows that without human guidance, the ship, the starship, will burn up in an alien sun and the mission of forty generations and a thousand year along with everyone aboard will come to a dead End.
Much like Robert Heinlein’s earlier Orphans of the Sky (1941) and Ben Bova’s later End of Exile (1975), Simak’s story deals with the decedents of an original crew that have devolved into a primitive superstitious society ignorant of their origin, the purpose of their journey, or even that they are on a journey.
Much like Robert Heinlein’s earlier Orphans of the Sky (1941) and Ben Bova’s later End of Exile (1975), Simak’s story deals with the decedents of an original crew that have devolved into a primitive superstitious society ignorant of their origin, the purpose of their journey, or even that they are on a journey.
December 18, 2022
Хороший рассказ, перекликающийся с "Пасынками Вселенной" Хайнлайна.
July 19, 2025
When the Journey Matters More Than the Destination
Clifford D. Simak’s short story "Target Generation" isn’t so much about space as it is about people — their faith, their doubts, and the fragile systems they build to hold onto meaning. The story unfolds aboard a spaceship that has been traveling for generations toward a distant star. For the current inhabitants, the destination has become more myth than mission — a kind of sacred truth no one really questions anymore. They simply live within a framework that was decided long before their time.
Simak weaves several complex themes into the narrative. There’s the "inner religion" of the ship, the efforts of a few individuals to reexamine reality, and the inevitable tension between those who want to preserve order and those who seek truth. The real intrigue lies in watching these forces collide. The characters don’t just argue — they live through their conflicts, suffer, and make hard choices. It becomes clear that the whole spacefaring premise is a backdrop for a deeper exploration of human nature.
What makes this story stand out is that it’s deeply human. There are no long technical expositions about engines or navigation systems, but there’s plenty of raw emotion. The characters are flawed: some fear change, some stir conflict, some wrestle with the inability to believe as their ancestors did. Simak conveys all this with a light touch, as if observing from within.
The ending is powerful. It carries tension, twists, and a moment of truth. The final pages fly by, not just as a resolution, but as the culmination of everything the characters have struggled with — their hopes, doubts, and inner battles.
Though short, the story is rich. It’s not bloated or overcomplicated, yet it gives you plenty to reflect on. And while it was written in the mid-20th century, it reads as if it could’ve been written today. The questions Simak raises are timeless.
This isn’t a story about space. It’s a story about us — about those who search for meaning, even when the road is long and uncertain. And that’s where its true power lies.
8 out of 10
Clifford D. Simak’s short story "Target Generation" isn’t so much about space as it is about people — their faith, their doubts, and the fragile systems they build to hold onto meaning. The story unfolds aboard a spaceship that has been traveling for generations toward a distant star. For the current inhabitants, the destination has become more myth than mission — a kind of sacred truth no one really questions anymore. They simply live within a framework that was decided long before their time.
Simak weaves several complex themes into the narrative. There’s the "inner religion" of the ship, the efforts of a few individuals to reexamine reality, and the inevitable tension between those who want to preserve order and those who seek truth. The real intrigue lies in watching these forces collide. The characters don’t just argue — they live through their conflicts, suffer, and make hard choices. It becomes clear that the whole spacefaring premise is a backdrop for a deeper exploration of human nature.
What makes this story stand out is that it’s deeply human. There are no long technical expositions about engines or navigation systems, but there’s plenty of raw emotion. The characters are flawed: some fear change, some stir conflict, some wrestle with the inability to believe as their ancestors did. Simak conveys all this with a light touch, as if observing from within.
The ending is powerful. It carries tension, twists, and a moment of truth. The final pages fly by, not just as a resolution, but as the culmination of everything the characters have struggled with — their hopes, doubts, and inner battles.
Though short, the story is rich. It’s not bloated or overcomplicated, yet it gives you plenty to reflect on. And while it was written in the mid-20th century, it reads as if it could’ve been written today. The questions Simak raises are timeless.
This isn’t a story about space. It’s a story about us — about those who search for meaning, even when the road is long and uncertain. And that’s where its true power lies.
8 out of 10
November 1, 2015
another excellent short-story from Clifford Simak's. I am a fan of Simak , but sometimes his books lose focus. This short story has a nice narrow focus. Short premise (slight spoiler): Earth Spaceship on a 1000 year journey to another star system. The ship is self contained (they grow food etc). It is a model for complete efficiency and recycling etc. This story has the normal strange twists normal to simak's writings..
April 15, 2014
Short read- very weird.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews