Search Worlds Without End

This short story originally appeared in Lightspeed, July 2017.

Read the full story for free at Lightspeed.

This short story originally appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, September 2015. It can also be found in the anthology The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2016, edited by Rich Horton.

Jason Velez lives a mundane existence installing EmuX virtual reality machines - scraping together just enough money to pay for his increasingly unsustainable science fiction collection - when he begins having strange dreams. He knows he has to make some personal changes if he hopes to get his life in order.

Except change is exactly what's happening to those around him. His roommate's personality suddenly shifts. Jill, his closest single friend, retroactively has a long-term partner. And why doesn't anyone remember what a wristplex is?

Disoriented by these alterations, and suffering from panic attacks and lapses in memory, Jason tries to convince his friends that something is off, and it might have to do with the enigmatic Progress Pilgrims-a mysterious order who can travel microseconds into the future. But if that wasn't enough, a flyer labeled only EQUIMEDIAN leads Jason to a meditative self-improvement service that seems to know a little too much about Jason for comfort.

With his walls closing in and nowhere else to turn, Jason must decide where and how to finally make a stand. If he does, he might just change the world-if the world doesn't change him first.

Hugo-nominated Related Work

In addition to exploring Silverberg's career, now in its sixth decade, this collection of transcribed conversations delves into aspects of Silverberg's life -- such as his extensive travel, passion for film, opera and classical music -- not covered elsewhere.

A decade-and-a-half-long friendship, and working together on When the Blue Shift Comes, afforded Alvaro the opportunity to speak at length with Silverberg. The result: a remarkably candid series of conversations that will be of interest to science fiction readers and anyone curious about the writing life.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction by Gardner Dozois
• The Vividness of Landscape
• Aesthetics
• In the Continuum
• Enwonderment
• Libraries
• Potpourri
• After the Myths Went Home
• Afterword: Travels With Bob by Karen Haber

Life has spread across the stars, and everyone enjoys a long life. However, only those who are Earth-born are truly immortal.

But what happens when the immortals of Earth are suddenly faced with their ultimate destruction?

"The Song of Last Things" by Robert Silverberg introduces Hanosz Prime, a near-immortal (though not truly so, not being of true Earth stock) planetary ruler who abdicates his throne and travels to humanity's ancient home to meet the legendarily-beautiful Kaivilda and discover the ultimate answer to humanity's imminent end.

"The Last Mandala Sweeps" by Alvaro Zinos-Amaro comes in as a relationship is developing between Hanosz and Kaivilda. But then someone attempts to kill him. Is Kaivilda his soulmate, or a would-be murderer? And the Oracles of Earth, issuing conflicting prophecies, seem to think that he is destined to save Earth and humanity from the looming cataclysm. Can Hanosz Prime, with Kaivilda's help, avert disaster and save them all?