This is the second novel by Frederick Pohl that we introduce in this series.We have already introduced his life and works in the preface of the previous book.Suffice it to say here that Frederick Pohl was all that one could be in the world of science fiction: he was first and foremost a fan of science fiction (the futurist organization he founded is now known like a fable. legends), publishers and magazine editors, agents, and most of all – science fiction writers.As editor of Galaxy magazine in the 1950s, he contributed to setting the tone of science fiction writing—including his own memorable major works such as The Space Merchant (with Cyril Cohenbruth). with).

He also authored Models of the Future, a memoir of his first 45 years in science fiction.Frederick Ball was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1919 and now lives in Palatine, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. It actually tells a story of the contact and conflict of two civilizations. More than 50 years ago, a nuclear war broke out on the earth.The Hekleys found two dying astronauts on an abandoned Terran spaceship.One of the female astronauts was pregnant with a fetus that was about to be delivered.The Haikeli rescued the fetus and raised him up.He is Sandy, who took the name of the earthlings "John William Washington".In order to cultivate him into an earthling, the Haikeli even changed the living habits of some of their children and became Sandy's partner.And give the education of earth civilization.They hope that one day, Sandy will be sent back to the earth, and through him, the earth people can share the civilization of the Haikeli people.

Now, the Haikeli people are sending Sandy on the way "home"--Sandy will return to the earth, and return to his fellow earthlings.He shouldered the mission given to him by the Haikeli people, to test the reaction of the earth people to the alien civilization, and then decide whether to contact the earth people directly. The kindness of the Haikeli people hopes to improve the quality of life of the people on earth and guide them to fly to the universe again.But for their kindness, people on earth always have doubts, and even regard their kindness as hostility.It is often unpredictable what kind of results will be produced by the contact between two different civilizations.

Although the story is about the contact between alien civilization and earth civilization, in fact, on our earth, the contact between two different cultures in history has indeed produced many achievements, but also produced many tragedies.Not all advanced civilizations have good intentions when they come into contact with backward civilizations, and more often have the intention of aggression and plunder.The suspicion and mistrust of less developed civilizations when they come into contact with more advanced civilizations are born from the lessons of their history and are therefore completely understandable.Therefore, we say that the foothold of science fiction writers is still on the earth, in reality.They remind us that contact between civilizations requires special caution.Today, there are more and more exchanges between nations in the world, and the reminders given by science fiction writers are positive.

In the process of reviewing this book, the editor consulted Frederick Pohl himself for individual doubts.Thank you very much! Guo Jianzhong October 1999 in Hangzhou