Chains of the Sea cover

Chains of the Sea

by George Alec Effinger

Ignoring a cataclysm just because it's boring and quiet doesn't mean it's gone away. What if you were the only human who could see the creatures that actually rule the earth? The robot writing The Book of Man must escort the new Pope to the shrine of St. Sebastian... but why? The 1970's were a period of creative ferment in the field of science fiction, and the three then-young men whose original novellas are included in this book were among the most highly regarded of the newer writers-who subsequently became giants in the field. Their writing is skillful, evocative, thoughtful, and profound. "And Us, Too, I Guess," by Geo. Alec Effinger, "Chains of the Sea," by Gardner R. Dozois, and "The Shrine of Sebastian," by Gordon Eklund, were published in this anthology for the first time anywhere. This book is a showcase for their talents, and the high quality of these three short novels will delight all SF readers.

More by George Alec Effinger

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?