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	{{~~short~~ description\|~~Novel~~ by Arthur C. Clarke}}		{{Short description\|1979 science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke}}
			{{Use dmy dates\|date=April 2022}}
	{{Infobox book \|		{{Infobox book\|
	\| name = The Fountains of Paradise		\| name = The Fountains of Paradise
	\| title_orig =
	\| ~~translator~~ =		\| title_orig =
	\| ~~image~~ = ~~fountains copy.jpg~~		\| translator =
			\| image = fountains copy.jpg
	\| image_size = 200px
	\| caption = Cover of the first UK edition		\| image_size =
			\| caption = Cover of the first UK edition
	\| author = ]		\| author = ]
	\| illustrator =		\| illustrator =
	\| cover_artist = Terry Oakes		\| cover_artist = Terry Oakes
	\| country = United Kingdom		\| country = ]
	\| language = English		\| language = English
	\| series =		\| series =
	\| genre = ]		\| genre = ]
	\| publisher = ] (UK)<br>] (US)		\| publisher = ] (UK)<br />] (US)
	\| pub_date = 1979		\| pub_date = 1979
	\| english_pub_date =		\| english_pub_date =
	\| media_type = Print (] & ])		\| media_type = Print (] & ])
	\| pages = 256		\| pages = 256
	\| isbn = 0-575-02520-4		\| isbn = 0-575-02520-4
	\| oclc = 4993570		\| oclc = 4993570
	\| preceded_by =		\| preceded_by =
	\| followed_by =		\| followed_by =
	}}		}}

	'''''The Fountains of Paradise''''' is a 1979 ] novel by British writer ]. Set in the 22nd century, it describes the construction of a ]. This "orbital tower" is a giant structure rising from the ground and linking with a satellite in ] at the height of approximately 36,000 ~~kilometers~~ (approx. 22,300 miles). Such a structure would be used to raise payloads to orbit without the expense of using ]s. The novel won both the Hugo<ref name="WWE-1980">{{cite web		'''''The Fountains of Paradise''''' is a 1979 ] novel by British writer ]. Set in the 22nd century, it describes the construction of a ]. This "orbital tower" is a giant structure rising from the ground and linking with a satellite in ] at the height of approximately 36,000 kilometres (approx. 22,300 miles). Such a structure would be used to raise payloads to orbit without the expense of using ]s. The novel won both the Hugo<ref name="WWE-1980">{{cite web
	\| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1980		\| url = http://www.worldswithoutend.com/books_year_index.asp?year=1980
	\| title = 1980 Award Winners & Nominees		\| title = 1980 Award Winners & Nominees
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	==Plot==		==Plot==
	===Summary===		===Summary===
	The novel focuses primarily on a project proposed by the main character, Vannevar Morgan~~, known as the Orbital Tower~~. The tower is to stretch from the Earth's equator to a satellite that is in geostationary orbit. Such a structure would greatly reduce the cost of sending people and supplies into space.		The novel focuses primarily on a project known as the Orbital Tower proposed by the main character, Vannevar Morgan. The tower is to stretch from the ]'s equator to a satellite that is in ]. Such a structure would greatly reduce the cost of sending people and supplies into space.

	The main story is framed by two other stories. The first one tells of King Kalidasa, living thousands of years before Morgan is born, who is constructing a ~~large~~ ~~tower~~. The other story, taking place long after Morgan has died, deals with aliens making contact with Earth.		The main story is framed by two other stories. The first one tells of King Kalidasa, living thousands of years before Morgan is born, who is constructing a ']' complete with functioning fountains, in a significant engineering effort for the time. The other story, taking place long after Morgan has died, deals with aliens making contact with Earth.

	Due to many technical issues, there are only two locations on Earth where the Orbital Tower can be built. One is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the other is Sri Kanda (~~now~~ Sri Lanka). However, there is a Buddhist temple on the island, and Mahanayake Thero, the head of the order, refuses to give permission to begin construction.		Due to many technical issues, there are only two locations on Earth where the Orbital Tower can be built. One is in the middle of the ], and the other is Sri Kanda (a thinly veiled reference to ] in Sri Lanka). However, there is a ] on the island, and Mahanayake Thero, the head of the order, refuses to give permission to begin construction.

	Hearing of the difficulties, a group of people living on Mars contacts Morgan and suggests that the tower be built there instead. It would be smaller than the one planned for ~~the~~ Earth and reach from Mars to one of its moons, Deimos.		Hearing of the difficulties, a group of people living on ] contacts Morgan and suggests that the tower be built there instead. It would be smaller than the one planned for Earth, and would reach from Mars to one of its moons, ].

	After a few setbacks, including some fatalities, construction of the tower gets underway. Although the engineer's heart is failing, he rides up the tower to take food and oxygen to a group of stranded students and their professor. After overcoming serious difficulties he succeeds, then dies of a heart attack on the way back down.		After a few setbacks, including some fatalities, construction of the tower gets underway. Although the engineer's heart is failing, he rides up the tower to take food and oxygen to a group of stranded students and their professor. After overcoming serious difficulties he succeeds, then dies of a ] on the way back down.

	==Themes==		==Themes==
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	Other subplots include human colonization of the Solar system and the ] with ].		Other subplots include human colonization of the Solar system and the ] with ].

	Clarke envisions a microscopically thin (in his demonstrator sample) but strong "hyperfilament" that makes the elevator possible. Although the hyperfilament is constructed from "continuous pseudo-one-dimensional ] crystal", Clarke later expressed his belief that another type of carbon, ], would play the role of hyperfilament in a real space elevator. The ] in ] technology bring the orbital elevator closer to possible realisation.		Clarke envisions a microscopically thin (in his demonstrator sample) but strong "hyperfilament" that makes the elevator possible. Although the hyperfilament is constructed from "continuous pseudo-one-dimensional ] crystal", Clarke later expressed his belief that another type of carbon, ], would play the role of hyperfilament in a real space elevator. The ]{{which\|date=November 2024}} in ] technology bring the orbital elevator closer to possible realisation.

	==Setting==		==Setting==
	The story is set in the fictional equatorial island country of ], which Clarke has described as "about ninety percent congruent with the island of ]", south of its real-world location. The ruins of the palace at Yakkagala as described in the book very closely match the real-life ruins at ] in Sri Lanka. The mountain on which the space elevator is built is called Sri Kanda in the book, and bears a strong resemblance to the real mountain Sri Pada.		The story is set in the fictional equatorial island country of ], which Clarke has described as "about ninety percent congruent with the island of ]", south of its real-world location. The ruins of the palace at Yakkagala as described in the book very closely match the real-life ruins at ] in Sri Lanka. The mountain on which the space elevator is built is called Sri Kanda in the book, and bears a strong resemblance to the real mountain Sri Pada (]).

	==Similarities with other works of Clarke==		==Similarities with other works of Clarke==
	* In the middle of ''The Fountains of Paradise'', an unmanned robotic spaceship of alien origin, called "Starglider" (from an origin world dubbed "Starholme") by Clarke, passes through the Solar system. This situation is similar to '']'', though the ship ~~exterior~~ and its interactions with humans are very different.		* In the middle of ''The Fountains of Paradise'', an unmanned robotic spaceship of alien origin, called "Starglider" (from an origin world dubbed "Starholme") by Clarke, passes through the Solar system. This situation is similar to '']'', though the ship and its interactions with humans are very different.
	* The first third of '']'' describes details of the interior of the ring habitat that encircles Earth, and is connected to Earth's surface with four space elevators. At the end of ''The Fountains of Paradise'', this ring habitat is shown for the first time, though it has six space elevators rather than the four of ''3001: Final Odyssey''.		* The first third of '']'' describes details of the interior of the ring habitat that encircles Earth, and is connected to Earth's surface with four space elevators. At the end of ''The Fountains of Paradise'', this ring habitat is shown for the first time, though it has six space elevators rather than the four of ''3001: Final Odyssey''.
	* At the end of the novel, Earth turns into an icy wasteland because the Sun has cooled. The same situation also occurs in the story "]".		* At the end of the novel, Earth turns into an icy wasteland because the Sun has cooled. The same situation also occurs in the story "]".
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	==See also==		==See also==
	{{portal\|Novels}}		{{portal\|Novels}}
	*]		* ]
			* '']'' — a science fiction novel on the same subject by ] published almost simultaneously with ''The Fountains of Paradise''

	==References==		==References==
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	== External links ==		== External links ==
	* {{~~isfdb~~ title\|1903}}		* {{ISFDB title\|1903}}
	* at Worlds Without End		* at Worlds Without End

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	{{Nebula Award Best Novel 1965-1980}}		{{Nebula Award Best Novel 1965-1980}}
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	{{DEFAULTSORT:Fountains Of Paradise, The}}		{{DEFAULTSORT:Fountains Of Paradise, The}}
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Latest revision as of 07:12, 9 November 2024

1979 science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke

The Fountains of Paradise
Cover of the first UK edition
Author	Arthur C. Clarke
Cover artist	Terry Oakes
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction
Publisher	Victor Gollancz (UK) Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (US)
Publication date	1979
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	256
ISBN	0-575-02520-4
OCLC	4993570

The Fountains of Paradise is a 1979 science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke. Set in the 22nd century, it describes the construction of a space elevator. This "orbital tower" is a giant structure rising from the ground and linking with a satellite in geostationary orbit at the height of approximately 36,000 kilometres (approx. 22,300 miles). Such a structure would be used to raise payloads to orbit without the expense of using rockets. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel.

Plot

Summary

The novel focuses primarily on a project known as the Orbital Tower proposed by the main character, Vannevar Morgan. The tower is to stretch from the Earth's equator to a satellite that is in geostationary orbit. Such a structure would greatly reduce the cost of sending people and supplies into space.

The main story is framed by two other stories. The first one tells of King Kalidasa, living thousands of years before Morgan is born, who is constructing a 'pleasure garden' complete with functioning fountains, in a significant engineering effort for the time. The other story, taking place long after Morgan has died, deals with aliens making contact with Earth.

Due to many technical issues, there are only two locations on Earth where the Orbital Tower can be built. One is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and the other is Sri Kanda (a thinly veiled reference to Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka). However, there is a Buddhist temple on the island, and Mahanayake Thero, the head of the order, refuses to give permission to begin construction.

Hearing of the difficulties, a group of people living on Mars contacts Morgan and suggests that the tower be built there instead. It would be smaller than the one planned for Earth, and would reach from Mars to one of its moons, Deimos.

After a few setbacks, including some fatalities, construction of the tower gets underway. Although the engineer's heart is failing, he rides up the tower to take food and oxygen to a group of stranded students and their professor. After overcoming serious difficulties he succeeds, then dies of a heart attack on the way back down.

Themes

The main theme of the novel is preceded by, and to some extent juxtaposed with, the story of the life and death of King Kashyapa I of Sri Lanka (fictionalized as King Kalidasa). It foreshadows the exploits of Vannevar Morgan in his determination to realize the space elevator.

Other subplots include human colonization of the Solar system and the first contact with extraterrestrial intelligence.

Clarke envisions a microscopically thin (in his demonstrator sample) but strong "hyperfilament" that makes the elevator possible. Although the hyperfilament is constructed from "continuous pseudo-one-dimensional diamond crystal", Clarke later expressed his belief that another type of carbon, buckminsterfullerene, would play the role of hyperfilament in a real space elevator. The latest developments in carbon nanotube technology bring the orbital elevator closer to possible realisation.

Setting

The story is set in the fictional equatorial island country of Taprobane, which Clarke has described as "about ninety percent congruent with the island of Sri Lanka", south of its real-world location. The ruins of the palace at Yakkagala as described in the book very closely match the real-life ruins at Sigiriya in Sri Lanka. The mountain on which the space elevator is built is called Sri Kanda in the book, and bears a strong resemblance to the real mountain Sri Pada (Adam's Peak).

Similarities with other works of Clarke

In the middle of The Fountains of Paradise, an unmanned robotic spaceship of alien origin, called "Starglider" (from an origin world dubbed "Starholme") by Clarke, passes through the Solar system. This situation is similar to Rendezvous with Rama, though the ship and its interactions with humans are very different.
The first third of 3001: The Final Odyssey describes details of the interior of the ring habitat that encircles Earth, and is connected to Earth's surface with four space elevators. At the end of The Fountains of Paradise, this ring habitat is shown for the first time, though it has six space elevators rather than the four of 3001: Final Odyssey.
At the end of the novel, Earth turns into an icy wasteland because the Sun has cooled. The same situation also occurs in the story "History Lesson".
The alien shown near the end of The Fountains of Paradise is a somewhat more physical form of the Swarm, the aliens that land on primeval Earth in "The Possessed".
A space elevator is also constructed in the course of Clarke's final novel (co-written with Frederik Pohl), The Last Theorem.

Awards and nominations

Winner, Hugo Award for Best Novel - 1980
Winner, Nebula Award for Best Novel - 1979
Nominee, Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel - 1980
Nominee, British Science Fiction Association Award - 1979

References

^ "1980 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
^ "1979 Award Winners & Nominees". Worlds Without End. Retrieved 29 September 2009.

External links

The Fountains of Paradise title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
The Fountains of Paradise at Worlds Without End

Arthur C. Clarke

Bibliography

Novels

Prelude to Space
The Sands of Mars
Islands in the Sky
Against the Fall of Night
Childhood's End
Earthlight
The City and the Stars
The Deep Range
A Fall of Moondust
Dolphin Island
Glide Path
Imperial Earth
The Fountains of Paradise
The Songs of Distant Earth
Cradle (with Gentry Lee)
The Ghost from the Grand Banks
The Hammer of God
Richter 10 (with Mike McQuay)
The Trigger (with Michael Kube-McDowell)
The Light of Other Days (with Stephen Baxter)
The Last Theorem (with Frederik Pohl)

Novel series

Space Odyssey	2001: A Space Odyssey 2010: Odyssey Two 2061: Odyssey Three 3001: The Final Odyssey
Rama series	Rendezvous with Rama Rama II (with Gentry Lee) The Garden of Rama (with Gentry Lee) Rama Revealed (with Gentry Lee)
A Time Odyssey	Time's Eye (with Stephen Baxter) Sunstorm (with Stephen Baxter) Firstborn (with Stephen Baxter)

Short story
collections

Non-fiction

Adaptations

v t e Hugo Award for Best Novel
Retro	The Sword in the Stone by T. H. White (1939) Slan by A. E. van Vogt (1941) Beyond This Horizon by Anson MacDonald (1943) Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber (1944) Shadow Over Mars by Leigh Brackett (1945) The Mule by Isaac Asimov (1946) Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein (1951) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1954)
1950s	The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (1953) They'd Rather Be Right (aka: The Forever Machine) by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley (1955) Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein (1956) The Big Time by Fritz Leiber (1958) A Case of Conscience by James Blish (1959)
1960s	Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein (1960) A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (1961) Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (1962) The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (1963) Here Gather the Stars (aka: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak (1964) The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber (1965) Dune by Frank Herbert / ...And Call Me Conrad (aka: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny (1966) The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (1967) Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny (1968) Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner (1969)
1970s	The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1970) Ringworld by Larry Niven (1971) To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer (1972) The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1973) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1974) The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1976) Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm (1977) Gateway by Frederik Pohl (1978) Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (1979)
1980s	The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (1980) The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge (1981) Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh (1982) Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov (1983) Startide Rising by David Brin (1984) Neuromancer by William Gibson (1985) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1986) Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (1987) The Uplift War by David Brin (1988) Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh (1989)
1990s	Hyperion by Dan Simmons (1990) The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold (1991) Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold (1992) A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge / Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (1993) Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (1994) Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold (1995) The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson (1996) Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (1997) Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman (1998) To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (1999)
2000s	A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge (2000) Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling (2001) American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2002) Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer (2003) Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (2004) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (2005) Spin by Robert Charles Wilson (2006) Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge (2007) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (2008) The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (2009)
2010s	The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi / The City & the City by China Miéville (2010) Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (2011) Among Others by Jo Walton (2012) Redshirts by John Scalzi (2013) Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (2014) The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu (2015) The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin (2016) The Obelisk Gate by N. K. Jemisin (2017) The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (2018) The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (2019)
2020s	A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (2020) Network Effect by Martha Wells (2021) A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (2022) Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher (2023) Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (2024)

v t e Nebula Award for Best Novel
1966–1980	Dune by Frank Herbert (1966) Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1967) The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany (1968) Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin (1969) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1970) Ringworld by Larry Niven (1971) A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg (1972) The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1973) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1974) The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1976) Man Plus by Frederik Pohl (1977) Gateway by Frederik Pohl (1978) Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (1979) The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (1980)
1981–2000	Timescape by Gregory Benford (1981) The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe (1982) No Enemy But Time by Michael Bishop (1983) Startide Rising by David Brin (1984) Neuromancer by William Gibson (1985) Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1986) Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (1987) The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy (1988) Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (1989) The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (1990) Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (1991) Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick (1992) Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (1993) Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (1994) Moving Mars by Greg Bear (1995) The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer (1996) Slow River by Nicola Griffith (1997) The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre (1998) Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman (1999) Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (2000)
2001–2020	Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear (2001) The Quantum Rose by Catherine Asaro (2002) American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2003) Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (2004) Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (2005) Camouflage by Joe Haldeman (2006) Seeker by Jack McDevitt (2007) The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (2008) Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin (2009) The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (2010) Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (2011) Among Others by Jo Walton (2012) 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (2013) Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (2014) Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (2015) Uprooted by Naomi Novik (2016) All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2017) The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (2018) The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (2019) A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker (2020)
2021–present	Network Effect by Martha Wells (2021) A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark (2022) Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang (2023) The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (2024)

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