Palimpsest: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Palimpsest: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Palimpsest is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Aycock, Roger D. (1914–2004).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Palimpsest" by Roger D. Aycock is a science fiction novel written during the early 1950s. The narrative explores themes of human origin, survival, and identity as it follows a crew of Earthmen who embark on a mission to colonize Venus after Earth has been destroyed. The title suggests the layers of history and identity that may exist within different worlds, drawing a parallel between the physical journey into space and the broader philosophical questions of humanity’s place in the universe. In the storyline, the crew of the spaceship Terra IV, led by Val Conna, discovers that they are not alone on Venus as they initially believed; they encounter a group of human descendants from a previous mission, the Connors. Throughout their journey, tension arises between the crew and Hanlon, a menacing stowaway who is struggling with his identity and purpose after being discharged from the Foundation's training program. As they grapple with the consequences of their mission and the destruction of Earth, they must confront both their individual insecurities and the implications of creating a new human race, concluding with a discovery about their origins that challenges their preconceived notions of humanity.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Palimpsest
- Author credits: Aycock, Roger D. (1914–2004)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Space colonies -- Fiction
- Space travelers -- Fiction
- Stowaways -- Fiction
- Venus (Planet) -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


