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The Seed of Earth

Robert Silverberg

First published 1962
Type Novel

<i>Back of book:</i> The leaders of Earth intend to spread Mankind throughout the universe, until every habitable planet boasts a human civilization. 60 colony ships leave Earth every day on a one-way trip to the stars. Each ship carries 100 draftees. 6000 a day. 48,000 a week. Two and one half million every year. If your number comes up, one of them is YOU.<br> The Draftees for the planet Osiris are a typical colony group: fifty men and fifty women with little in common, except their courage and determination to make the best of a situation they cannot change. But sacrifice and brave resolve are not enough to save them in their struggle to survive on a hostile new planet. The tiny band of colonists is torn apart by violence, and threatened by an alien menace. They face disaster, unless someone can discover the secret of survival on a world so different from the one they left behind.

This NOVEL is based on the short story "The Winds of Siros" and is unrelated to the short story "The Seed of Earth", which was originally called "Journey's End" but was retitled before publication. However, this Novel (in cut down form) was published in Novella form in Galaxy in 1962.

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
1962 Cover The Seed of Earth / Next Stop the Stars Ace Books Omnibus 5|200
February 1977 Cover The Seed of Earth Ace Books Novel 1
August 1977 Cover Galaxie, Août-Septembre 1977 OPTA MAGAZINE 6
May 1978 Cover The Seed of Earth Hamlyn Novel 9
1980 Cover La semence de la Terre Librairie des Champs-Élysées Novel
October 1981 Cover Die Kolonisten Terras Droemer Knaur Novel 11
April 1982 Cover The Seed of Earth Ace Books Novel 1
May 1982 Cover The Seed of Earth Ace Books Novel 1
1994 Cover Hüter meines Bruders / Die Kolonisten Terras Das Beste Omnibus
1996 Cover Башня Занида Мелор Omnibus 141
September 2011 Cover The Seed of Earth Gateway / Orion Novel