Skip to main content

short stories - searching story: men in 'tank' living in VR are waken up because of new Ice age coming


Many years ago I read this short story:


(most of) humanity lives in tanks/machines that feed them. They have a rich social live. They hardly remember/realise this is not the 'real' live.
The main character (living in a tank) experiences strange failures and disturbances. Slowly he realises that something in the 'real world' is causing trouble. In the end he opens up his tank and climbs out.(that is amazing; because he hardly has any muscles left).
It appears that a group of humans (that are not living in the tanks) are opening the tanks to 'free' the people inside. This is because a new Ice Age has arrived and glaciers threaten the caves where the tanks are in.
However: the main character has lived way too long in the tanks and is physically to weak to be rescued. The main character crawls to the opening of the cave and finally sees the real world again: a dark night with stars and glaciers approaching.
There he (peacefully) dies.


Any idea of the title and/or wiriter? I read it in Dutch; and I am not sure if I choose the right words to describe the plot...



Answer




Cocoon by Keith Laumer


People spend their lives floating in tanks with virtual reality displays over their eyeballs and food tubes in their mouth. Protagonist is working (in the "office" TV channel) when the channel is interrupted by a bearded person warning that glaciers are burying the city. He protagonist's tank malfunctions so he crawls out, muscles too weak to walk. The bearded guy and crew find protagonist and tell him to wait for a robot to put him back in his tank.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is the etymology of Doctor Who?

I recently decided to watch Doctor Who, and started viewing the 2005 version. I have the first two episodes from the first season, and I can't help but wonder what is the etymology of the name "Doctor Who"? And why does the protagonist call himself "the Doctor" (or is it "the doctor")? Answer In the very first episode of Doctor Who (way back in 1963), the Doctor has a granddaughter going by the name "Susan Foreman", and the junkyard where the TARDIS is has the sign "I.M. Foreman". Barbara, who becomes one of the Doctor's companions, calls him "Doctor Foreman" (probably assuming that is his name given his relationship to Susan), and Ian (another early companion) does the same in the second episode, to which the Doctor says: Eh? Doctor who? What's he talking about? "Foreman" is most likely selected as a convenient surname for Susan to use because it happened to be on display near where the TARDIS landed....
Post a Comment
Read more

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...
Post a Comment
Read more