The Eternity Artifact

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The Eternity Artifact
The Eternity Artifact.jpg
First edition
Author L. E. Modesitt, Jr.
Cover artistDavid Seeley
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre Science fiction
Publisher TOR
Publication date
February 2005
Media typePrint (hardcover)
Pages367 (first edition hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-7653-5345-0
OCLC 70173603
Preceded by Flash  
Followed by The Elysium Commission  

The Eternity Artifact is a science fiction novel by American writer L. E. Modesitt, Jr., published in 2005. It is set in a future approximately 3,000 years hence, in a galaxy largely colonized by humans but divided into disparate polities who strive against each other in a manner similar to that of modern-day nations. Once such group, the Comity, discovers a planet that may be the first evidence of nonhuman intelligent life. The Comity mounts an expedition to investigate this world, and certain of the other groups attempt to interfere in various ways and for various reasons. The story discusses the expedition from the perspective of four viewpoint characters. It details the progress of the explorers and touches on the differences between the various human groups and how those inform their response to this discovery, and their goals regarding it.

References to other works

Modesitt paraphrases Arthur C. Clarke's assertion that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." [1]

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References

  1. Arthur C. Clarke, "Profiles of The Future", 1961