Published by Hutchinson & Co., London; 1972. 8vo. 191pp. First edition, first impression. Condition: Near Fine/Very Good+
Bound in original black cloth boards with title in gilt to the spine. The binding is square and tight and in very smart condition. There is a small know to the top of the rear board and a little bumping to the spine ends, but it is otherwise in very smart condition. Inside, the pages are clean and bright, free from blemishes and wear, with just a hint of toning. There is an ownership label affixed to the ffep.
The book is housed in its original first issue dust jacket. There is some shelf wear to the edges, with a little chipping around the spine, and a small mark by the title. Apart from these small points, the jacket is vibrant and bright and remains in very smart condition. Illustrated by Colin Andrews.
In all, this is a collectible example of this first edition by Arthur Koestler. It was his final novel, written 21 years after his previous one, The Age of Longing. This tragi-comedy focuses on a group of scientists discussing the reasons and solutions to humans' destructive way of life, in the process finding themselves struggling with jealousy and aggression. It also features two short stories, appearing as the Prologue and Epilogue, which are variations on the theme of the human predicament, which underlies the novel. This work represented Koestler's return to fiction following a period of scientific writing. It is a measure of his skill as a writer that with this work the reader is both entertained by the characters' antics at the same time as being chilled by their experiments and arguments. The novel straddles the line between fiction and science and results in a truly unique work, different to anything else he - or anyone else for that matter - has previously written (blurb).