The Dark Beyond the Stars
First sentence
The author is indebted to the following for their advice and suggestions: Mark Hall of Berkeley for his modern views of ancient man; Dr. John O'Brien for information on broken arms and emergency room traumas; Professor Sidney Coleman of Harvard for the vagaries of time relative to interstellar speeds; Maude Kirk for reading portions of the initial draft and offering valuable insights; Robert Austin of Synetic Systems of Seattle for input on "artificial realities" and future computers; Jeff Windle, who cheerfully shared his enthusiasm for rock climbing; Charles N. Brown, who had helpful views on subtext in novels; and Chuck Fruchey, Bob Stephens, Sherry Gottlieb, David Moloney and Richard A. Lupoff, all of whom gave valuable suggestions...
Description
For two thousand years, the starship Astron has search the galaxy for alien life--without success. Now, just as the ship is falling apart, the only direction left to explore is across the Dark, a one-hundred-generation journey through empty space. The ship's captain--immortal, obessed--refuses to abandon the quest. He will cross the Dark, or destroy the ship trying. Only Sparrow, a young crewman uncertain of his own past, can stand against the captain, and against the lure and challenge of the dark beyond the stars....