A grand space adventure that imagines the far-flung future of humanity, a visionary classic by one of science fiction's greatest minds. A billion years into the future, Earth's oceans have evaporated and humanity has all but vanished. The inhabitants of the City of Diaspar believe their domed city is all that remains of an empire that had once conquered the stars. Inside the dome, the citizens of Diaspar live in technological splendor, free from the distractions of aging and disease. Everything is controlled precisely, just as the city's designers had intended. But a boy named Alvin has been born. And unlike his fellow humans, Alvin shows an insatiable-and dangerous-curiosity about the world outside the dome. His questions will send him on a quest to discover the truth about the city and humanity's history-as well as its future. A masterful and awe-inspiring work of imagination, The City and the Stars is considered one of Arthur C. Clarke's finest novels.