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"The whole problem of energy sources is going to be solved by little solutions, not by some big new piece of technology that does everything. We got into this crisis by believing that we had one big piece of technology that would do everything (oil)."
- Gregory Benford
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| Barrier (Force Field) | ||
| Force-field fence. |
In this story, Heinlein explores the idea of a just society; what does that society do with people who refuse to follow the rules? People who refuse to abide by the Covenant are placed (willingly or not) in Coventry, a large area of the U.S. about the size of Montana to fend for themselves. Coventry is surrounded by an impenetrable force field called the Barrier.
| MacKinnon peered out of a forward port of the big transport helicopter with repressed excitement in his heart. There! That must be it- that black band in the distance. The helicopter drew closer, and he became certain that he was seeing the Barrier- the mysterious, impenetrable wall that divided the United States from the reservation known as Coventry... A tiny, bright dot appeared in the foot of the barrier opposite where they waited. It spread into a half circle across the lampblack nothingness. Now it was large enough for MacKinnon to see the countryside beyond through the arch it had formed. He peered eagerly. |
| From Coventry,
by Robert Heinlein. Published by Not Known in 1940 Additional resources -
|
Another character adds:
This story is classic Heinlein; read it to get some of the basis for the socio-political climate in his future history series.
Compare to the Langston field from Mote in God's Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.
'...I'm not a mathematical physicist, but I was always told that it was
theoretically impossible to break the Barrier-that it was just a nothingness that there was no way to
touch. Of course, you can fly over it, but even that is supposed to be deadly to life.'
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Additional
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More Ideas
and Technology from Coventry
More Ideas
and Technology by Robert Heinlein
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Tech news articles related to works by Robert Heinlein
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news articles:
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| Is There A Subterranean Ocean? |
| The Robotic Shopping Cart Of The Future |
| Arctic Resource Jackpot An Old Wish |
| Marie Curie's Papers Still Radioactive |
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