One word. One moment. The end of everything.
In a civilization built on the absolute mandate of Stability, the future is not a mystery—it is a calculation. Through the advanced science of prognostication, the architects of Earth can peer into the centuries to come, smoothing out the ripples of chaos before they ever become tidal waves. To them, the universe is a machine, and every catastrophe can be averted with the right adjustment.
But for hard-boiled reporter John Carmichael, the “big story” turns into a cosmic nightmare.
While hunting for a scoop in the shadows of Manhattan City, Carmichael stumbles upon the secret machinery of fate. He discovers a terrifying truth: despite all the safeguards, the universe is spiraling toward an inevitable, dark extinction. The end is coming, and it is already set in motion.
As Carmichael hunts for the singular, microscopic cause that will set the snowball of destruction in motion, he finds himself caught in a web of mathematical destiny. In a world where even a misplaced syllable can rewrite history, how much power does one man truly hold?
A masterclass in the butterfly effect, The Push of a Finger is a gripping, noir-infused classic from the legendary Alfred Bester.