The Voyage of Vanishing Men

"The Voyage of Vanishing Men" by Stanley Mullen is a science fiction story from the mid-20th century that follows Braun after his ship mysteriously returns from a space mission, forever changed from being one of the few survivors of "Venture IV." The story deals with feeling alone, worrying about existence, and the dangers of going into unexplored space. As Braun tries to explain what happened to his lost crew, he is met with doubt, haunted by the journey and marked by encountering the emptiness of space. The novel creates a feeling of tension and thinking deeply, as Braun considers the desire to explore and what it costs to go where no one has gone before, making readers think about the results of humans always wanting to know more.