The Ultimate Quest

"The Ultimate Quest" by Hal Annas is a science fiction story from the 1950s, a journey into a future shaped by advanced human intelligence where people can control reality through mental projections. It follows Art Fillmore, a brilliant man about to enter a strange marriage, as he thinks about the meaning of relationships and society. The book uses humor to look at modern relationships and societal expectations, especially through Art's chats with his bald friend. Art is also planning to 'project' children with his partner Cynthia, who is a mental entity, raising questions about real emotions versus artificial processes. The story explores ideas about existence and change as Art's search has huge effects, creating a massive change in their world that strangely mirrors the old uncertainties of humanity.