A futuristic tale of intergalactic love and politics from the legendary "colossus of science fiction" and creator of 2001: A Space Odyssey ( The New Yorker ). In the year 2276, Duncan Makenzie travels from Saturn's moon, Titan, to Earth as a diplomatic guest at the United States' Quincentennial. As a member of Titan's 'First Family' descended from the moon's original settlers five hundred years before, Duncan finds himself welcomed back to Mother Earth and into Washington's glittering political and social scene. But Duncan isn't just on Earth for ambassadorial reasons. Haunted by the memory of a woman from Earth he once loved, Duncan is also on a mission to continue his family line . . . despite a devastating genetic defect. A tour-de-force of vivid characterization, futuristic vision, and suspense, Imperial Earth is one of Arthur C. Clarke's most ambitious and thought-provoking novels. "Clarke at the height of his powers." — The New York Times