The Beachcomber

Vernon Maxwell, a wealthy scriptwriter, is used to indulging his glamorous companion Alice, but her appetite for novelty pushes their flirtation beyond ordinary luxury. When she suggests they skip another European city for another planet, he agrees—and their weekend becomes a gleeful leap into a future where travel can satisfy even the most extravagant boredom. On a spectacular alien world of vast blue-green wilderness, they sweep across the landscape by airscooter in search of a beach, only to spot a solitary man on the shore. Alice is immediately drawn to his striking presence, while Maxwell recognizes him as the legendary Beachcomber, a mysterious figure from the far future who once brought humanity transformative knowledge before vanishing from public life. As they descend to meet him, the story reveals a world of advanced travel, restless desire, and emotional isolation, setting up a meeting between curiosity, romance, and a man who seems both scientific savior and tragic outsider. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.