59 pages 1 hour read

Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg

Nightfall

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Part 1, Chapters 9-17

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Twilight”

Part 1, Chapter 9 Summary

Beenay regretfully presents his findings to Athor. Athor says he wishes Beenay had come to him earlier, reassuring him that his findings do not actually refute the Theory of Universal Gravitation. Instead, he proposes searching for an unknown factor that is influencing the results Beenay has found. Beenay laughs upon realizing Athor and Theremon have arrived at the same hypothesis.

Athor reminds him of Thargola’s Sword, a principle of medieval philosophy (analogous to the real-life principle known as Occam’s Razor) that suggests eliminating needlessly complex hypotheses, and the simplest explanation is often the best. To suggest that Universal Gravitation is wrong is the more complex theory, and so by Thargola’s Sword, they are left with the hypothesis of the unknown factor.

Part 1, Chapter 10 Summary

Theremon goes to the Apostles of Flame headquarters, a golden tower in the city’s affluent quarter, to meet with Mondior 71. Theremon is led by a black-robed monk into a secret chamber, where he meets the group’s public relations officer, Folimun 66. Theremon insists on meeting Mondior in person, but Folimun assures him that Mondior is busy preparing for the imminent apocalypse.

Theremon decides to ask Folimun some questions about the nature of the apocalypse.

Related Titles

By these authors

Study Guide

logo

Foundation and Empire

Isaac Asimov

Foundation and Empire

Isaac Asimov

Study Guide

logo

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Isaac Asimov

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Isaac Asimov

Study Guide

logo

Robot Dreams

Isaac Asimov

Robot Dreams

Isaac Asimov

Plot Summary

logo

Sailing to Byzantium

Robert Silverberg

Sailing to Byzantium

Robert Silverberg

Study Guide

logo

The Caves of Steel

Isaac Asimov

The Caves of Steel

Isaac Asimov

Study Guide

logo

The Fun They Had

Isaac Asimov

The Fun They Had

Isaac Asimov

Plot Summary

logo

The Gods Themselves

Isaac Asimov

The Gods Themselves

Isaac Asimov

Study Guide

logo

The Last Question

Isaac Asimov

The Last Question

Isaac Asimov

Plot Summary

logo

The Ugly Little Boy

Isaac Asimov

The Ugly Little Boy

Isaac Asimov