The Star Beast by Damon Knight
"The Star Beast" by Damon Knight is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century, specifically in the years following World War II. The story revolves around an alien creature named Oscar and explores themes of communication, identity, and the consequences of advanced science. It highlights the complexities and misunderstandings that can arise when different forms of intelligence and perception interact. The plot begins with the murder of Professor Thomasson aboarda spaceship called the "President Marcus". Security agents Philip Horitz and his team must unravel the mystery of the murder while racing against time to recover the Thomasson Equations, essential for faster-than-light travel. Oscar, the tentacle-headed alien, is the only witness to the crime but communicates in a way that is foreign to human understanding. As they navigate a lineup of suspects, tensions rise among the ship's crew and passengers, but the true twist reveals that Oscar's perception may be more complex than anyone could imagine. Ultimately, the story challenges preconceived notions about intelligence and life, culminating in a shocking realization that blurs the lines between friend and foe. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Knight, Damon, 1922-2002 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Vestal, Herman B., 1916-2007 |
| Title | The Star Beast |
| Note | Reading ease score: 86.2 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction |
| Subject | Space ships -- Fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Mystery fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 64596 |
| Release Date | Feb 19, 2021 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 143 downloads in the last 30 days. |
| Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free! | |
