Duel in Black: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
Duel in Black: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Duel in Black is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for West, John Foster (1918–2008).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"Duel in Black" by John Foster West is a science fiction short story published in the early mid-20th century, specifically appearing in Planet Stories in the winter of 1947. Set on the moon, the narrative unfolds a tense confrontation around a valuable uranium claim, trapping the main character in a life-or-death duel against a notorious claim jumper. The story captures themes of survival, danger, and the harsh realities of life on Luna. The plot follows young prospector Ron Crag as he stakes his claim on a rich uranium lode but soon finds himself facing the ruthless claim jumper Joe Braun. The action escalates as both men engage in a cat-and-mouse game under the shadows on the moon, where Ron must rely on strategy and courage to survive Joe’s deadly attacks. With Braun taunting from the shadows, Ron calculates his moves carefully, taking risks to reach his catatread while dodging lethal gunfire. The story climaxes as Ron takes a calculated shot amid the chaos, ultimately leading to a dramatic confrontation. In a twist of fate, Ron's gamble pays off, resulting in Braun's demise and leaving Ron to claim his prize, illuminated by both danger and determination.
Book and edition facts
- Title: Duel in Black
- Author credits: West, John Foster (1918–2008)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Gunfighters -- Fiction
- Mines and mineral resources -- Fiction
- Moon -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


