The overlord's thumb: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The overlord's thumb: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The overlord's thumb is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Silverberg, Robert (1935–?).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Overlord's Thumb" by Robert Silverberg is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story centers around Colonel John Devall, the head of a Terran cultural and military mission on the alien planet Markin. The novella explores themes of cultural interaction and the moral dilemmas faced by a superior civilization in its dealings with less advanced societies. The narrative follows Colonel Devall as he grapples with a serious incident: his nephew, Lieutenant Paul Leonards, accidentally kills an alien while on a botanical expedition. The alien society demands that Leonards be handed over for trial, not merely for murder, but for blasphemy against their sacred laws, complicating the situation. Devall is faced with a challenging choice – to assert Earth's dominance by protecting his nephew or to respect the alien culture by allowing them to conduct their trial. Ultimately, he opts to hand over Leonards, leading to an unexpected twist when the trial reveals a ritualistic method of proving innocence. The outcome reinforces the theme of equality among intelligent life and leaves Devall contemplating the implications of their actions on future missions.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The overlord's thumb
- Author credits: Silverberg, Robert (1935–?)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
- Life on other planets -- Fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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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.
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