The Star Beast: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Star Beast: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Star Beast is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Knight, Damon (1922–2002).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"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 aboard a 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.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Star Beast
- Author credits: Knight, Damon (1922–2002)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
- Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction
- Mystery fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Space ships -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Crime, Thrillers and Mystery
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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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.
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