Jack of No Trades by Charles Cottrell

"Jack of No Trades" by Charles Cottrell is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around a character named Willy Maloon, whose unconventional talents and actions ultimately lead to unexpected consequences. The narrative explores themes of responsibility, ingenuity, and the fine line between what is deemed helpful and harmful in a high-stakes setting within an asteroid mining operation. The plot centers on Willy Maloon, a seemingly unqualified technician who, out of a desire to impress his wife with a unique birthday gift—a private asteroid—embarks on a series of unconventional and possibly theft-driven quests involving vital equipment from his workplace. As Willy's actions draw the scrutiny of his superior, Mr. Goil, tensions rise, leading to a critical moment when a runaway freighter threatens to collide with Mars. Simultaneously, Willy's seemingly reckless endeavors inadvertently become the key to preventing disaster. Ultimately, the story highlights Willy’s profound, albeit unconscious, ability to avert catastrophe, leading to a riveting conclusion where he unwittingly saves both a planetary disaster and his own future. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Cottrell, Charles
Title Jack of No Trades
Series Title Produced from Amazing Stories August 1960.
Credits Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Greg Weeks, and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net
Reading Level Reading ease score: 84.2 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Paranormal fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 30927
Release Date
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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