The guest rites by Robert Silverberg
QR code
"The Guest Rites" by Robert Silverberg is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story is set on the planet Carthule, where the religious practices of its inhabitants revolve around their deity, Carthule, and the sacred concept of hospitality towards guests. The narrative explores themes of morality, sanctity, and cultural differences between the Earth's human travelers and the native inhabitants of Carthule. The plot follows Marik, the First Priest
of Carthule, who encounters an Earthman lost in the desert. Despite the Earthman’s crime of stealing a precious gem from their temple, Marik is bound by the sacred Guest Rite to protect him while he is under their roof. As Marik grapples with his moral obligations and his rising suspicion of the Earthman, the latter's arrogance and sense of entitlement clash with the Carthulians' values. Throughout the story, the Earthman's inability to navigate the desert without a compass echoes a deeper commentary on the concept of guidance and the inherent conflict between different cultures. In the end, the Earthman becomes a reluctant permanent guest, unable to leave due to his theft and naivety, illustrating the persistent struggle between right and wrong, duty, and consequence. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Silverberg, Robert, 1935- |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Giunta, John, 1920-1970 |
| Title | The guest rites |
| Original Publication | United States: Royal Publications, Inc,1956. |
| Series Title | Produced from Infinity, February 1957 |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 85.1 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Thieves -- Fiction |
| Subject | Venus (Planet) -- Fiction |
| Subject | Hospitality -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 68380 |
| Release Date | Jun 23, 2022 |
| Last Update | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 320 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!