The band played on by Lester Del Rey
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"The Band Played On" by LESTER DEL REY is a science fiction novella published in the late 20th century. The story revolves around the life of a space garbage man named Captain Thomas Murdock, exploring themes of heroism, duty, and the often overlooked importance of menial tasks in the grand context of space exploration. Del Rey's narrative provides a unique twist on the traditional space adventure by emphasizing the significance of seemingly
mundane jobs in sustaining the larger operations of space travel. The plot follows Murdock as he grapples with his identity and role as the 'garbage man' for a space station, contrasting his work with the more celebrated tasks of heroic pilots. When an emergency arises in the space station due to toxic air, Murdock’s experience and knowledge become crucial. He volunteers for a dangerous mission to deliver necessary filters, proving that every role, no matter how unglamorous, holds immense value. The narrative culminates in a perilous return leg where Murdock navigates a perilous descent amidst a storm, ultimately leading to his recognition as a hero, albeit reluctantly. The story invites readers to consider the unseen contributions of those who maintain the systems that enable grand adventures, making it both an engaging and thought-provoking read. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Del Rey, Lester, 1915-1993 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Schoenherr, John, 1935-2010 |
| Title | The band played on |
| Original Publication | New York, NY: Royal Publications, Inc., 1957. |
| Series Title | Produced from Infinity June 1957 |
| Credits | Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 82.3 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Man-woman relationships -- Fiction |
| Subject | Astronauts -- Fiction |
| Subject | Hurricanes -- Fiction |
| Subject | Space stations -- Fiction |
| Subject | Farms -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 71628 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-71628-2 |
| Release Date | Sep 13, 2023 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 397 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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