Master of Life and Death by Robert Silverberg
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"Master of Life and Death" by Robert Silverberg is a science fiction novel written in the late 20th century. The story is set in the 23rd century and follows Roy Walton, an assistant administrator for the Bureau of Population Equalization—a dystopian organization responsible for managing Earth's overpopulation crisis through cruel measures like euthanasia and forced relocation. As Roy grapples with the moral implications of his job, he faces mounting public backlash and
personal dilemmas that force him to confront the darker side of humanity’s struggle for survival. The opening of the novel establishes a society on the brink due to extreme overpopulation, with Walton tasked to enforce population control measures that involve determining who is fit to live and who isn't. As he navigates his responsibilities, he encounters a grieving father, Lyle Prior, whose newborn son is marked for euthanasia due to a perceived genetic flaw. Walton's inner turmoil is intensified as he contemplates sparing Prior's child, an act of rebellion that compromises his career and pits him against the rigid bureaucratic system. The narrative sets the stage for Walton’s moral conflict and the far-reaching consequences of his choices, suggesting a broader commentary on humanity's capacity for compassion amid dire circumstances. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Silverberg, Robert, 1935- |
|---|---|
| Title | Master of Life and Death |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 76.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Overpopulation -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 50441 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-50441-4 |
| Release Date | Nov 12, 2015 |
| Last Update | Oct 22, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 284 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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