Double Standard by Alfred Coppel
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"Double Standard" by Alfred Coppel is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The narrative explores themes of identity, societal roles, and the struggle for equality against a backdrop of space exploration. It takes place in a future where a rigid division exists between those deemed suitable for space colonization and those who are not, mainly based on biological factors. The story follows Kim Hall, who dreams of escaping Earth
to pursue a life among the stars. Lacking the physical qualifications required for space travel, he resorts to extreme measures, including altering his appearance and forging documents, to masquerade as a suitable candidate for a spaceship going to Mars. As he boards the Martian Queen, his deception is quickly put to the test when the ship's crew discovers an illegal passenger is aboard. The narrative captures Hall's frantic attempts to evade capture while also exploring the deeper implications of his quest for freedom, revealing the societal injustices that force him—and others like him—to risk everything for a chance to belong among the stars. Ultimately, the novel culminates in a moment of triumph and defiance, suggesting that the dream of equality and freedom is achievable for all, not just the privileged few. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Coppel, Alfred, 1921-2004 |
|---|---|
| Title | Double Standard |
| Series Title | Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction February 1952 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 86.9 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Impostors and imposture -- Fiction |
| Subject | Space flight -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 51363 |
| Release Date | Mar 5, 2016 |
| Last Update | Oct 23, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 287 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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