The Mercurian by Frank Belknap Long
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"The Mercurian" by Frank Belknap Long is a science fiction novella written during the early 20th century. The story is set on Mercury, a harsh and unforgiving environment characterized by extreme heat and molten landscapes. It revolves around a group of miners working to extract uranium when an unexpected encounter with a living creature challenges their perceptions and survival. The narrative follows a young officer named Rawley, who is quickly thrown into
the chaotic world of Mercury's mining operations. When the crew inadvertently captures a strange, amphibious creature resembling a frog, tensions rise among the miners, especially when the creature, later revealed to be a highly intelligent being, showcases its telepathic abilities. As the situation escalates, the crew finds themselves in peril as the creature's intentions become clear, leading to a gripping confrontation that tests their resourcefulness and humanity. The ending intertwines themes of scientific exploration with the complexity of human emotions, particularly through the romantic subplot between Rawley and Sylvia, the commander's niece, adding a personal dimension to the unfolding conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994 |
|---|---|
| Title | The Mercurian |
| Series Title | Produced from Planet Stories Winter 1941 |
| Credits |
Produced by 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 | Short stories |
| Subject | Human-alien encounters -- Fiction |
| Subject | Mercury (Planet) -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 62034 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-62034-3 |
| Release Date | May 5, 2020 |
| Last Update | Oct 18, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 182 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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