Alien Planet (novel)
Encyclopedia
Alien Planet is the first major science-fiction novel by Fletcher Pratt
, the noted Civil War
historian.
, it was uncharacteristic of science fiction
of that decade, which tended more towards space opera
(in the sense the term began to be used in the 1970s). Alien Planet was written in careful, reportorial style, and purported to be an account of one of two friends inadvertently transported to another world with the occupant of a disabled alien craft they aid in repairing his "sky car" (Shoraru) while on a mountain hike. The matter-of-fact present day account thus achieved a remarkable realism.
Shoraru, which Ashembe translates as "Sky Car", one of the men is trapped inside and makes the return flight to Murashema. Faced with the choice of working for a living or performing as an artist to pay for his keep, Merrick performs popular English poems in dramatic rhythm. He is lauded by the aliens for this new art form, but Merrick learns he will be castigated and punished if it is discovered these poems are not original. He luckily makes his escape before his misunderstanding of alien customs casts him into peril; and he learns that even a seemingly utopian government must inevitably have flaws.
Fletcher Pratt
Murray Fletcher Pratt was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and history, particularly noted for his works on naval history and on the American Civil War.- Life and work :...
, the noted Civil War
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
historian.
History
Written in 1937 as an expansion of a 1932 story which originally appeared in the Winter edition of Amazing StoriesAmazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
, it was uncharacteristic of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
of that decade, which tended more towards space opera
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
(in the sense the term began to be used in the 1970s). Alien Planet was written in careful, reportorial style, and purported to be an account of one of two friends inadvertently transported to another world with the occupant of a disabled alien craft they aid in repairing his "sky car" (Shoraru) while on a mountain hike. The matter-of-fact present day account thus achieved a remarkable realism.
Plot
Merrick Wells and Alvin Schierstedt meet a man-like alien (Ashembe) from Murashema. He demonstrates genius by quickly learning English from a copy of Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice. In the course of assisting Ashembe with repairs to hisShoraru, which Ashembe translates as "Sky Car", one of the men is trapped inside and makes the return flight to Murashema. Faced with the choice of working for a living or performing as an artist to pay for his keep, Merrick performs popular English poems in dramatic rhythm. He is lauded by the aliens for this new art form, but Merrick learns he will be castigated and punished if it is discovered these poems are not original. He luckily makes his escape before his misunderstanding of alien customs casts him into peril; and he learns that even a seemingly utopian government must inevitably have flaws.