Problem on Balak

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Aycock, Roger D., 1914-2004

Contributor:

Francis, Dick

Series:

Produced from the September 1953 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Problem on Balak" by Roger D. Aycock is a science fiction story published in the early 1950s. The narrative focuses on a small crew of space explorers who encounter an unusual alien society on a remote planet called Balak, known for its remarkable race of eight-armed native surgeons. The crux of the story revolves around an intriguing dilemma the explorers must solve involving two identical Terrans, leading to themes of identity and self-understanding. The plot follows the crew members as they land on Balak and swiftly encounter its inhabitants, who present them with a test: they must determine which of two identical Terran men is the original and which is a synthetic duplicate, created by the Balakians. This test leads to a series of humorous and intense moments as the crew grapples with the challenge under a time constraint. Ultimately, their journey becomes not just about solving an external problem but also reflects their deeper understanding of their own species, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and the complexities of identity in both human and alien forms. The resolution of their dilemma hinges on a clever twist, showcasing Aycock's blend of humor and insight within the sci-fi genre. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Robert Cicconetti, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 79.7 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2010-10-04