The Moon and the Sun

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McKimmey, James, 1923-2011

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Moon and the Sun" by James McKimmey, Jr. is a science fiction short story published in the mid-20th century, specifically in the March 1954 issue of Planet Stories. The narrative revolves around themes of technological advancement and the moral dilemmas that accompany the pursuit of progress, particularly in the context of space exploration. The story focuses on the tense moments leading up to the launch of a rocket, highlighting characters such as Charters, the enthusiastic project leader, and Lampson, his more contemplative assistant. As they await the launch, they express contrasting emotions about a colleague named Randall, who has deep philosophical concerns about the use of the rocket for military purposes. Ultimately, Randall surprises everyone by exiting the rocket moments before its launch, a decision that underscores his moral stance against the project. As the rocket ascends alone into space, the story touches upon the idea of personal sacrifice in the face of technological triumph, leaving readers to ponder the real implications of their ambitions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 87.7 (6th grade). Easy to read.

Release date is 2020-11-14