Day of the Moron by H. Beam Piper
The story takes place on a planet where humans have been transported from Earth and are struggling to survive due to the harsh environment and lack of resources. The protagonist is a scientist who has developed a device that can manipulate the probability of events, effectively allowing him to cheat death. He uses this device to prolong his own life and becomes increasingly obsessed with it, eventually using it to alter the course of history in ways that have catastrophic consequences for humanity.
By H. Beam Piper · First published 1951 · Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Dystopian · 13,887 words
First lines
It's natural to trust the unproven word of the fellow who's "on my side" -- but the emotional moron is on no one's side, not even his own. Once, such an emotional moron could, at worst, hurt a few. But with the mighty, leashed forces Man employs now.
What this Textopian page supports
Day of the Moron is listed on Textopian as a novel by H. Beam Piper, dated 1951 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: H. Beam Piper
- Date: 1951 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Dystopian, Political
- Length: 13,887 words
- Structure: 1 section, 270 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Day of the Moron by H. Beam Piper
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Science Fiction — The story is set in a future society and involves advanced technology and speculative concepts.
- Thriller — The narrative includes suspenseful and tense situations, focusing on preventing a disaster.
- Dystopian — The setting reflects a society with negative traits and potential societal collapse.
- Political — Themes of governance, power dynamics, and societal control are present.
Tags
Science Fiction · Alternate History · Time Travel · Satire · Social Commentary · Humor · Adventure · Fantasy · Speculative Fiction · Parody · Absurdism · Philosophical