Skit-Tree Planet by Murray Leinster
An expedition team, led by Bob Wentworth, explores a planet with extensive plantations of skit-trees, which appear to have been cultivated by an advanced civilization that has mysteriously vanished. The team discovers an elaborate irrigation system and signs of habitation but finds no artifacts or remnants of the inhabitants. Wentworth theorizes that the civilization may have been wiped out by a plague, leaving behind only the trees and infrastructure. During their exploration, Wentworth sees a massive, unidentified creature moving in the distance, which heightens the team's unease. As they investigate further, they encounter strange static on their communication devices, suggesting something unusual is occurring. They spot a city that appears and disappears, leading them to suspect that the civilization had the ability to create illusions or force-fields. After a series of frantic searches, the team realizes they are trapped in a metal enclosure that seems to have materialized around them. Wentworth deduces that the city and the walls are not physical structures but rather projections created by advanced technology. They attempt to communicate with their ship, the _Galloping Cow_, but face interference from the static. As they try to escape, they witness a colossal creature attacking their ship, which is revealed to be a robotic construct controlled by the last surviving inhabitant of the planet. This being, wearing a space suit, is ultimately found dead in a cave, along with the technology that created the illusions and the robotic creature. The team learns that the civilization was wiped out by a disease brought by a human ship, which had contaminated the planet's inhabitants. In the end, they manage to salvage the technology and return to their ship, using the knowledge gained to create a new force-field hull for the _Galloping Cow_. The story concludes with the team heading back to Earth, reflecting on the fate of the civilization they encountered and the implications of their discovery.
By Murray Leinster · First published 1957 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery · 8,947 words
First lines
The communicator-phone set up a clamor when the sky was just beginning to gray in what, on this as yet unnamed planet, they called the east because the local sun rose there. The call-wave had turned on the set. Bob Wentworth kicked off his blankets and stumbled from his bunk in the atmosphere-flier, and went sleepily forward to answer. He pushed the answer-stud.
What this Textopian page supports
Skit-Tree Planet is listed on Textopian as a novel by Murray Leinster, dated 1957 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Murray Leinster
- Date: 1957 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller
- Length: 8,947 words
- Structure: 1 section, 181 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Skit-Tree Planet by Murray Leinster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Skit-Tree Planet?
- How does this novel by Murray Leinster fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Science Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Ghost Planet by Murray Leinster
- The Nameless Something by Murray Leinster
- The Seven Temporary Moons by Murray Leinster
- The Pygmy Planet by Jack Williamson
- The Forgotten Planet by Murray Leinster
- The Earthman by Irvin E. Cox
Genres
- Science Fiction — The story explores themes of alien civilizations, advanced technology, and space exploration, which are central to the science fiction genre.
- Adventure — The narrative follows the characters on an expedition to an unknown planet, facing various challenges and discoveries, typical of adventure stories.
- Mystery — The plot involves uncovering the fate of a vanished civilization and the strange occurrences on the planet, creating a sense of mystery.
- Fantasy — Elements of the story, such as the mysterious city that appears and disappears, introduce fantastical elements that blur the lines with fantasy.
Tags
Science Fiction · Space Opera · Adventure · Alien Invasion · Human Evolution · Planetary Colonization · Interstellar Travel · Advanced Technology · Social Commentary · Utopian Society · Dystopian Themes · Environmentalism