The Mad Planet by Murray Leinster
"The Mad Planet" by Murray Leinster is set in a distant future where humanity has adapted to a drastically changed Earth, dominated by massive fungi and poisonous air due to rising carbon dioxide levels. The protagonist, Burl, is a young man from a primitive tribe that has regressed to a savage existence, living in a world where sunlight is obscured and the landscape is filled with monstrous fungi and oversized insects. Burl, a descendant of a once-civilized humanity, navigates this hazardous environment, struggling for survival and food. He discovers a sharp weapon from a beetle and attempts to hunt fish in a river, leading to a near-death experience with a giant crayfish. Despite the dangers, Burl's instincts drive him to seek food, and he captures a fish, which symbolizes a potential shift in his tribe's way of life. As he floats downstream on a fungus raft, Burl reflects on his isolation from his tribe and his feelings for a girl named Saya. The story explores themes of adaptation, survival, and the remnants of human civilization in a world transformed by environmental catastrophe.
By Murray Leinster · First published 1955 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy · 28,919 words
First lines
In All His lifetime of perhaps twenty years, it had never occurred to Burl to wonder what his grandfather had thought about his surroundings. The grandfather had come to an untimely end in a rather unpleasant fashion which Burl remembered vaguely as a succession of screams coming more and more faintly to his ears while he was being carried away at the top speed of which his mother was capable.
What this Textopian page supports
The Mad Planet is listed on Textopian as a novel by Murray Leinster, dated 1955 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: 1955 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Dystopian, Speculative Fiction
- Length: 28,919 words
- Structure: 1 section, 342 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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Similar titles
- Earthbound by Lester Del Rey
- Spawning Ground by Lester Del Rey
- Hellhounds Of The Cosmos by Clifford D. Simak
- Venus Enslaved by Manly Wade Wellman
- The Manless Worlds by Murray Leinster
- Planet Of Sand by Murray Leinster
Genres
- Science Fiction — The narrative explores futuristic concepts, alien environments, and advanced technology.
- Adventure — The plot involves exploration and survival in a hostile and unknown world.
- Fantasy — Elements of the story include imaginative creatures and settings that transcend reality.
- Dystopian — The themes reflect societal collapse and the struggle for survival in a changed world.
Tags
Science Fiction · Adventure · Space Exploration · Alien Invasion · Survival Story · Post-Apocalyptic · Dystopian · Environmental Disaster · Ecological Collapse · Human Evolution · Evolutionary Adaptation · Planetary Colonization