About this book
When cunning gambler Jason dinAlt crashes his transport ship on a primitive, knowledge-hoarding planet, he finds himself in The Ethical Engineer by Harry Harrison—a thrilling science fiction tale that challenges everything he thought he knew about morality and survival.
Captured and facing justice for crimes he'd rather forget, dinAlt must navigate a dangerous world where different clans guard their secrets fiercely, and every rule seems to operate under alien logic. As a man accustomed to quick thinking and calculated risks, he discovers that his greatest weapon—his intellect—may not be enough. The planet Pyrrus calls to him, but escape requires more than cunning; it demands understanding a society with values fundamentally at odds with his own.
Originally published in Analog Science Fact Fiction in 1963, this classic science fiction novella explores profound questions about the nature of ethics itself. Is morality universal, or merely a matter of cultural custom? Are there circumstances that justify actions society deems unthinkable? Harrison weaves these philosophical questions seamlessly into an action-packed narrative that never loses sight of human drama.
Perfect for readers who love intelligent science fiction that entertains while provoking thought, The Ethical Engineer offers a gripping adventure alongside deeper contemplation of right and wrong across worlds and cultures.
