Plague Ship

Written by Andre Norton, Plague Ship presents a science fiction first published in 1956. When the crew of the Free Trader rocket ship Solar Queen secures a valuable contract with the cat-like Salariki on planet Sargol, they seem destined for success. But after departing with their cargo of rare Koros stones, crew members begin falling into mysterious comas. Declared a plague ship and cast out as pariahs, only four young crew members remain healthy enough to uncover the truth behind the illness, and clear their ship's name before it's too late. Questions surrounding Life on other planets, Science fiction, and Solar Queen (Imaginary space vehicle) deepen the book beyond its surface movement. Andre Norton relies on an imaginative style shaped by invention, tension, and intellectual curiosity, allowing mood and structure to carry as much meaning as subject matter. At roughly 61,515 words with a fairly easy reading profile, it offers a reading commitment that is easy to judge before beginning while still leaving room for close attention. Readers still return to it because of its place in the development of speculative literature and its continuing questions about progress and humanity. Its strongest appeal lies in the meeting of Life on other planets and Science fiction and an imaginative style shaped by invention, tension, and intellectual curiosity, giving.