The Metal Moon

"The Metal Moon" by Roman Frederick Starzl is a science fiction novel set in a solar system teeming with diverse human societies. Three Earthmen, Sine, Kass, and Lents, venture out on a space exploration mission to Jupiter and are captured by a peculiar cylindrical ship using a gravity beam. The story is set on Jupiter, and they soon discover a society divided into two classes: the Jovians, an aristocratic ruling class, and the Mugs, a laboring class, who are suppressed and mistreated. The Earthmen find themselves involved in a rebellion led by the Mugs, including a young girl named Proserpina, who are striving for freedom, which leads to a confrontation that has grave consequences for the Jovian society. This novel is an adventure that intertwines themes of social injustice, moral choices, and the core values of humanity in an extraordinary setting.