"The Beast-Jewel of Mars" by Leigh Brackett is a science fiction story set on Mars, where an Earthman named Burk Winters goes looking for his missing fiancée after seeking an escape from his troubles. The story examines questions of who we are, civilization, and basic human instincts that remain hidden inside us. Burk's search for Jill Leland leads him into the dark world of Shanga, a shady substance that lets him mentally escape and, ultimately, lose himself in the heart of Martian culture. As Burk gets more involved with Shanga, he changes, his old self fading away as he is thrown into the chaos which breaks down the normal rules of civilization. The story races to its end when he finally meets Jill while having to make the choice of saving her while facing the forces of the planet. The ending asks questions about what being human really means and what happens when we let our desires take over.
The Beast-Jewel of Mars
By Leigh Brackett
On a wild Martian landscape, a desperate man dives into a world of mind-altering drugs, testing the limits of his humanity as he searches for a lost love taken by the same path.
Summary
About the AuthorLeigh Douglass Brackett was an American author and screenwriter. Nicknamed "the Queen of Space Opera," she was one of the most prominent female writers during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. As a screenwriter, she was best known for her collaborations with director Howard Hawks, mainly writing Westerns and crime films. She also worked on an early draft of The Empire Strikes Back (1980), elements of which remained in the film; she died before it went into production.
Leigh Douglass Brackett was an American author and screenwriter. Nicknamed "the Queen of Space Opera," she was one of the most prominent female writers during the Golden Age of Science Fiction. As a screenwriter, she was best known for her collaborations with director Howard Hawks, mainly writing Westerns and crime films. She also worked on an early draft of The Empire Strikes Back (1980), elements of which remained in the film; she died before it went into production.
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