02540cam a22003853u 4500 60713 UtSlPG 20260610134411.0 m cr n 260607r2019||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Sohl, Jerry, 1913-2002 Counterweight Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2019 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, November 1959 Release date is 2019-11-17 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Counterweight" by Jerry Sohl is a science fiction novel that was published in the late 1950s. Set during a time of burgeoning space exploration, the story focuses on the societal dynamics and psychological pressures faced by individuals aboard a space vessel traveling to a new planet, Antheon. The narrative delves into themes of human nature, particularly the darker impulses that may arise under extreme conditions. The novel follows Keith Ellason, a trained observer, who is sent aboard the "Weblor II" to document the colonists' journey to Antheon. As tensions rise among the passengers, triggered by a series of thefts and assaults by a figure known as Red Mask, Ellason witnesses the disintegration of order and the emergence of violence amid the confinement of space. In a twist, it is revealed that the chaos was orchestrated by a crew member, Harrel Critten, who poses as Red Mask, a scapegoat designed to absorb the passengers' frustrations and fears. This engineered conflict serves to prevent violence among the colonists, putting to the test the concepts of control and societal stability in the face of isolation. Ultimately, the book critiques human behavior and the fragility of social structures when placed under duress. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories Psychological fiction Crime -- Fiction Journalists -- Fiction Interstellar travel -- Fiction Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, November 1959 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/60713 101539 101539