02634cam a22004093u 4500 68380 UtSlPG 20260610134559.0 m cr n 260607r20221956utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Silverberg, Robert, 1935- The guest rites Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2022 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Infinity, February 1957 Release date is 2022-06-23 Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Guest Rites" by Robert Silverberg is a science fiction novella written in the late 1950s. The story is set on the planet Carthule, where the religious practices of its inhabitants revolve around their deity, Carthule, and the sacred concept of hospitality towards guests. The narrative explores themes of morality, sanctity, and cultural differences between the Earth's human travelers and the native inhabitants of Carthule. The plot follows Marik, the First Priest of Carthule, who encounters an Earthman lost in the desert. Despite the Earthman’s crime of stealing a precious gem from their temple, Marik is bound by the sacred Guest Rite to protect him while he is under their roof. As Marik grapples with his moral obligations and his rising suspicion of the Earthman, the latter's arrogance and sense of entitlement clash with the Carthulians' values. Throughout the story, the Earthman's inability to navigate the desert without a compass echoes a deeper commentary on the concept of guidance and the inherent conflict between different cultures. In the end, the Earthman becomes a reluctant permanent guest, unable to leave due to his theft and naivety, illustrating the persistent struggle between right and wrong, duty, and consequence. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Originally published: United States: Royal Publications, Inc, 1956 Science fiction Short stories Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Thieves -- Fiction Venus (Planet) -- Fiction Hospitality -- Fiction Giunta, John, 1920-1970 Produced from Infinity, February 1957 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68380 109194 109194