02282cam a22003253u 4500 22540 UtSlPG 20260610133522.0 m cr n 260607r2007||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Harrison, Harry, 1925-2012 The K-Factor Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2007 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Analog December 1960. Release date is 2007-09-08 Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "The K-Factor" by Harry Harrison is a science fiction novel written in the early 1960s. The book centers around the concept of "Societics," a science aimed at understanding and controlling human society, particularly regarding the factors that lead to war. As the plot unfolds, the protagonists, Neel Sidorak and Adao Costa, grapple with the implications of their research as they face the reality of a society on the brink of conflict. In the novel, Neel Sidorak is tasked with investigating the increasingly unstable conditions on the planet Himmel, where a positive "k-factor" indicates an impending war. Alongside his assistant, Adao Costa, Neel learns that the societal dynamics are more complex than initially understood, as they uncover a treacherous plot involving their own colleagues. As tensions rise, Neel is forced to confront moral dilemmas about using violence to bring about peace. Ultimately, he grapples with how to use the knowledge of Societics to prevent war without resorting to assassination, leading to a dramatic climax where actions have unforeseen consequences. The story explores themes of power, responsibility, and the ethical ramifications of intervention in human societies. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Produced from Analog December 1960. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22540 63657 63657