02506cam a22003613u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003704000110007804100170008905000070010610000340011324500210014726400510016830000470021933600260026633700260029233800360031849000570035450000310041150801080044252013420055053400450189265300200193765300180195765300290197565300230200483000570202785600430208499900170212758673UtSlPG20260610134342.0mcr n260607r2019||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aPS1 aMiller, Walter M.,d1923-199610aIt Takes a Thief 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2019  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier1 aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1952  aRelease date is 2019-01-11  aProduced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net  a"It Takes a Thief" by Walter M. Miller, Jr. is a science fiction short story published in the early 1950s. The narrative transports readers to a dying Mars, where myth, ritual, and the struggle for survival intertwine. The protagonist, Asir, a young thief, grapples with his dire fate of execution following his transgressions against the tribal order, navigating themes of knowledge, power, and the remnants of a once-great civilization.  The story begins with Asir facing his execution but then shifts as he is unexpectedly spared, banished instead of executed. This turn of events propels him and the cunning Mara, daughter of a powerful kinsman, on an audacious adventure into the sacred vaults of the ancient Martians. As he uncovers the truth about the legendary creature, Big Joe, which guards the technologies needed to rekindle Mars’s dying atmosphere, Asir begins to forge a new identity. The story delves into Asir's struggle for redemption, highlighting the importance of knowledge and the potential to reclaim a lost civilization, all while entangled in a complex relationship with Mara that balances distrust and budding affection. Through their journey, Miller deftly explores the tension between myth and reality, challenging societal norms in pursuit of a greater purpose. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aScience fiction  aShort stories  aMars (Planet) -- Fiction  aThieves -- Fiction 0aProduced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 195240uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58673  c99500d99500