Book details
Star Surgeon
Inspect the stored metadata, editorial profile, authors, categories, and local EPUB state.
Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 18492
- Title
- Star Surgeon
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
Set in a galactic medical hierarchy, this novel follows Dal Timgar, a non-human physician from Hospital Earth who faces systemic prejudice and near-expulsion. After proving his worth through a daring surgery on a dying Black Doctor, Dal earns his Star Surgeon insignia. The story explores themes of tolerance, professional integrity, and the struggle for equality within the Galactic Confederation.
- Summary up to 500 words
-
In Alan E. Nourse's *Star Surgeon*, Dal Timgar, a Garvian physician, arrives at Hospital Seattle to face a skeptical medical training council that has effectively barred him from a career as a Star Surgeon. Despite his top-tier academic standing, Earth's establishment views him with suspicion, fearing he cannot tolerate alien races. Denied a shuttle and stripped of his probationary insignia, Dal departs Earth accompanied by his small pink companion, Fuzzy. He joins the General Practice Patrol Ship *Lancet* with colleagues Tiger and Jack. Their mission leads them to a Garvian trading ship, where Dal refuses to let his friends sign predatory contracts offered by the SinSin house, demonstrating his commitment to ethical practice over profit. Later, the ship is mistakenly quarantined as a plague vessel. Dal performs a complex, life-saving transplant on the ship's Black Doctor, Hugo Tanner, who had been in critical condition. The successful surgery clears the ship's name and proves Dal's medical competence. Upon returning to Hospital Earth, Dal is celebrated and awarded the silver star of the Star Surgeon. The narrative concludes with the Galactic Confederation admitting Hospital Earth to full membership, having used Dal's successful integration as proof that Earthmen can tolerate and respect alien races. Dal chooses to continue his medical career, leaving his companion with a mentor, confident in his place within the galactic community.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/18492.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg18492.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-07-08 18:30 UTC
People
Authors
- Alan Edward Nourse
Classification
Categories
- Science Fiction
- Medical Fiction
- Extraterrestrial Fiction