A Coffin for Jacob

"A Coffin for Jacob" by Edward W. Ludwig is a science fiction novel written during the mid-20th century. The story delves into themes of guilt, identity, and the quest for freedom amid the backdrop of interplanetary travel and renegade spacemen. Set in a future where humanity has ventured into space, it explores the complexities of character relationships intertwined with high-stakes adventure. The plot centers around Ben Curtis, a young astrogation officer who inadvertently kills a man named Cobb in a bar fight and subsequently flees to Venus to escape the law. Haunted by the memory of his crime and the dead man's face, Ben searches for a rumored group of renegade spacemen led by a mysterious figure named Jacob, who he believes may offer him a way to escape his past. On Venus, he encounters Maggie, Jacob's wife, who helps him recover from his injuries and reveals the intricacies of their underground operations. As Ben grapples with his loyalties, he faces a crucial decision: continue living as a fugitive or take up the mantle of a spaceman, becoming part of a sisterhood of misfits in the vastness of space. Ultimately, the story highlights themes of redemption and the pursuit of dreams against the odds.