The Star of Satan

"The Star of Satan" by Henry Hasse is a science fiction novel written in the early 1940s. The book revolves around themes of survival, madness, and the ethical dilemmas faced in dire circumstances, set against the backdrop of space exploration. It explores the psychological effects of isolation and desperation as it follows the journey of its main character through the vastness of an uncharted asteroid swarm. In this gripping tale, Hype Garth, a long-serving inhabitant of a salvage station, receives a distress signal indicating that a life-boat from the wrecked "Martian Princess" may have landed on a nearby asteroid. Along with his partner Prokle, Garth sets off to investigate. However, upon locating the life-boat, they discover J. P. Chiswell, the president of EMV Lines, who has spiraled into madness after the harrowing experience of survival. As Prokle is ultimately killed in a scuffle for dominance, Garth is faced with a moral quandary: to deal with the increasingly dangerous Chiswell or to abandon his own chance at freedom and solidarity for gold. The harsh realities of space and the depths of human nature are examined as Garth grapples with the consequences of betrayal, madness, and the desperate struggle for survival.