Anchorite: Restored Classics to Go Edition

Sep 2026 · Otbebookpublishing

Ebook

Pages

Eligible

About this ebook

Captain St. Simon brings hard science and theatrical swagger to the dangerous work of the Belt, testing a spinning asteroid with a paint jet, calculating its near-weightless equator, and concluding that only the poles are safe for footing. The rock's silicate composition makes it valuable because it contains the oxygen needed for human life, but its unstable rotation means it must be anchored before space tugs can haul it away. Suiting up at the North Pole, St. Simon and his crew use pitons, a rocket drill, a massive eye-bolt, and a resin-sealed explosive anchor to secure the tow, all while trading dry banter and even a bawdy work song. That blend of precision and irreverence carries into the larger story, where Earth representatives Edway Tarnhorst and Peter Danley arrive on Pallas to investigate a rising death rate among anchor-setters. Tarnhorst, polished and politically connected, contrasts sharply with Danley's easy Belt adaptation, while executive Georges Alhamid argues that the Belt's dangerous labor and self-governing corporate order are badly misunderstood by Earth. As the clash over government, private enterprise, and human dignity unfolds, the novel sharpens into a tense space-frontier drama about survival, class, and the price of keeping civilization supplied. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.

Discover more

About the author

Randall Garrett was an American writer whose lively imagination and sharp wit made him a memorable voice in mid-century science fiction and fantasy. Born in 1927, he came of age during a period when American popular fiction was expanding rapidly, and he became part of the energetic magazine culture that helped shape modern speculative storytelling. Working across science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and humorous adventure, he built a reputation for fast-moving plots, clever dialogue, and a fondness for intellectual puzzles, often blending entertainment with ideas about politics, technology, and human nature. His stories frequently explore the tension between reason and superstition, the uses and abuses of power, the persistence of tradition in a changing world, and the comic absurdities that arise when brilliant minds collide with flawed institutions. That combination of wit and speculation keeps his work relevant today, especially for readers interested in how genre fiction can be both playful and socially observant. Garrett's legacy lies in his ability to make classic pulp energy feel inventive and thoughtful, and in showing how science fiction can question authority while still delighting in adventure. Readers who enjoy smart, brisk, imaginative fiction with a mischievous edge will find him especially rewarding.

Rate this ebook

Tell us what you think.

Reading information

Smartphones and tablets

Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.

Laptops and computers

You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.

eReaders and other devices

To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.

Flag as inappropriate