An absolutely cooked science fiction story from 1961. Shayol is a prison planet where criminals are sent to be punished eternally by being forced to grow extra organs and limbs which are then harvested. The story itself is good, but the descriptions of the 'herd' of prisoners is what will haunt you.
Lights flashed across the dark plain, still in the distance. Said she, ‘Dig in, dig in for the night. They may miss you.’ Mercer started digging. He glanced over at the man he had dug up. The brainless body, with motions as soft as those of a starfish under water, was pushing its way back into the earth.
I'm James—an engineer based in New Zealand—and I have a crippling addiction to new ideas. If you're an enabler, send me a book recommendation through one of the channels below.
