Gold in the Sky

Star Surgeon: A Remarkably Intelligent, Insightful and Challenging Sci-Fi NovelBefore the classic sci-fi shows of the 60s and 70s were books like Star Surgeon which were often the cause of inspiration for some well-known sci-fi stories that followed. Written by Alan Nourse, who was a doctor himself at some point during his life, Star Surgeon explores the relations and possible cooperation between humans and aliens, while touching upon sensitive topics such as humanity\'s - and more specifically the medical community\'s - ability to flow with new and unexpected changes.The novel follows the storyline of Dal Timgar, the first alien to ever study at and graduate from a prestigious medical university on Earth. While considered a potentially brilliant medical doctor, Timgar has to fight against the discriminations and prejudices of his superiors and his classmates, in his effort to prove himself, while also dealing with interstellar medical emergencies.It\'s easy to see how numerous popular sci-fi shows and fragments from well-known sci-fi movies and books that followed would be loosely based on Nourse\'s novel. Advanced medicine is an important part of any sci-fi story, and when you throw the relationship between humans and aliens into the mix, you get potential story arcs that cannot be ignored.Star Surgeon explores several of the challenges that these story arcs may represent, and also tackles the problem of how, as human beings, we find it so difficult to accept changes, even when they are for our own good. Moreover, the novel presents Dal Timgar as a complex and well-developed character who feels quite real and unique, making the story all the more entertaining.With an engaging plot, an excellent style and detailed descriptions, Star Surgeon is a work of literary art that can compare to some of the most significant sci-fi novels of the 20th century.