Quotes from book
Planet of the Damned

Planet of the Damned
Harry Harrison

Planet of the Damned is a 1962 science fiction novel by American writer Harry Harrison. It was serialised in 1961 under the title Sense of Obligation and published under that name in 1967. It was nominated for the Hugo Award.

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“The final product is a man-plant-animal symbiote that is admirably adapted for survival on this disaster world. No emotions to cause complications or desires that might interfere with pure survival. Complete ruthlessness—mankind has always been strong on this anyway, so it didn’t take much of a push.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 15

Harry Harrison photo

“You must realize that living organisms will do anything to survive. Castaways at sea will drink their own urine in their need for water. Disgust at this is only the attitude of the overprotected who have never experienced extreme thirst or hunger.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 8

Harry Harrison photo

“How large was mankind’s sense of obligation? The caveman first had this feeling for his mate, then for his family. It grew until men fought and died for the abstract ideas of cities and nations, then for whole planets. Would the time ever come when men might realize that the obligation should be to the largest and most encompassing reality of all—mankind? And beyond that to life of all kinds.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 18

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“Their personal policy has become their planetary policy—and that’s never a very smart thing.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 15

Harry Harrison photo

“There are far too many people there for comfort. Birth control came late and is still being fought—if you can possibly imagine that. There are just too many of the archaic religions still around, as well as crackbrained ideas that have been long entrenched in custom. The world’s overcrowded. Men, women, children, a boiling mob wherever you look.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 12

Harry Harrison photo

“I have done more in one day than you all have done since you arrived. I have accomplished this because I am better at my work than the rest of you. That is all the information any of you are going to receive. You are dismissed.”

Harry Harrison book Planet of the Damned

Source: Planet of the Damned (1962), Chapter 8

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