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Burl #2
The Red Dust
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
51 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 18, 2012
11 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Murray Leinster
898 books121 followerssee also:
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
maybe
March 6, 2014A Sequel to "The Mad Planet."
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from January 1927 Amazing Stories. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Opening: The sky grew gray and then almost white. The overhanging banks of clouds seemed to withdraw a little from the steaming earth. Haze that hung always among the mushroom forests and above the fungus hills grew more tenuous, and the slow and misty rain that dripped the whole night long ceased reluctantly.
As far as the eye could see a mad world stretched out, a world of insensate cruelties and strange, fierce maternal solicitudes. The insects of the night—the great moths whose wings spread far and wide in the dimness, and the huge fireflies, four feet in length, whose beacons made the earth glow in their pale, weird light—the insects of the night had sought their hiding-places.
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from January 1927 Amazing Stories. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Opening: The sky grew gray and then almost white. The overhanging banks of clouds seemed to withdraw a little from the steaming earth. Haze that hung always among the mushroom forests and above the fungus hills grew more tenuous, and the slow and misty rain that dripped the whole night long ceased reluctantly.
As far as the eye could see a mad world stretched out, a world of insensate cruelties and strange, fierce maternal solicitudes. The insects of the night—the great moths whose wings spread far and wide in the dimness, and the huge fireflies, four feet in length, whose beacons made the earth glow in their pale, weird light—the insects of the night had sought their hiding-places.
May 31, 2024
The Red Dush is an early Golden Age-late Silver Age post-apocalypse story by a master, Murray Leinster. I previously read Aldiss'
Hot House
and would have wondered who stole from whom if it weren't for the differences in publication dates, hence original authoring times.
The Red Dush is definitely an interesting read. Humans have devolved in both size and cognitive abilities, insects and arachnids rule the world, the humans are over here and all the good stuff is over there on the other side of the insects and arachnids.
But don't worry, Burl (the diminutive but nevertheless dashing protagonist of Leinster's The Mad Planet will get his little band there with his childlike yet nubile female at his side.
Yeah, dated, and still a good read.
PS) It's got some imminently stealable lines in it.
The Red Dush is definitely an interesting read. Humans have devolved in both size and cognitive abilities, insects and arachnids rule the world, the humans are over here and all the good stuff is over there on the other side of the insects and arachnids.
But don't worry, Burl (the diminutive but nevertheless dashing protagonist of Leinster's The Mad Planet will get his little band there with his childlike yet nubile female at his side.
Yeah, dated, and still a good read.
PS) It's got some imminently stealable lines in it.
April 29, 2025
A very short story of probably a hundred pages. I first read Murray Leinster a few years ago and really fell in love with his writing. So I have been trying to find all of his books and short stories. I have all of the kindle books, but what I am finding is that there are discrepancies. There are old LibriVox recordings that do not match the kindle books. There deleted portions. But LibriVox has a good selection available.
But this story is great and full of imagery and wonderful details. I guess if I had read the books in order because this is book two of Burl series. The first book I a The Mad Planet. So read that one first.
But this story is great and full of imagery and wonderful details. I guess if I had read the books in order because this is book two of Burl series. The first book I a The Mad Planet. So read that one first.
December 3, 2020
This is Leinster's second book following Burl's adventures. This story picks up where the first story ends. Here Burl becomes the leader of his tribe. He teaches them to use weapons. He leads them from danger to safety. Straight-forward story line. This story doesn't say nearly as much about evolution as the first story, but does mention several times that the events take place 30,000 years in the future. It is a pretty decent story.
March 19, 2022
Wonderful entertaining listening 🔰😀
Another will written romantic fantasy Sci-Fi relationship adventure thriller short story by Murray Leinster about people who are struggling to survive in a battle against giant insects. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to different kinds of books 🔰🏡😡 2022
Another will written romantic fantasy Sci-Fi relationship adventure thriller short story by Murray Leinster about people who are struggling to survive in a battle against giant insects. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to different kinds of books 🔰🏡😡 2022
June 21, 2020
Sequel to mad planet, sometimes called nightmare planet.
Freebie. I recommend reading the previous novel first. Basically a trek through a world where almost everything has become gigantic. Sort of like micronauts in reverse.
Freebie. I recommend reading the previous novel first. Basically a trek through a world where almost everything has become gigantic. Sort of like micronauts in reverse.
December 8, 2022
This is another great entry in the series. Exploration and leadership prevail. The threats come from all angles and then more is found. Like the previous, the writing style is so good. Look forward to the next.
April 21, 2023
This story first appeared in Argosy All Story Weekly, April 2, 1921. It follows the 1920 tale, The Mad Planet.
In this sequel, Burl becomes the leader of his tribe, leading them from horrific danger to blissful safety, all the while teaching them to use weapons. Theirs is a primitive tribe, living in a world of goliath insects and a menacing red dust that is mostly deadly to all. In order to survive, Burl gathers everyone so they can flee from all they know to a place where the red dust cannot harm them. This is a fun story, best read after reading "The Mad Planet." I enjoyed the saga🪐
🚀 Recommended.
🟣 Media form: Kindle version.
🟢 Media form: Project Gutenberg .
🚀●▬●💫●💫●▬●🚀
In this sequel, Burl becomes the leader of his tribe, leading them from horrific danger to blissful safety, all the while teaching them to use weapons. Theirs is a primitive tribe, living in a world of goliath insects and a menacing red dust that is mostly deadly to all. In order to survive, Burl gathers everyone so they can flee from all they know to a place where the red dust cannot harm them. This is a fun story, best read after reading "The Mad Planet." I enjoyed the saga🪐
🚀 Recommended.
🟣 Media form: Kindle version.
🟢 Media form: Project Gutenberg .
🚀●▬●💫●💫●▬●🚀
September 14, 2018
The Red Dust, published in 1927, builds on its prequel, The Mad Planet. Humans journey to escape a doom caused by spores from a red toadstool. Dangers from the spores and from the giant insects cause the humans to improvise and advance their meager capabilities. This is an interesting story but not one that is a page turner. I recommend it to science fiction enthusiasts interested in golden age stories.
October 27, 2013
It was OK as a short story, with flaws. Notably the lack of understanding of cognition or anthropology it displays. But the bug stuff was fun.
The full novel version had merit too, if you wanted more after the short version.
This draft has nothing to recommend it. Read the short story instead. If you want more, go all the way to The Forgotten Planet, but skip this rewrite.
The full novel version had merit too, if you wanted more after the short version.
This draft has nothing to recommend it. Read the short story instead. If you want more, go all the way to The Forgotten Planet, but skip this rewrite.
June 19, 2013
The second of two stories set in a future earth that has become a globally-warmed insectarium stuffed full of giant bugs. Man has degenerated to a savage state. Leinster tells a good story in spite of his inarticulate hero. Is this our future? No, probably not, but a good read.
December 25, 2017
Continuation of Mad Planet. A primitive tribe living in a world of giant insects faces a threat deadly to all. Together they must flee from everything they know. Lead by the only leader in centuries they will travel to find safety as nothing survives the red dust.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews