The Devil's Asteroid

by Manly Wade Wellman

It was not very large, as asteroids go, but about it clung a silvery mist of atmosphere. Deeper flashes through the mist betokened water, and green patches hinted of rich vegetation. The space-patroller circled the little world knowledgeably, like a wasp buzzing around an apple. In the control room, by the forward ports, the Martian skipper addressed his Terrestrial companion.
"I wissh you joy of yourr new home," he purred. Like many Martians, he was braced upright on his lower tentacles by hoops and buckles around his bladdery body, so that he had roughly a human form, over which lay a strange loose armor of light plates. In the breathing hole of his petal-tufted skull was lodged an artificial voice-box that achieved words. "I rregrret—"
Fitzhugh Parr glowered back. He was tall, even for a man of Earth, and his long-jawed young face darkened with wrath. "Regret nothing," he snapped. "You're jolly glad to drop me on this little hell."
"Hell?" repeated the Martian reproachfully. "But it iss a ssplendid miniaturre worrld—nineteen of yourr miless in diameterr, with arrtificial grravity centerr to hold airr and waterr; ssown, too, with Terresstrrial plantss. And companionss of yourr own rrace."

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1941

Reviews

[Andrew Hale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exiled from Mars for defending himself against a Martian, Fitzhugh Parr is left basically naked on a Martian prison asteroid similar to Earth. This asteroid/planet's atmosphere causes the human body to devolve back to animals over the course of about a year. Within their right to exile Terrestrials, the Martians are still causing stress on their Treaty with the Terrestrials (humans). Parr experiences two cultures from his initial landing to his second exile from that group, contrasting the nature and intelligence of each group, as well as seeing the natural similarities. A secret mission from the Terrestrial Space Fleet seeks to sabotage and reverse the Martians' crafty technology upon the asteroid while Parr and the exiles reconcile with their natural instincts and hierarchy of intelligence. A quick and entertaining enough read though I wouldn't care to read a novel length of it.

- Fitzhugh Parr
- Sadau - imprisoned on asteroid for stealing Martian government property
- Jeffers - imprisoned on asteroid for killing Martian in a brawl
- Wain - imprisoned on asteroid
- Haldocott - imprisoned on asteroid
- Shanklin - imprisoned on asteroid
- Varina Pemberton - Colonel of Intelligence for Terrestrial Space Fleet
- Ling - imprisoned on asteroid; exiled from exiles; leader of outcasts
- Izak - exiled from exiles
- Ruba/Frank Rupert - exiled from exiles
- Worrell - Captain of the Terrestrial Space Fleet

[Zen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this 5 stars because I really enjoyed this story. It's silly Golden Age Sci-Fi Pulp but it's well written silliness. It even had some nice pathos in it when Ling, the hudge grunt of a man decides to stick with Fitzhugh Parr (dumb name btw) as they head off Into exhile together.

I am calling BS on "The Evolution" machine though. Using Vibrations of some sort, it can De-Evolve a man. And when you flip a switch, you can reverse the process and Re-Evolve the same person back to homo sapien status. I mean.....seriously? Lol.

I listened to an hour audio version of the story as I went out shopping, and it had me smiling all the way.

I started chuckling when, near the end, when MWW put his tongue firmly into his cheeks and started playing with the Sci-Fi Pulp conventions of "The Helpless Girl" protagonist and the swave, clean cut "Action Hero" (with a nicely clipped mustache) protagonist.

Lots of fun and an enjoyable experience.

[Phil Giunta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Martians sentence a Terran named Fitzhugh Parr to exile on a distant asteroid after he murders one of their own, despite his claims of self-defense. Parr soon discovers other human pariah there and from them he learns that all men eventually degenerate into lower lifeforms, which is why each newcomer is automatically ordained the chief of the tribe.

The next Martian transport arrives a month later to deliver the asteroid’s first female prisoner, Varina Pemberton. A failed attempt by Parr and company to capture the ship results in the deaths of four exiles. However, they managed to capture the ship’s captain and take his weapons and armor. The tribe then names Varina as ruler and kicks Parr out of the tribe although they allow him to keep the armor.

Parr must now fend for himself against primitive men until he can find another way off of the asteroid.

[Joseph Carrabis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story from the Golden Age, I picked up Devil's Asteroid because I enjoyed Wellman's SilverJohn stories.
Devil's Asteroid has an interesting premise. Several interesting premises, really. Current era authors probably would have turned this into a bio-espionage story and handed it over to Netflix. Some interesting writing techniques, nothing amazing.
And a quick, fun read with a heroine who becomes armcandy in the last few paragraphs (I laughed out loud when I read that).

[Alan Loewen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Pulp SF Story From A Different Time

I was not aware Wellman, better known for his Silver John stories, wrote SF, but this story of human criminals exiled to a terraformed asteroid shows the master at his best.

The story keeps you guessing as to the motives of various character, but the tale has a satisfying ending with no loose ends. Read and enjoy this short story from the Golden Age of SF.

[Evan Purcell · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite classic sci-fi stories. A group of prisoners are sent to an asteroid where they slowly devolve. There’s a good bit of body horror baked into the premise, along with its more standard sci-fi trappings. The narrator is an interesting, sympathetic character (unfairly convicted for a crime of self-defense), but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that he’s not really the protagonist of the story. I liked that. It felt subversive.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶🔰

Another will written fantasy Sci-Fi adventure thriller short story by Manly Wade Wellman about a penalty asteroid where a number of prisoners are making plans which come to nothing as war breaks out between earth 🌎and Mars. I would recommend this novella to readers looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of books. 🏡🔰👒😢 2022

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has some good action, which helps it to overcome some logical flaws in the narrative and it’s woo-woo science. It’s nice to see the princess save the day, particularly considering when this was published.

This story is available for free on Gutenberg.

[Harvey Dias · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting short story about tribal life in a penal colony in space. Tribal is an apt description because evolution is going in reverse at a rapid pace and most everybody has degenerated into an early primate version of themselves. A pleasant read.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A martian penal colony for humans where the punishment is reverse evolution. Long for a short story and a product of the times.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY]

A story of a prison planet.

Freebie. A man accidentally kills a Martian . The Martians confine him to an artificial asteroid prison. The man survives against the odds.

[Seth Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A grand adventure

This story reads like an updated Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is part Barsoom, part Tarzan, and part Lost World. A great quick read.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this....another Sci Fi story.

I really liked this. The writing, the Story, the characters....it made for an enjoyable read.

[Shannon Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Raed

If you like old pulp stories from the 50’s and 60’s this one will be right up your alley. Fun read and definitely kept my interest all the way through.

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story

[Susan Molloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

✔️Published in Comet: July 1941 issue.

Fitzhugh Parr was in a pickle, and it took all he could muster to change that. You see, he was sent to an asteroid that was “not very large, as asteroids go, but about it clung a silvery mist of atmosphere.”

And why it that? you might ask. Let us peek in to the conversation he was having that ultimately sent him to that asteroid:

"I wissh you joy of yourr new home," he purred. Like many Martians, he was braced upright on his lower tentacles by hoops and buckles around his bladdery body, so that he had roughly a human form, over which lay a strange loose armor of light plates.

Fitzhugh Parr glowered back.

"It wasn't for murder!" exploded Parr. "I struck in self-defense!"

Yet, Parr was sent there anyway.

Following that, he found himself on adventures that made my skin crawl and my hair curl even more. He met the lovely and gracious Varina Pemberton, placed in this story, I believe, to add to the allure of romance.

This is a fun, and sometimes humorous short story from the Golden Age of Science Fiction. This is the first of Manly Wade Wellman's works that I read, and I enjoyed it. I believe it clever on how he wrote the speaking style of Martians.

Take a trip to The Devil's Asteroid; you just might enjoy it, too!

🟣Kindle version.
🟤Project Gutenberg.

[Thom Swennes · Rating 2 out of 5]

At first sight it could have been the Garden of Eden (in miniature) as the asteroid was covered with lush vegetation and seemed to be perfectly suited for human inhabitation. When the extremely tall Fitzhugh Parr arrived on the asteroid, the settlement’s leader declared himself the minion of the newcomer. This strange behavior was due to a mysterious regressive state that affected all of the human population. In a relative short time the prisoners changed from productive, intelligent and social beings to increasingly less beings and ending in a wormlike or maybe even vegetative state. Fitzhugh wasn’t prepared to accept this state of affairs without a struggle. This story tells of this great effort. I would have to strand this book at two stars as it failed to inspire me and I found myself struggling to finish the book. With so many really great books to read, this one can only be deemed as a waste of time.

[MB Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun SF short story from 1941. This is from the early part of Wellman’s career; the first John the Balladeer story wouldn’t be published until 1951.

The story’s a little on the silly side. A treaty between Earth and Mars doesn’t allow the Martians to execute human criminals, but it doesn’t forbid exiling them an asteroid, where they slowly devolve…

In the rough society that has evolved the most recently arrived prisoner is automatically the chief. Prisoners who have devolved too much are exiled, and they have formed their own society where the strongest is chief. Nothing too deep here, but good clean SF pulp fiction fun.

Available in several formats from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22538

[Nicholas Griffith · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think it's unfair to judge this little piece of fiction as though someone had written it only yesterday. From another time, an earlier time, it reads cheesier than the twilight episodes its author sired. Sifting through this sort of work makes you believe things once were simpler. Less complex. Too clear to be trustworthy. Though whatever my misgivings about Manly Wellman, at least he wrote prodigiously.

[Sonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my typical fare, but I really enjoyed The Devil's Asteroid. It's definitely more of a sci-fi vibe than I go for and maybe geared a little more to the masculine minded, but it was action-packed and exciting.

[Daniel Swensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Remniscent of the John Carter of Mars stories. Not exactly a progressive tale, but a fun read nonetheless.

[Jerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oddly enjoyable despite the deus ex machina and futility of action! Very short, so if you like space adventure with a twist, try it.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

An audio version of a 1941 sci-fi pulp short story where asteroid inhabitants start to 'devolve.'

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good, old-fashioned SF fun. Great for people who love the old, classic SF of the 50's and before.