Nourse, Alan E.: Star Surgeon

[DMcCunney]

Alan E. Nourse was a US physician and science fiction writer. He wrote juvenile and adult SF, as well as non-fiction books on medicine and science topics. He helped pay for his medical education through writing SF. The title of his novel "Bladerunner" was licensed and used for Ridley Scott's adaptation of the Philip K. Dick novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep".

Information about Nourse can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_E._Nourse

In "Star Surgeon", Earth has developed faster than light travel, and expanded into the galaxy. It encounters and becomes a member of a galactic federation. Membership in the federation requires two things -- that a race has independently discovered FTL travel, and that it has something to offer to the galactic community.

Earth's manufacturing, transport, communications and other achievements lag well behind other races. But Earth has developed medicine to a higher degree than any other member of the Federation. So Earth becomes Hospital Earth, and humanity becomes doctors to the galaxy.

Dal Timgar is a humanoid alien from the planet Garv. Garv is "Government Garv", but Dal doesn't wish to follow that career path. He wishes to become a Star Surgeon, and is the first one not of the human race to do so. He faces considerable opposition, both from prospective patients who can't accept that someone not from Earth could be a Star Surgeon, and from those on Earth who see medicine as Earth's carefully guarded monopoly, and are reluctant to open their ranks to an outsider.

Dal must face more trials than most on his path to being admitted to practice, and unknown to most, Earth has one more requirement to meet to become a full member of the federation.

This is a MobiPocket book with cover, author photo, contents, and formatting. It's also another exercise in learning Book Designer and Mobi Creator. As usual, comments are welcomed.
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Dennis