Mission Of Gravity: Mesklinite Book 1 (S.F. MASTERWORKS 122)

On Mesklin, a disc-shaped planet and a world too inhospitable for Man, with its greater gravity and oceans of liquid methane and snows of frozen ammonia, an unmanned probe has landed at one of the poles and is unable to be relaunched and only the Mesklinites, a tiny centipede/caterpillar like race, can help. Working with the humans they set off on part of their previously unexplored planet toward the probe, meeting other races and problems as they go, but do they have another agenda as well?This 50s slice of Sci-Fi imagines a world unlike Earth, and beings to match. At first I found this a little bit twee, but as the story progresses I found myself really quite liking it, although somethings don't quite gel, one of the main ones was how a creature so very different from man could actually learn to speak as we do - but then without the communication it would have been a very laboured read, so I can understand where the author was going with this, and it was nice not to have a humanoid alien race.Recommended, not highly though, but definitely not a waste of time, a nice quick read and as with all the SF Masterworks a great cover.

Not normally a reader of fiction but this was a very easy read, with me finishing the whole book in a few days.The aliens and their planet are fascinating and the frequent hiccups in their adventure makes for a gripping read.

I remember this book from many years ago, and was delighted to find a second-hand copy (it's out of print now).The book arrived in good time from the US and - considering its age - is in decent condition.I'm pleased with this purchase.

A book in the 'hard science' fiction category. The story revolves around the unusual structure of a planet. It's the science that drives the story, not the characters. The world is the plot. The 'story' is an account of an exploration. I read it very quickly. The account is curiously gripping.

One of the best Sci-Fi ever written by Hal Clement and it is now in my library collection sci-fi section.

Some minor damage to spine. Would have described as good, rather than Very Good. Otherwise fine.

good story, spoiled by far too many printing errors

It was a little boring