The Peacemaker

By Alfred Coppel

Alfred Coppel was a science fiction writer in the middle of the 20th century. He wrote adventurous stories for numerous pulp magazines. Other works by Coppel can be found under his pseudonym Robert Cham Gilman. This is one of those stories.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Start Classics
• Release date: Apr 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781609776978

Alfred Coppel

Alfred Coppel (1921-2004) was an American author and writer of science fiction and historical fiction. He was born in New York City and served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, where he flew 150 combat missions as a navigator and bombardier. After the war, Coppel pursued a career in writing and published his first short story in 1947. He went on to write over 40 novels and numerous short stories, many of which were published in science fiction magazines such as Galaxy and Astounding Science Fiction. Coppel's work often explored themes of war, politics, and the human condition. Some of his notable works include "The Burning Mountain," "The Hills of Home," and "The Glory Boys." He also wrote several historical novels under the pseudonym Robert Cham Gilman. Throughout his career, Coppel received several awards for his writing, including the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Short Story in 1955. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 82.

Book preview

The PEACEMAKER

By Alfred Coppel

Start Publishing LLC

Copyright © 2012 by Start Publishing LLC

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

First Start Publishing eBook edition January 2014

Start Publishing is a registered trademark of Start Publishing LLC

Manufactured in the United States of America

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ISBN 978-1-60977-696-1

The legends of Jaq Merril are legion--but legends. Hark, ye, then to the true story of the pirate benefactor of Mankind!

We humans are a strange breed, unique in the Universe. Of all the races met among the stars, only homo sapiens thrives on deliberate self-delusion. Perhaps this is the secret of our greatness, for we are great. In power, if not in supernal wisdom.

Legends, I think, are our strength. If one day a man stands on the rim of the Galaxy and looks out across the gulfs toward the seetee suns of Andromeda, it will be legends that drove him there.

They are odd things, these legends, peopled with unreal creatures, magnificent heroes and despicable villains. We stand for no nonsense where our mythology is concerned. A man becoming part