SOLVED. scifi generation ship book with a rigid caste system where they had lost the knowledge that they were in a ship. from the 50s [s]

[Alan]

Hi,

I recall reading this book in the late 70s and it game from my dad's collection or one of his brothers. I think it was published in the 50s or 60s.

It was a black hardcover book

The story was something of a coming of age in a generation ship with a rigid caste system where they had lost the knowledge that they were in a ship.

One of the characters was in a hoverchair.

The story ends as they find the control room and maybe put the ship in orbit around a destination planet.

Thanks!

[Sue]

There's 'Orphans Of The Sky' by Robert Heinlein, but I don't remember a hover-chair.
"Ancient myths told of a place called Earth, but the modern world knew it was nonsense. Science knew the Ship was all the Universe, and as long as the sacred Converter was fed, lights would glow and air would flow through the miles of metal corridors. Hugh never questioned these truths until a despised mutie showed him the Control Room and he learned the true nature of the Ship and its mission. "

[Alan]

Orphans is similar but the book I'm recalling did not have the muties.

[drowningmermaid]

Just a stab in the dark: Could it be "Earthseed" by Pamela Sargent?

I think that one was written too late, but it did come in black and was a coming-of-age story on a seed-ship.

[Alan]

It's not End of Exile but that's a pretty good guess. The book I'm trying to recall was probably published about a decade earlier.

While the purpose of the ship had been lost, the maintenance continued through passed down knowledge and this was not a 'jungle in a ship' novel like Non-Stop/Starship by Aldiss or Captive Universe by Harry Harrison.

[Path]

Sue wrote: "There's 'Orphans Of The Sky' by Robert Heinlein, but I don't remember a hover-chair.
"Ancient myths told of a place called Earth, but the modern world knew it was nonsense. Science knew the Ship wa..."

I second Orphans in the Sky, I read it recently and it sounds exactly like it.

[Alan]

Orphans of the Sky is not it. That would be too easy. ;)

[Andy]

This is possibly Journey to Alpha Centauri
John W. Macvey, which has some non-fiction information about generation ships, and a fictional account of a trip. This was also published under the "How we will reach the stars"

[Dirk]

Poul Anderson wrote some similar stuff?

[Shanna_redwind]

Ok, this may be a silly question, but are you positive it was a book? There was a really bad science fiction show that was out around that time era called The Starlost. It was a Canadian production, but I don't know if anyone else picked it up. It has a storyline much as you described.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star...

There was a novelization of the original script called Phoenix without Ashes published in the 1970's.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

[Alan]

I can picture the book and dearly wish I could find it again. I tend to recall books by their cover art and this was a black hardbound with silver embossing.

I found the book as a young teen at my grandmother's house and her six sons were born from 1944 to 1960 and most of them were into science fiction.

The book was very period pre-moon landing and is not something I've read in the last 25 years so it's not something that was by an author I've read and re-read. I'm partially thinking it may have been an older author and have started to make lists including folks like Stanislaw Lem.

[Dirk]

This should help. It looks quite comprehensive - it's a listing of "generation ship" novels and short stories:

http://sciencefictionruminations.word...

[Alan]

Wow!!! Thanks Dirk, that was the clue!

I read down the list and The Star Seekers sounded familiar so I Googled and found this:

http://winstonscifi.blogspot.com/2010...

This really took me back:
http://www.tomswift.org/winston/winst...

[Dirk]

It's a pleasure. Glad I could help. It does look pretty cool!