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The ballad of Beta-2
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The ballad of Beta-2

by Samuel R. Delany

While investigating the Star Folk, an isolated group of humans living on a cluster of giant spaceships, an anthropology student uses an ancient song to analyse their history, uncovering a truth far stranger than any allegory.

Accession 9180 ISBN — Publisher Ace Books, Inc.
Book Images
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The ballad of Beta-2 spine
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TAGS
Curated Derived
Astronomy Communication Computer Science Literature Science Science Fiction Transportation
CONNECTIONS
No connections
State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
2026-06-04 16:50
orientation
vertical
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured

Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
G:S3:3 5 Current vertical
6 days ago
Book Location
Updated 6 days ago
Vernon snapshot
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Frozen copy of Vernon's record from the last sync. Fields tagged → flow back into the Pulse record.

Last synced 2026-05-21 00:46 (2 weeks, 6 days ago)

Identity

name→ title
The ballad of Beta-2
vernon_id
12970
accession_no→ accession_number
9180
vernon_slug
the-ballad-of-beta-2-by-samuel-r-delany

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf
location_name
Zone S3/Level 1/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
—

Descriptive

production_date
1965
object_type
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object_status
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brief_description
Two science fiction stories. In Empire star, a student reluctantly researches a lost starship. In Empire Star, cat-bodied star-wanderer meets a range of improbable beings.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Samuel R. Delany
tags→ tags
Science, Literature, Philology, Planets, Solar system, Novellas, Fiction, Robots -- Fiction, Robotics, Science fiction, Life on other planets, Extraterrestrial beings, Space in literature, Astronautics, Space sciences, Space vehicles, Navigation (Astronautics)
subject_people
—
subject_objects
—

Cover image

vernon_cover_image_id→ cover_image
28487

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The source payload behind the snapshot above.
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