Master of Life and Death

by Robert Silverberg

First published 1968

When his superior vanishes, population control official Roy Walton becomes the "Master of Life and Death" on an overpopulated Earth. Tasked with relocating and rationing the masses, Walton faces mounting crises - a renegade scientist's immortality serum, mysterious aliens with dubious motives, and a looming humanitarian disaster. With resources dwindling and panic spreading, Walton must make impossible decisions that pit lives against lives. But can he find an ingenious solution to save humanity from itself?

Genres: science-fiction, dystopia, thriller, political-thriller

Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: moral-dilemma, power-dynamics

126 pages · Paperback · Anson Street Press

Content warnings: death, violence

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