The Ballad of Beta-2

by Samuel R. Delany

First published 1977

Joneny studies anthropology when he encounters an ancient song that holds secrets about the Star Folk. These people live aboard massive vessels drifting in deep space, completely severed from human civilization. No one understands why they remain isolated or what happened to make them outcasts from their own species. The song offers clues, but its meaning stays locked behind layers of metaphor and forgotten history. Joneny decides to decode the ballad and discover what really happened to these space dwellers. His investigation takes him deeper into their world than he expected. The answers he uncovers challenge everything he thought he knew about the Star Folk and their separation from humanity. What began as academic curiosity becomes a journey that reveals how the past shapes identity and belonging.

Genres: science-fiction, adventure, fantasy, academic

Vibes: lyrical, suspenseful, thought-provoking

Tropes: academic-investigation, hidden-history

Setting: Star Folk, Deep Space

136 pages · Hardcover · Gregg Press

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