Book Note: Murray Leinster, Med Ship

This note does not contain major spoilers for the book.

 

Another Webscriptions ebook. I've read most of the stories before at least, if not this exact collection of them.

I really like the idea of the Med Service. Completely voluntary, no power to enforce, but so respected that they control medicine pretty well. I'm not sure I *believe* it, though; these days I'm too cynical about what people will believe.

Of course, Med Ship Aesclipus Twenty encounters rather more than its share of extreme problems, but that's just par for the course in fiction. And it's not like he's hitting problems at the Kimball Kinnison level or anything.

I've generally liked medical SF; James White, of course, and also Alan E. Nourse's Star Surgeon. (Did you know that he was a doctor? And that his last name is pronounced "nurse"?)

The stories definitely have inconsistencies. The big one is how the "landing grid" (neat idea) is the only way for ships to get on and off planets, hence war is impossible -- except the Med Ship lands on rockets when necessary, and can get refueled anywhere it goes.