Brain Teaser

"Brain Teaser" by Tom Godwin is a science fiction novella published in the mid-20th century. The story revolves around the principles of space travel, specifically focusing on a revolutionary concept of a space warp shuttle that allows for rapid interstellar travel. Through its narrative, the book explores themes of human ingenuity, the unknown mysteries of advanced technology, and the consequences of venturing into uncharted dimensions. In the story, Carl Engle, the protagonist, is piloting the "Argosy" on a critical test flight designed to retrieve a spaceship, the "Thunderbolt", from Sirius, amid the threat of alien aggressors known as the Slugs. As things take a disastrous turn, the ship enters the space warp and Engle must navigate the complexities of the new dimension while unraveling an inexplicable phenomenon that causes the ship to simultaneously occupy two distinct positions and travel in multiple directions at once. As he taps into the ship's computer for answers, Engle ultimately discovers that the ship's strange behavior is a result of its expansion within the warp. Faced with the challenge of returning to normal space and evading enemy forces, Engle devises a plan to utilize the shuttle's focal ball to position himself correctly relative to Sirius, highlighting both his resourcefulness and the vast unknowns of space travel. Overall, "Brain Teaser" presents a thought-provoking tale that challenges the boundaries of scientific understanding and exploration, inviting readers to ponder the intricate nature of space and time. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Tom Godwin was an American science fiction author active throughout the 1950s into the 1970s. In his career, Godwin published three novels and around thirty short stories. He is best known for his short story, "The Cold Equations". Published in 1954, the short story was Godwin’s fourth work to be published and was one whose controversial dark ending helped redefine the genre.