Badge of Infamy (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Classic Mars Medical Dystopia of Plague, Guild Control, and RedemptionBy Lester del Rey
Length4h 25m
About this audiobook
Lester del Rey's Badge of Infamy is a compact but pointed work of mid-century science fiction, combining medical drama, planetary adventure, and social critique. Set in a future where professional guilds and public reputation govern survival, the novel follows a disgraced physician marked by an emblem of shame and driven into the harsh margins of Martian society. Its prose is direct, urgent, and characteristic of Golden Age SF: economical in texture yet rich in ethical implication, especially in its treatment of authority, scientific responsibility, and the cost of institutional rigidity. Del Rey, born Leonard Knapp, was one of the central figures in American science fiction's formative decades—as writer, editor, critic, and later a major publishing influence. His fiction often joined accessible storytelling with moral inquiry, reflecting both the optimism and anxieties of postwar technological culture. Badge of Infamy bears his characteristic concern for humane intelligence under pressure, and for individuals who must act ethically when systems fail them. This book is recommended for readers interested in classic science fiction that moves quickly while raising enduring questions. It will especially appeal to those who enjoy medical ethics, Mars narratives, and stories of redemption through competence, courage, and scientific integrity.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.5 (275)
Includes Goodreads
GenreScience Fiction, Dystopia
Length4 hrs 25 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateFeb 5, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
13VIII Fool
2Introduction
14IX Judgment
3Synopsis
15X Execution
4Historical Context
16XI Convert
5Badge of Infamy
17XII War
Show all chaptersShow less
6I Pariah
18XIII Susceptibility
7II Lobby
19XIV Immunity
8III Spaceman
20XV Decision
9IV Martian
21Analysis
10V Surgery
22Reflection
11VI Research
23Memorable Quotes
12VII Plague
A Trip to the Red Plane (Annotated)Lester del Rey9h 21m$2 · $0.00
The Sky Is Falling (Annotated)Lester del Rey4h 41m4.1 (23)$2 · $0.00
The Stars Look Down (Illustrated) (Annotated)Lester del Rey5h 51m$2 · $0.00
Victory (Annotated)Lester del Rey2h 49m$2 · $0.00
Police Your Planet (Annotated)Lester del Rey5h 54m3.5 (685)$2 · $0.00
I Am Tomorrow - Lester del Rey Collection (Annotated)Lester del Rey21h 36m$2 · $0.00
The Invasion From Above (Annotated)Lester del Rey4h 53m$2 · $0.00
LESTER DEL REY - Boxed Set (Illustrated Edition)Lester del Rey22h 2m$2 · $0.00
Badge of Infamy (Pandemic Sci-Fi Classic)Lester del Rey4h 16m3.7 (417)$1.99 · $0.00
The Sky Is FallingLester Del Rey3h 38m3.4 (209)$2 · $0.00
Police Your PlanetLester Del Rey3h 53m3.4 (795)$2 · $0.00
Pursuit (Sci-Fi Classic)Lester del Rey2h 45m3.2 (37)$1.99 · $0.00
PursuitLester Del Rey1h 56m3.2 (37)$1 · $0.00
A Trip to the Red Planet: Police Your Planet & Badge of InfamyLester del Rey9h 9m$1.99 · $0.00
Let'em Breathe Space (Annotated)Lester del Rey2h 50m4.2 (11)$1.99 · $0.00
Police Your Planet (Sci-Fi Classic)Lester del Rey5h 43m3.5 (684)$1.99 · $0.00
The Invasion From Above: Pursuit &VictoryLester del Rey4h 44m3.7 (24)$1.99 · $0.00
LESTER DEL REY - Boxed Set (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)Lester del Rey21h 35m3.5 (16)$1.99 · $0.00
Badge of Infamy & The Sky Is Falling (Annotated)Lester del Rey8h 7m$1.99 · $0.00
Before the Coffee Gets Cold: A Toshikazu Kawaguchi Book SetToshikazu Kawaguchi18h 55m4.5 (1.4K)$40 · $0.00
PRIMAL 2055 - EscapeJack Silkstone6h 47m4.4 (232)Free
The Galaxy, and the Ground WithinBecky Chambers9h 56m4.5 (55.2K)$29 · $0.00
TimelessR. A. Salvatore12h 30m4.5 (8K)$33 · $0.00
Thud!Terry Pratchett12h 29m4.4 (108.4K)$8 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesLucy Maud Montgomery10h 54m4.4 (1.3M)$12 · $0.00
Science Fiction & Fantasy CollectionH. P. Lovecraft16h 32m4.5 (2.7K)$2 · $0.00
The Twilight Zone Companion, Second EditionMarc Scott Zicree16h 46m4.5 (1.8K)$28 · $0.00
Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen (Annotated)H. Beam Piper8h 23m4.5 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
Philip K. Dick: SF Boxed SetPhilip K. Dick29h 38m4.5 (608)$1 · $0.00
Magician's EndRaymond E. Feist17h 5m4.4 (21.7K)$40 · $0.00
Good OmensNeil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett12h 14m4.4 (1M)$29 · $0.00
The Emperor's FistJay Allan8h 37m4.5 (272)$26 · $0.00
The DispossessedUrsula K. Le Guin13h 26m4.4 (189.3K)$33 · $0.00
1984George Orwell11h 31m4.3 (6.2M)$1.20 · $0.00
Lost ValleyWalt Browning7h 47m4.3 (5.4K)$20 · $0.00
AgincourtBernard Cornwell16h 18m4.3 (41.4K)$40 · $0.00
Frankenstein (The Uncensored 1818 Edition) (Annotated)Mary Shelley9h 25m4.3 (1.7M)$3 · $0.00
The World Wasn't Ready for YouJustin C. Key11h 34m4.4 (812)$5 · $0.00
Godzilla vs. KongGreg Keyes10h 32m4.3 (1.4K)$20 · $0.00
The Road to Gundagai (The Matilda Saga, #3)Jackie French12h 31m4.6 (1.2K)$33 · $0.00
1984 & Animal Farm (Annotated)George Orwell15h 54m4.5 (220.8K)$3.99 · $0.00
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd & The HollowAgatha Christie14h 6m4.6 (441)$33 · $0.00
The Rose CodeKate Quinn16h 2m4.4 (493.7K)$33 · $0.00
My Dear HamiltonStephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie23h 7m4.4 (63.6K)$46 · $0.00
Philip K. Dick: SF Boxed SetPhilip K. Dick29h 38m4.5 (608)$1 · $0.00
The Act of DisappearingNathan Gower12h 23m4.4 (3.4K)$8 · $0.00
The Consequences of FearJacqueline Winspear10h 28m4.4 (26.1K)$29 · $0.00
At the Foot of the Cherry Tree: The bestselling, heart-warming novel based on a true story of forbidden love & heartbreak SHORTLISTED FOR THE DYMOCKS 2023 BOOK OF THE YEARAlli Parker10h 8m4.4 (5.6K)$29 · $0.00
Counting Lost StarsKim van Alkemade13h 55m4.4 (22.7K)$33 · $0.00
The German WifeKelly Rimmer13h 49m4.3 (70.3K)$33 · $0.00
The Tattooist of AuschwitzHeather Morris7h 26m4.3 (1.4M)$24 · $0.00
1984Eric Arthur Blair12h 41m4.3 (6.1M)$1 · $0.00
The Unbreakable Heart of Oliva DenaroViola Ardone8h 57m4.3 (14.7K)$29 · $0.00
The Pearl That Broke Its ShellNadia Hashimi13h 47m4.3 (125.6K)$8 · $0.00
Lord of the SilentElizabeth Peters6h 7m4.3 (14.9K)$24 · $0.00
The Little LiarMitch Albom7h 41m4.3 (122.5K)$26 · $0.00
The Benevolent Society Of Ill-Mannered LadiesAlison Goodman15h 33m4.3 (25.5K)$33 · $0.00
The Flight GirlsNoelle Salazar10h 21m4.3 (49.9K)$29 · $0.00
Scandalous WomenGill Paul10h 46m4.4 (1.5K)$29 · $0.00
You may also like
BehemothJoshua B. Freeman13h 43m4.0 (1.4K)$23
The Green Hills of EarthRobert A. Heinlein6h 32m4.1 (11.4K)$14
An Unkindness of GhostsRivers Solomon11h 53m4.1 (36.3K)$23 · $0.00
Escaping ExodusNicky Drayden10h 7m3.9 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
CAPITAL (Complete 3 Volume Edition)Karl Marx98h 7m4.5 (3.2K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 2-BIsaac Asimov, Jack Vance, others22h 43m4.4 (1.9K)$25
Critique of the Gotha Programme (Annotated)Karl Marx2h 44m4.3 (12.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
Judgment DayRick Partlow10h 44m4.6 (2.6K)$20
The Communist ManifestoKarl Marx1h 36m3.9 (239.6K)$5 · $0.00
LESTER DEL REY - Boxed Set (Illustrated Edition)Lester del Rey22h 2m$2 · $0.00
Thirteenth State of the Nation AddressFerdinand Marcos1h 1m$2 · $0.00
Badge of Infamy (Pandemic Sci-Fi Classic)Lester del Rey4h 16m3.7 (417)$1.99 · $0.00
Amazing Tales Volume 70Poul Anderson et al.4h 45m$2.30
Russian Avant-GardeEvgueny Kovtun3h 23m4.4 (32)$15 · $0.00
Glass Horizons John Weismore52m4.9 (27) Only with Ultra
Shadow of ExtinctionClint Rauscher57m4.0 (12) Only with Ultra
The Shattered World WithinPatty Jansen1h 58m3.6 (19) Only with Ultra
Amazing Tales Volume 116Irving E. Cox4h 57m$2.30
Blind Man's Lantern and five more storiesAllan Kim Lang8h 34m3.3 (15)$2.30
AbductedRoy Malcolm6h 21m4.4 (21)$2.99 · $0.00