Beside Still Waters (book)

Beside Still Waters is a novel written by Robert Sheckley and published in 1990. It is a science fiction satire exploring themes of bureaucracy, incompetence, and the search for meaning in a seemingly absurd universe. The story follows the protagonist, Paul Surveyor, as he navigates a Kafkaesque government agency dealing with bizarre and often pointless tasks on a distant planet. Surveyor is a relatively new recruit attempting to find his place within the organization and understand its illogical processes. The book utilizes humor and absurdist situations to critique societal structures and human nature, particularly in the face of power and responsibility (or the lack thereof). Its style is consistent with Sheckley's well-known satirical approach to science fiction, often comparing it to the works of Douglas Adams. The novel is known for its inventive world-building and its exploration of the human condition through a lens of dark humor and philosophical inquiry.