Direct Descent

Direct Descent is a 1980 science fiction novella by American writer Frank Herbert. It was based on his short story "Pack Rat Planet" published in 1954 in Analog [Science Fiction and Fact|Astounding Science Fiction] and was marketed as an illustrated story, with over 60 pages of illustrations to compliment the narrative.

Plot summary

Set in the far future, it consists of two stories about how the peaceful Archivists of the library planet Earth have to deal with warmongers arriving and trying to exploit knowledge for power.