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Quiz about Orphans of the Sky
Quiz about Orphans of the Sky

Orphans of the Sky Trivia Quiz


How much do you remember from Robert Heinlein's story of the fate of the lost Proxima Centauri Expedition?

A multiple-choice quiz by Rowena8482. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
Rowena8482
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
273,659
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
431
Awards
Top 35% Quiz
Question 1 of 10
1. What year did the ill-fated expedition set off from Earth? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. The name of the leader of the mutineers has been passed down in folklore through the survivors as the 'Devil' - they invoke him to scare small children and curse each other. What was his name? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. When Hugh starts training to be a scientist, his mentor gives him a book he describes as "one of the most valuable of the sacred writings."
Which book is it?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Which star was the original destination of the Expedition? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. What was the original name of the Ship?

Answer: (One Word - 8 letters, omit 'the')
Question 6 of 10
6. The band of friends adopt a famous literary motto for themselves, from an old book they found. What was it? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Where does "the Knifemaker" live? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Who becomes Captain in Hugh's ill fated attempt to take over the Ship? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. What is Hugh's second wife's name? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. How many people make it into the lifeboat and off the Ship? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. What year did the ill-fated expedition set off from Earth?

Answer: 2119

The Proxima Centauri Expedition was sponsored by the Jordan Foundation, and was a massive colony ship designed to spend several generations en route to a new world suitable for colonisation.
2. The name of the leader of the mutineers has been passed down in folklore through the survivors as the 'Devil' - they invoke him to scare small children and curse each other. What was his name?

Answer: Huff

'Huff' is the scariest thing the survivors know - he is the Devil, the bogeyman, and the thing that goes bump in the night to them. Over the years, as the story of the mutiny has become garbled, he has metamorphosed into an all powerful symbol of Evil.
3. When Hugh starts training to be a scientist, his mentor gives him a book he describes as "one of the most valuable of the sacred writings." Which book is it?

Answer: Basic Modern Physics

Hugh is baffled by the Laws of Motion in the book, and his mentor explains patiently that they cover the relationships between young people of the opposite sex and their behaviour during 'mating rituals' aboard the ship.
4. Which star was the original destination of the Expedition?

Answer: Centaurus

The religious beliefs of the crew say that when "their long trip" is over they will reach "their Heavenly Home, Far Centaurus."
5. What was the original name of the Ship?

Answer: Vanguard

The Vanguard and her lost crew get a mention in another Heinlein book, "To Sail Beyond the Sunset," when Justin mentions over dinner that the ship has been found with no survivors. The lifeboat was missing, however, and by backtracking along the course of the ship, the planet where Hugh and his group land is found. Thus we know that Hugh et al. do make a go of things and have children on their new home world.
6. The band of friends adopt a famous literary motto for themselves, from an old book they found. What was it?

Answer: One for all and all for one!

Very few books remain up in the weightless levels of the ship, as hardly any of the Muties can read. Joe-Jim is exceptional in that he loves reading and is highly intelligent. He does not distinguish between fact and fiction in the books he reads, he has no concept of fiction and thinks every book is true.

He is very impressed by "The Three Musketeers" as they embody all the virtues needed to survive in Joe-Jim's world.
7. Where does "the Knifemaker" live?

Answer: Thermodynamics Lab

'Knifemaker' is vital for the survival of all the Muties and her person and home are sacrosanct. Nobody may draw a weapon or shed blood there.
Knifemaker is outraged when Joe-Jim asks her to make him long knives (swords) as she wants to carry on making knives by the ritualised methods handed down the generations from Maker to Maker.
8. Who becomes Captain in Hugh's ill fated attempt to take over the Ship?

Answer: Phineas Narby

Hugh needs help to man all the stations necessary to start the engines and fly the Ship under control again. Phineas Narby pretends to go along with his plans in order to gain the Captaincy for himself, then betrays Hugh and his friends forcing them to flee in the lifeboat.
9. What is Hugh's second wife's name?

Answer: She doesn't have one

Hugh's first or senior wife is a widow called Chloe. His second wife, a young maiden who he "chose because she made him feel funny" does not have a name because Hugh is too busy to "get around to naming her."
10. How many people make it into the lifeboat and off the Ship?

Answer: 7

The seven who make it off the Ship are Hugh, Ertz, Alan, and their 4 wives. (2 of Hugh's and one each for Ertz and Alan.)
As we know, they found a settlement which flourishes long enough to be found many years later, as reported in the 'news' in "To Sail Beyond the Sunset."
Source: Author Rowena8482

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Related Quizzes
This quiz is part of series Rowena's Heinlein Trivia:

These are the quizzes I have written about Robert A. Heinlein's writings, and one about his life.

  1. The Dean of Science Fiction Average
  2. "Farmer in the Sky" by Robert A Heinlein Tough
  3. Heinlein First Lines Average
  4. Weddings in Heinlein Average
  5. Orphans of the Sky Tough
  6. Double Star Average
  7. Tunnel In The Sky Tough
  8. Heinlein Short Stories - First Lines Tough

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