| "The Sound" | |
|---|---|
| Short story by A. E. van Vogt | |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Science fiction |
| Publication | |
| Published in | Astounding |
| Publication type | Periodical |
| Media type | Magazine, Paperback |
| Publication date | February 1950 |
"The Sound" is a science fiction short story by Canadian American writer A. E. van Vogt, originally published in Astounding in February 1950.[1]
The story takes place during a war between humanity and the alien Yevd, a species with the organic ability to project holographic disguises and fire energy blasts. Over the course of a single night filled with cat-and-mouse intrigue, a young boy thwarts the efforts of a Yevd espionage ring to infiltrate a vast military spaceship-construction yard.
Like much of van Vogt's earlier work, the story has an atmosphere of paranoia, in this case specifically evocative of the second Red Scare.