The Second Voice

The Second Voice is a science fiction novella written by Mann Rubin in the early 1950s. The story follows Robbie Crawford, an ambitious ventriloquist who becomes part of a military experiment to test if his unique vocal talent can communicate with Mars. When his ventriloquist dummy, Spud, successfully transmits a message to the Martians, the narrative explores themes of identity, technology, and the unforeseen consequences of scientific progress as Crawford grapples with the implications of his voice being used against Earth.