The Escape Orbit is a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novel by northern Irish author James White

James White (author)

James White was a Northern Irish author of science fiction novellas, short stories and novels. He was born in Belfast and returned there after spending his early years in Canada. After a few years in the clothing industry, he worked at Short Brothers Ltd. from 1965 until taking early retirement in...

, published in 1963. It was a finalist at the Nebula Award

Nebula Award

The Nebula Award is given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the previous year...

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It tells the story of an human, Warren, who is abandoned on a prison planet by an alien race, the Bugs, who are warring against Earth. Here he finds a society created by the other human prisoners. To avoid a civil war between the factions which have formed by the years, he organizes a successful escape from the planet.