The Outer Quiet by Herbert D. Kastle - Fear is often Man's greatest enemy. But when there is nothing left to lose, there is everything to gain.... And with everything to gain, where is the enemy?

If the name Herbert D. Kastle rings a bell, it's likely not because of his science fiction work. Kastle, born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924, was primarily known as a thriller novelist, with an impressive seventeen titles to his name. Though his contributions to science fiction were modest—three short stories in the 1950s and another three in the 1960s—he gained some recognition for his 1964 sci-fi novel The Reassembled Man.

In addition to his literary work, Kastle's 1975 novel Cross-Country was adapted into a feature film in 1983. He also ventured into television, co-writing an episode of Bonanza that aired in 1967.

The Outer Quiet is a tale of woe in a post-apocalyptic world, it appeared in the May 1955 publication of If Worlds of Science Fiction.