The Status Civilization is a science fiction novel by Robert Sheckley. The protagonist is Will Barrent, who finds himself, without memory of any crime, or, indeed, of his previous life, being shipped across space to the planet Omega. Omega, used to imprison extreme offenders, has a hierarchical society of extreme brutality, where the only way to advance (and avoid dying) is to commit an endless series of crimes. The average life expectancy from time of arrival on Omega is three years. The story tells Barrent's attempt to survive and escape Omega, and return to Earth to clear himself of the accusations against him. Artist Bio Author: Robert Sheckley (1928-2005) was an American writer of science fiction. His numerous quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, absurdist, and broadly comical.