The sequel The Mad Planet, The Red Dust is a story of a world populated by gigantic insects and fungal growths. Human life has been greatly altered and Man struggles to acclimate to the change. And now, he has a new challenge, The Red Dust."Burl raised his spear, and plunged down on the back of the moving thing, thrusting his spear with all the force he could command. He had fallen upon the shining back of one of the huge, meat-eating beetles, and his spear had slid across the horny armor and then stuck fast, having pierced only the leathery tissue between the insect's head and thorax."