 The Sector General series began as short stories published in New Worlds from 1957 onwards . Originally White intended to end the series with Star Healer ( 1985 ) , by which time the central characters had reached the top levels in their careers , but Ballantine Books persuaded him to continue . He extended the stories ' range by introducing new central characters beginning with Code Blue - Emergency ( 1987 ) , and The Genocidal Healer ( 1992 ) focused on psychological and theological issues of guilt and forgiveness rather than strictly medical ones . 
