Conquest Over Time

Michael ShaaraProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 66K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Conquest Over Time by Michael ShaaraAuthor: Shaara, Michael, 1929?-1988,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Mar 15, 2010

Editor's review

Conquest Over Time is a short science fiction story in English by Michael Shaara, digitized and released by Project Gutenberg. Shaara later became known for historical fiction, and this early work shows his concern with time, will, and the human condition: the narration is tight, the idea comes first, and tension is built within a limited space. As a public-domain electronic text, it is useful for observing possible links between an author's early writing and later style, and also serves as a light sample of short science fiction. The prose is generally readable, but carries the narrative habits of mid-twentieth-century science fiction; readers would do well to slow down and watch how the premise unfolds step by step. Because it is a short story, there is no need to look for a grand world-building; pay more attention to the twist or the way the ending closes. Overall, this is a small book suitable for reading in one sitting on a commute or in an afternoon, and for savoring the concept afterward; it also works well for a science fiction reading group discussing short stories.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Michael Shaara's early work
Those who enjoy time-themed and concept-driven short science fiction
Science fiction fans who need free public-domain English texts
Readers organizing short science fiction discussion groups

Not a good fit for

Readers who know only the author's historical fiction and expect the same kind of writing
Readers who prefer long, detailed development and complex character relationships

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting to preserve the suspense, then look back at the opening foreshadowing and how the ending echoes it.
A brief comparison with the background of the author's later works can be made, but do not start with preconceptions.
When reading in English, note the timeline and key premises to help clarify the narrative logic.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this work close in style to the author's historical fiction?

According to the source, this is a short science fiction story by Shaara, different from the historical fiction for which he later became widely known. Readers can treat it as an early sample of his writing and focus on the conceptual design and narrative tension rather than historical detail.

How long is the story, and how long does it take to read?

This is a short electronic text released by Project Gutenberg, usually finishable in one or two reading sessions. For the exact word count, refer to the downloaded text; it suits concentrated reading on a commute or in a short time slot.

Is it suitable as material for a book club discussion?

Yes. The short length makes it easy for members to finish at the same time, and the themes of time and will leave room for interpretation; discussion can center on the logic of the premise, the handling of the ending, and the period background, with low discussion cost.

Comments

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About the author

Michael Shaara Author · American · 1928–1988

Michael Shaara (1928–1988) was an American writer whose work spanned science fiction, sports, and historical fiction. Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, he graduated from Rutgers University, served in the 82nd Airborne Division, and later taught literature at Florida State University. His writing is notable for its range; his early short stories appeared mainly in science fiction magazines and often explored future societies, human predicaments, and individual choices. His novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels, won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and brought him wide attention as a historical novelist. He died of a heart attack in 1988. Seven of his works are held in this collection, including Man of Distinction, Citizen Jell, and The Book. Public information about his life and work remains limited in the Chinese-speaking world, and his science fiction and sports writing have yet to be systematically translated and introduced.