Disqualified

Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 6.3K words
Chapters: 1

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. Disqualified by Charles L. Fontenay. Author: Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007. Language: English. Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature. Release Date: Oct 14, 2009.

Editor's review

"Disqualified" is a short science fiction story by Charles L. Fontenay, made available as a free ebook by Project Gutenberg. It carries on the narrative style of the mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines' golden age: concise in length, clear in premise, typically opening with a core science-fictional concept or social setup and unfolding conflict and reversal through the characters' situations. The book is short enough to finish in one sitting in spare moments, and it also serves as a sample of early short science fiction. For readers studying the genealogy of American science fiction or interested in old-school science fiction narrative, it offers a plain and direct reading experience. Note that the Gutenberg edition is an English-language ebook based on public-domain text, without a modern introduction or notes; readers need a reasonable command of English and should place the work in its historical context themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy mid-twentieth-century American short science fiction
Those who want to finish an English short story in spare moments
Students or enthusiasts studying the writing style of early science fiction magazines
Readers in need of free public-domain English ebooks

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for a full-length science fiction novel with an extensive world
Readers who struggle with English and need a Chinese translation
Readers expecting modern science-fictional premises or contemporary issues

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot and core premise, then revisit the foreshadowing at key turning points.
While reading, note how the story handles the relationship between technology and social rules.
If English is a barrier, use a dictionary or a translation alongside the text.
After reading, compare it with other golden-age short stories to appreciate differences in narrative.

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 book a novel or a short story?

Judging from the Project Gutenberg listing, this is a short science fiction work by Charles L. Fontenay, concise enough to finish in one or two sittings. The exact page count varies with the ebook's formatting; use the length of the text as opened.

What level of English is needed to read this book?

The book is an English-language ebook without an accompanying Chinese translation. Readers with general English reading comprehension can read it through; if you read slowly, use a dictionary and focus on dialogue and plot development.

Does this edition include notes or an introduction?

The Project Gutenberg edition is based on public-domain text and typically does not include a modern editor's introduction, notes, or author biography. Readers who want background information will need to consult separate research materials on the author and work.

Is it suitable for research in science fiction literature?

It can serve as a reading sample of early American short science fiction for observing the themes and narrative methods of the time. But it contains no scholarly notes, so research should draw on other sources and author materials; it is not suitable as a sole basis for research.

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About the author

Fontenay, Charles L., 1917-2007 Author

Charles L. Fontenay (1917–2007) was an English-language writer known mainly for his short science fiction, though public information about his life and nationality is limited; what can be confirmed is chiefly his work itself. The library holds fifteen of his works, including The Jupiter Weapon, Service with a Smile, Rebels of the Red Planet, The Gift Bearer, Family Tree, Wind, Disqualified, and Atom Drive. Judging from these titles, he excelled at setting ingenious science-fictional premises within a limited narrative span, often involving planetary adventure, future technology, and human relationships. His tone tends toward light humor or satire, his plots are tight, and his endings frequently carry an unexpected twist. His stories appeared mostly in mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines, making him an active participant in the popular short science fiction of that era. In the absence of complete biographical material, his literary standing should not be overestimated, yet his short stories are still read by science fiction enthusiasts today.