Forever

Robert SheckleyProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 20K words
Chapters: 3

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.Forever by Robert SheckleyAuthor: Sheckley, Robert, 1928-2005,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 22, 2009

Editor's review

Robert Sheckley's Forever is a science fiction short story with his trademark black humor and absurdist streak—brief yet sharply plotted, it moves from an ordinary setup to a startling ending, showing the author's keen eye for human weakness and the logic of desire. The prose is light and the pace tight, easy to finish in one sitting and worth mulling over afterward. As a public-domain ebook, it is also a handy entry point to mid-twentieth-century American short science fiction. As you read, watch the tension between the narrator's tone and the plot twist, and see how Sheckley handles serious themes in a joking register.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want a classic sci-fi twist in a short time
Fans of black humor and satirical writing
Newcomers to twentieth-century American short science fiction
Readers looking for a short story for the commute or bedtime

Not a good fit for

Hard sci-fi readers expecting a long-form world and complex setup
Readers who prefer serious, heavy themes or realist style
Readers uncomfortable with English originals and no translation available

Reading tips

Read it once without spoilers, then go back to the ending to see how the foreshadowing was planted.
Afterward, compare it with other short stories by the same author to spot his habitual twist technique.
If reading the English original, note the shifts in colloquial dialogue and narrative voice.

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 a novel or a short story?

Judging by the length of the public-domain ebook and Sheckley's usual output, it is a short story—readable in one or two sittings, with no need for long-term pacing.

Can I understand it without a science fiction background?

Yes. It does not rely on complex technical worldbuilding and reads more like a satirical tale with fantastical elements; ordinary readers can get into it easily.

What if I find the English original difficult?

Read through once for the plot, then use a dictionary for unfamiliar words; if it is still hard, a reliable Chinese translation can help, though choose a legitimate published edition.

Comments

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About the author

Robert Sheckley Author · United States · 1928–2005

Robert Sheckley (1928–2005) was an American science fiction writer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1928, he served with the U.S. military in Korea and later graduated from New York University. He published his first story in 1952 and became known for witty, absurd, and satirical short stories and novels. His work often explores civilization, desire, and the dilemmas brought by technology in an ironic tone, with ingenious plots and often surprising endings. His representative works include Warm, Watchbird, The Status Civilization, Keep Your Shape, Ask a Foolish Question, Cost of Living, Death Wish, and Forever. The library holds 18 of his works. He received the Nebula Award Grand Master title in 2000 and died in 2005. Public information is limited, but his distinctive humor and satire have earned wide attention in the science fiction field.