No Great Magic

Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 99K words
Chapters: 10

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.No Great Magic by Fritz LeiberAuthor: Leiber, Fritz, 1910-1992,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Oct 24, 2007

Editor's review

No Great Magic is a short work by Fritz Leiber woven around theater and magic, concise in length yet rich in layers. With skilled narrative technique, Leiber blends the realistic texture of troupe life with supernatural elements, creating within limited space a reading experience that combines suspense and interest. The depiction of the human ways behind the stage and the playful treatment of the concept of "magic" show the author's mature command of genre literature. As a public-domain ebook, it is suitable as an introductory sample of Leiber's short fiction and for reading in one go during fragmented time such as commutes or before bed. Readers may note shifts in narrative perspective and the turn at the end, and appreciate the compact rhythm characteristic of short science fiction and fantasy. Overall, it is a light but lingering piece, suitable for readers interested in classic short science fiction and fantasy to browse at leisure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like classic short science fiction and fantasy and want to read in fragmented time
Readers interested in Fritz Leiber's work who want to understand his short fiction style
University readers studying genre literature and fantasy narrative who need public-domain text samples
Commuters used to reading English originals who prefer lightweight ebooks

Not a good fit for

Deep fantasy readers who prefer long, grand worlds and complex premises
Readers unfamiliar with the theater world who are unwilling to accept related situational description
Beginner foreign-language readers hoping for detailed notes or introductions

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot direction, then look back at shifts in narrative perspective to appreciate the short form's structural ingenuity.
As you read, note how troupe daily life and supernatural elements alternate, and record how the two connect.
If reading the English original, prepare a brief glossary of theater terms to reduce pauses caused by unfamiliar background.
After reading, compare with other Leiber short stories to see his common ways of handling fantasy and reality.

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?

According to the public-domain information, this is a short work of limited length, suitable for reading in one or two sittings. Do not expect the elaboration of a novel; focus on the short form's rhythm and ending.

Can I read it without a background in science fiction and fantasy?

Yes. The work is short and the plot concentrated, with little demand for genre reading experience. If you are unfamiliar with the theater background, simply slow down slightly at related passages; overall understanding is not affected.

Does the electronic edition include notes or an introduction?

According to the given information, the book is a Project Gutenberg public-domain ebook, and no notes or introduction are mentioned. Readers who need background explanation may consult public-domain introductions to the author and work themselves.

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About the author

Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. Author · American · 1910–1992

Fritz Leiber (1910–1992) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, born in Chicago to parents who were both Shakespearean actors. His work spans several genres, with representative titles including The Big Time, Yesterday House, A Bad Day for Sales, The Moon Is Green, and A Pail of Air, as well as the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser sword-and-sorcery series created with Harry Fischer. He excelled at injecting the grotesque and the fearful into everyday settings, combining cool social satire with sharp imagination and a witty, dramatic prose style. Leiber won the Hugo Award six times and the Nebula Award three times, and in 1981 was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, leaving a lasting influence on later genre literature.