Summit

Reynolds, Mack, 1917-1983Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 10K words
Chapters: 2

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.Summit by Mack ReynoldsAuthor: Reynolds, Mack, 1917-1983,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Dec 1, 2007

Editor's review

Summit is a short science fiction work by Mack Reynolds, part of the tradition of American popular science fiction magazines. Reynolds's writing often centers on social systems, technological conditions, and human choice; the works are short, the premises clear, the pacing brisk, carrying the speculative interest and pragmatic temperament characteristic of the era's science fiction. The book is best seen as a short science fiction piece with a question at its heart: rather than piling up an elaborate world, it places the reader in a situation that demands judgment. As a public-domain ebook it is easily obtained, suitable as light supplementary science fiction reading and as a way to observe the narrative habits and verbal rhythm of mid-twentieth-century English-language science fiction. While reading, note how the author establishes the background and sets up the turn within a limited space, which is very helpful for understanding how short science fiction is written. One caveat: the technological assumptions and social attitudes of the period are distant from today, and readers should approach them with a historical eye.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy short and novella-length science fiction and prefer tight narratives
Learners who want to understand the style of mid-twentieth-century English-language science fiction
Science fiction fans in need of light English-language original reading
Readers interested in imagined social systems in science fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting long epic worldbuilding and complex premises
Hard science fiction readers looking for contemporary cutting-edge technology
Readers sensitive to depictions of outdated social attitudes

Reading tips

Read it through in one sitting first, then go back and trace where the premise and the turn were set up.
Jot down key premises as you read to help follow the flow of information within the short piece.
Read it alongside other magazine science fiction short stories of the same era to compare narrative conventions.
When English reading stalls, skip unfamiliar words first and keep up with plot and dialogue.

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 long, and is it suitable to read in one sitting?

It is short science fiction with limited length and concentrated narrative, usually completable in one or two readings. Reading it in one sitting makes it easier to grasp how the premise is established and the turn set up; reviewing afterward will then be clearer.

Can I read it without a background in science fiction?

Yes. The premise is set out fairly directly and does not depend on extensive prior knowledge. Readers need only accept a basic premise and follow the characters' situation; if unfamiliar with the science fiction conventions of the era, supplementing with some background material afterward will help.

Does it focus more on technological speculation or social issues?

Given Reynolds's tendencies, the work often uses technological conditions as background and focuses on institutions and human choice. While reading, note the characters' judgments when facing rules; this is often closer to the work's core concern than technical details.

Comments

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About the author

Reynolds, Mack, 1917-1983 Author

Mack Reynolds (1917–1983) was an American science fiction writer, born Dallas McCord Reynolds. Because public information is limited, no speculation is made here about his early life or education. The collection holds twenty-five of his works, including I’m a Stranger Here Myself, The Common Man, Happy Ending, Dogfight—1973, Black Man’s Burden, Off Course, Summit, and Ultima Thule. These titles suggest that he excelled at short stories and novellas, often addressing social issues, race relations, political conflict, and future warfare. His titles are frequently blunt and ironic, his narratives tight, and he makes effective use of suspense and reversal to discuss real-world problems within the framework of popular science fiction. His work appeared mainly in mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines and has had some influence on later socially engaged science fiction.