Supermind

Janifer, Laurence M., 1933-2002Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 408K words
Chapters: 41

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.Supermind by Randall Garrett and Laurence M. JaniferAuthor: Janifer, Laurence M., 1933-2002,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Aug 16, 2007

Editor's review

Supermind is an early science fiction work by Laurence M. Janifer and Randall Garrett, popular science fiction sold on the premise of superpowers or the mind. Project Gutenberg releases it as a public-domain ebook, keeping the barrier to entry low and letting readers encounter the narrative pleasures of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction at no cost. Its value lies not in an expansive world but in how it builds suspense quickly within a short length and moves the plot through dialogue, making it a good introductory sample of the genre's traditions. While reading, watch how the authors handle the clash between the "supermind" premise and everyday logic, and the humor in the characters' intellectual sparring. Because the source is a public-domain electronic text, the formatting is plain; it suits fragmented reading on electronic devices or study by science fiction writers interested in early genre narrative.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who want low-cost access to early American science fiction
Science fiction fans interested in short works about superpowers or the mind
Writers studying mid-twentieth-century genre narrative
Readers used to fragmented reading on electronic devices

Not a good fit for

Hard science fiction readers expecting long, complex worldbuilding
Readers with little tolerance for the plain formatting of public-domain ebooks
Readers who only want contemporary bestselling science fiction

Reading tips

Read the first two chapters to see whether the narrative pace suits you before continuing.
Place the work in its mid-twentieth-century science fiction context to appreciate its premise.
Jot down the authors' dialogue techniques in scenes of intellectual sparring.
Read it in fragments during commutes rather than in long uninterrupted sessions.

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 work?

Judging by the public-domain listing and its length, it is a short early science fiction work, suitable for reading in one sitting or in several; there's no need to plan it like a long novel.

Can I read it without a science fiction background?

Yes. The work is mainly popular narrative with uncomplicated premises, so you can enter the story without prior knowledge of science fiction history; knowing the early genre context simply adds pleasure.

What is the reading experience of the electronic edition like?

The source is a public-domain electronic text from Project Gutenberg: plain formatting, mostly text, suited to phones or e-readers. Don't expect the layout of a hardcover print book.

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About the author

Janifer, Laurence M., 1933-2002 Author

Laurence M. Janifer (1933–2002) was an American science fiction writer. Public information about him is limited, and details of his life are rarely covered in Chinese-language sources. The library holds 14 of his works, including Brain Twister, Supermind, The Impossibles, Charley de Milo, Occasion for Disaster, Lost in Translation, Sight Gag, and The Man Who Played to Lose. Judging from these titles, he was skilled at handling science fiction with a light, humorous touch, building plots around bizarre premises with irony and ingenuity; some works belong to series. His brisk, entertaining style earned him a place in the mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazine and paperback market, and he retains appeal for readers who enjoy traditional humorous science fiction.