The Alien

Raymond F. JonesProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 336K words
Chapters: 34

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.The Alien by Raymond F. JonesAuthor: Jones, Raymond F., 1915-1994,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Dec 28, 2015

Editor's review

The Alien is a short science fiction work by the American writer Raymond F. Jones, included among free public-domain eBooks from Project Gutenberg under the American and Canadian literature (PS) category. Jones wrote for science fiction magazines over many years and excelled at setting up a suspenseful premise within limited space, then pushing the story toward a turn through his characters' confusion and choices. The core appeal of this book lies in its handling of the theme of the alien: it is not merely a scary episode about a visitor from outer space but concerns identity, trust, and how humans face an other they cannot understand. The narrative pace is fairly tight, suitable for reading in one sitting and as an introductory sample of short science fiction, helping readers experience the typical craft of Golden Age magazine fiction. Note that the work bears clear marks of its era; its scientific premises and characterization may not meet today's expectations, and it is more a window into early science fiction tastes than a representative of hard SF or long-form world-building. As a public-domain eBook, it is easy to obtain, suitable for finishing one piece on a short commute or before bed, then returning to ponder its twists and implications.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like short science fiction and want a complete story in a short time
Beginners interested in the style of Golden Age science fiction magazine stories
Readers who prefer suspense and twists and are willing to accept old-style SF premises
Learners who need free public-domain English reading for extensive practice

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting hard SF technical detail and rigorous world-building
Readers seeking the complex characters and multi-strand narratives of contemporary long-form SF
Readers who find stereotyped premises in old science fiction hard to tolerate

Reading tips

Read it through in one go first, then revisit the key turns and note how the author builds suspense
After finishing, think about what "the alien" refers to in the story and write down your understanding
For English extensive reading, focus first on dialogue and plot progression; don't look up every new word
If you enjoy it, seek out other short stories by the same author and compare his usual techniques

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 novel long? How long does it take to read?

It is a magazine-style short story with a concentrated narrative, usually finishable in one or two short reading sessions. It suits commuting, lunch breaks, or bedtime, with a little time left afterward to savor the ending's twist and premise.

Does "the alien" in the story mean an extraterrestrial?

"The alien" is the core suspense of the story; it may point to an other from outside, and it also involves a blurred zone of identity and trust. It is best not to look up a plot summary first—read the original directly and let the suspense unfold through the reading; the experience will be better.

Is it suitable for practicing English extensive reading?

Yes. It is a narrative short story with fast plot progression and plenty of dialogue and action, easier to finish than a long novel. Guess unfamiliar words from context first, and after finishing look up only a few recurring key words.

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About the author

Raymond F. Jones Author · American · 1915–1994

Raymond F. Jones (1915–1994) was an American science fiction writer born in Salt Lake City, Utah. His 1952 novel This Island Earth is his best-known work and was adapted into a film of the same name in 1955; he also wrote such novels as Renaissance and The Year of Stardust Fell. The collection here holds nine of his works, including Human Error, The Memory of Mars, The Unlearned, Cubs of the Wolf, The Memory of Mars (Japanese edition), The Great Gray Plague, The Colonists, and A Stone and a Spear, most of them short stories and novellas that often explore technological error, Mars exploration, and the limits of human understanding. His short fiction was nominated for the Hugo Award, and he held a place in the golden age of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines. Public information about his life and career is limited, and existing accounts center mainly on the works listed above.