The Aliens

Leinster, Murray, 1896-1975Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.4

Word count: 82K words
Chapters: 9

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 Aliens by Murray LeinsterAuthor: Leinster, Murray, 1896-1975,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2008

Editor's review

Murray Leinster's The Aliens is an early science fiction short story that continues the author's favored theme of "alien contact." It wins readers not through grand worldbuilding but through tight storytelling and unexpected twists. For readers familiar with Golden Age science fiction, its value lies in observing how early SF handled the problem of "the other" and the limits of human understanding; for those new to Leinster, it is an easy entry point—short, plainly written, and suited to being read in one sitting on a commute or in spare moments. Note that this is a public-domain ebook, read mainly on screen, with formatting and annotations varying by edition; a well-proofread electronic version is recommended. Overall, it works as an introduction to science fiction or as supplementary reading for genre studies rather than as a long, in-depth read.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Newcomers to Golden Age science fiction
Researchers interested in early alien-contact fiction
Writers seeking material for short science fiction
Light readers on commutes or in spare moments

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long, epic science fiction
Readers uncomfortable with the style of early science fiction
Readers expecting hard SF with detailed scientific worldbuilding

Reading tips

Read once for the narrative rhythm, then revisit the foreshadowing around the twist.
Read alongside a Golden Age science fiction anthology to observe how the theme evolved.
When reading the electronic edition, mind paragraphing and punctuation, and choose a well-proofread version.

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 suitable for science fiction beginners?

Yes. It is short, plainly written, and has a clear central conflict, so it requires little prior science fiction reading. But it is an early work whose narrative style differs from contemporary science fiction; beginners can treat it as a light sample of the genre's traditions and should not expect elaborate worldbuilding.

Why does the recommendation not mention specific plot points?

Because this is a public-domain short story whose inclusion and arrangement vary across electronic editions, and revealing too much plot would diminish the pleasure of reading. The recommendation focuses on reading contexts and reader fit; readers should discover the plot for themselves.

What should I watch for when reading the electronic edition?

Public-domain ebooks are prepared by various volunteers or organizations, and proofreading quality varies. Choose a version from a well-known public-domain platform and watch for obvious formatting errors. If quoting it in research, check page or paragraph numbers against the original to avoid misquotation caused by edition differences.

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About the author

Leinster, Murray, 1896-1975 Author

Murray Leinster (1896–1975) was an American science fiction writer whose real name was William Fitzgerald Jenkins. He was a prolific author of short stories and novels, and this site holds thirty-nine of his works, including The Mad Planet, The Pirates of Ersatz, The Machine That Saved The World, The Forgotten Planet, The Wailing Asteroid, The Invaders, The Runaway Skyscraper, and Scrimshaw. His science fiction often deals with interstellar adventure, strange planets, and technological speculation, with tightly plotted, boldly imaginative narratives that also reflect on human society and the conditions of survival; some works are also categorized as inspirational growth. Public information is limited, making biographical details difficult to describe, but the surviving works show his important place in twentieth-century American popular science fiction and his influence on later writers in the genre.