The Answer

Henry Beam PiperProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 27K words
Chapters: 3

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 Answer by H. Beam PiperAuthor: Piper, H. Beam, 1904-1964,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: May 8, 2006

Editor's review

The Answer is a short science fiction story by H. Beam Piper, belonging to the future history and interstellar civilization themes he often wrote. The story revolves around a discovery; it is not long, yet it advances technology, history, and human choice together, and the ending carries Piper's characteristic coldness and irony. As a public-domain electronic text, it is suitable for getting to know the typical approach of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction short stories: the setting is stated directly, the conflict is concentrated, and the ending often has a twist. Readers need not expect complex character arcs; the focus is on the extrapolation of the setting and the narrative pace. For beginning science fiction readers, it is a light sample of the style of science fiction after the Golden Age; for researchers, it can be used to observe Piper's thinking about future history and the cycles of civilization. The original is in English; the language is straightforward but involves some science fiction terminology and background setting.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Science fiction readers who want a quick taste of H. Beam Piper's style
Beginning readers who enjoy short science fiction and extrapolated settings
Enthusiasts studying mid-twentieth-century American science fiction short stories
Learners who need light English science fiction texts to practice reading

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long-form worldbuilding and complex character development
Readers hoping to read a complete future history series
Readers with weak English reading ability who need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read the short story through in one sitting first, then look back at the clues planted at the beginning to appreciate the design of the ending's twist.
After reading, look up Piper's future history setting to understand the story's place in the larger world.
If used for English learning, excerpt sentences describing the setting and dialogue, and compare science fiction vocabulary with everyday English.
Read it alongside other science fiction short stories of the same period to observe changes in short story writing after the Golden Age.

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 or short?

It is a short story, not long, and suitable for reading in one sitting. The story concentrates on a core discovery and the conflict that follows, with a fast pace.

Can I understand it without having read other works by Piper?

Yes. This story is relatively standalone and does not depend on prior events from other works. However, understanding Piper's future history setting will make it easier to grasp the implied background about civilization and history.

Is there a Chinese translation of this e-book?

This entry is an English public-domain text released by Project Gutenberg and does not itself contain a Chinese translation. Readers who need to read in Chinese can look for a legitimate translation or read the two side by side.

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About the author

Henry Beam Piper Author · American · 1904–1964

The American science fiction writer H. Beam Piper (1904–1964) was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Self-taught, he worked for many years for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He published his first science fiction story in 1947 and went on to write prolifically; 35 of his works are held in this collection. His best-known works include Little Fuzzy, Space Viking, Omnilingual, and The Cosmic Computer, as well as the Terro-Human Future History series. His fiction often centers on contact with alien civilizations, problems of linguistics and translation, interstellar politics, and future history, driving its plots through solid technical and social world-building and combining adventure with speculative reflection; his depiction of deciphering alien documents in Omnilingual is especially admired. He died in 1964. Public information about him is limited and biographical details remain sparse, yet his work still finds readers in English-language science fiction.