The Executioner

Riley, Frank, 1915-1996Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.7

Word count: 38K words
Chapters: 4

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 Executioner by Frank RileyAuthor: Riley, Frank, 1915-1996,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 22, 2010

Editor's review

Frank Riley was an active short-story writer in the twentieth-century American science fiction scene. The Executioner, released in the same batch as the previous title from Project Gutenberg, is likewise a public-domain eBook under American literature. The value of such works lies in showing the common motifs of genre fiction in a particular era: identity, execution, and moral pressure are often placed in a compact scene, driven by dialogue and action, with an ending that leaves readers to judge for themselves. As a public-domain eBook, it is short and easy to obtain, suitable for readers who want a low-cost quick sample of early English-language science fiction. It is best read as a slice of its time, observing how writers of the period handled tense situations and character motivation, rather than judging it by the standards of a full-length novel. One caveat: the text is in English with no notes, and readers unfamiliar with early popular narrative may find the setup a little fast.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want a low-cost sample of early English-language science fiction short stories
Light readers interested in public-domain eBook resources
Learners who need short material for extensive English reading practice
Readers who enjoy compact scenes and dialogue-driven narrative

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting deep character development and long-form plot
Readers who rely on Chinese translations or line-by-line notes
Readers with no interest in mid-twentieth-century genre-fiction conventions

Reading tips

Read the main text without the introduction first, then think back on the relationship between the title and the story.
Notice how dialogue drives the plot; you might excerpt two or three turning points as language-sense material.
Read it alongside Instant of Decision from the same batch and compare how the two authors handle tense scenes.
After reading, write a hundred-word mini-review recording your impression of science fiction short stories from that era.

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

What is the relationship between this book and Instant of Decision?

Both are public-domain English eBooks released in the same Project Gutenberg batch. The authors are different and the stories are independent, with no plot connection. They can be read separately or compared for stylistic differences.

What genre is the content?

The material classifies it under American and Canadian literature. The author, Riley, was active in the twentieth-century American science fiction scene, so it can be regarded as an early English-language genre short story; the specific plot should be judged from the main text.

Is there a Chinese version?

The material only provides information on the English public-domain eBook and does not mention a Chinese translation. If you need to read in Chinese, you will have to look for another edition, or use it as extensive English reading material.

Is it suitable for reading in one sitting?

Yes. It is a short story with a concentrated scene, and reading it in one sitting makes the ending easier to appreciate. If you pause midway, it is best to remember the current point of conflict so you can pick up the rhythm more easily when you return.

Comments

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About the author

Riley, Frank, 1915-1996 Author

Frank Riley (1915–1996) was an American science fiction writer, though public information about him is limited. Active in the mid-twentieth century, he has five works collected here: Project Hi-Psi, The Executioner, Bright Islands, The Cyber and Justice Holmes, and Abbr. Judging from these titles, Riley worked mainly in short fiction, developing science fiction premises around future technological projects, the law, and cybernetics. His prose is concise, with an emphasis on plot momentum and conceptual play, typical of the popular science fiction magazines of the period. The Cyber and Justice Holmes in particular is often noted for its interest in the boundary between technology, law, and human nature. Because biographical and critical sources are scarce, his full profile remains to be explored, yet the existing works already reveal a popular writer who left his mark on the golden age of science fiction.