The Issahar Artifacts

Jesse Franklin BoneProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 22K 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 Issahar Artifacts by Jesse F. BoneAuthor: Bone, Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin), 1916-2006,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jun 29, 2009

Editor's review

The Issahar Artifacts is a short science fiction piece by Jesse F. Bone, concise in length with a clear entry point: it builds its speculation around an "artifact." Bone's science fiction often starts from a concrete object or technical detail and gradually reveals a larger setting and its consequences, and this story reflects that tendency. It does not rely on elaborate world-building; instead, it lets readers follow a process of discovery and judgment, completing a speculative deduction within a limited space. Readers familiar with Golden Age science fiction can recognize concerns common to that period: the nature of unknown creations, the limits of human understanding, and the caution and curiosity with which one faces an alien civilization. As a public-domain electronic text, it works as an introductory sample of short science fiction and as material for discussing how science fiction uses "objects" as narrative pivots. While reading, note how the author controls the pace of information release within a short length.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy short science fiction and conceptual speculation stories
Fans who want to understand the writing style of Golden Age science fiction
Readers who need short English texts for reading practice
People interested in alien artifacts and archaeological-discovery themes

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long-form world-building and deep character arcs
Readers expecting intense action scenes or fast-paced adventure
Readers with little patience for early science fiction narrative styles

Reading tips

Read the short story in one sitting, then revisit the passages where key information appears.
While reading, note how the "artifact" clues are gradually explained or misread.
Compare it with other Golden Age short stories to observe similarities and differences in narrative conventions.
English readers can first read through for plot, then closely read the setting explanations.

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 a novel or a short story, and how long does it take to finish?

It is a short science fiction work of limited length, usually finishable in one reading. It suits reading through in spare moments, then revisiting detail passages as interest dictates.

Is the "artifact" in the story a real historical relic?

No. The artifact in the title is a fictional device in the story, used to develop science fiction speculation. It should be read as a narrative device, not as a real archaeological find.

Is it suitable as discussion material for a science fiction book club?

Yes. The short length lets participants finish quickly, and there is room for discussion around the interpretation and judgment of the "artifact," which can extend to topics such as how science fiction constructs the unknown and handles alien civilizations.

Comments

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About the author

Jesse Franklin Bone Author · American · 1916–2006

Jesse Franklin Bone (1916–2006) was an American veterinarian and science fiction writer, born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1916 and died in Arizona in 2006. He served in the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps and later became a professor at Oregon State University. Alongside his professional work, he wrote science fiction over many years, publishing his first story in 1957. Twelve of his works are held in the collection, including Noble Redman, Insidekick, Founding Father, Assassin, On the Fourth Planet, Pandemic, A Prize for Edie and To Choke an Ocean. His short fiction often deals with interstellar exploration, alien contact, and medical or biological crises, frequently approaching them from a professional perspective; the plots are tight and carry the speculative flavor of Golden Age science fiction. His representative work is The Lani People, and his short story Triggerman was nominated for the Hugo Award. Public information is limited, and details of his life and the full range of his work remain to be further organized.