With No Strings Attached

Garrett, Randall, 1927-1987Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.0

Word count: 36K 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.With No Strings Attached by Randall GarrettAuthor: Garrett, Randall, 1927-1987,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Oct 26, 2007

Editor's review

Randall Garrett was a seasoned American author in science fiction and fantasy, and this short piece, "With No Strings Attached," serves as a good entry point to his short-form style. The title itself carries a pun, and the story typically revolves around a technological premise and human reactions to it, with the wit and irony characteristic of mid-twentieth-century science fiction. As a public-domain electronic text, it is easy to obtain and read through, suitable for finishing on a commute or in a short session. While reading, pay attention to how the author uses brisk dialogue to advance the premise, and to the twist at the end regarding the idea of "no strings attached." Because it is a short story, do not expect a grand worldview; it is better enjoyed as a clever science fiction sketch. Readers familiar with the magazine science fiction tradition of that era will more easily catch the humor and the undertones.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy mid-twentieth-century short science fiction
Readers who want a quick introduction to Randall Garrett's style
People who read short stories on commutes or in fragmented time
Readers interested in technological irony in science fiction sketches

Not a good fit for

Science fiction readers who prefer long, grand worldviews
Those expecting serious hard science fiction technical detail
Readers unaccustomed to the narrative pace of early magazine science fiction

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting to preserve the full effect of the ending twist.
Do not look up too much background before reading; experience the story's own pleasures first.
After reading, revisit the title and key dialogue to appreciate the pun.
If you enjoy it, seek out other Garrett short stories to compare his comic style.

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 work a novel?

No. It is a short work with limited length, suitable for reading in one or two sessions. Readers should not approach it with the expectations of a novel; the focus is on the cleverness of the premise and the narrative pace, not elaborate worldbuilding.

Do I need to know the author's other works first?

No. This piece can be read independently. Garrett was known for short science fiction and fantasy, often with wit and irony; if you are interested after reading, you can explore his other works, but that is not necessary to understand this one.

Does the Gutenberg edition include notes or an introduction?

Gutenberg ebooks usually provide the original text and generally do not include modern notes or introductions. If readers encounter questions about the historical background or terminology, they can consult relevant materials on their own, or read through first and then revisit the details.

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About the author

Garrett, Randall, 1927-1987 Author

Randall Garrett (1927-1987) was an American science fiction writer active in the mid-twentieth century. Public information about his life is limited, and details such as his exact birth and death dates and nationality still require further verification. The library holds 43 of his works, including The Highest Treason, Dead Giveaway, The Foreign Hand Tie, Thin Edge, The Asses of Balaam, Anything You Can Do!, That Sweet Little Old Lady, and The Bramble Bush. Judging from these titles, his output consists mainly of short stories and novellas, often built around tricks, misunderstandings, and reversals. He was skilled at creating suspense within a limited space, advancing plots through witty dialogue and a brisk pace, and frequently ending with an unexpected twist. His titles often carry a playful, ironic tone, showing a confident command of science fiction conventions and a humorous attitude toward them. Although public information is limited, these works remain useful samples for studying mid-twentieth-century English-language science fiction short fiction.