Wolfbane

Frederik PohlProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.0

Word count: 203K words
Chapters: 21

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.Wolfbane by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik PohlAuthor: Pohl, Frederik, 1919-2013,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 23, 2016

Editor's review

Wolfbane is a science-fiction novel co-written by Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth, a typical product of 1950s American science fiction. Both authors are known for ingenious premises and brisk pacing; this work revolves around alien intervention in human society and carries the era's common motifs of dystopia and psychological control. Its appeal lies in fast-moving setup and dense suspense, while retaining a cold-eyed observation of human nature and herd conformity, so it does not drag. As a public-domain ebook, the text is readily available and serves as a useful supplementary sample for reading science-fiction history, helping readers see how post-Golden Age science fiction moved toward more complex social allegory. Note that it was written early, so some ideas and narrative methods bear the marks of their time and are best viewed historically.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy 1950s American science fiction
Science-fiction fans interested in dystopia and psychological control
Researchers wanting to understand the collaborative style of Pohl and Kornbluth
English learners needing an English science-fiction text for extensive reading

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer contemporary hard science fiction or rigorous scientific settings
Readers sensitive to the era-bound expressions of early science fiction
Readers seeking detailed author biographies and annotations

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to grasp the core premise, then decide whether to read straight through
Watch how characters respond to abnormal situations to appreciate the authors' social allegory
Compare with other 1950s science fiction to observe shared themes and techniques

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 co-written by two authors?

Yes. Sources show that Wolfbane was co-written by C. M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl, both important twentieth-century American science-fiction authors whose collaborations are known for tight pacing and bold premises.

Do I need to know science-fiction history before reading?

Not necessarily. The story stands on its own, but knowing the 1950s science-fiction motifs of dystopia and alien intervention makes the work's intent and historical position easier to understand.

Does this edition have modern notes or an introduction?

This edition comes from the Project Gutenberg public-domain ebook project, which mainly provides the original text; it usually does not include modern editorial introductions, notes, or author chronologies, so readers must supply background themselves.

Comments

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About the author

Frederik Pohl Author · American · 1919–2013

Frederik Pohl (1919–2013) was an American science fiction writer and editor, born in New York on November 26, 1919, and died on September 2, 2013. He began editing science fiction magazines at the age of nineteen and co-wrote The Space Merchants with Kornbluth. His representative works include Gateway, Man Plus, and Jem, and he won the Hugo, Nebula, and National Book Awards multiple times, making him one of the most important figures in the history of science fiction. The library also holds The Tunnel Under the World, Wolfbane, Search the Sky, The Hated, and Survival Kit, among others, spanning short stories and novels. His work often explores social criticism, commercial alienation, and the human condition with fertile imagination and a cold, sharp tone; some titles are classified here under motivational growth.