A Hitch in Space

Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr.Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 21K 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.A Hitch in Space by Fritz LeiberAuthor: Leiber, Fritz, 1910-1992,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 13, 2016

Editor's review

"A Hitch in Space" is a short science fiction work by the American writer Fritz Leiber, included in the public-domain ebook project. Leiber is known for skillfully constructed science fiction shorts with satirical and suspenseful touches, and this piece continues his brisk, imaginative narrative style, suited to experiencing the pleasures of a Golden Age science fiction short in a single brief sitting. As an English public-domain text, it is short and easy to approach, and can be used to understand the common methods and thematic interests of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazine shorts. While reading, note how the author builds suspense and reversal within a limited length, and it can also be analyzed as a model for short science fiction writing. Suitable for reading in one go during a commute or in fragmented time.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want a quick taste of Golden Age science fiction shorts
Those interested in Fritz Leiber's work or the American science fiction magazine tradition
Learners who need English short fiction material for reading practice
Casual readers who enjoy brisk, suspenseful short science fiction

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long-form worldbuilding and hard science fiction technical detail
Readers expecting deep social critique or complex character development
Readers unaccustomed to reading English originals or the short story form

Reading tips

Read it in one go during a commute or in fragmented time to keep the suspense continuous.
After finishing, look back at the opening foreshadowing to appreciate how the short story sets up suspense and reversal.
Read it alongside other Golden Age science fiction shorts to observe common genre conventions.

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 type of work is this, and is it long?

"A Hitch in Space" is a short science fiction work by Fritz Leiber. It is brief and belongs to the common type of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction short, suitable for reading in one go in a relatively short time.

Can I read it without a science fiction background?

Yes. The work is short and easy to approach, and does not depend on extensive worldbuilding. Basic English reading ability is enough; just pay attention to the suspense and reversals to enjoy it.

Is this version in English or Chinese?

This version is a public-domain ebook in English. If English reading is difficult, you can first learn the plot summary before reading the original, or use a Chinese translation to aid understanding.

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About the author

Fritz Reuter Leiber Jr. Author · American · 1910–1992

Fritz Leiber (1910–1992) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, born in Chicago to parents who were both Shakespearean actors. His work spans several genres, with representative titles including The Big Time, Yesterday House, A Bad Day for Sales, The Moon Is Green, and A Pail of Air, as well as the Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser sword-and-sorcery series created with Harry Fischer. He excelled at injecting the grotesque and the fearful into everyday settings, combining cool social satire with sharp imagination and a witty, dramatic prose style. Leiber won the Hugo Award six times and the Nebula Award three times, and in 1981 was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, leaving a lasting influence on later genre literature.