A Slave is a Slave

Henry Beam PiperProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 129K words
Chapters: 13

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 Slave is a Slave by H. Beam PiperAuthor: Piper, H. Beam, 1904-1964,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Mar 3, 2007

Editor's review

A Slave is a Slave is a novella by science fiction writer H. Beam Piper, included in Project Gutenberg's public-domain ebook collection. Piper is known for space opera and interstellar politics, and this piece shares his signature interest in setting: interstellar civilizations, social systems and power relations form the framework, and the core concept of "slavery" drives the speculation. The work is short, the narrative moves quickly, and it serves as a sample of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazine style. Its value lies not in grand expanse but in raising the old questions of institutions and freedom from a relatively concentrated situation, which readily invites discussion. Because it was written early, some social views and wording bear the marks of their time; readers should view it through the lens of science fiction history. The English is of moderate difficulty and clearly plot-driven, suitable for reading in one sitting in spare moments, and also as short material for a science fiction book club or classroom discussion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classic science fiction short stories and prefer speculative settings
Science fiction fans interested in interstellar politics and social systems
Learners who need English short stories for extensive reading practice
Teachers organizing science fiction book clubs or classroom discussions

Not a good fit for

Readers who do not accept early science fiction style and period attitudes
Readers seeking a full-length novel with a complete world-building
Beginners in English reading who need extensive annotation

Reading tips

Read the short story in one sitting, then revisit key setting and turning points.
Note briefly how the concept of "slavery" is presented as an institution.
Compare with other space opera short stories to sense mid-twentieth-century style.
If used for discussion, prepare two or three questions about institutions and freedom in advance.

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

How long is this novel?

The material does not specify word count or page count, but judging from its form in Project Gutenberg, it is a novella-length science fiction work, usually finishable in one or two readings. Readers are advised to check the length after downloading and then plan focused reading time.

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

No. This is a standalone short novel, and the material shows no required reading order with other works. You can understand the main plot by reading it directly; if the author's style interests you, extending to his other public-domain works is more suitable.

Why mention "marks of the times"?

The author, H. Beam Piper, lived from 1904 to 1964, and the work was written in the mid-twentieth century, so its wording and social views inevitably carry traces of that context. Readers will gain more by understanding it within science fiction history than by judging it directly by contemporary standards.

Is it suitable for learning English?

It can serve as extensive reading material. It is a plot-driven short novel with moderate English difficulty, suitable for learners with some foundation to practice continuous reading. But it contains many science fiction terms and older expressions; beginners should use a dictionary or read a Chinese summary before the original text.

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About the author

Henry Beam Piper Author · American · 1904–1964

The American science fiction writer H. Beam Piper (1904–1964) was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Self-taught, he worked for many years for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He published his first science fiction story in 1947 and went on to write prolifically; 35 of his works are held in this collection. His best-known works include Little Fuzzy, Space Viking, Omnilingual, and The Cosmic Computer, as well as the Terro-Human Future History series. His fiction often centers on contact with alien civilizations, problems of linguistics and translation, interstellar politics, and future history, driving its plots through solid technical and social world-building and combining adventure with speculative reflection; his depiction of deciphering alien documents in Omnilingual is especially admired. He died in 1964. Public information about him is limited and biographical details remain sparse, yet his work still finds readers in English-language science fiction.