Dreamer's World

Walton, Bryce, 1918-1988Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.8

Word count: 38K 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.Dreamer's World by Bryce WaltonAuthor: Walton, Bryce, 1918-1988,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jan 11, 2019

Editor's review

Dreamer's World is an English-language science fiction short story by the American writer Bryce Walton, published free by Project Gutenberg. Walton was active in mid-twentieth-century American popular science fiction magazines, and his works often revolve around psychological states and the boundary between reality and illusion; this story belongs to that vein: with a "dream world" as its core premise, it places characters in situations where reality and illusion are hard to distinguish, driven by suspense, short in length and concentrated in its twists. Its reading value lies in presenting the typical appeal of Golden Age magazine science fiction—concept first, brisk pacing, often a twist at the end—making it a good sample for understanding American science fiction short stories of that period. As a public-domain e-text, it is better suited to light reading and genre-literature research than to readers seeking rigorous worldbuilding or deep characterisation. The original is in English, of moderate difficulty.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy classic science fiction short stories and prefer concepts and twists
Readers who want to understand the style of mid-twentieth-century American science fiction magazines
English learners practising reading with short original English texts
Researchers collecting material on genre literature or the history of science fiction

Not a good fit for

Science fiction readers who prefer long-form works with grand worldbuilding and rigorous settings
Readers expecting deep characterisation and literary description
Readers uncomfortable with the English original who only want a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting; the short story's suspense and twist depend on the rhythm of continuous reading
Watch for clues marking the shifts between reality and dream, and revisit key passages after finishing
Read it alongside contemporary American science fiction short stories to observe common themes and methods
When English reading stalls, grasp the main plot first rather than checking every word

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 story long? How long does it take to finish?

It is a short story, not long; proficient English readers can usually finish it in one or two sittings. It is advisable to set aside an uninterrupted stretch of time to read it continuously in order to preserve the suspense.

Is it hard science fiction or soft science fiction?

It is closer to soft science fiction, focusing on psychological states and the boundary between reality and illusion rather than technical details and scientific extrapolation. Readers expecting rigorous scientific settings may find it insufficiently "hard."

What is the background of the author Bryce Walton?

According to the book's materials, Walton lived from 1918 to 1988 and was an American writer whose works are classified under American and Canadian literature. He mainly wrote popular science fiction short stories; for detailed biographical information, consult authoritative biographical sources, as this book does not elaborate.

Is there a Chinese translation of the e-book?

This is the original English e-book published by Project Gutenberg, with the main text in English. If a Chinese version is needed, one must find a legitimate translation separately or use translation tools for assistance.

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About the author

Walton, Bryce, 1918-1988 Author

Bryce Walton (1918–1988) was a twentieth-century American author of science fiction and popular fiction, little known to Chinese readers, with limited publicly available information. Fourteen of his works are held in the collection, covering space exploration, alien civilizations, future warfare, and relations between the sexes, including To Each His Star, Thy Name Is Woman, The Highest Mountain, The Victor, The Mating of the Moons, Strange Alliance, War Game, and Dreamer's World. Judging from these titles, he was skilled at handling interstellar conflict, human choice, and emotional entanglement through tight plotting and an accessible style. His works were aimed at a broad readership and carry the adventurous flavor and speculative bent common to Cold War-era science fiction. Though not part of the established canon, his writing offers a useful sample for studying the popular science fiction landscape of his time.