Next Door, Next World

Robert Donald LockeProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.5

Word count: 62K words
Chapters: 7

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.Next Door, Next World by Robert Donald LockeAuthor: Locke, Robert Donald,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Aug 6, 2008

Editor's review

Next Door, Next World is a science fiction work by Robert Donald Locke, classified under American and Canadian literature. Judging from the title and genre, it imagines adjacent worlds or parallel spaces, placing it within the mid-twentieth-century tradition of science fiction short stories or novellas. As a public-domain eBook from Project Gutenberg, its value lies first in accessibility: readers can obtain it free of charge to explore the themes and narrative habits of early English-language science fiction. For science fiction fans, the book offers a plain early sample of the parallel-world motif; for readers studying genre literature, it can serve as reference material. Note that public-domain eBooks generally lack modern introductions or annotations, so readers may need to adapt to the language style and science fiction conventions of the period and should not expect contemporary hard-SF-style technical detail.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language science fiction readers interested in parallel worlds
Genre literature fans curious about early English-language science fiction
Readers seeking free English science fiction texts
Literature students studying the evolution of science fiction motifs

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer contemporary hard SF with rigorous technical worldbuilding
Beginners with weak English reading skills who are unwilling to look up words
Readers seeking modern annotations, introductions, or author research materials

Reading tips

Read the first few pages to gauge the language style, then decide whether to read straight through or selectively.
While reading, pay attention to the rules of the parallel-world setup and note key clues as you go.
After finishing, compare it with classic science fiction short stories on the same theme to observe how the motif has changed.
If using it for research, look up background on the author and the era of publication before reading the main text.

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 a novel or a short story?

The available information only identifies it as a science fiction work by Robert Donald Locke, classified under American and Canadian literature, and gives no specific length. Readers can check the file size or chapter structure on the Project Gutenberg page to judge. It is advisable to skim the table of contents or the opening section first, then decide how to read it.

What background knowledge is needed before reading?

No specialized expertise is required. Familiarity with common mid-twentieth-century English-language science fiction themes, such as parallel worlds and adjacent spaces, will help. Public-domain eBooks usually have no introduction, so readers may look up brief background on the author and publication era themselves to better grasp the work's historical context.

Is this book suitable for science fiction beginners?

It can serve as supplementary reading, but it is not necessarily the best starting point. Its language and premises bear the marks of early science fiction, and readers new to English-language science fiction may be better served by modern works or annotated anthologies. Those who have already read some classic science fiction short stories will find it easier going.

Comments

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About the author

Robert Donald Locke Author · American

Robert Donald Locke was an American science fiction writer who served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. In 1952 he published his first science fiction story, "Demotion," in Astounding Science Fiction, and went on to publish about twelve short stories in magazines such as Imagination and Amazing Stories through 1961. In 1956 he released the novel The Immortal Ones under the pen name Roger Arcot. Works including Next Door, Next World, G-r-r-r...!, and Deepfreeze were later made available as ebooks by Project Gutenberg. Because public information is limited, details of his life and the full scope of his work remain to be further explored, and existing accounts center mainly on the short stories and novel mentioned above.