The Big Tomorrow

Richard Sharpe ShaverProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.7

Word count: 31K 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.The Big Tomorrow by Richard S. ShaverAuthor: Shaver, Richard S., 1907-1975,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 8, 2009

Editor's review

The Big Tomorrow is a short science fiction piece in English by Richard S. Shaver, a public-domain e-book in the American literature category. Shaver is known for the imaginative writing that appeared in mid-twentieth-century pulp science fiction magazines, and this piece continues that era's focus on unknown technologies and the human condition. It is short, moves the plot along directly, and bears the clear narrative style of pulp magazines. Its value lies in offering readers a sample of early American popular science fiction, suitable as supplementary reading for the history of the genre and for readers who want to finish an English short story in a short time. As a public-domain e-book, it is easy to read in segments on electronic devices. It should be noted that this is a popular science fiction work emphasizing imagination and atmosphere, and it should not be judged by the standards of serious literature or hard science fiction for scientific detail or character depth.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in early American popular science fiction
Learners who want to practice reading with English short stories
Enthusiasts of science fiction history collecting samples from the pulp magazine era
People who want to finish a short story during a commute or in fragmented time

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer the rigorous settings and scientific extrapolation of hard science fiction
Readers expecting the length of a novel and complex character arcs
Readers with low tolerance for mid-twentieth-century popular prose style

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot, then go back to the foreshadowing and setting setup at the beginning.
While reading, note the technological imagination against the background of the era so as to compare it with similar works.
For English reading, look up new words first and then read through, to avoid pausing at every sentence and disrupting the rhythm.
After finishing, find a science fiction short story from the same era for comparison and to appreciate the pulp magazine style.

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 kind of science fiction is this work?

It is a mid-twentieth-century American popular science fiction short story, with the imaginative style of the pulp magazine era, focusing on unknown technologies and the human condition, with the plot moving forward directly. It is best understood within the tradition of popular science fiction rather than measured by the standards of hard science fiction or serious literature.

How difficult is the English, and is it suitable for reading practice?

As a public-domain short story, the language is generally straightforward and the narrative pace is fast, making it suitable for readers with some English foundation to practice short-story reading. When encountering new words, mark them first and look them up later; do not pause at every sentence. If your foundation is weaker, read a plot summary first and then go to the original text.

Is this book related to the author's other works?

The materials only show that this piece is an independent short story by Shaver and do not indicate any series connection with other works. It can be treated as a standalone piece when reading, without assuming prequels or sequels. If you are interested in his creative background, you can consult relevant materials on American popular science fiction magazines separately.

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About the author

Richard Sharpe Shaver Author · American · 1907–1975

Richard Sharpe Shaver (1907–1975) was an American science fiction writer, born in Berwick, Pennsylvania, and died in Arkansas. From 1945 onward, he serialized the "Shaver Mystery" stories in Amazing Stories, set against a backdrop of a hidden underground world and the "Dero" robots. He claimed these accounts were based on personal experience, sparking heated reader debate and notably boosting the magazine's sales, making the affair a famous controversy in science fiction history. His representative works include Daughter of the Night, The Big Tomorrow, The Dark Goddess, and Of Stegner's Folly, along with the novel Beyond the Barrier. Because public information is limited, the details of his life and the full scope of his writing cannot be fully reconstructed, yet these works sufficiently reflect his distinctive focus on secret underground civilizations and his controversial influence in science fiction.