The Fire and the Sword

Frank M. RobinsonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

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.The Fire and the Sword by Frank M. RobinsonAuthor: Robinson, Frank M., 1926-2014,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Feb 10, 2016

Editor's review

This is a science fiction work by Frank M. Robinson, released free through Project Gutenberg and classified under American literature. Robinson was active in the golden age of mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazines, and his work often explores the tension between technology, power, and human nature through lean, forceful storytelling. The book is short and tightly paced, making it a good sample of early Anglo-American science fiction short-form writing. As a public-domain ebook, it preserves the language style and imaginative approach of its original publication period, offering reference value both for studying the evolution of the science fiction genre and for English reading practice. While reading, pay attention to how the author builds conflict and shapes characters within a limited length, and to how that era understood the relationship between science and society. It suits fragmented reading time such as commuting or before sleep, and can also serve as discussion material for a science fiction book club.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want to understand mid-twentieth-century Anglo-American science fiction short stories
Intermediate and advanced learners who need English originals for extensive reading practice
Organizers of science fiction book clubs looking for short discussion texts
Collectors interested in public-domain ebooks from Project Gutenberg

Not a good fit for

Science fiction readers who prefer long works with grand world-building
Readers hoping to read the latest contemporary science fiction
Beginners who have obvious difficulty reading English originals

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the plot, then go back to see how the author handles conflict and turning points.
Read alongside background material on science fiction magazines of the same period to understand the genre context.
Take notes on the book's depictions of technology and power as entry points for book club discussion.

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?

Judging from the Project Gutenberg listing information, this is a relatively short science fiction work, suitable for reading in one sitting or over two or three sessions; there is no need to arrange reading at the pace of a full-length novel.

How difficult is the English?

The work was written in the mid-twentieth century, and its language style carries the characteristics of magazine science fiction of that era. The sentence structures are not very complex, but some wording differs from modern English, so it suits readers with a certain foundation in English reading.

Why recommend reading the public-domain ebook edition?

The Project Gutenberg edition is free and clearly formatted, making it easy to read anytime on a phone or e-reader, and it also serves as a low-cost entry point for understanding early science fiction texts.

Comments

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About the author

Frank M. Robinson Author · American · 1926–2014

Frank M. Robinson (Frank Malcolm Robinson, 1926–2014) was an American writer of science fiction and techno-thrillers, born in Chicago and died in San Francisco. From 1950 he published stories in magazines such as Astounding Science Fiction. His representative works include The Power and, with Thomas N. Scortia, The Glass Inferno, which was adapted into the film The Towering Inferno. Six of his works are held in this collection: Decision, The Fire and the Sword, The Girls From Earth, Two Weeks in August, The Worlds of Joe Shannon, and The Reluctant Heroes, with themes centering on science-fiction premises and techno-thriller plots. Beyond fiction, he worked for many years as a magazine editor and served as a speechwriter for the San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Public information on his life and writing is limited; the above account relies only on reliable records.