There is a Reaper ...

De Vet, Charles V., 1911-1997Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.2

Word count: 9.2K words
Chapters: 1

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.There is a Reaper ... by Charles V. De VetAuthor: De Vet, Charles V., 1911-1997,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Sep 10, 2009

Editor's review

This is a short science fiction story by Charles V. De Vet published in the mid-twentieth century. It is compact and has the skeletal feel typical of early genre fiction: the premise comes first, the conflict is clear, and the ending often delivers a twist. The word "Reaper" in the title itself signals death and harvesting, and the story is built around this core, reading much like a dark fable. As a free Project Gutenberg ebook, its greatest value is as a sample of Golden Age science fiction technique—how to establish the rules of a world quickly within a limited space and then drive the story to its conclusion with a single concept. It is suitable for reading in one sitting during a commute or before bed, and also as structural analysis material for beginning science fiction writers. Note, however, that this is a work from decades ago; its narrative pacing and character development may not suit readers used to modern long-form fiction. Tasting it as a "time capsule" makes it easier to appreciate its appeal.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who want to finish a complete short science fiction story in fragmented time
Enthusiasts interested in the style of mid-twentieth-century science fiction short stories
Beginning writers learning short story structure and twist techniques
Readers looking for free public-domain English ebooks

Not a good fit for

Deep readers who prefer long-form worldbuilding and complex character arcs
Those sensitive to the concise style and historical limitations of early science fiction
Readers who need a Chinese translation and do not want to read the English original

Reading tips

Read it in one sitting; pausing midway weakens the impact of the ending twist.
After finishing, go back to the opening description of the "Reaper" and appreciate how the foreshadowing is laid.
Compare it with science fiction short stories of the same period, noting similarities and differences in setup and resolution.
The English original is not long; skip unfamiliar words first and keep the reading rhythm.

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?

It is a short story by the twentieth-century science fiction author Charles V. De Vet. Project Gutenberg offers it as an ebook. It is limited in length, usually readable in one sitting, and better approached as a short-story sample than as a long-form story.

Do I need a background in science fiction reading?

No. The premise is explained at the beginning, and the core concept does not depend on extensive background knowledge. However, familiarity with common Golden Age science fiction motifs will make it easier to notice the technique and wit the author employs at the end.

Why is reading the English original recommended?

Project Gutenberg provides an English public-domain ebook, and no official Chinese version is included with it. The original vocabulary is not very difficult, and the short-story structure helps readers understand word meanings from context, making it a light choice for trying English science fiction reading.

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About the author

De Vet, Charles V., 1911-1997 Author

Charles V. De Vet (1911–1997) is an English-language science fiction author about whom little biographical information is publicly available; the library holds nine of his works. Judging from titles such as There is a Reaper ..., Infinity's Child, Monkey On His Back, Wheels Within, Vital Ingredient, Delayed Action, Metamorphosis, and Growing up on Big Muddy, he mainly wrote short science fiction, often centering on unknown threats, unusual situations, and individual choices under pressure, with the compactness and suspense typical of mid-twentieth-century science fiction magazine stories. Though his output was modest, his bizarre premises and brisk storytelling left an impression on readers. Because public information is limited, details of his life and the full scope of his work remain to be verified; this introduction is based only on the library's holdings and confirmed public common knowledge.