02344cam a22003613u 4500 61157 UtSlPG 20260610134417.0 m cr n 260607r2020||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Sheridan, Richard The Hoplite Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2020 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1962 Release date is 2020-01-12 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Hoplite" by Richard Sheridan is a science fiction novella written in the early 1960s. The story explores themes of war, identity, and the consequences of living in a mechanized society. It follows the protagonist, Jord, who is a soldier known as a hoplite, as he grapples with his existence and the sterile, emotionless environment of a futuristic military fortress. In the narrative, Jord awakens in a sterile environment to prepare for his routine military duties, which involve operating a colossal machine in combat against a native enemy. The story delves into his experiences, from fleeting connections with women in a desensitized world to the harrowing realities of war where soldiers become mere extensions of their machines, losing their humanity in the process. As he confronts the relentless cycle of warfare, loss, and the longing for identity, the stark contrast between his mechanized existence and the vibrancy of human emotion becomes a central theme. Ultimately, as the battles rage on, Jord’s struggle reflects a deeper philosophical inquiry about the meaning of life when stripped of personal connections and a sense of purpose. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Short stories War stories Soldiers -- Fiction Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1962 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61157 101983 101983