000 02380cam a22003493u 4500
001 30353
003 UtSlPG
005 20260610133707.0
006 m
007 cr n
008 260607r2009||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d
040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPS
100 1 _aHernhuter, Albert,
_d1934-
245 1 4 _aThe Smiler
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2009
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
490 1 _aProduced from If Worlds of Science Fiction July 1952.
500 _aRelease date is 2009-10-28
508 _aProduced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
520 _a"The Smiler" by Albert Hernhuter is a science fiction short story originally published in the early 1950s. The narrative unfolds in a tense and intriguing atmosphere, centered around the themes of infiltration, control, and the potential dangers of creative expression. It explores ideas about the power of imagination and its impact on society through the lens of an extraordinary premise involving Martians disguised as humans. The story revolves around Martin Cole, a literary agent who admits to killing a fellow writer, Sanford Smith, to protect a Martian conspiracy aimed at taking over Earth. During a coroner's inquest discussing Smith's death, Cole reveals that the Martians view science fiction writers as a significant threat due to their ability to disclose forbidden knowledge and undermine their plans. As the inquest progresses, it becomes apparent that Cole's seemingly controlled demeanor masks a chilling reality, leaving a haunting impression of how deeply their influence pervades society. The riveting conclusion sees Cole using a deadly weapon disguised as a common fountain pen, emphasizing the story's themes of hidden dangers and the subversive potential of fiction. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aScience fiction
653 _aShort stories
653 _aExtraterrestrial beings -- Fiction
830 0 _aProduced from If Worlds of Science Fiction July 1952.
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30353
999 _c71200
_d71200