Results by "Robert Sheckley" in All categories

In Status Civilization, Will Barrent awakens with no memories, only to find himself on Omega—a ruthless planet designated for criminals, where the average lifespan barely exceeds three years. Branded as a murderer, he is thrust into the depths of an illicit society as a mere “peon,” the lowest of the low. A mysterious girl hands him a weapon, igniting his journey towards power—a journey fraught with brutal choices. Yet, this path is essential for uncovering the truth behind his imprisonment, a truth that challenges his very identity and forces him to confront the ...

Dimension of Miracles is a satirical science fiction novel first published by Dell in 1968. It's about Tom Carmody, a New Yorker who, thanks to a computer error, wins the main prize in the Intergalactic Sweepstakes. Tom claims his prize before the error is discovered and is allowed to keep it. However, since Tom is a human from Earth without galactic status and no space traveling experience, he has no homing instinct that can guide him back to Earth once his odyssey begins - and the galactic lottery organizers cannot transport him home.

Untouched by Human Hands consists of 13 stories of beings who dwell on the strange borders of reality. Some of these stories tell of people you know or of events that might happen - but haven't yet. Some will take you to the furthermost reaches of the sky and to planets whose names are unknown this side of Arcturus. And some - perhaps the richest and most memorable of these stories - open into the interior of strange minds to reveal the reflection of ourselves.

Man was leaving Earth. Man--but not woman. Light-years from Earth were little worlds without women - and men were not happy about it. Since real women could not go to them, scientists on Earth developed substitutes. Android females were developed, the surrogates, and shipped to the colonies. Everything seemed to go well - for a while. Ralph Garvey is about to find that the package containing the promise of extreme sexual delight is not quite what he had expected.

Ready for a story? Here's a selection of some of the finest science fiction shorts of recent years, including stories from Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, William Gibson, Robert Sheckley, Terry Bisson, Avram Davidson, and Philip K. Dick.

Want to be immortal? You can be in AD 2110. Just go to the Hereafter Insurance Corporation and hook yourself up to the Machine. There’s nothing to fear. That is, if it happens to be working right, and if nobody slips another mind into your body when you’re not looking, and if you’re not on a poltergeist hatelist.

It's the 21st Century and the ugliness of war no longer exists, except on a very personal level. Nowadays, people like Marcello Polletti, seller of Roman sunsets, and Caroline Meredith, lithe, beautiful, blonde, and backed by corporate sponsors and the Roy Bell Dancers, hunt, chase, and kill each other for sport and for the entertainment of the masses - until something oddly like personal human feelings pops up to confuse the players and up the stakes...as each of them seeks to kill their 10th victim and rise in the ranks of the hunters.

A thrilling collection of classic science fiction from Robert Sheckley, exploring futuristic warfare, hostile worlds, alien threats, and the darker possibilities of human conflict. Featuring Warm, The Hour of Battle, Accept No Substitutes, and more imaginative tales from one of science...

A classic science fiction collection by Robert Sheckley featuring Diplomatic Immunity, Bad Medicine, and Proof of the Pudding. Discover clever alien encounters, bizarre schemes, futuristic satire, and imaginative twists from one of science fiction’s most distinctive storytellers...

A sharp collection of Robert Sheckley’s classic satirical science fiction, blending clever humor, strange futures, social commentary, and imaginative twists. Featuring Ask a Foolish Question, Keep Your Shape, and Cost of Living, this volume showcases Sheckley’s witty, inventive take on...

When robotic drones known as "watchbirds" are deployed to eliminate murder and safeguard society, humanity embraces a technological miracle—until the machines begin to redefine what it means to kill. As the watchbirds evolve and extend their protection to all living beings, even insects, society unravels under their rigid logic.

Are you a fan of science fiction and suspenseful short stories? Look no further than Robert Sheckley's Wild Talents, Inc. This audiobook takes you into a unique talent agency that deals with individuals possessing psychic abilities - some of whom are quite peculiar and on the fringe of lunacy.

Sheckley's satirical humor shines through as Edward Moran Archer previews the different levels of hell, from the mundane to the outrageous. Each punishment is tailored to fit the individual's sins, and Archer quickly realizes the gravity of his choices. As he reflects on his life and the impact of his actions, Archer must come to terms with his own beliefs and face the consequences of his decisions. As time passes, he is forced to confront the reality of his existence and the choices that led him to this moment.

Follow Charles Dennison, an inventor with a groundbreaking creation that could change the world. With so much at stake, Dennison must stay vigilant and protect his invention at all costs. But, are there larger forces at play here?

Introducing "The Monsters" by Robert Sheckley, a thrilling sci-fi audiobook that explores the fascinating and bizarre world of a distant planet inhabited by sentient aliens who refer to themselves as "humans." On this strange planet, the aliens may look nothing like us, but their society is both intriguing and terrifying. While they pride themselves on being rational and ethical beings, their tendencies towards violence and argumentation make them truly monstrous. Witness their struggles with truth and deception.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote the poem "Brahma" in 1856, synthesizing the essence of spirituality and Hinduism; exploring the mysteries of life and death. Robert Sheckley in his short story, "If The Red Slayer", a line taken from Emerson's poem takes us to a battlefield of the future where dead men can be brought back to life seen from the eyes of a soldier who has been killed three times and brought back to life three times.

"The Special Exhibit" by Robert Sheckley is a short story narrated by Mike Vendetti that provides a fascinating and sure solution to a problem marriage.

First, the stars in the Milkey Way go dark. Then everyone on earth hears in their minds a very real voice speaking in their own language, dialect, and gender at the precise same time: ''Judgment of the inhabitants of the planet Earth will be held in five days. Please prepare yourselves for the final examination and departure. That is all". Humanity prepares for the rapture. But wait, fate takes a turn.

Professor Carver and his assistant Fred are investigating the culture of the primitive Lorayan community. The snobbish professor is ready to dismiss the Lorayans as uneducated savages until he witnesses the healing power of the locally produced sersee juice. He is very keen to accumulate a store of this remarkable restorative in order to learn how to manufacture it on Earth and become extremely wealthy. However, he soon discovers that the application of the juice can produce unexpected effects.

The Leech was waiting for food. For millennia it had been drifting, without consciousness, across the vast emptiness of space. A planet claimed it, with other stellar debris, and the leech fell, still dead—seeming within its tough spore case. One speck of dust among many, fell to the Earth. Nourishment soaked in, permeating the spore case. It grew—and began to feed.