As It Was: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
As It Was: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

As It Was is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Payne, Paul L. (1921–1992).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"As It Was" by Paul L. Payne is a science fiction novel written during the early 1950s. The story unfolds on the alien planet Thisbe II, where a group of big-game hunters, led by the renowned Pritchard, explores a world filled with unique and often deadly creatures. The novel grapples with themes of survival, the nature of intelligence, and moral dilemmas regarding hunting and human interaction with extraterrestrial life. In the narrative, Pritchard and his team arrive on Thisbe II, expecting a thrilling hunt. However, their expedition quickly escalates into chaos as they encounter not only the planet's bizarre wildlife but also the enigmatic presence referred to as "The One." This entity wields a form of mental control over the creatures of Thisbe II, which ultimately leads to conflict between Pritchard's party and the inhabitants of the planet. A chance encounter with Cornelia Boyce, a survivor from an earlier expedition, adds emotional depth as she advocates for the sentience of the beings on Thisbe II, challenging Pritchard's views. As they battle the deadly combinations of nature and the unseen forces at play, the novel explores the consequences of human actions in a world where the line between predator and prey is unsettlingly blurred.
Book and edition facts
- Title: As It Was
- Author credits: Payne, Paul L. (1921–1992)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
- Hunters -- Fiction
- Life on other planets -- Fiction
- Science fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Novels
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.


