The Hoplite: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Hoplite: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Hoplite is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Sheridan, Richard.
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"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.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Hoplite
- Author credits: Sheridan, Richard
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Soldiers -- Fiction
- War stories
Gutenberg collections
- 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.
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