The Incomplete Theft: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
The Incomplete Theft: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
The Incomplete Theft is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Garrett, Randall (1927–1987); Silverberg, Robert (1935–?).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
"The Incomplete Theft" by Ralph Burke is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century, specifically in the 1950s. The narrative revolves around a Valdorian spy named Torlyn Khy, who seeks to steal advanced spaceship technology from Earth to further his home planet's agenda in an ongoing war. The story explores themes of espionage and the clash between two societies, highlighting the contrasting efficiency of Valdorian culture against what is perceived as the sloppy nature of Earthmen. The plot follows Torlyn Khy as he disguises himself as an Earth engineer to infiltrate the Sahara Spaceport and steal the newly developed spaceship, the "Skyjumper", which features groundbreaking teleportation technology. As he executes his plan, he encounters unforeseen complications, including an unexpected confrontation with an engineer named Harris. Despite managing to access the ship and initiating the teleportation sequence, a last-minute technical adjustment made by Harris leads to an ironic twist: the inner workings of the ship are projected into space, leaving Khy stranded inside the empty hull. The story concludes with a grim realization for the Valdorian spy, encapsulating the story's clever blend of suspense and humor.
Book and edition facts
- Title: The Incomplete Theft
- Author credits: Garrett, Randall (1927–1987); Silverberg, Robert (1935–?)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Space ships -- Fiction
- Spy stories
Gutenberg collections
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
Read this edition
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.
Sources
More in Books & Authors
Keep reading
