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The life watch: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition

The life watch: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Published by Pop Culture Files••2 min read•Automatically generated · review not guaranteed
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject

The life watch is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Del Rey, Lester (1915–1993).

Catalogue synopsis

Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:

"The Life Watch" by Lester del Rey is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story revolves around themes of alien encounter and human survival as the protagonist, Dr. William Norden, finds himself grappling with the psychological trauma of surviving an attack by a mysterious alien race bent on exterminating humanity. The narrative delves into the collision between human emotion and mechanical logic, as Norden attempts to reclaim his own identity while serving a critical role in the defense against the alien threat. In the tale, Dr. Norden, initially presumed to be one of the last surviving humans after witnessing the brutal abduction of his colleague by aliens, struggles with his mental state and the chilling implications of living in the shadow of an omnipresent enemy. As he is rescued and brought to a new base, he becomes embroiled in the desperate scientific efforts to devise a way to detect and shield humanity from the aliens. Throughout the course of his work and interaction with the base's personnel, including his assistant Pat, he uncovers layers of conspiracy regarding his own existence and the manipulative nature of the aliens. Ultimately, as he develops a weapon based on a unique understanding of life and its energy signatures, the narrative evolves into a gripping exploration of vengeance, identity, and the complexity of war against a ruthless foe.

Book and edition facts

  • Title: The life watch
  • Author credits: Del Rey, Lester (1915–1993)
  • Catalogue language: English

Catalogue subjects

  • Human-alien encounters -- Fiction
  • Science fiction
  • War stories

Gutenberg collections

  • Category: Novels
  • Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy

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

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