Read Anywhere and on Any Device!

Subscribe to Read | $0.00

Join today and start reading your favorite books for Free!

Create Free Account

Helping Them Take the Old Man Down and Clockworks

William Preston

0/5 ( ratings)

He is referred to by many names: the Old Man, the big man, the man himself, Little Boss . . . An enigmatic, larger-than-life figure who first rose to prominence in the 1930s, he's been the subject of pulp tales and wild speculation; now, he's the object of a government manhunt. In the wake of 9/11, authorities want to know what the Old Man knows, and they think one of his associates may be willing to betray him. Conceived as an homage to the adventures of pulp hero Doc Savage, "Helping Them Take the Old Man Down" asks whether our actions can ever truly change the world--and why our heroes can never do enough. This lauded short story, first published in Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 2010, has led to two published prequels, the first of which, "Clockworks," is also printed in this e-book. In 1962, the Old Man endeavors to learn whether a sadistic criminal, fresh from a mind-altering operation, can tell him the whereabouts of a mysterious weapon. The question sends the big man and his compatriots on a race against time.

"Helping Them Take the Old Man Down" received a dozen nominations in the initial round of Hugo voting in 2011; both stories received honorable mentions in Gardner Dozois's annual science fiction "best of" collections. A new prequel "Unearthed" appears as a separate eBook, and two sequel stories are in the works.

Language: English

Pages: 89

Format: Kindle Edition

Release: January 01, 2012

Helping Them Take the Old Man Down and Clockworks

William Preston

0/5 ( ratings)

He is referred to by many names: the Old Man, the big man, the man himself, Little Boss . . . An enigmatic, larger-than-life figure who first rose to prominence in the 1930s, he's been the subject of pulp tales and wild speculation; now, he's the object of a government manhunt. In the wake of 9/11, authorities want to know what the Old Man knows, and they think one of his associates may be willing to betray him. Conceived as an homage to the adventures of pulp hero Doc Savage, "Helping Them Take the Old Man Down" asks whether our actions can ever truly change the world--and why our heroes can never do enough. This lauded short story, first published in Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine in 2010, has led to two published prequels, the first of which, "Clockworks," is also printed in this e-book. In 1962, the Old Man endeavors to learn whether a sadistic criminal, fresh from a mind-altering operation, can tell him the whereabouts of a mysterious weapon. The question sends the big man and his compatriots on a race against time.

"Helping Them Take the Old Man Down" received a dozen nominations in the initial round of Hugo voting in 2011; both stories received honorable mentions in Gardner Dozois's annual science fiction "best of" collections. A new prequel "Unearthed" appears as a separate eBook, and two sequel stories are in the works.

Language: English

Pages: 89

Format: Kindle Edition

Release: January 01, 2012

More books from William Preston

Unearthed

Rate this book!

Write a review?