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The Natives
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
8 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2011
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Katherine MacLean
149 books21 followersKatherine Anne MacLean (born January 22, 1925) is an American science fiction author best known for her short stories of the 1950s which examined the impact of technological advances on individuals and society.
Brian Aldiss noted that she could "do the hard stuff magnificently," while Theodore Sturgeon observed that she "generally starts from a base of hard science, or rationalizes psi phenomena with beautifully finished logic." Although her stories have been included in numerous anthologies and a few have had radio and television adaptations, The Diploids and Other Flights of Fancy (1962) is her only collection of short fiction.
Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, MacLean concentrated on mathematics and science in high school. At the time her earliest stories were being published in 1949-50, she received a B.A. in economics from Barnard College (1950), followed by postgraduate studies in psychology at various universities. Her 1951 marriage to Charles Dye ended in divorce a year later. She married David Mason in 1956. Their son, Christopher Dennis Mason, was born in 1957, and they divorced in 1962.
MacLean taught literature at the University of Maine and creative writing at the Free University of Portland. Over decades, she has continued to write while employed in a wide variety of jobs -- as book reviewer, economic graphanalyst, editor, EKG technician, food analyst, laboratory technician in penicillin research, nurse's aide, office manager and payroll bookkeeper. photographer, pollster, public relations, publicist and store detective.
It was while she worked as a laboratory technician in 1947 that she began writing science fiction. Strongly influenced by Ludwig von Bertalanffy's General Systems Theory, her fiction has often demonstrated a remarkable foresight in scientific advancements.
Brian Aldiss noted that she could "do the hard stuff magnificently," while Theodore Sturgeon observed that she "generally starts from a base of hard science, or rationalizes psi phenomena with beautifully finished logic." Although her stories have been included in numerous anthologies and a few have had radio and television adaptations, The Diploids and Other Flights of Fancy (1962) is her only collection of short fiction.
Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, MacLean concentrated on mathematics and science in high school. At the time her earliest stories were being published in 1949-50, she received a B.A. in economics from Barnard College (1950), followed by postgraduate studies in psychology at various universities. Her 1951 marriage to Charles Dye ended in divorce a year later. She married David Mason in 1956. Their son, Christopher Dennis Mason, was born in 1957, and they divorced in 1962.
MacLean taught literature at the University of Maine and creative writing at the Free University of Portland. Over decades, she has continued to write while employed in a wide variety of jobs -- as book reviewer, economic graphanalyst, editor, EKG technician, food analyst, laboratory technician in penicillin research, nurse's aide, office manager and payroll bookkeeper. photographer, pollster, public relations, publicist and store detective.
It was while she worked as a laboratory technician in 1947 that she began writing science fiction. Strongly influenced by Ludwig von Bertalanffy's General Systems Theory, her fiction has often demonstrated a remarkable foresight in scientific advancements.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 14, 2026
This is a good story, with a good idea behind it. Unfortunately it feels a little truncated and its execution falls a little flat.
The basic idea is that two species, alien Shining Globes and Humans, exist in the same world, and have indifferent contact with each other. Both know that the other exists, but there is a gulf of misunderstanding between them since neither seems to be aware that the other is sentient. Thus tragedy can result from this indifferent contact.
The problems with the story.
1. The story obviously takes place on Earth. So why is there out-of-place alien Shining Globes in the waters of the Earth? It's never explained why they are there and, if Humans are actually aware of their presence, it is not clearly stated.
2. But...aboard the Stratoliner, the two pilots are aware of Shining Objects setting of their warning Rader. It annoys them. The co-pilot even grumbles, "I wonder what the hell they think they are doing?" Does he know the Shining Globes are sentient and he just doesn't care? Or is he using "they" in the objective sense and not the personal sense?
With just one, or maybe two small paragraphs of clarification added, this could have been a poignant and memorable little fragment. Instead it just falls flat and leaves one unsatisfied.
Also, apparently there is a linked story called "Inhuman Sacrifice" which may be an expansion and clarification of this fragment. It in the short story collection "The Trouble With You Earth People". Some future reading there.
The basic idea is that two species, alien Shining Globes and Humans, exist in the same world, and have indifferent contact with each other. Both know that the other exists, but there is a gulf of misunderstanding between them since neither seems to be aware that the other is sentient. Thus tragedy can result from this indifferent contact.
The problems with the story.
1. The story obviously takes place on Earth. So why is there out-of-place alien Shining Globes in the waters of the Earth? It's never explained why they are there and, if Humans are actually aware of their presence, it is not clearly stated.
2. But...aboard the Stratoliner, the two pilots are aware of Shining Objects setting of their warning Rader. It annoys them. The co-pilot even grumbles, "I wonder what the hell they think they are doing?" Does he know the Shining Globes are sentient and he just doesn't care? Or is he using "they" in the objective sense and not the personal sense?
With just one, or maybe two small paragraphs of clarification added, this could have been a poignant and memorable little fragment. Instead it just falls flat and leaves one unsatisfied.
Also, apparently there is a linked story called "Inhuman Sacrifice" which may be an expansion and clarification of this fragment. It in the short story collection "The Trouble With You Earth People". Some future reading there.
May 31, 2022
It's good, but ends abruptly. A grandson and grandfather are going to see some attraction. The curious boy asks questions in a rapid fire manner. Then the perspective changes to that of the curiosity viewing the observing crowd. Finally, an event which the grandfather failed to discuss with the boy occurs. Without knowing the meaning of the event, it seems like the ending is tragic.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Tragic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.
June 29, 2022
Entertaining listening 🎶🔰
Another will written relationships family adventure thriller short story by Katherine McLean about a grandfather and grandson talking 👄 about stuff. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye damage and health issues. 2022 😮😤
Another will written relationships family adventure thriller short story by Katherine McLean about a grandfather and grandson talking 👄 about stuff. I would recommend this novella to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or listening 🎶 to Alexa as I do because of eye damage and health issues. 2022 😮😤
June 20, 2024
Sprites?
May 20, 2019
More like a 1.5 star read. Just a few pages long, this story is told from two different points of view. While the final few paragraphs are probably meant to sum things up, I was left instead scratching my head and going back to see if I'd missed something. It's like a Clarke story that fell flat.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews