Science fiction (dystopian) short story set after WWIII
I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.
So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.
Any ideas?
story-identification short-stories
New contributor
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I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.
So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.
Any ideas?
story-identification short-stories
New contributor
add a comment |
I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.
So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.
Any ideas?
story-identification short-stories
New contributor
I am looking for the name of a short story that I read a long time ago - I remember the plot quite well but I don't know who wrote it and I can't find the title anywhere on Google.
So the story was set after a World War Three, people had understood that humankind couldn't do without violence, but in order to avoid any future global war, there was this kind of association to which people could subscribe. They were then allowed to use a gun and they had a target, another person, that they had to find and kill - at the same time, they could have been the target of someone else. Once they killed a "target" they would receive another one. Civilians that didn't want anything to do with it were left in peace, unharmed.The protagonist says he's very good and that he has killed many targets already; he gets a new one, a woman, of whom he eventually falls in love. He decides not to kill her, however at the end she is the one who kills him, since he was her target.
Any ideas?
story-identification short-stories
story-identification short-stories
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New contributor
edited 56 mins ago
TheLethalCarrot
48.9k19263310
48.9k19263310
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asked 59 mins ago
sci-fi readersci-fi reader
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1 Answer
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Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.
Your description matches my memory of the short story.
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
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1 Answer
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active
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.
Your description matches my memory of the short story.
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
add a comment |
Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.
Your description matches my memory of the short story.
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
add a comment |
Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.
Your description matches my memory of the short story.
Sounds like The Seventh Victim by Robert Sheckley.
Your description matches my memory of the short story.
edited 31 mins ago
TheLethalCarrot
48.9k19263310
48.9k19263310
answered 56 mins ago
Dosco JonesDosco Jones
2,1251116
2,1251116
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
add a comment |
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
Yes it's that one! Thank you very much!
– sci-fi reader
53 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@sci-fireader You can read the story at archive.org/stream/galaxymagazine-1953-04/Galaxy_1953_04#page/…
– user14111
47 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
@user1411 Thanks :)
– sci-fi reader
43 mins ago
add a comment |
sci-fi reader is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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