
Part 1
Max never imagined a single spark could rewrite his existence. One moment he stands in a quiet student boarding house, the next his body is enveloped in roaring flames that seem both intoxicating and terrifying. As the fire subsides, he finds himself inexplicably naked, his clothes reappearing as if animated by an unseen wind, and the world around him feels oddly suspended in a heavy silence.
The sudden appearance of his girlfriend Fran, pale and trembling, forces Max to confront the bewildering reality of his new gift. He tries to reassure her, but her eyes betray a deep unease, hinting that the fire may have left more than scorch marks on the carpet. Together they grapple with the question of whether Max’s power is a miracle, a curse, or something far more dangerous, setting the stage for a tense exploration of control, identity, and the thin line between wonder and horror.
Language
en
Duration
~19 minutes (19K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
New York, NY: Ziff-Davis Publishing Company, 1962.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-12-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

b. 1938
A lively force in science fiction fandom and publishing, this Hugo Award winner helped shape the field as both a writer and a magazine editor. His work ranges from fast-moving novels to influential behind-the-scenes editorial work that left a lasting mark on the genre.
View all books
1930–1999
Best known for blending fantasy and science fiction, she created the long-running Darkover series and reached a wide audience with the Arthurian novel The Mists of Avalon. Her work often reimagined legends and speculative worlds through women's perspectives.
View all books
by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Ted White, Terry Carr

by Marion Zimmer Bradley

by Marion Zimmer Bradley