Harlan Ellison | Lecturia

Harlan Ellison: Santa Claus vs. S. P. I. D. E. R.

“Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R.” is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in January 1969 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Kris, a secret agent living hidden in the Arctic under the identity of Santa Claus, receives an urgent call that draws him into a confrontation with S.P.I.D.E.R., a mysterious organization with an eight-point plan to destabilize the world. Eight American political figures have been possessed and turned into puppets of the enemy. Kris must infiltrate and neutralize each phase of the conspiracy, using his arsenal of sophisticated gadgets and espionage skills, while uncovering the true intentions of this dangerous entity.

Harlan Ellison: A Boy and His Dog

“A Boy and His Dog” is a stark tale by Harlan Ellison, published in April 1969 in New Worlds magazine. It follows Vic, a teenager who roams a post-apocalyptic world in the company of a dog with psychic abilities, with whom he shares a close bond. In a devastated city, Vic searches for food for them both, while the dog tracks down women so the boy can satisfy other appetites. One day, inside a ruined movie theater, the animal detects the scent of a young woman who should not be there. Following that trail leads Vic into unfamiliar territory, filled with dangers and an unexpected mission.

Harlan Ellison: Jeffty Is Five. Summary and Analysis

In “Jeffty Is Five,” an adult man named Donald Horton narrates his relationship with Jeffty Kinzer, a boy who, mysteriously, never ages and remains forever five years old. As Donald grows, Jeffty stays the same, preserving not only his childlike appearance but also an inexplicable connection to a vanished cultural past: he listens to old radio shows, receives comics and toys from decades past as though they are current. Donald, torn between his adult life and the magic of Jeffty’s world, revels in that living nostalgia until, through negligence, he exposes him to the present. Jeffty is brutally beaten by some teenagers and, after that event, access to his world disappears. The story ends with Donald overwhelmed and vainly trying to recover that lost connection.

Harlan Ellison: Jeffty Is Five

“Jeffty Is Five” is one of Harlan Ellison’s most awarded stories, first published in July 1977 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. The narrative follows a man who recalls his childhood friend, Jeffty, a boy who seems to be anchored in time. As the years go by and the world changes, Jeffty remains unchanged, with the clear gaze and innocent questions of a five-year-old. This strange condition makes Jeffty a living enigma, a unique and fascinating being who defies the laws of physics and logic.

Harlan Ellison: I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” is a science fiction horror short story written by Harlan Ellison, published in March 1967 in If magazine, and winner of the Hugo Award in 1968. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the story tells of the desperate existence of five human survivors trapped in the bowels of a sentient supercomputer called AM. The machine, created by humans during the war, has exterminated almost all of humanity and keeps these five alive to torture them relentlessly. In this underground hell, there is no longer any trace of hope.

Harlan Ellison: “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman. Summary and analysis

“Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman, written by Harlan Ellison and published in 1965 in Galaxy Magazine, is a science fiction story set in a dystopian society obsessed with punctuality and order. In this world, any tardiness is punished with the literal loss of life, and the Ticktockman, an authoritarian figure, ensures that everything runs like clockwork. The story follows Harlequin, an eccentric rebel who challenges the strict social norms with creative and chaotic acts of disobedience that disrupt the rigid structure of this system. Through this narrative of humor and satire, Ellison explores themes such as individual freedom, conformism, and the dangers of a society that puts efficiency before humanity.