Project Gutenberg 2016-01-20 Public domain in the USA. 149 Zacks, Robert Zack, Robert Ashman, William Ashman Ashman, Bill The Freelancer Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction September 1955 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Freelancer" by Robert Zacks is a science fiction novella written in the mid-20th century. The narrative is set in a dystopian future where copyright laws have extended to everyday speech, leading to a society consumed by the enforcement of verbal property rights. The story centers around the struggles of Jeb, a freelance Monitor who makes a living identifying and reporting these violations, often at the expense of genuine human interaction and connection. The plot follows Jeb as he navigates a day filled with both personal and professional challenges. His strained relationship with his wife, Laurie, looms large as she threatens to have him certified for non-support if he fails to bring home enough credits. As he embarks on his daily rounds, Jeb encounters various citizens, revealing a world marked by desperation and the harsh realities of a system that penalizes common expressions. A turning point occurs when he discovers a significant opportunity tied to political speeches, leading him into a dangerous situation with powerful figures. Ultimately, the story serves as a commentary on individuality and expression in a society constrained by increasingly absurd regulations, leaving readers to ponder the implications of such a reality. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 75.5 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories PS Text Science Fiction Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 54799 2025-09-20T11:56:54.450127 text/html 31162 2024-10-22T23:45:36 text/html 190177 2025-09-20T11:56:56.274088 application/epub+zip 189029 2025-09-20T11:56:54.875118 application/epub+zip 84430 2025-09-20T11:56:54.676097 application/epub+zip 225007 2025-09-20T11:56:57.474113 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 218322 2025-09-20T11:56:56.037129 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 113997 2022-09-23T07:47:13.569171 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 47888 2025-09-20T11:56:54.272116 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 28140 2024-10-22T23:45:36 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16327 2025-09-20T11:56:57.609098 application/rdf+xml 23724 2025-09-20T11:56:54.745140 image/jpeg 4367 2025-09-20T11:56:54.711108 image/jpeg 170242 2025-09-20T11:56:54.462138 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog