Project Gutenberg 2019-01-26 Public domain in the USA. 119 Love, Joe Les Machines Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, December 1954 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Les Machines" by Joe Love is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. The narrative explores the blurred lines between human and machine, delving into themes of identity, love, and societal perception. The storyline revolves around Isobel d'Larte, a woman placed on trial for the murder of her husband, Arnaud d'Larte, in a future where machines and robots play critical roles in daily life. Set against the backdrop of a cold, mechanized society, the story follows Isobel as she grapples with accusations of murder after her husband is found dead, beaten with an iron statue. During the trial, witnesses hint at her supposed lover and questionable motives, while Isobel maintains her innocence until a dark twist reveals her complex feelings for a robot, who embodies the kindness and understanding lacking in her marriage. Ultimately, Isobel confesses to protect her love for the robot while facing the harsh punishment of being sent to war. The poignant conclusion emphasizes her search for emotional connection, illustrating the profound implications of her decision amid a society preoccupied with machines. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 88.6 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories Trials (Murder) -- Fiction PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 48691 2025-06-23T11:35:28.712012 text/html 45491 2019-01-26T12:07:16 text/html 236223 2025-06-23T11:35:30.588001 application/epub+zip 235074 2025-06-23T11:35:29.109031 application/epub+zip 83617 2025-06-23T11:35:28.880998 application/epub+zip 272547 2025-06-23T11:35:31.862026 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 265690 2025-06-23T11:35:30.370981 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 114563 2022-09-26T17:00:07.226079 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 41663 2025-06-23T11:35:28.578010 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 41907 2019-01-26T12:07:16 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18564 2025-06-23T11:35:31.997978 application/rdf+xml 28805 2025-06-23T11:35:28.969989 image/jpeg 4922 2025-06-23T11:35:28.925971 image/jpeg 422679 2019-01-26T12:07:18 application/octet-stream application/zip 15495 2019-01-26T12:07:16 application/octet-stream application/zip 424131 2025-06-23T11:35:28.724981 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