Project Gutenberg 2019-10-27 Public domain in the USA. 112 Rogers, B. J. Freas, Kelly 1922 2005 Freas, Frank Kelly The Pure Observers Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, October 1958 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Pure Observers" by B. J. Rogers is a science fiction short story first published in the late 1950s. The narrative explores the themes of observation, emotional connection, and the complexities of communication between different intelligent species, as a group of observers from the planet Hainos watch over Earth. The story raises questions about their detachment and the emotional ramifications of their role as mere spectators of human life. The plot centers around the experiences of Noven, a Hainosian observer who struggles with the emotional weight of watching over Earthlings, particularly his bond with a gentle old merchant named Jacobs. Noven's inner turmoil intensifies after witnessing Jacobs' death, which contrasts sharply with the more pragmatic attitudes of his fellow observers. Alongside the poet-priest Gven, who attempts to forge a connection with a young Earth girl named Maria Dolores, they face the stark differences between their societies. Gven's failure to grasp the gravity of human relationships, coupled with his emotional Investment in Maria Dolores, leads to a tragic culmination that forces Noven and his companions to confront their own understanding of existence and the limitations of their observational roles. Ultimately, the story emphasizes the profound impact of connection, or the lack thereof, across the boundaries of different worlds. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 80.1 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction PS Text Category: Short Stories Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 40978 2025-09-24T06:51:16.528473 text/html 16899 2024-10-17T14:22:35 text/html 177234 2025-09-24T06:51:18.055470 application/epub+zip 176065 2025-09-24T06:51:16.866424 application/epub+zip 71459 2025-09-24T06:51:16.671453 application/epub+zip 210117 2025-09-24T06:51:19.121416 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 203218 2025-09-24T06:51:17.872458 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 98880 2022-09-27T11:24:31.813430 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 34512 2025-09-24T06:51:16.445474 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 14755 2024-10-17T14:22:35 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 17375 2025-09-24T06:51:19.247396 application/rdf+xml 26125 2025-09-24T06:51:16.748437 image/jpeg 4536 2025-09-24T06:51:16.711408 image/jpeg 338336 2025-09-24T06:51:16.539448 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 en.wikipedia