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Vassals of the Lode-Star
Vassals of the Lode-Star

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Vassals of the Lode-Star
Context Illustration Reading 1/80 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!
_In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.
Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.
It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.
Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.
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AI-generated narration by OpenAI · Slow US English
LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Vassals of the Lode-Star

Chapter I

Chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star is here in full — 404 sentences across 81 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/80 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!
Line 2
_In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.
Line 3
Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.
Line 4
It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.
/ɪt wɑːz ə ˈkænsər ʌv speɪs ənd wen speɪs met taɪm ənd floʊd wɪð ɪt təˈwɔːrd ɪˈtɜːrnəti ðə ˈrebəl fɔːt/
Line 5
Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

android noun US /ˈændrɔɪd/

an automaton that resembles a human being

From this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

billion noun US /ˈbɪljən/

the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros; in the United Kingdom the usage followed in the United States is frequently seen

From this reading “Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.”

cancer noun US /ˈkænsər/

any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

From this reading “It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.”

cosmos noun US /ˈkɑːz.moʊs/

The universe seen as a well-ordered whole governed by rational nature.

From this reading “_In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.”

disgorge verb US /dɪsˈɡɔːrdʒ/

cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over

From this reading “Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.”

mating noun US /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/

the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes

From this reading “_In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.”

outlawed adjective US /ˈaʊtlɔːd/

contrary to or forbidden by law

From this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

space-time noun US /ˈspeɪstaɪm/

the four-dimensional coordinate system (3 dimensions of space and 1 of time) in which physical events are located

From this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

Word partnerships in these lines

English keeps certain words together, and knowing the pair is worth more than knowing each word alone. Every partnership below was counted across our whole published library, and earns its place by appearing far more often than two unrelated words of the same frequency would.

Shown as this reading writes them, with the form the library counts, what kind of pairing it is, and how often it occurs.

streams flowed noun + noun counted as “stream flow”

In this reading “Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.”

stand against verb + particle

In this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

Caught up verb + adjective counted as “catch up”

reach the point where one should be after a delay

In this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

all things adjective + noun

In this reading “_In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.”

see why verb + noun

In this reading “Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!”

All words in this reading · 88

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

againstprepositionUS /əˈɡenst/

touching and pressing; in opposition to

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

agoadverbUS /əˈɡoʊ/

in the past

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

alladjectiveUS /ɔːl/

(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

andconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

androidnounUS /ˈændrɔɪd/

an automaton that resembles a human being

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

battlenounUS /ˈbætəl/

a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course of a war

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

beforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

billionnounUS /ˈbɪljən/

the number that is represented as a one followed by 12 zeros; in the United Kingdom the usage followed in the United States is frequently seen

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

birthnounUS /bɜːrθ/

the time when something begins (especially life)

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

cancernounUS /ˈkænsər/

any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division; it may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the blood stream

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

CaughtverbUS /kɑːt/

inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

choseverbUS /tʃoʊz/

inflected form of “choose” — pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

coronanounUS /kərˈoʊnə/

the outermost region of the sun's atmosphere; visible as a white halo during a solar eclipse

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

cosmosnounUS /ˈkɑːz.moʊs/

The universe seen as a well-ordered whole governed by rational nature.

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

couldmodal verbUS /kʊd/

the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

dawnnounUS /dɔːn/

the first light of day

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

dimadjectiveUS /dɪm/

lacking in light; not bright or harsh

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

disgorgeverbUS /dɪsˈɡɔːrdʒ/

cause or allow (a solid substance) to flow or run out or over

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

emptyverbUS /ˈempti/

make void or empty of contents

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

errorsnounUS /ˈerərz/

plural of “error” — a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or inattention

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

eternitynounUS /ɪˈtɜːrnəti/

time without end

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

flamenounUS /fleɪm/

A hot glowing body of ignited gas produced by fire.

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

flowedverbUS /floʊd/

past form of “flow” — move or progress freely as if in a stream

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

forprepositionUS /fɔːr/

intended to be given to, or used by, somebody

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

forthadverbUS /fɔːrθ/

from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

foughtverbUS /fɔːt/

inflected form of “fight” — be engaged in a fight; carry on a fight

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

fromprepositionUS /frʌm/

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

giantnounUS /ˈdʒaɪənt/

any creature of exceptional size

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

greatadjectiveUS /ɡreɪt/

relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

greennounUS /ɡriːn/

green color or pigment; resembling the color of growing grass

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

grimadjectiveUS /ɡrɪm/

not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

heavedverbUS /hiːvd/

past form of “heave” — utter a sound, as with obvious effort

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

hordenounUS /hɔːrd/

a vast multitude

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

inprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

insteadadverbUS /ˌɪnˈsted/

in place of, or as an alternative to

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

ItpronounUS /ɪt/

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

ItsdeterminerUS /ɪts/

belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

lastadjectiveUS /læst/

immediately past

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

likeverbUS /laɪk/

prefer or wish to do something

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

livedverbUS /lɪvd/

past form of “live” — be an inhabitant of or reside in

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

madadjectiveUS /mæd/

roused to anger

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

makingnounUS /ˈmeɪkɪŋ/

the act that results in something coming to be

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

man-beasts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

Masterson

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

matingnounUS /ˈmeɪtɪŋ/

the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

metverbUS /met/

inflected form of “meet” — come together

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

mighty-thewed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

ofprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

outlawedadjectiveUS /ˈaʊtlɔːd/

contrary to or forbidden by law

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

ownverbUS /oʊn/

have ownership or possession of

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

ragedverbUS /reɪdʒd/

past form of “rage” — behave violently, as if in state of a great anger

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

RebelnounUS /ˈrebəl/

“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

seeverbUS /siː/

perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

SettlementsnounUS /ˈsetəlmənts/

plural of “settlement” — a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

seventeen-hundred

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

snarlverbUS /snɑːrl/

utter in an angry, sharp, or abrupt tone

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

soughtadjectiveUS /sɔːt/

that is looked for

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

SpacenounUS /speɪs/

the unlimited expanse in which everything is located

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

space-timenounUS /ˈspeɪstaɪm/

the four-dimensional coordinate system (3 dimensions of space and 1 of time) in which physical events are located

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

standverbUS /stænd/

be standing; be upright

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

strangeadjectiveUS /streɪndʒ/

being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

streamsnounUS /striːmz/

plural of “stream” — a natural body of running water flowing on or under the earth

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

sunnounUS /sʌn/

the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

surgingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrdʒɪŋ/

characterized by great swelling waves or surges

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

tendrils

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Time and Space sought to disgorge it, for it was the Rebel, and its own great tendrils of Space and Time heaved and raged like the corona of a giant sun.

Terra

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

thatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

theirdeterminerUS /ðer/

belonging to the people or things already mentioned

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

thesedeterminerUS /ðiːz/

the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

thingsnounUS /θɪŋz/

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

ThornounUS /θɔːr/

(Norse mythology) god of thunder and rain and farming; pictured as wielding a hammer emblematic of the thunderbolt; identified with Teutonic Donar

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

TimenounUS /taɪm/

an instance or single occasion for some event

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/

in the direction of

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

twonounUS /tuː/

the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

unfathomableadjectiveUS /ənˈfæðəməbəl/

of depth; not capable of being sounded or measured

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

unmeasuredadjective

not composed of measured syllables; not metrical

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

upadjectiveUS /ʌp/

being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

voidadjectiveUS /vɔɪd/

lacking any legal or binding force

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

whenconjunctionUS /wen/

at the time that

From this reading _In that dim dawn of all things, when Time was unmeasured and Space was an empty void, before the strange mating of these two and the birth of the cosmos, the Rebel lived.

whynounUS /waɪ/

the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”

From this reading Caught up in a mad space-time snarl, making their last grim stand against a surging android horde, the outlawed man-beasts of the Settlements could not see why mighty-thewed Thor Masterson of Terra chose instead to battle a strange green flame!

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading It was a cancer of Space, and when Space met Time and flowed with it toward eternity, the Rebel fought.

yearsnounUS /jɪrz/

a late time of life

From this reading Its streams flowed forth from unfathomable errors, seventeen-hundred billion years ago.

Chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star by Gardner F. (Gardner Francis) Fox holds 404 sentences, grouped into 81 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star contain?

Chapter 1 holds 404 sentences of Vassals of the Lode-Star, unabridged, divided into 81 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star by Gardner F. (Gardner Francis) Fox exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 404 sentences, grouped into 81 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Vassals of the Lode-Star?

Work through the 81 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 81 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Vassals of the Lode-Star

Common questions about reading Vassals of the Lode-Star by Gardner F. (Gardner Francis) Fox on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Vassals of the Lode-Star?

Yes. All 2000 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #64342 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Vassals of the Lode-Star is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #64342, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Vassals of the Lode-Star take to read?

About 166 minutes of reading across 400 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Vassals of the Lode-Star section by section

How to work through Vassals of the Lode-Star section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 5 chapters of Vassals of the Lode-Star to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Vassals of the Lode-Star

Words and structures a reader meets early in Vassals of the Lode-Star, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Caught
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vassals of the Lode-Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Space-time
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vassals of the Lode-Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Snarl
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vassals of the Lode-Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Making
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Vassals of the Lode-Star; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.