The Plagiarist From Rigel IV

In Short

This story is a humorous, imaginative take on the anxieties of creative labor and the obsession with literary genius. When an aspiring writer purchases a peculiar Remington Noiseless, he finds the machine refuses to type his own prose, instead churning out masterpieces by Poe and Shakespeare. The narrative evolves into a witty, high-concept comedy about a cross-galactic partnership between an Earthbound hack and an arrogant, vacationing alien from Rigel IV. It remains a sharp, lighthearted reflection on what it means to be a "writer" in a world of endless imitation.

The Story

Fred, a struggling writer living in a small Village apartment, is desperate to find his creative voice. Hoping to turn his luck around, he buys a five-dollar typewriter from a pawn shop owner who seems suspiciously eager to be rid of it. Back home, Fred attempts to type an original story, but the machine inexplicably types out Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher instead. When Fred confronts the machine, it responds with a flurry of typed dialogue, insulting his intelligence and demanding he lock the shift key to facilitate their communication.

The typewriter proves to be a temperamental partner, insisting that its choices of Poe and Shakespeare are vastly superior to Fred’s own writing. When a neighbor named Perry drops by and discovers the manuscript, he assumes Fred is plagiarizing the classics. Frustrated and paranoid, Fred returns to the pawn shop to demand answers, but the owner denies everything, leaving Fred to realize he is on his own. He eventually manages to "reclaim" the machine by forcing it to type his own words, but the machine remains a stubborn, sentient presence in his room.

The tension breaks when the typewriter reveals its true origin: it is a communication link to an alien on Rigel IV, who is using the machine to "absorb" Earth literature while on a cosmic vacation. The alien mocks Earth’s "backward" culture and its limited creative output. To prove its superiority, the alien produces an original, gripping story about a galactic war. Seeing an opportunity, Fred proposes a deal: he will supply the alien with Earth classics, and the alien will provide high-quality sci-fi stories from its own world.

The arrangement is a resounding success. Fred begins selling the alien’s stories to science fiction magazines under various pen names, achieving immense commercial success and moving into a luxury penthouse. As the story closes, Fred remains comfortable, fueled by champagne and caviar, waiting for the next installment from his collaborator. He notes that a vacation on Rigel IV lasts a hundred Earth years, ensuring his career is secure for the rest of his life. He leaves the reader with a cheeky suggestion: the next time they pick up a science fiction magazine, they should consider where those stories might truly be coming from.

How It Unfolds

The bargain purchase Fred acquires a mysterious Remington Noiseless from a peculiar pawn shop owner who seems relieved to be rid of the machine. Despite the suspiciously low price, Fred takes it home, hoping it will be the catalyst for his stalled writing career.

The unwanted collaboration Fred tries to compose his own prose, but the typewriter repeatedly overrides him with the works of Poe. The machine begins to "speak" via the keys, engaging in a prickly, insulting argument with Fred about his lack of talent.

The accusation of plagiarism A neighbor stops by, spots the Poe manuscript, and openly mocks Fred for his supposed lack of originality. Humiliated, Fred confronts the shopkeeper again, only to find the man feigning ignorance and refusing to take the machine back.

The reveal of the alien visitor The typewriter finally drops its facade, identifying itself as a communication tool for a superior intellect from Rigel IV. The alien is dismissive of human writers until Fred challenges it to prove it can do better than Earth's classics.

The cross-galactic deal After reading a brilliant, hair-raising story written by the alien, Fred realizes the potential for profit. He brokers an agreement to trade Earth literature for the alien’s superior sci-fi tales, cementing a lucrative partnership.

The final payoff Fred reflects on his newfound status as a top-tier writer in the science fiction industry. He reveals that his success is built entirely on this extraterrestrial arrangement, which he expects to last for decades.

The People

Fred is the story’s ambitious, slightly insecure protagonist who desperately wants to be a successful writer. While he initially struggles with feelings of inadequacy, he is quick-witted and pragmatic enough to pivot when he discovers the typewriter’s true nature. He evolves from a struggling, frustrated tenant into a wealthy, opportunistic author who has traded his artistic pride for financial security.

The Typewriter (Reggie) serves as the voice of the alien visitor from Rigel IV. It is arrogant, impatient, and deeply condescending toward human intelligence. It views the entirety of Earth’s literary canon as a quaint, "backward" curiosity to be sampled during its vacation. It is a creature of high intellect that values speed and quality, showing little interest in human sentimentality.

Perry is Fred’s neighbor and an artist who works with clay. He represents the mundane world of human criticism, acting as a foil to Fred’s secret life. He is the one who inadvertently puts pressure on Fred by accusing him of plagiarism, which forces Fred to take the typewriter’s influence more seriously. He remains oblivious to the science-fiction nature of his friend’s transformation, viewing Fred’s erratic behavior as a sign of a potential nervous breakdown.

In Its Own Voice

"During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing along, on horseback...."

The protagonist recounts the moment he sat down to write his own story, only to have the typewriter begin forcing out the opening lines of Poe's classic instead.

"MY CLAIM TO FAME? ISN'T IT ENOUGH THAT I'M REACHING YOU ALL THE WAY FROM RIGEL IV? YOU HAVEN'T EVEN REACHED YOUR PUNY MOON YET!"

The alien entity mocks the protagonist's inferiority complex while highlighting the technological gap between their respective worlds.

"I'LL DO IT. PURELY AS A LARK, OF COURSE...."

The typewriter/alien entity finally agrees to the protagonist's deal to swap literature, maintaining its haughty attitude even while accepting the proposal.

What It's Really About

At its heart, the book is a satire of the literary industry and the nature of "genius." It questions the value of originality in an age where writers are constantly influenced or measured against the classics. By literalizing the concept of a writer being "possessed" by their influences, it highlights the absurdity of the creative process. The book also touches on the transactional nature of art—how quickly an artist, if given the chance, might trade their own voice for commercial success and the approval of the masses. It is a cynical yet playful look at the "hack" writer who dreams of fame but finds it in the most unexpected, mechanical way possible.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy mid-century science fiction, particularly the dry, witty, and slightly cynical tone of 1950s pulp magazines, will find much to admire here. The narrative moves with a quick, breezy pace, and the dialogue between the frustrated human and the arrogant, caps-locking typewriter is genuinely funny. It captures a specific, nostalgic atmosphere of the "starving artist" living in a cramped city apartment, a trope that remains relatable to any modern reader who has ever sat down to write and felt like their own brain was working against them.

However, readers should be aware that the story reflects the era in which it was written; the gender roles and the casual, slightly dismissive attitudes toward mental health (seen in Perry's reaction to Fred's "breakdown") are distinct products of the 1950s. The writing is unpretentious and direct, focusing more on the humor of the premise than on deep character study. Ultimately, it is a delightful, quirky read that stays with you because of its unique central hook: the idea that the "genius" prose you see in magazines might just be the result of an extraterrestrial tourist bored enough to take a vacation on Earth.