The Last Laugh by Bryce Walton
The story revolves around Zeke, an alien who comes to Earth as part of a Martian delegation. Initially, Zeke is seen as a curiosity and a source of entertainment for the people he meets. However, things take a turn when Zeke accidentally kills a guard during a misunderstanding. As the situation escalates, Johnson, a representative of the United Nations, steps in to try and resolve the issue. He explains that Zeke has diplomatic immunity due to his status as Martian Ambassador and that any attempts to arrest or prosecute him would be a violation of inter-world relations. In the end, Zeke is taken into custody by UN officials who are tasked with protecting him from being arrested or otherwise harmed. Johnson reflects on the experience, noting that Zeke seemed to have gained a better understanding of humanity during his visit and that he had even come to appreciate the role of laughter in human society. The story raises questions about the nature of humor and how it is perceived by different cultures. It also highlights the complexities of inter-world relations and the challenges that arise when dealing with beings from other planets.
By Bryce Walton · First published 1989 · Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Mystery · 8,899 words
First lines
_The visitor from Mars was a first-rate howl. Earthmen reckoned he was endowed with all the qualities of all the greatest clowns in the history of Buffoonery. Often though, the distance between humor and terror can be too short to be funny._
The scarred rocket rolled down street canyons away from United Nations City, wheeled toward Madison Square Garden between jam-packed, crazily-cheering millions of citizens from every nation on Earth.
What this Textopian page supports
The Last Laugh is listed on Textopian as a novel by Bryce Walton, dated 1989 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Bryce Walton
- Date: 1989 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Science Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crime Fiction
- Length: 8,899 words
- Structure: 1 section, 210 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Last Laugh by Bryce Walton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
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- The Hour Of Battle by Robert Sheckley
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- Laura by Saki
- Bargain Basement by Charles L. Fontenay
- The Horrible History Of Jones by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Science Fiction — The narrative and setting heavily involve futuristic and speculative technology, which is characteristic of the science fiction genre.
- Thriller — The novel has many suspenseful moments that aim to thrill and surprise the reader, similar to common traits of the Thriller genre.
- Mystery — There are numerous mysterious events and questions throughout the narrative that are gradually resolved, aligning it with the Mystery genre.
- Crime Fiction — The story involves an investigation into a fictional crime, which is a typical premise in the Crime Fiction genre.
Tags
humor · dark comedy · satire · irony · life and death · existentialism · absurdism · social commentary · human nature · tragedy · philosophy · relationships