The Big Time · Chapters

Chapters explained

Chapter companions for The Big Time by Fritz Leiber.

Read with companions Book page

Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.

Chapter 1
I: Enter Three Hussars
Greta Forzane, an Entertainer in the Change War, introduces herself and the Place, a recuperation station outside space and time. Three Soldiers arrive as hussars: Erich von Hohenwald, a Roman named Mark, and a New Boy named Bruce. Erich and Bruce clash, with Erich calling Bruce a Snake. Greta reflects on the horrors of the Change War and her own role.
Chapter 2
II: A Right-Hand Glove
Bruce Marchant delivers a passionate tirade against the Change War and the Spiders, questioning the value of Resurrection and the morality of their operations. The New Girl, Lili Foster, wins him over by producing a perfectly fitting glove for his bare right hand, breaking the tension. The group debates the nature of the Change War, the Conservation of Reality, and the fate of nations, while Doc has a traumatic flashback to a Nazi salt mine. Lili and Bruce bond over their shared history from World War I.
Chapter 3
III: Nine for a Party
The chapter depicts a gathering of nine soldiers at a Recuperation Station, where they celebrate the arrival of Marcus Vipsaius Niger, a Roman legate, and engage in conversation about the Change War, the Art Gallery, and their own experiences. The narrator reflects on the nature of Change, memory, and the unique status of Demons, while the group shares stories, drinks, and music.
Chapter 4
IV: SOS from Nowhere
The chapter opens with the group receiving a Spider distress call. Sid identifies the SOS as coming from outside the cosmos, and the team prepares for a pickup despite it being unscheduled. A Door opens, and Kaby, a Lunan named Ilhilihis, and a satyr named Sevensee arrive. Kaby is distraught, reporting the destruction of Crete, and breaks down in grief and rage.
Chapter 5
V: Sid Insists on Ghostgirls
Sid enforces a recuperation protocol at the station, pairing soldiers with companions to heal their psychological wounds. The narrator defends the role of Entertainers as nurses and therapists, then shifts to care for Illy, a Lunan, while Erich happily engages with a Ghostgirl. The chapter explores the necessity of companionship and the complex dynamics among the soldiers and staff.

Free preview

11 more chapter companions sit beside the text in BetterReads — open a free preview to unlock the rest.

11 more companions → free preview

I: Enter Three Hussars

II: A Right-Hand Glove

III: Nine for a Party

IV: SOS from Nowhere

V: Sid Insists on Ghostgirls