Science Fiction: The Short Stuff discussion

For September 27-30, as we await October's four group reads to commence, allow me to propose and bring about this Gutenberg short story buddy read by Randall Garrett. Those who wish to join in are welcome to. Those who think the four works scheduled for October will be sufficient challenge may skip this buddy read.

Randall Garrett (1927-1987) is an interesting mostly SF writer. If you have read widely in the genre, you no doubt have heard of him, and probably have even read something by him. But I bet you couldn't name the title of the story. If you could, it's probably in his Lord Darcy series.

In any event, Randall Garrett wrote more works under one pseudonym or another than he probably had published under his own name. Why? I have no idea. This work I am bringing forth is one of these works. The short story was originally published in the October 1962 issue of Analog: Science Fact and Science Fiction under the name Seaton McKettrig. It spanned only eight text pages.

Synopsis: A group of medieval knights find time for a break during a lull in battle.

Join us if you care to:
1) Gutenberg page: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/...
2) Or read it in its original setting: https://www.luminist.org/archives/SF/.... The October 1962 edition.

If you read it, please share your thoughts here at this topic.

I have a few questions for your consideration:

1) Do you consider this story science fiction?

2) What did you think of the odd product placement in the middle of the story?

3) History did not play out this way. This story could therefore be considered alternative history. At least, it could until the end, which then arguably does make it science fiction. Of course, (view spoiler)[virtual reality (hide spoiler)] is established fact today. But remember, in 1962, the publication date of this story, it was not. Anyhow, do you consider alternative history to ge a sub-genre of science fiction? Would it surprise you to learn that many people classify it as such? Do you have any idea why it is? I don't.

And a comment: I was glad to discover Old Kings was not an actual cigarette brand. Old Gold, on the other hand, certainly was.

The book is free, no financial charge, if ordered on Amazon's site for Kindle. I wonder if one gets the illustrations then though.

Dan wrote: "I have a few questions for your consideration:

1) Do you consider this story science fiction?

2) What did you think of the odd product placement in the middle of the story?

3) History did not pl..."

In my view, an alternate history story can be science fiction, but need not be.

The fight scenes were convincing enough so it was very strange when there was a break for commercials.
I don't see this as science fiction; it seems almost a satire.

I think it was classified as science fiction because in 1962 virtual reality was yet to be invented. I've never used one of those headsets that brings users virtual reality, but it sounds like Randall Garrett predicted it amazingly right in this story.

Question #1 above brings about a follow-on question, I suppose. If a story was science fiction when it was written, but is our reality now, is it still science fiction? If your answer is no, then this story isn't science fiction.

Neither was The Machine Stops then, essentially.

Here was my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show....