Norstrilia

by Cordwainer Smith

Overview

This is the only novel Cordwainer Smith ever wrote during his distinguished career. It tells the story of a boy form the planet Old North Australia (where rich, simple farmers grow the immortality drug Stroon), how he bought Old Earth, and how his visit to Earth changed both him and Earth itself.

"Vividly drawn and wonderfully suggestive...confirms that Cordwainer Smith was one of science fiction's most original writers." -- Science Fiction: The Best 100 Novels

"Better than any writer we've yet seen, Smith represents the sense of awe and wonder that is the heart of science fiction." -- Scott Edelman, Science Fiction Age

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781612422169
Publisher:	Arc Manor
Publication date:	08/05/2014
Pages:	290
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.65(d)

About the Author

Cordwainer Smith is a highly regarded science fiction author known for his imaginative world-building, poetic language, and complex storytelling.

His stories are often set in far-off and exotic locations, filled with richly detailed landscapes and environments. His prose is both evocative and poetic, creating a rich and textured tapestry of language that is both beautiful and thought-provoking.

Smith's narratives are often non-linear and fragmented, with multiple plot threads weaving together in unexpected ways. He was unafraid to explore controversial or challenging themes, such as power, politics, and the nature of humanity. Smith's innovative approach to science fiction has had a lasting impact on the genre, and his influence can be seen in many later works that tackle similar themes and ideas.

His technical skill as a writer, combined with his willingness to push boundaries and challenge readers, make him a true master of the craft and many high-profile writers who followed him have cited his works as a major influence on them.

Cordwainer Smith (whose real name was Paul Linebarger) died in Baltimore, Maryland.

Editorial Reviews

Cordwainer Smith, pseudonym of the late Paul Linebarger, a professor and part-time spy, wrote only one SF novel, but it is in keeping with the picture of a future world he built in his other fiction. This novel, originally conceived and published in two parts in 1964 and '68, and later issued in paperback by Ballantine in 1975, begins like a more traditional SF tale. Protagonist Rod McBan's Norstrilian peers consider him inferior because he lacks their telepathic abilities. Nearly ``culled'' as part of the strictly regulated society's population control, McBan uses a computer to arbitrage the galactic financial markets, enabling him, literally, to buy Earth. While the first half would merely have made an interesting novel, the second, more lyrical part displays Smith's superior writing abilities as he describes both the Underpeople (genetically designed combinations of humans and other species-and the Instrumentality (an organization for keeping humanity from becoming stagnant). The result: a novel that transcends its time. Though not a scholarly edition (the variorum is incomplete and the introduction leaves much to be desired), this composite text, ably edited by James A. Mann, is a fine companion to the author's complete short fiction, The Rediscovery of Man. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly