THE SUFFOCATING BENEVOLENCE OF THE INSTRUMENTALITY
In a far-flung future, planoforming ships knit together a galaxy ruled from Earth by the ruthless benevolence of the mysterious Lords of the Instrumentality, who presided over a utopia without disease, danger—or freedom.
The Underpeople, humanlike beings created from animals to do the work of utopia, had no rights, and could be disposed of at the whim of a human. But they had become more humanlike than their decadent creators, and their leader, the cat woman C'Mell, had a plan for gaining their freedom—which made her much too dangerous a person to be permitted to live.
Elsewhere in the galaxy, the planet Norstrilia had power of its own, for it was the only source of stroon, the drug which arrested aging and made humans immortal. Its inhabitants were wealthy beyond comprehension, and one of them, a boy named Rod McBan, with the help of his computer, had manipulated the galactic economy until he completely owned the planet Earth—which made him much too dangerous a person to be permitted to live.
But when Rod came to Earth and joined forces with C'Mell and a rebellious Lord of the Instrumentality, the petrified utopia of the Instrumentality began to crack and fall apart as freedom was reborn in the galaxy. . . .
Together for the first time in one volume—the classic novel Norstrilia, plus the other stories of the Underpeople's struggle for freedom. A unique vision of the future by one of the most honored and original writers in science fiction.
"Smith made wonderlands. And he made us believe they could be real."—Frederik Pohl
"Read this. Cordwainer Smith is timeless." —Terry Pratchett
". . . a great, exploratory science fiction author . . . a truly unforgettable writer..." —David Brin
"If literary historians of the future make of Cordwainer Smith another Tolkien, it will not be too surprising." —Theodore Sturgeon
". . . a sophisticated, often poetic writer . . . these stories rank among the finest of all time. . . ."—Publishers Weekly
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Product ReviewOf course 5 stars. The stories which appeared under the name Cordwainer Smith, although little known outside the genre, were some of the finest SF ever written, in an omniscient and compassionate style no one has ever been able to imitate.
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Product ReviewNorstrilia was the first "hard to read" SF I got through (thanks, Dad). The story of C'Mell I found later. Worth reading if you haven't yet, surprising how contemporary is still is. This is a bargain priced classic.
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Product ReviewSmith wrote relatively few short stories and only one SF novel, mostly in the 1960's. Even so, he is one of the great SF writers with a style that is unique. His entire work is available in two hardback books, but this edition gives you his novel, Norstrilia, and the associated short stories (a large fraction of his total output). Highly recommended.
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