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Summary: The unique place of Cordwainer Smith in SF genere.
Review: Cordwainer Smith brought his own unique visoion to the field and enriched it greatly. His entire output fills four volumes but in influcencing and inspiring other writers he has had far more effect than others who have written (sometimes literally) a hundred times as much. Why? Well, for one he deals with non - technological themes. Like Clarke and Stapeldon he asks questions about the human condition and what comes after it. Another reason might be the sheer quality of the prose, uniquely his own (although there have been imitators - see Micheal Coneys "The Celestial Steam Locomotive" or M.John Harrisons "In Viriconcium"). Titles like "The Dead Lady Of Clown Town", "Scanners Live In Vain", "Think Blue, Count Two" are at once whimsical and mysterious. One other reason might be the glimpes - and it is nothing more than a glimpse - of a vast history unfolding involving a romantic rebellion of the half human servant class called the "Underpeople" against a sultifying humanist regime known as The Instrumentality of Mankind. There are echoes of the rebellion of the Christian slaves against the might of Rome. The rebellion of the Underpeople comes to frutition in his best story - "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell". If you read only one story of his, make it this one.."Where is the which of what she did? Hid the bell with a blot she did... but she fell in love with a hominid. where is the which of the what she did?"
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Summary: A Poet of Human Strife for Survival
Review: Cordwainer Smith celebrates Humanity and its better qualities. His work is a tribute to Man and Woman. It is also a wonderful feat of the imagination. His planets are some of the most original alien worlds even devised. Science Fiction owes much to Dr.Paul Linebarger (Nomen Omen : he barged through the lines of conventional genres).
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Summary: To put things straight
Review: Cordwainer Smith is not only one of the best in science-fiction, he is one of the best in Litterature, period. I have the whole collection of his works in s.f. from Presses Pocket ,but it's a french edition. Even though it's translated, I stand amazed every time I read it. I can't wait to re-re-re-re-discover theses wonderful stories, but this time, in the un-translated form (I guess it will be even better than in french!!) I'm ordering theses two books right now !!!
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Summary: Don't miss Cordwainer Smith if you love science fiction!
Review: Cordwainer Smith is one of the most amazing, lyrical writers of science fiction ever. It distresses me that he is so little known. He made a name for himself during the Korean war as a diplomat; he apparently devised a way for Chinese soldiers to surrender without losing face by chanting the words for "peace, love, serenity" (or some similar words...my memory of the anecdote is not perfect) which in English sounded like "I Su-REN-Der". Genius. The man's intellect bursts forth in his short fiction, which has given me the chills, made me cry, and caused me to reflect back on images from the works on more occasions than I care to admit. PLEASE read this man's works. He is extremely literate and passionate in his writing, adopting an asian style of storytelling that is both different and comforting. The pathos of B'dikkat in "The Planet Named Sheol" is as touching as the story is horrifying. If you do not enjoy this book, I will be extremely surprized.
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Summary: I just wish he'd written more...
Review: Cordwainer Smith is one of the most unique and original authors to ever write science fiction, and is definitely among my favorites. These stories are the best of Cordwainer Smith, though he also wrote Nostrilia, a good book that nevertheless pales in comparison to the selections in The Rediscovery of Man. What I like about Smith is that he has a sense of the epic in science fiction, while still maintaining the focus of his writing: humans and near-humans (the underpeople). Many of his stories deal with love, something to be admired in a genre that often ignores this important concept. Especially in "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell", "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", "The Burning of the Brain", and "Three to a Given Star", Smith shows his competency in this area, giving often heart-wrenching accounts of the survival of love in this far flung future. Other key stories include "The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal", the horrifying "A Planet Named Shayol", and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town". Such stories show an incredible depth of imagination, though Smith never loses touch with his characters, imbuing them real emotion and intelligence. If I had one complaint it would be that Smith sometimes lets his imagination run wild, creating a story that is a little too abstract. This is shown in "Under Old Earth", the only story I had trouble finishing. This, however, is a minor grievance, and the pure brilliance of the other stories occludes this one misstep. Give yourself a chance to appreciate this often overlooked genius.
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Summary: I just wish he'd written more...
Review: Cordwainer Smith is one of the most unique and original authors to ever write science fiction, and is definitely among my favorites. These stories are the best of Cordwainer Smith, though he also wrote Nostrilia, a good book that nevertheless pales in comparison to the selections in The Rediscovery of Man. What I like about Smith is that he has a sense of the epic in science fiction, while still maintaining the focus of his writing: humans and near-humans (the underpeople). Many of his stories deal with love, something to be admired in a genre that often ignores this important concept. Especially in "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell", "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard", "The Burning of the Brain", and "Three to a Given Star", Smith shows his competency in this area, giving often heart-wrenching accounts of the survival of love in this far flung future. Other key stories include "The Crime and Glory of Commander Suzdal", the horrifying "A Planet Named Shayol", and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town". Such stories show an incredible depth of imagination, though Smith never loses touch with his characters, imbuing them real emotion and intelligence. If I had one complaint it would be that Smith sometimes lets his imagination run wild, creating a story that is a little too abstract. This is shown in "Under Old Earth", the only story I had trouble finishing. This, however, is a minor grievance, and the pure brilliance of the other stories occludes this one misstep. Give yourself a chance to appreciate this often overlooked genius.
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Summary: Myths of the Future.
Review: Cordwainer Smith is the pen name of Mr. Paul M. A. Linebarger, who lived a comparatively short (1913 - 1966) and difficult life. He was educated in China, Germany and USA. Loose one eye in an accident being a child. Had a PH degree in Political Sciences, was a university professor and worked undercover for CIA. At the same time he wrote fascinating sci-fi stories.
My first contact with the author's stories was "Alpha Ralpha Boulevard". It was obvious for me that this was a fragment of a greater story, full of mysterious and provoking ideas as the Rediscovery of Man, the Eketeli and so on. I was captivated by the imagery and searched for more works from Cordwainer Smith. Little by little they were appearing in different sci-fi magazines and short stories collections.
With this book you have the opportunity to read almost all the "fragments" constituting Cordwainer's universe, with consistent references to the underpeople, the Instrumentality, the Scanners and the rest of the interlaced icons of this particular Myth.
Remarkable stories are: "Mark Elf", "The Game of Rat & Dragon", "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons" and "Under Old Earth".
A speciall mention must be done for "Ballad of Lost C'Mell" and "The Dead Lady of Clown Town" both dealing with the relationship of humans and underpeople. Mr. Smith had a very particular relation with cats and dogs. He loved them and his underpeople characters show this love.
A final note "The Dead Lady..." is a forceful recreation of Joan D'Arc martyrdom.
A wonderful collection from an unjustly underrated author.
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Summary: The Lord Dunsany of Science Fiction
Review: Cordwainer Smith was a poet of sorts, and this collection is very like an epic. Mostly encompassed by the framework of Smith's far-future creation, the Instrumentality of Mankind, the stories sometimes recycle motifs and names, but each has a unique vision of what it is to be human--even when the characters he writes about are not, themselves, human at all. Smith's narratives transform the distant future into the dimly remembered past, thus giving his starfarers the feel of legendary, often tragic figures, rather than the idealized and flavorless travelers too often found in science fiction. A must-have collection by one of the twentieth-century's greatest imaginations.
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Summary: A unique voice
Review: Cordwainer Smith was actually the pseudonym for Dr. Phillip Linebarger, who was a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University, if I remember right, but anyway, at one of the Ivy League colleges. He was a sometime advisor to the government and wrote a classic book on psychological warfare back in the 40's that I read was still in use by the CIA in the 60's. Perhaps it was this background that gives Smith's stories about the future such a darkly pessimistic tone. As someone observed here in another review, such a view was in stark contrast to the other authors of the Golden Age of Science Fiction (circa 1930 to 1960), during which it was still believed that science would solve all of society's ills. Wherever it came from, Smith's vision is certainly different, his writing style is like no other sci-fi author's, and even his titles are different--giving them names like "The Game of Rat and Dragon, "The Ballad of Lost C'Mell," and the sinister sounding (for a psychological warfare prof) "The Burning of the Brain." If you've never encountered Smith's stories until now, you are in for a rare experience, because Smith is a great storyteller with a uniquely dark and disturbing vision of the future.
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Summary: The Greatest writer ever and/or The book that lived forever
Review: Cordwainer Smith was the author the turnd me into a reader. I found the book The Rediscovery of Man on the table and started reading a little of it. I was amazed!!. I couldnt belive what I read. once i finished that book I wanted more of smith I found Norstrilia and it is also truly a 5 star book. I trully hope you read The Rediscovery of Man. if you find an author as good as Cordwainer. May his name live forever through his books.
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