Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Remembering Cordwainer Smith: Full-Time Sci-Fi Author Part-Time Earthling - Ted Gioia
"One could spend many pages considering these sociological and political themes, but the main attraction of Cordwainer Smith is not the theoretical implications, but the extravagant and often disturbing plot elements that make his stories stand out from the pack. When Smith submitted his first sci-fi story "Scanners Live in Vain" to John Campbell, Jr., the mastermind behind the influential Astounding magazine, the seasoned editor turned it down because it was, in his words, "too extreme.""
3.5 out of 5
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/03/remembering-cordwainer-smith-full-time-sci-fi-author-part-time-earthling/274344/
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The Intricate World of Cordwainer Smith - Ross Hetherington
"Every one of Smith’s stories takes place within a single, projected future history spanning 14,000 years from the present (a history which has only ever been incompletely reconstructed – Linebarger lost his one notebook to a sailing trip). In them, after global collapse near to our present time, there is founded a single governing power – The Instrumentality of Mankind. Though the Instrumentality is willing to use any means at its disposal to preserve humanity, its dictatorship is neither that of abstract utilitarian computation, nor of pure bureaucracy. The Lords of the Instrumentality, when we meet them, are human, whatever methuselan age they have lived to, or whatever skills and technologies they employ. And, however vast and rigid the hierarchy sits under them, they retain their individuality and autonomy. Ultimately, that they will serve humanity above all other concerns is a matter of trust in the subtle wisdom of the system they serve."
3.5 out of 5
http://glasgowguardian.co.uk/culture/the-intricate-world-of-cordwainer-smith/
Thursday, December 13, 2012
A Game Of Rats And Dragon - Tobias S. Buckell
I prefer my program pet-colleague, thanks.
4 out of 5
http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/a-game-of-rats-and-dragon/
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
4 out of 5
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
The Game of Rat and Dragon - Cordwainer Smith
"Protecting Project Pulp No. 10: Cordwainer Smith"
4 out of 5
http://protectingprojectpulp.com/protecting-project-pulp-no-10-cordwainer-smith/
4 out of 5
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Earthport - Technovelgy
A massive spaceport that reared up from the surface of the earth to the edge of the atmosphere.
"...Earthport stood like an enormous wineglass, reaching from the magma to the high atmosphere. Earthport had been built during mankind's biggest mechanical splurge. Though men had had nuclear rockets since the beginning of consecutive history, they had used chemical rockets to load the interplanetary ion-drive and nuclear-drive vehicles or to assemble the photonic sail-ships for interstellar cruises. Impatient with the troubles of taking things bit by bit into the sky, they had worked out a billion-ton rocket, only to find that it ruined whatever countryside it touched in landing. The Daimoni-people of Earth extraction, who came back from somewhere beyond the stars-had helped men build [Earthport] of weatherproof, rustproof, timeproof, stressproof material."
4 out of 5
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Content.asp?Bnum=2066
"...Earthport stood like an enormous wineglass, reaching from the magma to the high atmosphere. Earthport had been built during mankind's biggest mechanical splurge. Though men had had nuclear rockets since the beginning of consecutive history, they had used chemical rockets to load the interplanetary ion-drive and nuclear-drive vehicles or to assemble the photonic sail-ships for interstellar cruises. Impatient with the troubles of taking things bit by bit into the sky, they had worked out a billion-ton rocket, only to find that it ruined whatever countryside it touched in landing. The Daimoni-people of Earth extraction, who came back from somewhere beyond the stars-had helped men build [Earthport] of weatherproof, rustproof, timeproof, stressproof material."
4 out of 5
http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Content.asp?Bnum=2066
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Erba in Tour Uniform - Joel Glaine
"In the shadow of Earthport, a rabbit-derived undergirl signals to you and your friends that the tour of Earthport will now begin. Triangle tours runs tours from Earthport, to the sprawling city of Meeya-Meefla at it's base to the top of Eathport, 20 km up. "
3 out of 5
The E'telikeli - Lifetake
E'telikeli is an Underperson from author Cordwainer Smith's sci-fi universe...he shows up in uhh...."The Ballad of Lost C'mell" and Norstrilia. I think that's it....? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong; C.S. has a billion short stories. Anyway Underpeople are animals modified to look and act like people, but basically they are treated as second-class citizens (if citizens at all, actually...can't remember). Anyway they do mundane jobs to make everyone's life easier. E'telikeli was a badly-formed Underperson and was discarded but he survived and then he does some important stuff. Oh and the E stands for Eagle; he was derived from an eagle.E'telikeli is an Underperson from author Cordwainer Smith's sci-fi universe...he shows up in uhh...."The Ballad of Lost C'mell" and Norstrilia. I think that's it....? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong; C.S. has a billion short stories. Anyway Underpeople are animals modified to look and act like people, but basically they are treated as second-class citizens (if citizens at all, actually...can't remember). Anyway they do mundane jobs to make everyone's life easier. E'telikeli was a badly-formed Underperson and was discarded but he survived and then he does some important stuff. Oh and the E stands for Eagle; he was derived from an eagle."
3.5 out of 5
M'inga Mouse Under-girl - Joel Glaine
"12000 years in the future,in the shadow of Earthport,Animal derived under-people scurry to fulfill the wishes of their human masters,leastways according to Cordwainer Smith. Inspired by the novel, Norstrilia, This is one of three pieces I did.
M'inga is a mouse-girl technician that keeps the engines and factories in the Down-deep-down-deep, far below the human city of Meeya-Meefla Around Earthport. The under-people who aren't to come in contact with true-men aren't allowed many clothes."
4 out of 5
Russian Blue a Girly-girl - Joel Glaine
"12000 years in the future,in the shadow of Earthport,Animal derived under-people scurry to fulfill the wishes of their human masters,leastways according to Cordwainer Smith. Inspired by the novel, Norstrilia, This is one of three pieces I did. Earthport hostesses are called "Girly-girls" and are expected to wait hand and foot on visitors from the stars like Geishas. Russian-blue is a cat-girl derived from a russian blue cat."
3.5 out of 5
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Ballad of Lost C'Mell - Cordwainer Smith
A version done for 'Sci-Fi Radio' on NPR in 1989.
4 out of 5
4 out of 5
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