David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer’s The Space Opera Renaissance (2006) is a 941 page tome so I’m reviewing it in parts. I’ve reviewed the first section last month (you can read my review here) and now I’m tackling the second section:
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
II. Draftees (1960s)
- “The Game of Rat & Dragon” (1955) by Cordwainer Smith — 139
- “Empire Star” by Samuel R. Delany (1966) — 151
- “Zirn Left Unguarded, the Jenjik Palace in Flames, Jon Westerly Dead” (1972) by Robert Sheckley — 200
“Cordwainer Smith” was the pseudonym of Dr. Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger (1913-1955), a professor of Asiatic studies at Johns Hopkins University of Advanced International Studies. He was also working with the U. S. Intelligence community on propaganda techniques and psychological warfare. “The Game of Rat & Dragon” was just the beginning of Cordwainer Smith’s unique stories. Robert Silverberg considered “The Game of Rat & Dragon” “one of the classic stories of science fiction. For me it was a revelation. I read it over and over, astonished by its power.” (p. 139).
The “dragons” are mysterious aliens who attack human starships and drive the human crews insane. As a defense, cats guided by human telepaths are used to fight the “dragons”, because of their very quick reactions. The cats see the aliens as giant rats. GRADE: A
“Empire Star” by Samuel R. Delany is a novella (published as half of an ACE Double) about a youngster named Comet Jo. Comet Jo’s education of galactic society and his efforts to deliver an important message to Empire Star is an attempt to bring an end to slavery. GRADE: B
Robert Sheckley is best known for his comic SF so “Zirn Left Unguarded, the Jenjik Palace in Flames, Jon Westerly Dead”–a parody of classic pulp style stories–is right up his alley. GRADE: B+
Methinks you are rating Delany and Sheckley just a tad harshly. Three great stories, not the very best they have done, but still A-level.!
Jerry, there are many more really great stories in the next few sections of THE SPACE OPERA RENAISSANCE. You’ll be seeing a lot of “A”s then!
Big Sheckley fan, and was very glad to make Delany’s acquaintance.
Meanwhile, “Scanners Live in Vain” was the first published of Linebarger’s sf stories…was “Game” his first written (I should Go Look)? Perhaps along with his early suspense novels? It is a cute notion how the aliens present themselves to the Terran species…it’s been a while since I’ve read anything by him. He was the kind of guy who wanted to waken his children on the day the Germans surrendered in WW2 by beating them, so that they would always remember that day, but was successfully talked out of it by his wife/their mother. Some folks need a whole lot of brakes on their impulses…
Todd, “Cordwainer Smith” loved cats and they appear in key parts of this Instrumentality series.
Oh, I know. One of the bigger favors I did my old friend Laura was getting her the NESFA collection of the “Smith” stories…
Todd, I have that NESFA collection of Cordwainer Smith’s stories. What a great gift!