Mention Appertaining To Books Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind)
| Title | : | Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind) |
| Author | : | Cordwainer Smith |
| Book Format | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 288 pages |
| Published | : | July 1985 by Del Rey (first published February 1975) |
| Categories | : | Science Fiction. Fiction |
Cordwainer Smith
Mass Market Paperback | Pages: 288 pages Rating: 4.06 | 2200 Users | 127 Reviews
Interpretation Conducive To Books Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind)
Rod McBan 151st farms 'stroon', the immortality drug, and is the last scion of one of the oldest and most honourable families on Norstrilia, only source of stroon. But he's also a telepathic cripple and faces the ever-present risk of being culled under the government's draconian population laws.To protect himself, he uses his not-strictly-legal computer to play the market and amass an unimaginable fortune. But after he survives an assassination attempt, McBan discovers that having enough money to literally buy the Earth is no good if you're too dead to spend it . . .
Be Specific About Books In Favor Of Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind)
| Original Title: | Norstrilia |
| ISBN: | 0345323009 (ISBN13: 9780345323002) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Instrumentality of Mankind, L'Instrumentalité #3 |
| Characters: | Rod McBan, C'Mell |
| Setting: | Norstrilia |
| Literary Awards: | Seiun Award 星雲賞 for Best Foreign Novel (1988) |
Rating Appertaining To Books Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind)
Ratings: 4.06 From 2200 Users | 127 ReviewsNotice Appertaining To Books Norstrilia (Instrumentality of Mankind)
When I'm done with this I'll have read all of Mr. Smith's work. He died young and had a very demanding day job so there's not much there. But ... what's there is cherce! My library copy is a small hardbound with a dull brown cover so I'll leave this cover up. Turns out, upon further investigation, that this is a re-bound paperback. It now has a hardbound cover, probably applied by the UMASS/Amherst library where it's on loan from. I never heard of such a thing before, though it seems likeThis is such a good book! Cordwainer Smith is now one of my favorite authors. I`m STILL trying to figure out how I missed him for 58 years!
Rod McBan, master and owner of a farm on the planet Norstrilla where giant sick sheep exude a drug which refined gives people immortality, is at risk to his life due to an old quarrel in his 3rd childhood. What does he do? He turns his old computer on the world and lets it buy up Old Earth itself. Even that isn't enough, as he has to escape to it. Once there, he gets involved in the wild plots of the Instrumentality of mankind and might just find himself.The book is a riot of color and language.
4.5 Stars. The only novel ever written by Cordwainer Smith which is a real tragedy for fans of excellent, imaginative science fiction. This is a great big story full of great ideas and cool concepts. Nominee Hugo Award Best Novel (1964) (The Planet Buyer)
Honestly, I like the short stories better, but this novel had a lot of charm. Very sixties sentimentality, mixed with the man who sold the world kind of ideas, and yet, it fit perfectly with the extended future histories that made his writings really special.
It is one of the enduring tragedies of science fiction that the man who wrote as Cordwainer Smith died so young. His life was weird and fascinating - from living in China during the revolution to writing what is still considered to be one of the fundamental texts on psychological warfare - and his experiences with such a variety of people and cultures comes through in his stories. He takes perfectly believable aspects of people and twists them so far out of proportion that they are barely
This is one of the best SF or fantasy novels Ive read in a long time. McBans transformation into a simple farmer to the owner of the entire planet earth is cleverly executed and paced so well that it makes the unlikely storyline feel plausible and makes for a fascinating, though short, read. Once youve read this, youll find yourself believing in cat people, talking apes, and giant sheep with the ability to extend human lifespans.
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