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Cordwainer Smith



"Alpha Ralpha Boulevard"
(Instrumentality series)
© F&SF, Jun 1961
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--novelette : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /34 (tie)
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ idea award


"The Ballad of Lost C'Mell"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Oct 1962
Space Lords, 1965
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ adventure award


"The Burning of the Brain"
(Instrumentality series)
© IF, Oct 1958
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award

"The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal"
(Instrumentality series)
© Amazing, May 1964
Under Old Earth and other explorations, 1970
Stardreamer, 1971
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ adventure award


"The Dead Lady of Clown Town"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Aug 1964
Space Lords, 1965
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ adventure award


"Down to a Sunless Sea"
(Instrumentality series)
© F&SF, Oct 1975
The Rediscovery of Man, 1993
--novelette : 1976 Locus /2
--international sf : 1976 Ditmar

--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


"Drunkboat"
(Instrumentality series)
© Amazing, Oct 1963
Space Lords, 1965
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


"The Game of Rat and Dragon"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Oct 1955
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--short fiction : 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /26 (tie)
--short story : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /7

--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award
--/ idea award


"Golden the Ship Was - Oh! Oh! Oh!"
(Instrumentality series)
© Amazing, Apr 1959
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


----------------------------------------------



"The Lady Who Sailed the Soul"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Apr 1960
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


Vintage, picture-perfect Cordwainer Smith here. The title alone is worth "the price of admission". Truly romantic fiction of the spaceways. If Brothers Grimm lived in 23rd Century, this would be the kind of fables they'd write, or better. Well, your mind' eye will treated to such luxurious, baroque visions, as "the image of the great sails, tissue-metal wings with which the bodies of people finally fluttered out among the stars." Of course, it is also a part of Instrumentality series, so it falls into the rest of great "Faberge-like" puzzle with every sparkling and intricate detail.
review: 06-Jul-06 (read in 1993)

----------------------------------------------

"Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Jun 1961
Space Lords, 1965
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


"Nancy"
(also as "The Nancy Routine")
© Satellite, Mar 1959
The Instrumentality of Mankind, 1979
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award

"No, No, Not Rogov!"
© IF, Feb 1959
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--/ cool sf story

"On the Gem Planet"
(Quest of the Three Worlds: Casher O'Neill)
© Galaxy, Oct 1963
Quest of The Three Worlds, 1966
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"On the Sand Planet"
(Quest of the Three Worlds: Casher O'Neill)
© Amazing, Dec 1965
Quest of The Three Worlds, 1966
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"On the Storm Planet"
(Quest of the Three Worlds: Casher O'Neill)
© Galaxy, Feb 1965
Quest of The Three Worlds, 1966
--novella : 1966 Nebula
--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award


"A Planet Named Shayol"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Oct 1961
Space Lords, 1965
--short fiction : 1971 Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll /30 (tie)
--foreign short fiction : 1995 Seiun W
--novella : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /29 (tie)

--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


"Quest Of The Three Worlds" (coll)
© 1966, Ace Books
--/ third place sf collection
--/ wonder award
--/ adventure award
--/ style award


"Scanners Live in Vain"
(Instrumentality series)
© Fantasy Book # 6, 1950
You Will Never Be the Same, 1963
--novelette : 1999 Locus All-Time Poll /19
--novelette : 2001 Retro Hugo

--/ third place sf story
--/ wonder award
--/ style award
--/ idea award
--/ shock value


"Three to a Given Star"
(Quest of Three Worlds: Casher O'Neill)
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Oct 1965
Quest of The Three Worlds, 1966
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award

"Under Old Earth"
(Instrumentality series)
© Galaxy, Feb 1966
Under Old Earth and other explorations, 1970
Stardreamer, 1971
--/ fourth place sf story
--/ wonder award

------------------------------------

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EXPLANATION OF THE RATING SYSTEM:

"SF&F Reading Experience" is part of "Dark Roasted Blend / Thrilling Wonder" family of sites. We try to highlight the most entertaining and rewarding science fiction and fantasy, with emphasis on memorable reader experience, not necessarily general acceptance by the critics. Have fun, and delve into our extensive ratings and reviews!

Most reviews are written by Avi Abrams, unless otherwise noted. Reviews also appear on our unique historical retrospective page Wonder Timeline of Science Fiction. Feel free to submit your own review, if a particular story is not listed here.


All major OFFICIAL AWARDS are highlighted in BLUE
("winner" has a letter "W" by it, otherwise it is a runner-up only)

Our PERSONAL AWARDS (ratings) are highlighted in RED and PURPLE:
--/ first place :
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--/ fourth place :

--/ cool : (equal to fifth place)
ALL "BEST OF" LISTS ARE LOCATED HERE

These awards are given in the following categories:
- novel :
- series :
- novella :
- story :
- collection :

Also, there are our personal STYLE / GENRE SPECIFIC AWARDS. These reflect the story's content and the lasting impression on the reader:

--/ wonder award
sense-of-wonder, "visual intensity" and inventiveness

--/ idea award
originality of idea / concept

--/ adventure award
exhilarating plot, excitement / action

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outstanding literary qualities, inimitable style

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intense and beautiful love / relationships

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funny and cool

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touching, lasting impression, sensitivity

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--/ awesome scale
mind-boggling; further enhances sense-of-wonder

--/ rare find
very hard to locate, mostly from old pulps, never reprinted, etc.

Again, please feel free to leave your own review or comment under every writer's entry; also recommend us other stories you liked.