Best of Crdwnr Smith

This is outstanding, the story average is 4.04 thanks to not one, but two 5 star stories, in Scanners Live In Vain, and Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons. Smith is one of those amazing throw you in the middle of wonder kind of writers. (This is partly why I like Terry Dowling so much, someone who actually is one of the Lords of the Instrumentality.) These two gentlemen have two of the highest rated SF collections I have ever read, the other being a writer with a different style completely, in Greg Egan. Absolutely worth reading. Best of Cordwainer Smith : Scanners Live in Vain - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Lady Who Sailed the Soul - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Game of Rat and Dragon - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Burning of the Brain - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Crime and the Glory of Commander Suzdal - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : Golden the Ship Was Oh! Oh! Oh! - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Dead Lady of Clown Town - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : Under Old Earth - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : Mother Hittons Littul Kittons - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : Alpha Ralpha Boulevard - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : The Ballad of Lost C'Mell - Cordwainer Smith Best of Cordwainer Smith : A Planet Named Shayol - Cordwainer Smith Monopoly is bad, and worth doing something about. 5 out of 5 Solo starnaut sheila's suitor. 4 out of 5 Another actual use for a live cat. Fight you little bastard. 4 out of 5 Mind destruction manoeuvre rescue transfer. 4 out of 5 Lost planet female cancer transsexual aggression solution is timeslip cat kill cull. 4 out of 5 Time for war, duckie. 4 out of 5 Witch woman and dead robot animal trial. 4.5 out of 5 Too happy is bad. 3.5 out of 5 Old North Australia's mutant mad mink secret defense doesn't pussyfoot around with thieves and murderers. Or, Stop, You'll Eat Yourself. 5 out of 5 Hard to believe in France. 3 out of 5 Underpeople Lord assisted execution escapage. 4.5 out of 5 Pain punishment makes skin way more deep. 3.5 out of 5

As a second generation science fiction fan, I have happily read SF spread over decades. Time and time again I return to my slim volume of Cordwainer Smith stories. They are unlike any other authors, with fascinating characters and haunting story lines. You'll find yourself thinking about these tales long after you've read them.

I have been reading Cordwainer Smith stories over and over for many, many years. There aren't that many of them - but they are so wonderful they can be read and read and read again. And they never lose their freshness for me. I read 'The Game of Rat and Dragon' to my wife one night when she was having trouble getting to sleep. Perhaps it's not his greatest story, but it is so humane, so all-encompassing of the best of humankind and so wonderful to the animals that we share this world with - specifically cats in this case (and for anyone who has been fortunate enough to share at least part of their lives with cats it will probably raise so many memories). So I took down my favourite anthology - the 1970 Panther Books edition published under the title 'Under Old Earth' and started to refresh the Cordwainer Smith experience. As I read the wonderful 'A Planet Named Shayol' (there is nothing like this anywhere!) the tears rose in my eyes again. This involuntary response told me so much!!! Here's a quote: 'It's unfair,' cried the half-man. 'They should be punished as we were!' The Lady Johanna Gnade looked down at him. 'Punishment is ended. We will give you anything you wish, but not the pain of another.' What a vision! The only comparable one I can think of is the words Gustav Mahler wrote about the day of judgement scene in his second symphony. After the trumpets sound and the dead are raised Mahler reasoned that there would be neither reward nor punishment - only God's heavenly love would remain. I cannot compromise the five star average rating for these stories. I agree with one and all! If you haven't read these stories you have a wonderful experience in store. If you, like me, know them already - just enjoy again and again as I do.

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. It is a wonderful collection from an unjustly underrated author. Reviewed by Max Yofre.

This compilation of tales is a great introduction to the people (both real, and animal derived), politicial systems and worlds of Cordwainer Smith. Lyrical prose and haunting poetry are the hallmarks of this great writer, and the cast of characters while often changing from one short story to another have a historical, if not familial continuity - witness the Vomacts who held their name for over 10,000 years. The only downside to this book is that it is a "Best of" and therefore incomplete - hence the rating of 9/10. But it has a great timeline listing with (I think) all the stories listed so that you can complete the series. Note: Reviewed version was printed 1975, paperback from Ballantine Books, JJ Pierce editor. If you like Science Fiction, Cordwainer is a MUST!