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A review by beaconatnight
Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith
3.0
Wow, what the heck was this? So, there was this planet, very far into the future, which is mostly like Australia is today. Except that there was some sort of disease which befalls sheep and from which a drug can be produced whose consumption gives you immortality. Since they are the sole producers of this drug, the Australians are now the richest people in the universe. Oh, and they are also able to communicate telepathically. Except for some people, who are killed off for that shortcoming (as a measure of population control).
One of these "freaks" is Rod, the 151st (or so) descendant of one of the earliest farmers on the planet. Because he belongs to this traditional family he gets four chances at the "trial" that determines if he lives or dies, and on his last trial the judges vote in his favor. Also, there is this old rival who, like him, is also a freak, even though in a different respect: he cannot use the drug, so he is granted only a comparatively short life. For some reason he hates Rod for that and is determined to kill him. How do deal with this situation? Well, it would be easy to just leave the planet for a while and come back after his nemesis died; but this certainly isn't the novel's style. Instead Rod used his computer... to buy Earth? Yeah, this seriously is what happens. On the first couple of pages or so.
Compared to the sheer insanity of the setting, the plot itself comes along a bit dull. It becomes necessary for Rod to go to Earth, but to the reader, as well as to Rod himself, it's not really transparent why. The narration continues to convey a lot of information as to what is happening around their trip to Earth, but there is no impetus to Rod's adventure that is his own. In fact, not even with his big universe-shattering purchase of mankind's home planet he has much to say in the matter. Even when at a later point there are things that he would like to do, other people talk him out of it. So, things rather just happen to him, and this certainly contributes to the feeling that the plot rather drags along.
There is a cool twist to this, though. At about the halfway point there is an event that makes him reflect on his desires and ambitions and from which he returns by taking control of his life. Actually, the question of what makes you a person functions as something like an arc throughout the book, so that I felt that this turn was quite powerful.
What I loved about the book was the very lyrical style of writing. I guess print science-fiction isn't exactly popular for being exciting aesthetically (completely opposed to the medium of film, where you have the likes of "Blade Runner 2049", "2001", or "Gravity"), but 'Norstrilia' is genuinely beautiful at times. There are quite a few poems in there that are not only wonderfully written (are they written by Smith himself?), but which also add a depth to certain scenes and characters.
I cannot really say that I loved the book, though I feel like I should. I have to admit that I would have preferred a more conventional development of the plot, at least at times. But it's really a quite unique experience, and I would expect that many people would be all over this.
Rating: 3.5/5
One of these "freaks" is Rod, the 151st (or so) descendant of one of the earliest farmers on the planet. Because he belongs to this traditional family he gets four chances at the "trial" that determines if he lives or dies, and on his last trial the judges vote in his favor. Also, there is this old rival who, like him, is also a freak, even though in a different respect: he cannot use the drug, so he is granted only a comparatively short life. For some reason he hates Rod for that and is determined to kill him. How do deal with this situation? Well, it would be easy to just leave the planet for a while and come back after his nemesis died; but this certainly isn't the novel's style. Instead Rod used his computer... to buy Earth? Yeah, this seriously is what happens. On the first couple of pages or so.
Compared to the sheer insanity of the setting, the plot itself comes along a bit dull. It becomes necessary for Rod to go to Earth, but to the reader, as well as to Rod himself, it's not really transparent why. The narration continues to convey a lot of information as to what is happening around their trip to Earth, but there is no impetus to Rod's adventure that is his own. In fact, not even with his big universe-shattering purchase of mankind's home planet he has much to say in the matter. Even when at a later point there are things that he would like to do, other people talk him out of it. So, things rather just happen to him, and this certainly contributes to the feeling that the plot rather drags along.
There is a cool twist to this, though. At about the halfway point there is an event that makes him reflect on his desires and ambitions and from which he returns by taking control of his life. Actually, the question of what makes you a person functions as something like an arc throughout the book, so that I felt that this turn was quite powerful.
What I loved about the book was the very lyrical style of writing. I guess print science-fiction isn't exactly popular for being exciting aesthetically (completely opposed to the medium of film, where you have the likes of "Blade Runner 2049", "2001", or "Gravity"), but 'Norstrilia' is genuinely beautiful at times. There are quite a few poems in there that are not only wonderfully written (are they written by Smith himself?), but which also add a depth to certain scenes and characters.
I cannot really say that I loved the book, though I feel like I should. I have to admit that I would have preferred a more conventional development of the plot, at least at times. But it's really a quite unique experience, and I would expect that many people would be all over this.
Rating: 3.5/5