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41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A tragedy there's only one novel from this genius, July 17, 2000
Cordwainer Smith deserves the widest possible recognition. Perhaps the most highly literary of all science fiction writers before the New Wave of the sixties (and still, for my money, a better read than most of that failed revolutionary literature), Smith's single novel "Norstrilia" is utterly unlike any other science fiction novel. Rod McBan becomes the richest man in the universe through the economic warfare of his inherited computer; the novel largely concerns itself with the need to survive the acquisition of wealth. Funny, poetic, and touching, "Norstrilia" is a bittersweet read, because it starts to show how Smith would have continued the expansion and collation of his future history, the Instrumentality of Mankind. Unfortunately, his early death deprived us of what would have been the most lyrical of all future histories. At least we have his stories, which is where any new reader should start (there's a new collection in print now); much of the emotional resonance of the novel comes from recognizing characters from the shorter works, especially the cat-girl C'mell. When you're done with those shorter glories, then come to "Norstrilia" and experience the longest swim in Smith's pool. You won't regret it!
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
May the Great Sheep Sit on You, October 23, 2007
CAUTION: MAKE THIS YOUR LAST CORDWAINER SMITH BOOK! This novel was a rather late addition to Smith's expansive and self-contained literary universe, which he had been constructing for decades, and mostly in his voluminous short stories. All interested persons should first become familiar with the stupendous omnibus collection "The Rediscovery of Man: The Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith." (His short stories are collected in a variety of other editions, and at least one is also titled "The Rediscovery of Man," but these are partial collections of varying usefulness.) Over his career, Smith built an immense and astonishing future history spanning tens of thousands of years, during which humanity had spread throughout the universe and pockets of human society became isolated. A group known as the Instrumentality initiated the Rediscovery of Man to bring far-flung human culture back together. This is all mapped out in an astonishing array of Smith's short stories, and "Norstrilia" (his only full-length novel) must be considered an extension of just one portion of that vast literary universe. For the newbie, I'm not sure if "Norstrilia" fully functions as a stand-alone novel because I was lucky enough to experience the short stories first. Thus I can understand a few of the less favorable reviews here, claiming that the story is diffuse and doesn't make sense. One issue for the newbie is the great source of Smith's genius - his mythology-like non-Western storytelling technique that is laid out more logically in the short stories, while appearing rather abruptly here. That's why fans should become familiar with Smith's progression of short stories first, because then this novel will make more sense, as it's merely piece of a much larger puzzle. Also note that this novel is a bit lighter and more comical as compared to the largely dark and foreboding nature of many of Smith's short stories. In any case, the sci-fi community has criminally overlooked Smith's literary achievements, and "Norstrilia" fits in perfectly as a masterpiece of social observation and an exploration of the enduring quality of humanity, through the lens of a future history in which humanity has been dispersed nearly to the point of extinction. Smith's universe is astonishing in its depth and breadth, and all serious fans of the genre would find great satisfaction in exploring its wonders. It's just important to remember that this novel may not be the best place to start. [~doomsdayer520~]
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37 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Probably my favorite book, October 22, 1999
Harlan Ellison (one of my other favorite authors) brought Cordwainer Smith to my attention sometime in the 70s. Fortunately for me, both "Norstrilia" and "The Best of Cordwainer Smith" were available in paperback somewhere (used-book store?). Ellison pretty much worshipped Smith, and I pretty much worshipped Ellison, so... Until that point, I had considered Ray Bradbury the best user of language among the authors I read extensively. Cordwainer Smith leaves even Bradbury in the dust. His lyrical narratives would make even mundane stories read wonderfully. Fortunately, Smith's stories -- both short fiction and Norstrilia, his only novel-length effort -- are anything but mundane. His background and interests led him to create worlds utterly unlike any others I've encountered in 2o-some years of avid reading of speculative fiction. Cordwainer Smith was the pen name of Dr. Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, godson of Sun Yat Sen. He got his Ph.D. in political science at age 23, and wrote extensively about Chinese political issues, worked for the American intelligence community, produced a classic text about psychological warfare that was used by the U.S. Army for decades, and was a professor of Asiatic Politics at Johns Hopkins University and an advisor to John F. Kennedy. He died in 1966, far too early.
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