The Rainbow Cadenza [Paperback]

J. Neil Schulman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1999

The world was finally politically correct. The people who care have remade the Earth in their image, and its an Earthly Paradise. Humanity is joined together under a single, popularly-elected world government. Gay marriage is a normal institution, the Libertarian Party rules, and the First Lady is Head of State.

But who are the new underclass called Touchables, and why are they hunted for sport? Why are clones treated as inferior? Why do men outnumber women seven to one? And why are teenage women being drafted into government service for three years?

This 1984 Prometheus Award-winning novel is the story of Joan Darris, a brilliant young artist in the medium of laser concerts. Is it her destiny to play music for men's eyes, or to make herself a plaything for their desires? How does the lingering horror of the murder she witnessed at five threaten to rob her not only of her artistic triumph, but also threaten the life of a man she loves?

Like the novels of Huxley, Burgess, and Rand, The Rainbow Cadenza uses black humor to show you a future you fear but ends with a rainbow of hope.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A thoughtful, unusually well-written book that raises the most important questions about life and art." -- Michael Medved

"Engrossingly suspenseful ... the updated Brave New World ...wickedly funny and chilling at the same time." -- Publishers Weekly

"Every libertarian should read it. It should win the Prometheus Award." -- Robert A. Heinlein

"Future art forms are seldom handled wih the intelligence and vividness seen here." -- Booklist

"I found it absolutely fascinating ... A splendid book." -- Colin Wilson

Product Details

• Paperback: 396 pages
• Publisher: Pulpless.Com, Inc. (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584451238
• ISBN-13: 978-1584451235
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #369,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

J. Neil Schulman is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, whom the Wall Street Journal called a pioneer of electronic publishing His 1979 Prometheus-Hall-of-Fame novel Alongside Night -- endorsed by Milton Friedman, Anthony Burgess, and Ron Paul -- projected the economic meltdown and was Freedom Book of the Month for May, 2009. It's currently in development as his second feature film, following his award-winning comic thriller, Lady Magdalene's, starring Nichelle Nichols, which Schulman wrote, produced, directed, and acted in. His 1983 novel, The Rainbow Cadenza, won the Prometheus Award, was adapted into a Laserium show, and Robert A. Heinlein told the 1983 L-5 Society, "Every libertarian should read it!" Schulman scripted the CBS revived Twilight Zone episode, "Profile in Silver." He taught a graduate course on electronic publishing for The New School, has written for popular magazines and newspapers including National Review, Reason, the Los Angeles Times, and Reader's Digest, and monographs ranging from animal rights, informational property rights, and medicalization of criminology have been widely anthologized by academic presses. His 12 books include Stopping Power: Why 70 Million Americans Own Guns, endorsed by Charlton Heston and Dennis Prager, Self Control Not Gun Control endorsed by Walter Williams, and The Robert Heinlein Interview and Other Heinleiniana, which Virginia Heinlein said "should be on the shelves of everyone interested in science fiction." His latest is Unchaining the Human Heart--A Revolutionary Manifesto. He's recipient of the James Madison Award from the Second Amendment Foundation, and on March 16, 2009 Schulman was awarded the Samuel Edward Konkin III Memorial Chauntecleer by the Karl Hess Club, the only previous recipients being Hans-Hermann Hoppe and Wally Conger. Full bio at http://www.pulpless.com/jneil/jnsbio.html

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thought-provoking, scary view of the future, September 23, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Rainbow Cadenza: A Novel in Vistata Form (Paperback)

I do not understand why this book is out of print! I read A Rainbow Cadenza (a winner if the Prometheus Award) about 10 years ago and have always remembered it and recommend it as one of the best science fiction books I have encountered. I am also scared that many of the trends Schulman warns about in the book are coming true. The book is centered on Joan Darris, a lasergraphic composer and performer - holographic laser art has replaced music as the pre-eminent form of entertainment on Earth - and her struggles for freedom and artistic expression. Partially due to the ability of parents to select the sex of their children, males outnumber females 7 to 1 on Earth, and tax breaks for male children have not eased the problem any. The adage "Make Love, Not War" has been taken to its ultimately logical, but ridiculous conclusion: females are drafted into sexual service. Despite her budding talent, Joan is drafted. Schulman combines the concepts of the draft, lynchings, sexual slavery, sex selection of babies, the moral implications of cloning with holographic laser art in an intelligent, entertaining, thought-provoking and well-written book. Even though he is criticizing such aspects of our society, some of his sci-fi examples are becoming all too real. Scientists just announced parents can choose the sex of their baby and cloning is well underway. If you can find this book anywhere, read it and you will not be disappointed.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A response to some reviews, October 27, 2002

By 

Carl Edward Mullin (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rainbow Cadenza (Paperback)

I want to add few points because some people here are letting their emotions get better of their brains. One, a young witch was angry at the portrait of Wicca saying that's not how Wicca is supposed to be practiced. That is exactly J. Neil Schulman's point.

In most religions throughout history, the common people who practiced their faith tends to be nice, well-behaved people who just want to live in peace. That includes a lot of Christians. But when the state's power structure decided to adopt such a religion because so many people have high opinion of it it begins to corrupt it. The Wicca in the novel is not the Wicca as is today. First of all, the novel Wicca's is the majority relgion and the one the state use as its mask of violence. When a state decided to support a religion, most people will join it for social status, not out or deep beliefs. That's the case with Christianity 300AD. When that happened Wicca become corrupted and independence are stamped out, much like the Gnostics of Church. Most of evil in Christian history happened when it was the state religion. Same thing will happen to any other religion regardless of its origins. That's was one major theme of this book: how the power to stoap on an individual's life and person can corrupt society as a whole.

People who don't get it are just not really reading it. They're just nitpicking. Now, I think that the author should has bring up some history to make his theme a bit stronger. But that's a small weakness in one incredilbe emotional work.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Strange World, Yet Deeply Real: COULD HAPPEN!, May 27, 2002

By 

K GLADSTONE "Kate Gladstone, the Handwriting ... (Albany, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rainbow Cadenza (Paperback)

J. Neil Schulman has done a masterful job of extrapolating from trends (good, bad, and just plain strange) in our current cultures. If you want to know what the future might feel like - from the inside - THE RAINBOW CADENZA will take you there. Warning: you may never see the present in the same way again!