We the Underpeople [Paperback]

Cordwainer Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 28, 2006

In a far-flung future, planoforming ships knit together a galaxy ruled from Earth by the ruthless benevolence of the mysterious Lords of the Instrumentality, who presided over a utopia Without death, danger - or freedom. The Underpeople, humanlike beings created from animals to do the work of utopia, had no rights, and could be disposed of at the whim of a human. But their Leader, the cat woman C'Mell, had a plan for gaining their freedom - which made her much too dangerous to be permitted to live. Elsewhere in the galaxy, the planet Norstrilia was the only source of stroon, the drug which made humans immortal, and its inhabitants were consequently wealthy beyond comprehension. One of them, a boy named Rod McBan, had manipulated the galactic economy until he completely owned the planet Earth - which made him much too dangerous to be permitted to live. But when Rod came to Earth and joined forces with C'Mell and the Underpeople, the monolithic utopia of the Instrumentality began to crumble as freedom was reborn in the galaxy...

Editorial Reviews

Review

"read this. Cordwainer Smith is timeless." - Terry Pratchett "a sophisticated, often poetic writer... these stores rank among the finest of all time." - Publishers Weekly."

About the Author

Cordwainer Smith was the pseudonym under which Dr. Paul Linebarger wrote science fiction. His first story, “Scanners Live in Vain,” appeared in 1950 and rocked the science fiction world as few first stories have. He was born in Milwaukee, and grew up in Japan, China (where he became the godson of Sun Yat-Sen, then president of China), France and Germany. He was a Professor of Asiatic Studies at Johns Hopkins University, was on the U.S. Operations, Planning and Intelligence Board during World War II, and became a Colonel in Army Intelligence. After the war, he was advisor to the British forces in Malaya and to the U.S. Eighth Army in Korea, and wrote the book Psychological Warfare, regarded for decades after as the most authoritative text in the field. He died in 1966.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Baen (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416520953
• ISBN-13: 978-1416520955
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,347,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best introduction to Cordwainer Smith, November 27, 2006

By 

Alan Wallcraft - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We the Underpeople (Paperback)

Smith wrote relatively few short stories and only one SF novel, mostly in the 1960's. Even so, he is one of the great SF writers with a style that is unique. His entire work is available in two hardback books, but this edition gives you his novel, Norstrilia, and the associated short stories (a large fraction of his total output). This is the most cost effective way get an introduction to his work, but you may end up wanting his complete short stories too and there is obviously overlap. I think this is better than the stand-alone Norstrilia because it includes the relevant short stories in one edition.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great science fiction from a past master, November 29, 2006

By 

Phillip Nunemacher (Carson City, NV United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We the Underpeople (Paperback)

I have been rereading Cordwainer Smith since I first discovered his writing in the 60's. For those who do not know Cordwainer Smith was the pen name of Paul Linebarger who passed away at the age of only 53.

This version brings together both the novel 'Norstrilia', aka 'The Planet Buyer', and short stories featuring the quest for freedom of the Underpeople. We get to look into the struggle for freedom through the stories of D'joan and C'mell. We meet the people of Norstrilia and the boy who bought Earth, Rod McBan the 151st.

Most of the science fiction and fantasy that I read make for good stories with plenty of action and well developed characters. But the fiction of Smith makes you enjoy his writing and think. This is especially true now that we are at the beginnings of gene engineering and cloning. These two things are the basis of his writing, even though these subjects were nothing more than Science Fiction 40 years ago.

I can only hope that a companion volume with the stories about the establishment of the Lords of the Instrumentality will be forthcoming. This is highly recommended for those who have never read any works by Cordwainer Smith and for those who wish to reread his works.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Underpeople Liberation Movement Arises!, January 12, 2010

By 

Maximiliano F Yofre "Maxi" (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: We the Underpeople (Mass Market Paperback)

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. He 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 many of the "fragments" constituting Cordwainer's universe, with consistent references to the underpeople, the Instrumentality and some of the interlaced icons of this particular Myth.

The entire present book stories are remarkable "Mother Hitton's Littul Kittons", depicting the secret weapon of Norstrilla to keep intruders away and "Under Old Earth" telling the last expedition of an old man to the center of the Mysteries.

Nevertheless special 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.

As final note I may point out that "The Dead Lady..." is a forceful recreation of Joan D'Arc martyrdom.

This book contains a wonderful collection from an unjustly underrated author.

Reviewed by Max Yofre.