Quest of the Three Worlds by Cordwainer Smith
With such an unusual background, it is not surprising that the stories that flowed from his pen turned out to be something special.
#Quest of the Three Worlds by Cordwainer Smith professional
Perhaps his choice to write under a pseudonym reflected a desire to protect his professional reputation, but it also contributed to the mystery and mythos surrounding his work. He considered his most outstanding achievement to be a tactic employed during the Korean War, allowing Chinese soldiers to surrender without losing face and avoiding bloodshed. He also held a position with the CIA as an expert on psychological warfare. Science fiction was a genre that American academia often scoffed at at the time, and Linebarger taught Asiatic politics at Duke University. Along with The Quest of Three Worlds and a sprinkling of short stories that appeared from the 1940s to the ’60s, Norstrilia represents the output of one of the most original minds to ever contribute to the genre.Ĭordwainer Smith was the pen name chosen by Paul Linebarger.
It only happened once, and we have taken pains that it will never happen again.” These words begin one of the most surreal science fiction novels of all time, Norstillia by Cordwainer Smith. There was a boy who bought the planet earth.