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In 'On the Storm Planet,' Cordwainer Smith continues the odyssey of Casher O'Neill, interweaving a rich narrative with a tapestry of far-future mythology that has become the author's signature. Smith's blend of psychological depth and colorful world-building is present as O'Neill wrestles with the ethics of his assassination mission. The book commands attention with its sophisticated prose and the elaborate sociopolitical environment of the Instrumentality of Mankind, Smith's encompassing vision of a distant future. The story is set against a backdrop of the author's broader literary canvas, acting both as a standalone tale and an integral piece of the larger mythos. Smith's work here is not merely science fiction but a meditation on morality and identity amidst a universe of diverse beings and complex motivations. Cordwainer Smith, the pseudonym of Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, was a noted East Asia scholar and psychological warfare expert, whose profound understanding of human psychology and cultural complexities permeate his writings. His academic and professional experiences have undoubtedly informed his character development and thematic preoccupations, imbuing the narrative with a sense of authenticity and depth rarely seen in the genre. Smith's background provides a unique lens through which he examines the consequences of power, the nature of governance, and the human spirit's resilience. Readers seeking not only an escape but also an intellectual challenge will find 'On the Storm Planet' an engaging work. The novel invites contemplation on human behavior while delivering an adventurous story set amongst the stars. Smith's skillful handling of themes such as authority, rebellion, and the struggle for personal integrity makes this book a recommended read for those who appreciate science fiction with a profound edge, or indeed for anyone intrigued by the human condition when tested by the extraordinary circumstances of an imagined future.

Welcome to the strangest, most distinctive future ever imagined by a science fiction writer. An insterstellar empire ruled by the mysterious Lords of the Instrumentality, whose access to the drug stroon from the planet Norstrilia confers on them virtual immortality. A world in which wealthy and leisured humanity is served by the underpeople, genetically engineered animals turned into the semblance of people. A world in which the great ships which sail between the stars are eventually supplanted by the mysterious, instantaneous technique of planoforming. A world of wonder and myth, and extraordinary imagination.

This remarkable science-fiction explores the story of Sto Odin, a Lord of the Instrumentality, and his two robots, who are imprinted with the minds of dead men. The story follows their travel in search of Gebiet, an underground city without the dull, enforced happiness of the surface world.

Three To A Given Star' is an incredible science fiction short story. Samm, Folly, and Finsternis travel through space to reach Linschoten V. They were once human but are now a two-hundred-meter-high metal man, an eleven-meter-long ship, and a fifty-meter-sided cube.

On the Sand Planet' is an incredible science fiction that revolves around Casher O'Neill. He returns to his home world of Mizzer, committed to freeing it from dictatorship, but that mission fades before a far more complex problem. The problem was to find meaning in life when he had achieved everything he set out to do, and solving this problem might take him to distant places, such as the Ninth Nile or even the Thirteenth Nile.

The Store Of Heart's Desire' is a gripping story of planet Norstrilia. It is a semi-arid planet where an immortality drug called stroon is harvested from huge, virus-infected sheep, weighing more than 100 tons. Norstrilians were nominally the wealthiest people in the galaxy and protected their immensely valuable stroon with advanced weapons. Yet, high taxes ensured that everyone on the planet lived a rural life, like the farmers of old Australia, to keep the Norstrilians tough.

This is the only novel Cordwainer Smith ever wrote during his distinguished career. It tells the story of a boy form the planet Old North Australia (where rich, simple farmers grow the immortality drug Stroon), how he bought Old Earth, and how his visit to Earth changed both him and Earth itself. "Vividly drawn and wonderfully suggestive...confirms that Cordwainer Smith was one of science fiction's most original writers." -- "Science Fiction: The Best 100 Novels" "Better than any writer we've yet seen, Smith represents the sense of awe and wonder that is the heart of science fiction." -- Scott Edelman, "Science Fiction Age"

"Scanners Live in Vain" is an incredible science fiction set in the distant future, when traveling to space has become routine. However, to resist the unexplained pain of space, humans are converted into "scanners," so they don't have any senses except the ability to see and hear. This short work showcases Cordwainer Smith's vision of the future and its authorities.

"On the Gem Planet " is a gripping science fiction story featuring Casher O'Neill, a traveller among the planets, hungry for justice. On his quest for justice against the dictator now running his world, the first stop in the search for money and weapons is on the gem planet.