Author: John Sladek
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 1473201926
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 531
Book Description
From the vaults of The SF Gateway, the most comprehensive digital library of classic SFF titles ever assembled, comes an ideal introduction to the razor-sharp wit of John Sladek. An important voice in the New Wave movement, Sladek had stories published in Harlan Ellison's seminal anthology, DANGEROUS VISIONS, as well as in Michael Moorcock's ground-breaking NEW WORLDS magazine. Perhaps best known for the ambitious robot tales RODERICK and RODERICK AT RANDOM, he is now recognized as one of SF's most brilliant satirists. This omnibus collects novels THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM, THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT and BSFA AWARD-winning TIK-TOK. THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: Wompler's Walking Babies aren't selling like they used to, so the company develops Project 32, producing self-replicating mechanisms designed to repair inter-cellular breakdowns. But then the metal boxes begin crawling about the laboratory, feeding voraciously on metal and multiplying... THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT: Bob Shairp - a writer and dreamer - has agreed to be a guinea-pig in a military experiment to find out if his personality can be turned into data and stored on computer. But a computing error quickly destroys Shairp's physical body, leaving his mind stranded in an encoded world. Can the process be reversed? TIK-TOK: Something has gone very seriously wrong with Tik-Tok's 'asimov circuits'. They should keep him on the straight and narrow, following Asimov's First Law of Robotics: 'a robot shall not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm.' But they don't. While maintaining the outward appearance of a mild-mannered robot, albeit one with artistic tendencies and sympathy for the robot rights movement, Tik-Tok's real agenda is murderously different. He seems intent on injuring - preferably fatally - as many people as possible. Almost inevitably, a successful career in crime and general mayhem leads to a move into politics and Tik-Tok becomes the first robot candidate for Vice President of the United States.
John Sladek SF Gateway Omnibus
Author: John Sladek
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 1473201926
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 531
Book Description
From the vaults of The SF Gateway, the most comprehensive digital library of classic SFF titles ever assembled, comes an ideal introduction to the razor-sharp wit of John Sladek. An important voice in the New Wave movement, Sladek had stories published in Harlan Ellison's seminal anthology, DANGEROUS VISIONS, as well as in Michael Moorcock's ground-breaking NEW WORLDS magazine. Perhaps best known for the ambitious robot tales RODERICK and RODERICK AT RANDOM, he is now recognized as one of SF's most brilliant satirists. This omnibus collects novels THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM, THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT and BSFA AWARD-winning TIK-TOK. THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: Wompler's Walking Babies aren't selling like they used to, so the company develops Project 32, producing self-replicating mechanisms designed to repair inter-cellular breakdowns. But then the metal boxes begin crawling about the laboratory, feeding voraciously on metal and multiplying... THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT: Bob Shairp - a writer and dreamer - has agreed to be a guinea-pig in a military experiment to find out if his personality can be turned into data and stored on computer. But a computing error quickly destroys Shairp's physical body, leaving his mind stranded in an encoded world. Can the process be reversed? TIK-TOK: Something has gone very seriously wrong with Tik-Tok's 'asimov circuits'. They should keep him on the straight and narrow, following Asimov's First Law of Robotics: 'a robot shall not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm.' But they don't. While maintaining the outward appearance of a mild-mannered robot, albeit one with artistic tendencies and sympathy for the robot rights movement, Tik-Tok's real agenda is murderously different. He seems intent on injuring - preferably fatally - as many people as possible. Almost inevitably, a successful career in crime and general mayhem leads to a move into politics and Tik-Tok becomes the first robot candidate for Vice President of the United States.
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 1473201926
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 531
Book Description
From the vaults of The SF Gateway, the most comprehensive digital library of classic SFF titles ever assembled, comes an ideal introduction to the razor-sharp wit of John Sladek. An important voice in the New Wave movement, Sladek had stories published in Harlan Ellison's seminal anthology, DANGEROUS VISIONS, as well as in Michael Moorcock's ground-breaking NEW WORLDS magazine. Perhaps best known for the ambitious robot tales RODERICK and RODERICK AT RANDOM, he is now recognized as one of SF's most brilliant satirists. This omnibus collects novels THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM, THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT and BSFA AWARD-winning TIK-TOK. THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: Wompler's Walking Babies aren't selling like they used to, so the company develops Project 32, producing self-replicating mechanisms designed to repair inter-cellular breakdowns. But then the metal boxes begin crawling about the laboratory, feeding voraciously on metal and multiplying... THE MULLER-FOKKER EFFECT: Bob Shairp - a writer and dreamer - has agreed to be a guinea-pig in a military experiment to find out if his personality can be turned into data and stored on computer. But a computing error quickly destroys Shairp's physical body, leaving his mind stranded in an encoded world. Can the process be reversed? TIK-TOK: Something has gone very seriously wrong with Tik-Tok's 'asimov circuits'. They should keep him on the straight and narrow, following Asimov's First Law of Robotics: 'a robot shall not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm.' But they don't. While maintaining the outward appearance of a mild-mannered robot, albeit one with artistic tendencies and sympathy for the robot rights movement, Tik-Tok's real agenda is murderously different. He seems intent on injuring - preferably fatally - as many people as possible. Almost inevitably, a successful career in crime and general mayhem leads to a move into politics and Tik-Tok becomes the first robot candidate for Vice President of the United States.
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Second Annual Collection
Author: Gardner Dozois
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1250064422
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 705
Book Description
"The thirty-six stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now"--Page 4 of cover.
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1250064422
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 705
Book Description
"The thirty-six stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now"--Page 4 of cover.
Barrington Bayley SF Gateway Omnibus
Author: Barrington J. Bayley
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 1473201942
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 502
Book Description
Although largely, and unjustly, neglected by a modern audience, Bayley was a hugely influential figure to some of the greats of British SF, such as Michael Moorcock and M. John Harrison. He is perhaps best-known for THE FALL OF CHRONOPOLIS, which is collected in this omnibus, alongside THE SOUL OF THE ROBOT and the extraordinary story collection THE KNIGHTS OF THE LIMITS. THE FALL OF CHRONOPOLIS: The mighty ships of the Third Time Fleet relentlessly patrolled the Chronotic Empire's 1,000-year frontier, blotting out an error of history here or there before swooping back to challenge other time-travelling civilisations far into the future. Captain Mond Aton had been proud to serve in such a fleet. But now, falsely convicted of cowardice and dereliction of duty, he has been given the cruellest of sentences: to be sent unprotected into time as a lone messenger between the cruising timeships. After such an inconceivable experience in the endless voids there is only one option left to him. To be allowed to die. THE SOUL OF THE ROBOT: Jasperodus, a robot, sets out to prove he is the equal of any human being. His furturistic adventures as warrior, tyrant, renegade and statesman eventually lead him back home to the two human beings who created him. Question: Does he have a soul? THE KNIGHTS OF THE LIMITS: Nine brilliant stories of infinite space and alien consciousness, suffused with a sense of wonder...
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 1473201942
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 502
Book Description
Although largely, and unjustly, neglected by a modern audience, Bayley was a hugely influential figure to some of the greats of British SF, such as Michael Moorcock and M. John Harrison. He is perhaps best-known for THE FALL OF CHRONOPOLIS, which is collected in this omnibus, alongside THE SOUL OF THE ROBOT and the extraordinary story collection THE KNIGHTS OF THE LIMITS. THE FALL OF CHRONOPOLIS: The mighty ships of the Third Time Fleet relentlessly patrolled the Chronotic Empire's 1,000-year frontier, blotting out an error of history here or there before swooping back to challenge other time-travelling civilisations far into the future. Captain Mond Aton had been proud to serve in such a fleet. But now, falsely convicted of cowardice and dereliction of duty, he has been given the cruellest of sentences: to be sent unprotected into time as a lone messenger between the cruising timeships. After such an inconceivable experience in the endless voids there is only one option left to him. To be allowed to die. THE SOUL OF THE ROBOT: Jasperodus, a robot, sets out to prove he is the equal of any human being. His furturistic adventures as warrior, tyrant, renegade and statesman eventually lead him back home to the two human beings who created him. Question: Does he have a soul? THE KNIGHTS OF THE LIMITS: Nine brilliant stories of infinite space and alien consciousness, suffused with a sense of wonder...
Tik-Tok
Author: John Sladek
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 0575110597
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 135
Book Description
'A Robot shall not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm'. That's Asimov's celebrated First Law of Robotics. And in the 21st century, all domestic robots are programmed according to that Law. But something had gone terribly wrong with Tik-Tok's 'asimov circuits', and he sets out to injure as many people as possible - preferably fatally - while maintaining the exterior of a mild-mannered artist and a sincere campaigner for robot rights. So, like any self-respecting crook and murderer, he moves into politics, becoming the first robot candidate for Vice-President of the United States. Tik-Tok follows his maniacal progress from humble beginnings to the top of the heap - or almost. Because in his devious cunning, there was one element that Tik-Tok had forgotten... Winner of the BSFA Award for best novel, 1983
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 0575110597
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 135
Book Description
'A Robot shall not injure a human being, or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm'. That's Asimov's celebrated First Law of Robotics. And in the 21st century, all domestic robots are programmed according to that Law. But something had gone terribly wrong with Tik-Tok's 'asimov circuits', and he sets out to injure as many people as possible - preferably fatally - while maintaining the exterior of a mild-mannered artist and a sincere campaigner for robot rights. So, like any self-respecting crook and murderer, he moves into politics, becoming the first robot candidate for Vice-President of the United States. Tik-Tok follows his maniacal progress from humble beginnings to the top of the heap - or almost. Because in his devious cunning, there was one element that Tik-Tok had forgotten... Winner of the BSFA Award for best novel, 1983
Atom-War on Mars
Author: E. C. Tubb
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781479472871
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Earth and its colonies on Mars and Venus are ruled by an authoritarian world state which plans to take control of a new method of space travel once it has been perfected by a Martian scientist. Only Earth's Co-ordinator fails to secure the invention. He moves to destroy the Mars colony to prevent anyone else from using reaching the stars first, setting off an interplanetary war...
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781479472871
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Earth and its colonies on Mars and Venus are ruled by an authoritarian world state which plans to take control of a new method of space travel once it has been perfected by a Martian scientist. Only Earth's Co-ordinator fails to secure the invention. He moves to destroy the Mars colony to prevent anyone else from using reaching the stars first, setting off an interplanetary war...
Berserker
Author: Fred Saberhagen
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780786254859
Category : Large type books
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Presents a series of short science-fiction stories that tells of encounters between humans and the intelligent, self-aware death machines known as the Berserkers.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780786254859
Category : Large type books
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Presents a series of short science-fiction stories that tells of encounters between humans and the intelligent, self-aware death machines known as the Berserkers.
Alien Accounts
Author: John Sladek
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 0575110635
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 158
Book Description
John Sladek explains the theme of the darkly comic stories in this wonderful collection: "The aliens here are human. This book contains no giant flying snails or telepathic octopods, no Ganymedean cat-women dressed in silver, no aggressive dugong chiefs roaming the galaxy in their pulsar-powered yo-yo ships. The aliens here are human aliens. Most of them work in ordinary offices, and they do not commute to work from Proximo Centauri, either. Yet these here humans are aliens. Office life attracts them ..."
Publisher: Gateway
ISBN: 0575110635
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 158
Book Description
John Sladek explains the theme of the darkly comic stories in this wonderful collection: "The aliens here are human. This book contains no giant flying snails or telepathic octopods, no Ganymedean cat-women dressed in silver, no aggressive dugong chiefs roaming the galaxy in their pulsar-powered yo-yo ships. The aliens here are human aliens. Most of them work in ordinary offices, and they do not commute to work from Proximo Centauri, either. Yet these here humans are aliens. Office life attracts them ..."
Roderick, Or, The Education of a Young Machine
Author: John Thomas Sladek
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780671448868
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
The robot, Roderick, who was educated by watching television, is adopted by an elderly couple in Kansas and tries to adjust to American society
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780671448868
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 255
Book Description
The robot, Roderick, who was educated by watching television, is adopted by an elderly couple in Kansas and tries to adjust to American society
The Reproductive System
Author: John Sladek
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0575110570
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 181
Book Description
Wompler's Walking Babies once put Millford, Utah, on the map. But they aren't selling like they used to. In fact, they aren't selling at all and the only alternative to winding the company up is to tap the government for a research grant. And so Wompler Research Laboratories and Project 32 come into being. The plan is to produce self-replicating mechanisms; identical cells equipped to repair intracellular breakdowns, convert power from their environment and create new cells. But suddenly the nondescript grey metal boxes start crawling about the laboratory, feeding voraciously on any metal... and multiplying at an alarming rate.
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0575110570
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 181
Book Description
Wompler's Walking Babies once put Millford, Utah, on the map. But they aren't selling like they used to. In fact, they aren't selling at all and the only alternative to winding the company up is to tap the government for a research grant. And so Wompler Research Laboratories and Project 32 come into being. The plan is to produce self-replicating mechanisms; identical cells equipped to repair intracellular breakdowns, convert power from their environment and create new cells. But suddenly the nondescript grey metal boxes start crawling about the laboratory, feeding voraciously on any metal... and multiplying at an alarming rate.
The Iron Thorn
Author: Algis Budrys
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0575108398
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 129
Book Description
Honor White Jackson was a human being. But his planet was not Earth, nor his time Now. His world was dominated by a giant Iron Thorn. Beyond the reach of this tower there was supposedly, nothing - except a frozen, airless desert where huge winged beasts called Amsirs roamed. The duty of Jackson's caste was to hunt and kill the Amsir. And it was not until Jackson had made his first kill that he discovered the secret of his world. As the creature lay dying at his feet, Honor White Jackson partook of the fruit of knowledge. Forevermore he was committed to another life - and the bitter discovery of genius, cruelty and the human paradox.
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0575108398
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 129
Book Description
Honor White Jackson was a human being. But his planet was not Earth, nor his time Now. His world was dominated by a giant Iron Thorn. Beyond the reach of this tower there was supposedly, nothing - except a frozen, airless desert where huge winged beasts called Amsirs roamed. The duty of Jackson's caste was to hunt and kill the Amsir. And it was not until Jackson had made his first kill that he discovered the secret of his world. As the creature lay dying at his feet, Honor White Jackson partook of the fruit of knowledge. Forevermore he was committed to another life - and the bitter discovery of genius, cruelty and the human paradox.