SF Masterworks Group discussion

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.

wow, love the premise another book that I need to acquire.

BB

Finally got my hands on the book and I'm a couple stories in. Far future stuff isn't really my cup of tea, but I'll give it a chance.

I've just finished this... took a while. I have to say that this is quite a strange read, and not within my usual favourite type of SF. I enjoyed the way the splatterings of technology have been absorbed into humanity so much that it has become invisible. There is a heady mix of myth and forgotten history. To be really honest, although I did not totally understand the wheres and whys of all the short stories, they have left exotic images in my head of half god-like people, human-like animals, vast interstella sail ships, and mute human scanners.

Some of the stories are actually quite disturbing. A few of the stories are totally absurd!

But all the stories are written with a unique unforgettable style.