- Hardcover: 176 pages
- Publisher: Gazelle Book Services Ltd; New edition edition (Jun 1976)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0839823282
- ISBN-13: 978-0839823285
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.4 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
Babel-17 (S.F. Masterworks)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
In 1967, Samuel R. Delany was young, gay, black and possibly the hippest person on the planet. He was to write more perfect books than Babel-17, but it is perhaps the most delightful, clever and sensual of his works. Its set pieces--an extended wander through space-dock bars as poetess and code-breaker Rydra Wong assembles a crew for desperate adventures; a high society dinner that turns into mayhem; Rydra's subversion/seduction of the sinister Butcher, who cannot say, or think, I, me or mine--are glorious in their arrogant sense that no-one has ever been this smart before. Rydra is one of those protagonists whom the author loves because he identifies with her, whom we love because we are overwhelmed by his infatuation. And the plot? Invaders from another part of human space are using as code a language which cannot be broken, and Rydra must save the day. As a meditation on language and thought, this is as sharp as its decor. Most important, though, is the complex, polymorphous sexiness of the whole thing--its sense of surgical chimerahood, life after death, and clone assassins as just unbearably hot and really really cool. --Roz Kaveney
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Review
"The most interesting writer of science fiction writing in English today."-"The New York Times Book Review
" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I almost gave up reading this book, as I was really struggling with the maths/science discusssions going on between characters at the start - I like to know what my books are talking about ! However, I persevered, and it was worth the effort. There is one point in this book where two characters are talking to each other, and one of them says 'I' when he means 'you' and 'you' when he means 'I' - sound confusing ? Delaney has written it so well that I understood every line perfectly, even through the reversed words - what a trick ! The ending to this just blew me away as well - I expected it to solve the whodunnit of where the attacks were coming from in a fairly straightforward, catch-the-bad-guys way, but the actual resolution is SSSOOO much better - well worth the slow start to get to. This is what science fiction should be - intelligent , thought provoking and well informed.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Interesting but not necessarily entertaining, unless you like acid influenced mid 60's prose.
9 Aug 2011
Format:Paperback
I cant say I 'enjoyed' reading Empire Star/Babel-17 but I did find it interesting. Delaney used words and language somewhat like Asimov used his engineering knowledge to paint a universe that is populated with almost magical characters, ghost pilots and man/animal hybrids, which is highly uneven and at times difficult to read and follow.
Delaney wrote this at the tender age of 23 and the clunky plotting of the book shows his mid-50's influences for all to see. While the book does have a plot its really secondary to Delaney flexing his creative writing muscles.
To be fair to the book buying public this should really be classified in both the Science Fiction and Creative Writing sections.
Interesting but not necessarily entertaining, unless you like acid influenced mid 60's prose.
Delaney wrote this at the tender age of 23 and the clunky plotting of the book shows his mid-50's influences for all to see. While the book does have a plot its really secondary to Delaney flexing his creative writing muscles.
To be fair to the book buying public this should really be classified in both the Science Fiction and Creative Writing sections.
Interesting but not necessarily entertaining, unless you like acid influenced mid 60's prose.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Rydra Wong, the poet of a generation, has a superhuman knack for languages that makes her the Alliance's master-cryptographer. Inevitably, hers is the only mind capable of assimilating Babel-17, a coded transmission intercepted by military intelligence. This intrigue is the foundation of an imaginative and engaging space quest, where the usual ensemble of space-pirates romp about the galaxy to unravel the mysteries of the forc--I mean, the code, that will restore peace to a disunited universe. Inevitably, in a sci-fi universe heaving with possibilities, learning an alien language carries both benefits and risks...
This is an imaginative book that runs a now-familiar course with great momentum. Delaney avoids describing the nature of the few aliens that do turn up on the horizons, thus avoiding the audience's disappointment when, once again, dwarves in rubber masks shuffle awkwardly onto the stage. The freaks of this galaxy are a pantheon of modified or ghostly humans, who are all quite colourful enough to compensate for the absence of little green men. Plus, being Delany, there's progressive portrayals of sexuality, a strong female lead and some exploration of role-play and identity, which made this space opera seem fresh at the time, but have become more familiar in the meantime.
Imaginative stuff for the pre-Star-Wars era.
This is an imaginative book that runs a now-familiar course with great momentum. Delaney avoids describing the nature of the few aliens that do turn up on the horizons, thus avoiding the audience's disappointment when, once again, dwarves in rubber masks shuffle awkwardly onto the stage. The freaks of this galaxy are a pantheon of modified or ghostly humans, who are all quite colourful enough to compensate for the absence of little green men. Plus, being Delany, there's progressive portrayals of sexuality, a strong female lead and some exploration of role-play and identity, which made this space opera seem fresh at the time, but have become more familiar in the meantime.
Imaginative stuff for the pre-Star-Wars era.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Short does NOT mean bad
It focuses alot on langauge and how we use it but with a fantastic mix of sci-fi. Sci-fi being good sciency stuff all about spaceships and planets etc. LOVE it.
Published 15 months ago by R. Harkness
It's OK but a Masterwork? Really? 3.5 stars
I wasn’t overly impressed by Babel-17 in that it had quite poor characterization and some quite bizarre (but wonderful) concepts in it. Read more
Published on 15 Feb 2006 by A. Morley
Babel-17 a worthy classic
Babel-17 by Samuel R.Delany is a masterpiece. I suppose that is why it earns it's worthy place in the Science Fiction Masterworks series. Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2003 by G. Morgan
Multi-Plexed Jewels
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was Babel-17. And from the Word understanding flowed, and gave substance to the material world. A Symbol: a Name: Rydra Wong. Poet. Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2002 by Patrick Shepherd
The best SF ever written
This novel by Samuel Delany is probably the best SF novel I have ever read - at least it rates in my top three. Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2001
Started so promisingly
Half an hour after starting this I thought I was going to be in for a real treat. Unkown 'Invaders' with their newly identified code, linguistic discussion and a heroine to die... Read more
Published on 6 May 2001
You liked it -so will I !
This is a real piece of science fiction. Set in the far future in a time when Humans have colonised the galaxy. Read more
Published on 2 July 2000
Brilliant, yet flawed.
This is a wonderful book: poetic, characterful & stimulating; yet it seems to contain many rather enigmatic lapses when touching on linguistic, technical & futurological... Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2000
SF adventure with a linguistics twist
If you read just the first chapter you'll probably be put off this book but read on as the author turns things on their head in the second and it really takes off from there. Read more
Published on 8 May 2000
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