Ahira's Hangar

A, very rough, Samuel R. Delany (Sci-Fi) bibliography:

The Jewels of Aptor (1962)
Captives of the Flame [Out of the Dead City]
(1963 book 1 'Towers' trilogy)
The Towers of Toron
(1964 book 2 'Towers' trilogy)
City of a Thousand Suns
(1965 book 3 'Towers' trilogy)
The Ballad of Beta-2 (1965 novella)
Babel-17 (1966)
Empire Star (1966)
Einstein Intersection (1967)
Nova (1968)
The Star Pit (1969)
The Edge of Space: Three Original Novellas of SF
(1969, novellas)
The Fall of the Towers (1970)
Driftglass (1971, short stories, novella)
Dahlgren (1974)
Triton: An Ambiguous Heterotopia (1976)
Tales of Nevèrÿon
(1979 book 1 'Nevèrÿon' series)
Distant Stars (1980)
Nevèrÿona (1983 book 2 'Nevèrÿon' series)
Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand (1984)
Flight From Nevèrÿon (1985 book 3 'Nevèrÿon' series)
The Bridge of Lost Desire [Return to Nevèrÿon]
(1987 book 4 'Nevèrÿon' series)
Return to Nevèrÿon [The Bridge of Lost Desire]
(1987 book 4 'Nevèrÿon' series)
The Straits of Messina (1989)
We, In Some Strange Power's Employ, Move On a Rigorous Line (1990)
Driftglass / Starshards (1991)
They Fly At Çiron (1993)

It's been a real long time since I read Samuel R. Delany, like in High School and in the Navy '72 to '80 so, w/o rereading I can't remember all that much about the books (problem was I alternated them seriously w/lots of Frank Herbert books)...except that I enjoyed them immensely. His funniest, and maybe strangest book I've read is The Einstien Intersection...about a post-apocalyptic computer found in the back of an old cave by a madman--very interesting stuff about quantum physics, enthropy, life, the universe and everything! Babel-17 was also my fav adventure story and I carried that book around 4 long time. Nova, Dahlgren and Triton r amazing! And probably his best known. I liked Dhalgren the best but probably remember more of Triton...Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand is SO deep and poetic, it is a jewel! if u read nothing else by Delany READ THIS BOOK!

The Delany that I've read:
Jewels of Aptor
Babel-17
The Star Pit
Nova
The Einstien Intersection
Dahlgren
Triton
Stars In My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
(started Straights of Messina but never finished...)

Pioneer: The Sci-Fi world owes ALOT 2 this guy!!!
Not only is Delany brilliant but he's one of the VERY few black Sci-Fi authors out there. He's won his share of Hugos and Nebulas. He really helped 'modernize' Sci-fi by sorta bridging the Gap between George R. Stewart (Earth Abides) and David Brin (The Postman) through the use of computers and post-apocalyptic survival (as did his contemporary John Varley, btw..) he took the poetic style of Sci-Fi and raised it 2 a new level and carried the 'cyber-punk' banner from Dick 2 Gibson. He was one of the first authors 2 create real "down and dirty" characters who actually had sex! Amazing!

I could on on, suffice 2 say that Delany along w/ Varley and Herbert, at the time, helped 2 make the HUGE push that has lead 2 the Stephensons, Zindells, Gibsons, Simmons & Wolfes of 2day. Of course in the 60s 2 80s a slew of other Great writers come 2 mind that we really need 2, eventually, create topics 4 in this 4rum. Jack Williamson, Clifford D. Simak, Varley, Stanislav Lem, Theodore Strugeon, Fredrick Pohl, Paul O. Williams, A. E. Van Vogt, Heinlien & William Fortchen r just a few that come 2 mind... And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 4/7/03 5:32:27 pm
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Quote:His funniest, and maybe strangest book I've read is The Einstien Intersection...about a post-apocalyptic computer found in the back of an old cave by a madman--There's a Twilight Episode like that. But without the other stuff you mention.

I'd swear I read something of his, but nothing on your list looks familiar. Oh well, sci-fi isn't my forte, so I may be mistaken. ______________
Highdrake's mastery of spells and sorcery was not much greater than his pupil's, but he had clear in his mind the idea of something very much greater, the wholeness of knowledge. And that made him a mage.<i></i>

I read Dhalgren , man, that was sort of an unusual book! Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

Wow! Something really strange happened 2 my intial post--there r backward letters and the C in Ciron turned in2 a 3--well HD u kno what that means **twilight zone theme music** And now Danlo looked in that direction, too. He remembered that snowy owls mate in the darkest part of deep winter, and so along with this beautiful white bird perched in a tree a hundred feet away, he turned to face the sea as he watched and waited.

Ahira, Ahira, he called out silently to the sky. Ahira, Ahira<i>Edited by: danlo60 at: 5/15/03 9:09:05 pm
</i>

Just wanted to echo the sentiment that American SF owes a great debt to Chip Delany, having dragged it out of the "transparent prose" cave and into the literary light, as he did. Being kind of a style freak, many of my favorite authors are, in one way or another, descendants of his (certainly Sterling, Gibson and Walter Jon Williams are).

So far I've read:

The Einstein Intersection
Nova
Dahlgren

I have to say I enjoy Delany's beautiful use of language more than I enjoy the content of his tales however. Nova is pretty "Space Opera" after all, and Dahlgren ... well, what can you say about that?
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