Today’s post is a guest review by Dave Tackett. Dave runs QuasarDragon, a great blog that points readers to loads of really good free science fiction and fantasy stories. I recently asked Dave “What is your favorite science fiction short story and why?” Here is what the “Dragon” had to say:
Dave’s Answer:
Picking a favorite science fiction short story was a bit challenging for me. After some thought however, I narrowed it down to a few that I have been able to enjoy reading several times. Of them, “The Game of Rat and Dragon” by Cordwainer Smith, first published in Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1955 is probably the one that I have received the most enjoyment from multiple readings.
Smith’s story tells of pinlighting, a dangerous, yet critical necessity for deep space travel in this future. Gifted humans and cats battle dangerous entities that are perceived as dragons and rats respectively. Despite the pulp sounding plot, Smith spends as much time dealing with the psychological ramifications of this occupation as with actual action.
This is story that, for me at least, awakens the imagination and fulfills the desire to experience the universe in new and unexpected ways. I’m still impressed by the clever way that Smith makes use of telepathy between humans and cats in this story and of how easy it is to imagine the rat/dragons. This is not a technically perfect story. There is perhaps a bit too much exposition and too little action, but it is a fun, memorable, and very imaginative story that is very accessible.
Even now, roughly three decades after I first read this story, I can still pick it and enjoy reading. Rereading it twice for this article was completely painless. Perhaps it is the unique feel of the story that makes it so memorable, but just as likely it is because Smith is concerned with telling a story, not with indoctrination or didacticism.
Rusty’s Two Cents:
Thanks Dave – that sounds like an incredibly cool story! In fact, it has been on my “must-read” list for quite some time now. If you would like to read a free version of “The Game of Rat and Dragon” you can do so at The Google Book Search preview of The Space Opera Renaissance by David G Hartwell.
If you are a Cordwainer Smith fan and would like to read all of his short stories you can do so in the highly touted book The Rediscovery of Man: The Complete Short Science Fiction of Cordwainer Smith
Don’t forget to check out Dave’s website, QuasarDragon, where you can find many, many more great science fiction stories to read for free.
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I just discovered Cordwainer Smith last year…possibly from something on the SF Signal site, and I borrowed a short story collection from a friend and found it highly entertaining. Smith’s writing style was certainly unique and I found the stories to be very good. I haven’t read this particular one but do have the book that Rusty links to on my wishlist.
Yep,
The Rediscovery of Man looks like it would be an excellent addition to my library!
I recently found out several interesting tid-bits about Cordwainer Smith. For example, I didn’t know that he had served in the U.S. Office of War Information, or that he was an expert in psychological warfare. Kind of scary really! Maybe that is part of the reason why his stories are so cool.
It could be. By the way, here is the link where I first discovered the name Cordwainer Smith. Upon reading this I wanted to know what the fiction would be like of a man who wrote that:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/004803.html