Bester’s 1956 Novel Seen as Proto‑Cyberpunk Classic
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- The Stars My Destination is a 1956 sci‑fi novel originally published as Tiger! Tiger! in the UK and is cited as a proto‑cyberpunk work.
- The novel introduces “jaunting,” a teleportation method that reshapes the socioeconomic order, with dynastic corporations dominating and the wealthy flaunting obsolete tech.
- Gully Foyle is the protagonist who, after being abandoned in the wreckage of the Nomad and ignored by the Vorga, embarks on a vengeance quest that transforms him from a brute to a cybernetically enhanced, quasi‑religious figure.
- The climax features a vivid depiction of synesthesia, one of the earliest literary portrayals of the condition.
- The book contains problematic depictions of race and women, including an early sexual assault treated lightly and an incongruous romantic subplot.
- The reviewer urges readers to obtain a physical copy from an independent bookshop or library, noting that the ebook format cannot capture the novel’s ergodic elements.
Why it matters: Readers gain exposure to an early cyberpunk blueprint, but the novel’s outdated treatment of race and women may alienate modern audiences. The review’s call for physical copies also benefits independent bookstores and libraries, reinforcing the tactile reading experience that the ebook format cannot deliver.
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