230:
religious ideology arose – its main tenets being that the ships' mission was "To Bring Human Beings to the Stars", that the term "Human Being" was to be defined according to a very strict "Norm" covering both physical characteristics and social behavior – and that anyone not fitting that "Norm" was not a true "Human Being" and had to be weeded out. Fanatic Judges were set up to judge such misfits and almost invariably sentence them to death, with the Judges increasingly usurping the authority of the
Captains. Misfits escaped to the weightless areas at the core of the ships, where they could easier avoid capture, and which in effect became a kind of
200:. Some of the ships were broken and all passengers killed by some unknown force, only their broken shells arriving at the destination. In others the passengers survived, but by the time the spaceships arrived at the destination star system, it has long since been settled through the already developed FTL ships. The descendants were incapable of and uninterested in settling on the system's planets, showed themselves extremely hostile to any outsiders entering their ships, and were left alone – to continue living in the spaceships as an obscure backwater culture isolated from broader human history.
242:
the student would much later encounter. However, a woman being pregnant was a clear violation of the Judges' "Norm", as on the ships new humans were born only artificially, being chosen by prospective parents in the genetic "market" referred to in the ballad. Thus, after giving birth the
Captain was judged and executed. And having thus completely overthrown the Captains' authority. the Judges and their followers embarked on a wholesale hunt and extermination of all misfits. Eventually, only those fitting the "Norm" were left – their descendants being completely degenerate at the journey's end.
238:
destruction was caused by a mysterious being living in deep space, and that its destructive acts were not deliberate malice but miscalculated efforts to communicate with humans, who were completely beyond all its experience. Shouting "Stop!", the
Captain managed to establish communications with the deep space being, and make it stop, saving her own ship and most of the others.
221:
On arriving at the spot, the student finds the present day Star Folk in themselves just as much of an uninteresting dead end as had been supposed – but he still makes very startling and important discoveries. First, he encounters a kind of "child" with supernatural powers – teleportation, living in a
241:
To her shock and surprise, the deep space being spoke in her mind, saying "I love you" – having learned from her mind what humans understood by "love" and in a way transformed itself into a "he". The ensuing encounter left her pregnant, and eventually giving birth to a Wonder Child – the being which
229:
It turns out that in the early generations, the voyage went well, the fleet of generation ships proceeding as planned. It was at this time that Earth-bound terms got new meanings, "A City" being one of the ships and "The Desert" being the space between them. However, in later generations, a fanatic
328:
exemplifies Delany's career-long depictions of disability and physical abnormality. Some of the One-Eyes are missing limbs or other body parts, others are marked as abnormal because their physical characteristics do not match The Norm. The leadership of the Star Folk uses the court system to purge
203:
The degenerate "Star Folk" and their culture arouse little interest among the flourishing interstellar human culture. Only one researcher had bothered to record their songs, these being dismissed as "derivative" due to their repeated reference to "cities", "desert" and other Earth-bound concepts.
347:
notes the theme of cultural ethnocentricity (Joneny refused to study Star Folk, because he considers his own civilization to be superior), the role of myth in relation to history, and the theme of artist/criminal in society (One-Eyes are example of artists who were called criminals by the law).
237:
Into this already perilous situation came a new dire threat – some kind of mysterious force destroying the ships one by one. The book's main protagonist, the courageous
Captain of the ship Beta-2, heard a desperate plea for help from another ship and went to help. There she discovered that the
204:
However, an
Anthropology professor charges Joneny to look deeper, pointing out that these were the only humans to ever actually cross the depths of space between the stars, since later FTL ships are able to simply bypass these depths. The professor's intuition proves amply right.
309:(linguistic play, decipherment of alien language). Lavelle Porter sees the book "to be a reckoning with what World War II wrought, including the horrors of the Holocaust and the United States’ descent into the anticommunist paranoia of the McCarthy era", and compares it with
27:
329:
impurity out of the race. As one judge puts it: "Our ancestors charged us with bringing human beings to the stars. And no deviation will be tolerated. How long ago was it that One-Eyed conspirators took over
Epsilon-7 and destroyed it?".
321:(both set in "imagine worlds in the aftermath of nuclear war"). Porter also notes that it can be "read through the lenses of information and misinformation"; and writes about physical abnormality theme, common for Delany's writing:
375:
245:
However, the
Miracle Child, born of the Deep Space being and the Captain, was there – able and willing to greatly facilitate spaceborne Humanity in making contact with newly discovered alien species and cultures.
222:
vacuum, and more. Then he discovers the records left by earlier passengers, from which he pieces out the tragic history of these ships. This forms the bulk of the book, with the student being in effect just the
932:
620:
972:
795:
196:
The book follows Joneny
Horatio T'waboga, a student of Galactic Anthropology, who studies "The Ballad of Beta-2", a poem written by the passengers of
1126:
1131:
735:
299:
593:
523:
487:
1141:
1121:
1002:
189:
1077:
571:
549:
854:
1111:
272:. The first stand alone edition was published in 1971. In 1977 a corrected edition came out, in a hardcover edition published by
613:
1116:
1136:
1037:
885:
685:
606:
293:
261:
169:
207:
The student, for his thesis, is charged with investigating the source and antecedents of a ballad which begins
895:
254:
Delany wrote "three-fourths" of the novel in four days in 1962, the same time when he was writing his trilogy
865:
840:
537:
1047:
809:
317:
256:
992:
982:
820:
338:
745:
830:
645:
476:
Weedman, Jane (1984). "Art and the Artist's Role in Delany's Works". In
Clareson, Thomas D. (ed.).
311:
344:
1027:
334:
1057:
923:
775:
567:
545:
519:
483:
277:
137:
785:
629:
165:
40:
705:
197:
158:
78:
477:
725:
559:
188:
1105:
1087:
962:
376:"Black man/gay man/writer ... prodigy: the quest for identity in Delany's early work"
60:
1067:
765:
695:
50:
875:
755:
665:
587:
428:
273:
269:
223:
177:
26:
952:
533:
121:
117:
88:
715:
675:
305:
144:
333:
The book's plot includes a re-enactment of some of the main themes of
260:. The book was finished in April 1964, it was originally published as
231:
598:
187:
161:
602:
479:
Voices for the Future: Essays on Major
Science Fiction Writers
138:
291:
shares some commons themes with other Delany's books, like
215:
She walked past the court house and the judge so still,
516:
Worlds Out Of Words: The SF Novels of Samuel R. Delany
211:
She walked through the gates and the children cried,
1018:
943:
914:
907:
852:
807:
636:
136:
128:
112:
104:
94:
84:
74:
66:
56:
46:
36:
933:Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones
297:(bodiless aliens, the theme of the "human norm"),
213:She walked through the Market and the voices died,
217:She walked to the bottom of Death's Head hill...
564:The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy
544:(2 ed.). New York: St. Martin's Griffin.
518:. Frome, Somerset, UK: Bran's Head Books Ltd.
614:
8:
19:
876:Neveryóna, or: The Tale of Signs and Cities
192:Cover of the 1971 first stand alone edition
911:
621:
607:
599:
25:
18:
973:The Complete Nebula Award-Winning Fiction
796:Through the Valley of the Nest of Spiders
453:
451:
449:
422:
420:
418:
416:
414:
412:
410:
369:
367:
365:
363:
361:
357:
168:. The book was originally published as
736:Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
300:Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
594:Internet Speculative Fiction Database
7:
1003:Aye, and Gomorrah, and other stories
427:Porter, Lavelle (22 February 2023).
1078:Times Square Red, Times Square Blue
542:The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
482:. Popular Press. pp. 155–156.
380:The Review of Contemporary Fiction
374:Lunde, David (22 September 1996).
14:
341:and birth of a miraculous child.
466:Clute and Nicholls 1995, p. 315.
31:Cover of first edition paperback
1127:American science fiction novels
1132:Fiction about generation ships
16:1965 novel by Samuel R. Delany
1:
1038:The Motion of Light in Water
1142:Religion in science fiction
1122:1965 science fiction novels
1158:
686:The Einstein Intersection
514:Barbour, Douglas (1979).
294:The Einstein Intersection
24:
276:with an introduction by
1112:Novels by Samuel Delany
841:City of a Thousand Suns
1048:The Straits of Messina
810:The Fall of the Towers
429:"Ode to Samuel Delany"
331:
318:The Fall of the Towers
257:The Fall of the Towers
193:
993:Atlantis: Three Tales
983:Driftglass/Starshards
821:Captives of the Flame
592:title listing at the
457:Barbour 1979, p. 161.
339:Immaculate Conception
323:
264:M-121, together with
191:
20:The Ballad of Beta-2
1117:1965 American novels
924:Aye, and Gomorrah...
886:Flight from Nevèrÿon
656:The Ballad of Beta-2
589:The Ballad of Beta-2
326:The Ballad of Beta-2
289:The Ballad of Beta-2
284:Themes and reception
266:Alpha Yes, Terra No!
174:Alpha Yes, Terra No!
154:The Ballad of Beta-2
1137:Novels about racism
831:The Towers of Toron
646:The Jewels of Aptor
566:. Chicago: Advent.
312:The Jewels of Aptor
250:Publication history
164:by American writer
21:
1028:Heavenly Breakfast
896:Return to Nevèrÿon
855:Return to Nevèrÿon
637:Stand-alone novels
404:Tuck 1974, p. 136.
335:Christian theology
194:
1099:
1098:
1058:Silent Interviews
1014:
1013:
866:Tales of Nevèrÿon
746:They Fly at Çiron
726:Trouble on Triton
525:978-0-905220-13-0
489:978-0-87972-252-4
278:David G. Hartwell
150:
149:
105:Publication place
57:Cover artist
1149:
1092:
1082:
1072:
1062:
1052:
1042:
1032:
1007:
997:
987:
977:
967:
957:
936:
927:
912:
900:
890:
880:
870:
845:
835:
825:
800:
790:
786:Dark Reflections
780:
770:
760:
750:
740:
730:
720:
710:
700:
690:
680:
670:
660:
650:
630:Samuel R. Delany
623:
616:
609:
600:
577:
555:
529:
501:
500:
498:
496:
473:
467:
464:
458:
455:
444:
443:
441:
439:
424:
405:
402:
396:
395:
393:
391:
371:
198:generation ships
172:, together with
166:Samuel R. Delany
140:
96:Publication date
41:Samuel R. Delany
29:
22:
1157:
1156:
1152:
1151:
1150:
1148:
1147:
1146:
1102:
1101:
1100:
1095:
1085:
1075:
1065:
1055:
1045:
1035:
1025:
1010:
1000:
990:
980:
970:
960:
950:
939:
930:
921:
903:
893:
883:
873:
863:
848:
838:
828:
818:
803:
793:
783:
773:
763:
753:
743:
733:
723:
713:
703:
693:
683:
673:
663:
653:
643:
632:
627:
584:
574:
560:Tuck, Donald H.
558:
552:
538:Nicholls, Peter
532:
526:
513:
510:
505:
504:
494:
492:
490:
475:
474:
470:
465:
461:
456:
447:
437:
435:
426:
425:
408:
403:
399:
389:
387:
373:
372:
359:
354:
286:
252:
219:
216:
214:
212:
186:
159:science fiction
113:Media type
97:
79:Science fiction
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1155:
1153:
1145:
1144:
1139:
1134:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1114:
1104:
1103:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1093:
1083:
1073:
1063:
1053:
1043:
1033:
1022:
1020:
1016:
1015:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1008:
998:
988:
978:
968:
958:
947:
945:
941:
940:
938:
937:
928:
918:
916:
909:
905:
904:
902:
901:
891:
881:
871:
860:
858:
850:
849:
847:
846:
836:
826:
815:
813:
805:
804:
802:
801:
791:
781:
771:
761:
751:
741:
731:
721:
711:
701:
691:
681:
671:
661:
651:
640:
638:
634:
633:
628:
626:
625:
618:
611:
603:
597:
596:
583:
582:External links
580:
579:
578:
572:
556:
550:
530:
524:
509:
506:
503:
502:
488:
468:
459:
445:
406:
397:
356:
355:
353:
350:
285:
282:
251:
248:
209:
185:
182:
148:
147:
142:
134:
133:
130:
126:
125:
114:
110:
109:
106:
102:
101:
98:
95:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
58:
54:
53:
48:
44:
43:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1154:
1143:
1140:
1138:
1135:
1133:
1130:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1118:
1115:
1113:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1090:
1089:
1088:Shorter Views
1084:
1080:
1079:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1060:
1059:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1034:
1030:
1029:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1017:
1005:
1004:
999:
995:
994:
989:
985:
984:
979:
975:
974:
969:
965:
964:
963:Distant Stars
959:
955:
954:
949:
948:
946:
942:
934:
929:
925:
920:
919:
917:
913:
910:
908:Short stories
906:
898:
897:
892:
888:
887:
882:
878:
877:
872:
868:
867:
862:
861:
859:
857:
856:
851:
843:
842:
837:
833:
832:
827:
823:
822:
817:
816:
814:
812:
811:
806:
798:
797:
792:
788:
787:
782:
778:
777:
772:
768:
767:
762:
758:
757:
752:
748:
747:
742:
738:
737:
732:
728:
727:
722:
718:
717:
712:
708:
707:
702:
698:
697:
692:
688:
687:
682:
678:
677:
672:
668:
667:
662:
658:
657:
652:
648:
647:
642:
641:
639:
635:
631:
624:
619:
617:
612:
610:
605:
604:
601:
595:
591:
590:
586:
585:
581:
575:
573:0-911682-20-1
569:
565:
561:
557:
553:
551:0-312-13486-X
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
521:
517:
512:
511:
507:
491:
485:
481:
480:
472:
469:
463:
460:
454:
452:
450:
446:
434:
430:
423:
421:
419:
417:
415:
413:
411:
407:
401:
398:
385:
381:
377:
370:
368:
366:
364:
362:
358:
351:
349:
346:
342:
340:
336:
330:
327:
322:
320:
319:
314:
313:
308:
307:
302:
301:
296:
295:
290:
283:
281:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
258:
249:
247:
243:
239:
235:
233:
227:
225:
218:
208:
205:
201:
199:
190:
183:
181:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
160:
156:
155:
146:
143:
141:
135:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
108:United States
107:
103:
99:
93:
90:
87:
83:
80:
77:
73:
69:
65:
62:
61:Ed Valigursky
59:
55:
52:
49:
45:
42:
39:
35:
28:
23:
1086:
1076:
1068:Longer Views
1066:
1056:
1046:
1036:
1026:
1001:
991:
981:
971:
961:
951:
894:
884:
874:
864:
853:
839:
829:
819:
808:
794:
784:
774:
764:
754:
744:
734:
724:
714:
704:
694:
684:
674:
664:
655:
654:
644:
588:
563:
541:
515:
493:. Retrieved
478:
471:
462:
436:. Retrieved
432:
400:
388:. Retrieved
386:(3): 116–125
383:
379:
345:Jane Weedman
343:
332:
325:
324:
316:
310:
304:
298:
292:
288:
287:
265:
255:
253:
244:
240:
236:
228:
220:
210:
206:
202:
195:
173:
153:
152:
151:
51:Jack Gaughan
944:Collections
756:The Mad Man
666:Empire Star
534:Clute, John
433:JSTOR Daily
274:Gregg Press
270:Emil Petaja
224:frame story
178:Emil Petaja
47:Illustrator
1106:Categories
1019:Nonfiction
953:Driftglass
352:References
262:Ace Double
170:Ace Double
157:is a 1965
122:Paperback
118:Hardcover
89:Ace Books
85:Publisher
935:" (1968)
926:" (1967)
716:Dhalgren
676:Babel-17
562:(1974).
540:(1995).
306:Babel-17
67:Language
915:Stories
776:Phallos
706:Equinox
508:Sources
145:4371489
116:Print (
70:English
1091:(2000)
1081:(1999)
1071:(1996)
1061:(1995)
1051:(1989)
1041:(1988)
1031:(1979)
1006:(2003)
996:(1995)
986:(1993)
976:(1983)
966:(1981)
956:(1971)
899:(1987)
889:(1985)
879:(1983)
869:(1979)
844:(1965)
834:(1964)
824:(1963)
799:(2012)
789:(2007)
779:(2004)
769:(1995)
759:(1994)
749:(1993)
739:(1984)
729:(1976)
719:(1975)
709:(1973)
699:(1968)
689:(1967)
679:(1966)
669:(1966)
659:(1965)
649:(1962)
570:
548:
522:
495:21 May
486:
438:13 May
390:13 May
337:- the
232:ghetto
120:&
37:Author
162:novel
132:96 pp
129:Pages
75:Genre
766:Hogg
696:Nova
568:ISBN
546:ISBN
520:ISBN
497:2023
484:ISBN
440:2023
392:2023
315:and
303:and
184:Plot
139:OCLC
100:1965
268:by
176:by
1108::
536:;
448:^
431:.
409:^
384:16
382:.
378:.
360:^
280:.
234:.
226:.
180:.
931:"
922:"
622:e
615:t
608:v
576:.
554:.
528:.
499:.
442:.
394:.
124:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
