C. M. Kornbluth Libri

In this golden age sci-fi novel, war has rendered significant portions of Europe either uninhabitable or barbaric. The U.S. Government has failed, to be replaced by organized crime--Syndic is short for Syndicate.

CAUTION! You are about to enter a world... where all engineering ingenuity has been employed for public spectacles of torture and death where the stock market operates with pari-mutuel machines where a court clerk transcribes testimony on punch cards, then feeds it to a jury machine where the dream real-estate development of today has become a cracked-concrete savage jungle In this world, young lawyer Charles Mundin battles a great combine of corporate interests—battles them in board meetings and in dark alleys—in a struggle that lays bare some brutal promises of the future...promises we are beginning to make right now. “...wholly admirable, in both thinking and execution.”—Galaxy “Reminiscent in vigor, bite and acumen to THE SPACE MERCHANTS”—Anthony Boucher. “...possessed of a bite and savage vigor which makes it one of the outstanding science fiction novels of the year.”—The New York Times “...a powerfully convincing story.”—New York Herald Tribune

It is the 20th Century, an advertisement-drenched world in which the big ad agencies dominate governments and everything else. Now Schoken Associates, one of the big players, has a new challenge for star copywriter Mitch Courtenay. Volunteers are needed to colonise Venus. It's a hellhole, and nobody who knew anything about it would dream of signing up. But by the time Mitch has finished, they will be queuing to get on board the spaceships.

Modern science fiction emerged in the 1950s, particularly in America, where it broke free from traditional conventions. Writers began to explore their imaginations in novel-length works, marking an era of stylistic experimentation and speculative storytelling that addressed the uncertainties of a rapidly changing world. Often overlooked by the literary elite, these “outsider” novels are now celebrated as American classics. This volume presents four distinct visions of uncertain futures and evolving identities. Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth’s The Space Merchants (1953) offers a satirical take on a future dominated by multinational advertising. Theodore Sturgeon’s More Than Human (1953) explores the journey of damaged individuals toward a potential new stage of evolution. Leigh Brackett, one of the first prominent female science fiction writers, presents a post-nuclear world in The Long Tomorrow (1955), where anti-urban technophobes clash with the remnants of a destroyed civilization. Richard Matheson’s The Shrinking Man (1956) tells the tale of a man shrinking due to a mysterious cloud, facing humiliations and dangers that lead him to a surprising and transformative realization. Each novel opens new territory, reflecting the dynamic energies of an age grappling with the unknown.

An alternative cover edition with the same ISBN exists here. Something Was Very Wrong, Out There Among The Stars...The interstellar transport had touched down on six other colony worlds - and all six had been devoid of human life. Where was everybody? It was almost as if humankind, when separated by cosmic distances from Mother Earth, could not survive.

"The Marching Morons" is a look at a far future in which the world's population consists of five billion idiots and a few million geniuses - the precarious minority of the "elite" working desperately to keep things running behind the scenes. "The Marching Morons" is a direct sequel to "The Little Black Bag": it is easy to miss this, as "Bag" is set in the contemporary present while "Morons" takes place several centuries from now, and there is no character that appears in both stories. The titular black bag in the first story is actually an artifact from the time period of "The Marching Morons": a medical kit filled with self-driven instruments enabling a far-future moron to "play doctor". A future Earth similar to "The Marching Morons" - a civilization of morons protected by a small minority of hidden geniuses - is used again in the final stages of "Search the Sky".

This replica of the June 1958 VANGUARD SCIENCE FICTION digest magazine showcases a selection of classic sci-fi stories. Featured works include "SOS, PLANET UNKNOWN" by A. Bertram Chandler, exploring themes of survival in the cosmos, and "REAP THE DARK TIDE" by C. M. Kornbluth, which delves into the consequences of human actions. Other notable contributions include James E. Gunn's "WHEN THE SHOE FITS," Raymond F. Jones' "THE STRAD EFFECT," and Richard Wilson's "FAREWELL PARTY," each offering unique narratives that reflect the era's imaginative spirit.

Set in a unique culture adrift, the narrative explores a savage code that governs its inhabitants. However, the true brutality emerges when outcasts venture onto land, revealing a harsher reality. This thought-provoking tale, nominated for the 1959 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, delves into themes of survival and societal norms, contrasting the life at sea with the challenges faced on land.