Slan, A. E. van Vogt
Slan, A. E. van Vogt
3 Rating(s)
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Slan

Author: A. E. van Vogt, Kevin J. Anderson

Narrator: Oliver Wyman

Unabridged: 7 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/01/2007

Synopsis

Jommy Cross is a slan, a genetically bred superhuman whose race was created to aid humanity but is now despised by normal humans. Slans are usually shot on sight, but that doesn’t stop Jommy’s mother from bringing him to see the world capital of Centropolis, the seat of power for Earth’s dictator, Kier Gray. But on their latest trip to Centropolis, the two slans are discovered, and Jommy’s mother is killed. Jommy, only nine years old, unwittingly becomes caught up in a plot to undermine Gray, who may be more sympathetic to slans than the public suspects. The nonstop action and root-for-the-underdog plot has made Slan a science fiction favorite.

About A. E. van Vogt

A. E. van Vogt (1912–2000) was a SFWA Grand Master. Part of John W. Campbell’s stable of writers for Astounding Science-Fiction magazine, van Vogt was one of the most prolific, yet complex, writers of the genre’s mid-twentieth century golden age. He is often named, along with Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, one of the top science fiction writers of all time.

About Kevin J. Anderson

Kevin J. Anderson has published more than 180 books, fifty-eight of which have been national or international bestsellers. He has written novels in the Star Wars, X-Files, and Dune universes, edited numerous anthologies, written comics and games, and the lyrics to two rock CDs. Anderson is the director of the graduate program in publishing at Western Colorado University, and he and his wife, Rebecca Moesta, are the publishers of WordFire Press. There are twenty-four million copies of his books in print in thirty-four languages. His most recent novels are Bats in the Belfry, Skeleton in the Closet, Persephone, and Princess of Dune (with Brian Herbert).

About Oliver Wyman

Oliver Wyman is an actor and award-winning audiobook narrator. He has won five Audie Awards from the Audio Publisher’s Association, fourteen Earphone Awards, and two Listen Up Awards from Publisher’s Weekly. He was named a 2008 Best Voice in Nonfiction & Culture by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared on stage as well as in film and television, and he is a veteran voice actor who can be heard in numerous cartoons and video games. He is one of the founders of New York City’s Collective Unconscious theater, and his performances include the award-winning “reality play” Charlie Victor Romeo and A. R. McElhinney’s cult classic film A Chronicle of Corpses.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Bradley on February 08, 2017

How do I properly describe a novel that uses (incorrectly) atomic energy, but also addressing the fact that it was published in 1940? Well, it's been 76 years since it came out, and its and integral part of the Campbellian SF revolution that said that we can have great Science in Science Fiction, but......more

Goodreads review by Dirk on January 04, 2019

Golden Age Science Fiction goodness. I can see from other reviews that not everybody enjoyed this, but I really enjoy Van Vogt, his stories tend to twist and turn and venture off into unexpected territory. The logical next step is almost never what happens. Slan has had a massive influence on the ge......more

Goodreads review by Little on November 06, 2023

A mostly forgotten writer in today's SiFi world, Van Vogt is a grandmaster of the genre. His stories still ready well today. Nice enjoyable classic SiFi. Recommended......more

Goodreads review by Michael on May 20, 2023

Even if I grant that this is really early sci-fi, I don't understand why the Hugo went out of its way to award it a "Retro-Hugo" because it is just not that well-written. The prose is sloppy and the dialog very wooden. The whole Slan thing falls apart when we learn about the tendril versus tendril-l......more

Goodreads review by J.G. Keely on March 23, 2011

In Slan, Van Vogt (say: 'vote') combines a number of popular sci fi themes, some intriguing, others silly, to create a work that is interesting and influential, if sometimes ill-conceived. The political tone of the work, focused on dictators, secret police, and shadowy struggles for power mark this a......more

Quotes

“Over fifty years on from when it first saw print, van Vogt's Slan is still one of the quintessential classics of the field that other SF novels will inevitably be measured against.”  Charles de Lint

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