by Steve Davidson – The Crotchety Old Fan
A few short years ago, the Cordwainer Smith Foundation introduced the C.S. Rediscovery Award.
It’s purpose is to honor a “science fiction or fantasy writer whose work displays unusual originality, embodies the spirit of Cordwainer Smith’s fiction, and deserves renewed attention or ‘Rediscovery.’”
Since 2001, the award has been given to none other than: Olaf Stapleton, R.A. Lafferty, Edgar Pangborn, Henry Kuttner & C.L. Moore, Leigh Brackett, William Hope Hodgson and Daniel F. Galouye.
If you enjoy Smith’s work, you will certainly find something of interest in the writings of these fine authors. If you’d like to check them out, some representative works are available online –Olaf Stapledon – online works
More information
I personally recommend Odd John, Last and First Men and Sirius.
R. A. Lafferty – online works
More information
I recommend The Devil is Dead, and Strange Doings
Edgar Pangborn – online works
More information
I recommend A Mirror for Observers and West of the Sun
Henry Kuttner & C. L. Moore (amongst my favoritist favorite writers). Online works – unfortunately unavailable (at least in legal form)
More information – Lewis Padgett (pseudonym)
Henry Kuttner
C. L. Moore
I SERIOUSLY recommend – Mimsy Were The Borogoves, Fury, The Twonky, Vintage Season, the Gallagher stories.
Leigh Brackett – online works
More information
I recommend – The Sorcerer of Rhiannon, Lorelei of the Red Mist, Stark and the Star Kings – and just about everything else
William Hope Hodgson – online works
More information – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hope_Hodgson
I recommend – The House on the Borderland, The Ghost Pirates
Daniel F. Galouye – online works – unfortunately none (legally) available
More information
I recommend Simulacron 3 and Dark Universe
If you know of any additional (legal and free) on-line sources for these author’s works, we’d sure like to hear from you – and if you’ve got a tribute page, let us know too!
Awards like this one perform an invaluable service to the SF community. Sometimes it’s good to remember where we came from.
Great list. It’s interesting, even though your Dad and Olaf Stapleton’s work is quite different, I always think of them as somehow linked. I think it’s because they were speculative fiction trailblazers with distinct voices. I am somewhat ashamed to admit that I’m ignorant of the others. Some reading awaits!
Thanks to Steve Davidson, CrochetyOldFan, for this post. I would just like to add that I have a whole lot more info on the award and the writers at
http://cordwainer-smith.com/award.htm