Radix (novel)
.jpg) First edition | |
| Author | A. A. Attanasio |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Fred Marcellino |
| Language | English |
| Series | Radix Tetrad |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | William Morrow |
| Publication date | 1981 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback)[1][2] |
| Pages | 467[1] |
| ISBN | 0-688-00135-1 |
| OCLC | 7306214 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 19 |
| LC Class | PS3551.T74 R3 |
| Followed by | In Other Worlds |
Radix is a science fiction novel by American writer A. A. Attanasio, published in 1981 by Morrow.[3][4] It was his debut work of science fiction.[5] It was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1981.[6] It is the first of four books in Attanasio's Radix Tetrad, followed by In Other Worlds in 1984.[7]
Radix is the story of a young man's odyssey of self-discovery, from dangerous adolescent to warrior, from outcast to near-god, in a far-future Earth dramatically changed from the one we know.[8]
Characters
Sumner Kagan's alter-egos
- Sumner Kagan: The novel's hero, an overweight rebellious young man from a dysfunctional single-parent family. Father of Corby.
- The Eth: One of Sumner Kagan's alter-egos, a powerful being created by accident by the Delph's fears.
- Lotus Face: The name the Serbota tribe give to Sumner Kagan because of a facial scar in the shape of a lotus.
- Sugarat: One of Sumner Kagan's alternate identities, an unlikely vigilante who exacts a brutal revenge on local gangs that have negatively affected his life in some way.
Sumner's companions
- Corby: A voor, child of Jeanlu and Sumner Kagan. Eventually he puts his mind into Sumner Kagan's body.
- Nefandi: An artificial man bioengineered by the eo. He serves the godmind called the Delph in return for a drugless brain stimulator called Coobla.
- Dice: An inmate at a military prison called Meat City who befriends Sumner Kagan.
- Ardent Fang: A member of the mutant Serbota tribe.
- Drift: A né, also a member of the Serbota tribe and a genderless being with telepathic abilities.
Minor characters
- Zelda: Sumner Kagan's mother, who makes a living as a spirit guide.
- Johnny Yesterday: A lodger at Sumner Kagan's mother's house. An old man whose genetic mutations allow for "deep mind" abilities, which occasionally manifest themselves telekenetically.
- Jeanlu: A voor, who lives in the Rigalu salt flats. Mother of Corby.
- Broux: The commander of Meat City who trains Sumner Kagan.
- Bonescrolls: A long-lived being who has had many different bodies. He has powerful mutant abilities and is a protector of the Serbota tribe.
The Delph
- The Delph: A godmind whose powerful mental abilities are waning.
- Jac Halevy-Cohen: A mutant from an earlier time whose mental abilities evolve him into the Delph.
External links
References
- 1 2 Fanzone, Joseph Jr. (November 1, 1981). "An epic-scaled SF novel as rich as a fine meal". The Baltimore Sun. p. 55. Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Radix, by A.A. Attanasio". Latrobe Bulletin. United Press International. November 2, 1981. p. 9. Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Arthur B (October 14, 2007). "Reading Canary: The Radix Tetrad". FerretBrain: Reviews, Articles and Shiny Things. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ↑ Sturgeon, Theodore (August 2, 1981). "A rich play of words illumines the future". The Los Angeles Times. p. 281. Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Elzie, Don (September 13, 1981). "World chaos depicted in dazzling sci-fi novel". Wichita Falls Times. p. 64. Retrieved April 14, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ ""1981 Nebula Awards". Nebula Awards: Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ↑ Alfred Angelo Attanasio. "The Tetrad". The Radix Tetrad. Retrieved May 10, 2017.
- ↑ Alfred Angelo Attanasio. "Radix". The Radix Tetrad. Retrieved May 10, 2017.