Picnic on ParadiseA new kind of sci-fi heroine, the tough-as-nails Alyx, is introduced in this Nebula Award finalist that Poul Anderson called an “extraordinary” novel. Set in a semi-utopian world, Joanna Russ’s groundbreaking debut novel is the story of Alyx, a female soldier, survival guide, and agent of the Trans-Temporal Authority. Displaced in time from her ancient Greece, Alyx is tasked with safely leading a group of pampered human vacationers—including some unconventional nuns and a detached teenager known as the Machine—across an uninhabited scenic terrain to a relief station. But the journey proves more challenging than anticipated as they confront one another’s failings; the physical dangers of an icy, hostile wilderness; and Alyx’s own personal demons. Long before the kick-ass heroines of current science fiction and fantasy, Russ unapologetically introduced readers to a short, strong, middle-aged (for her world/time) woman of twenty-six who knows how to survive but struggles with the emotional nuances of her charges and the confusion of her own mixed feelings. With iconic characters like Alyx, Russ “four decades ago helped deliver science fiction into the hands of the most alien creatures the genre had yet seen—women . . . [and] helped inaugurate the now flourishing tradition of feminist science fiction” (The New York Times). |
From inside the book
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... t know , any flat surface , I suppose , " said the lieutenant . " And he's got those machines in his eyes which keep coming out , but he won't get retinotherapy . Says he likes having two kinds of vision . Most of us are.
... t know , any flat surface , I suppose , " said the lieutenant . " And he's got those machines in his eyes which keep coming out , but he won't get retinotherapy . Says he likes having two kinds of vision . Most of us are.
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... Machine because he's an idiotic adolescent rebel and he wears that - that Trivia on his head to give himself twenty - four hours a day of solid nirvana , station NOTHING , turns off all stimuli when you want it to , operates psionically ...
... Machine because he's an idiotic adolescent rebel and he wears that - that Trivia on his head to give himself twenty - four hours a day of solid nirvana , station NOTHING , turns off all stimuli when you want it to , operates psionically ...
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... Machine became a dead shot . She stared at him . All the time he had kept the thing he wore on his head clamped over ears and eyes and nose . " He can see through it if he wants to , " said Iris . Maudey was talking earnestly in a ...
... Machine became a dead shot . She stared at him . All the time he had kept the thing he wore on his head clamped over ears and eyes and nose . " He can see through it if he wants to , " said Iris . Maudey was talking earnestly in a ...
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... Machine practiced shooting bolts at a target , his eyes hooded in lenses , his ears muffled , his feet never moving . He was on his way to becoming a master . There was a sudden rise in the excited gabble from inside , and turning ...
... Machine practiced shooting bolts at a target , his eyes hooded in lenses , his ears muffled , his feet never moving . He was on his way to becoming a master . There was a sudden rise in the excited gabble from inside , and turning ...
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... Machine's tracks , at Machine , who stood patiently sending bolt after bolt into the paint - sprayed target , his eyes and nose and ears shut to the whole human world . " What will happen to you ? " said Alyx , finally . " I ? " said ...
... Machine's tracks , at Machine , who stood patiently sending bolt after bolt into the paint - sprayed target , his eyes and nose and ears shut to the whole human world . " What will happen to you ? " said Alyx , finally . " I ? " said ...
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Common terms and phrases
Agent Alyx shook Alyx thought androids arms baby began binoculars bolts breath cave climb close cried crossbow damned dead ears ebook electromagnetic spectrum epigram everything eyes face feeling feet fell finally fingers front Gavrily giggled girl gloves grabbed Gunnar hair hands holding hood hurt inside insulated suit Iris Iris's Joanna Russ keep kill kind knees knew laughed legs lieutenant living doll long underwear looked Machine marriage Maudey Maudey's meters Minoans mouth move neck never night numbers nuns pack Paradise picnic Prince of Tyre pulled Raydos Raydos's rock rope science fiction shook her head shoot shoulder shouted shut side silently sleep slowly smiled snow softly someone sorry staring stood stopped stupid talking tell thing thought Alyx threw took Trans-Temp trying turned voice walked wall watch whispered wienie wind woman Youth Core