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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... walls that pulsated in and out and changed color, the strange floor that waved like grass, the three-dimensional vortices that kept springing to life on what would have been the ceiling if it had only stayed in one place (but it never ...
... walls that pulsated in and out and changed color, the strange floor that waved like grass, the three-dimensional vortices that kept springing to life on what would have been the ceiling if it had only stayed in one place (but it never ...
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... wall and it turned into a map ; she recognized it instantly , even though there were no sea- monsters and no four winds puffing at the corners , which was rather a loss ) " from here to here , " he said . “ B is a neutral base . They ...
... wall and it turned into a map ; she recognized it instantly , even though there were no sea- monsters and no four winds puffing at the corners , which was rather a loss ) " from here to here , " he said . “ B is a neutral base . They ...
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... wall - both hands , simultaneously -striking precisely at point A and point B. " You can have those , too , " she said . The lieutenant bowed . He pressed the wall again . The knives hung in a cloudy swirl , then in nothing , clear as ...
... wall - both hands , simultaneously -striking precisely at point A and point B. " You can have those , too , " she said . The lieutenant bowed . He pressed the wall again . The knives hung in a cloudy swirl , then in nothing , clear as ...
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... walls , a little frantically . " Those are just androids , " said Iris , good - humoredly . " Don't nod to them . Don't you think it's fun ? " " Go cut your hair , " said Alyx . Iris's eyes widened . " And tell that other woman to do ...
... walls , a little frantically . " Those are just androids , " said Iris , good - humoredly . " Don't nod to them . Don't you think it's fun ? " " Go cut your hair , " said Alyx . Iris's eyes widened . " And tell that other woman to do ...
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... walls , right into one of the walls . " He's busy , " said Raydos , the flat - color man . " They're sending someone else through and he's trying to talk them out of it . " " Joy , " said Alyx . " Have you noticed , " said Raydos ...
... walls , right into one of the walls . " He's busy , " said Raydos , the flat - color man . " They're sending someone else through and he's trying to talk them out of it . " " Joy , " said Alyx . " Have you noticed , " said Raydos ...
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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