Book cover of Babel-17/ Empire Star

Book description

The Nebula Award Winner: “By looking at a typical space opera adventure from a different angle, Delany . . . give[s] us a weird, welcoming book” (Tor.com).

 At twenty-six, Rydra Wong is the most popular poet in the five settled galaxies. Almost telepathically perceptive, she has written poems that capture…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Babel-17/ Empire Star as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

From the strong female protagonist—who is telepathic and a poet—to the use of language as a kind of mind weapon, to the non-traditional exploration of sexuality, I found this novel to be original and interesting. It also explores the nature of perception, which is something I have always been interested in. Samuel is a genius, and I very much enjoy the way he writes. 

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When the spiritual and the physical universes collide, a cosmic mystery places humanity into a stellar prison where the inmates are dangerously nearby. Will mankind succumb to the same distractions as their alien predecessors; the struggle for survival, the quest for power, the fanaticism of…

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