Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand

Samuel R. Delany

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In a far future universe, the novel "Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand" by Samuel R. Delany follows the lives of two protagonists, the lobotomized Rat Korga and industrial diplomat Marq Dyeth, as they navigate through a galaxy filled with different cultures, languages, and intelligent life forms. The story explores themes of open sexuality, gender fluidity, and multiculturalism, where individuals are referred to as 'she' until intimacy sparks, and different species coexist peacefully. The plot delves into the potential love story between the two protagonists and the impact of their relationship on a universe interconnected by the WEB, a source of general information. Descriptions of intricate ceremonies, exotic landscapes, and innovative use of pronouns add to the complexity of the narrative, creating a challenging yet compelling read that requires full attention to unravel its depth.

Characters:

The characters are intricate yet occasionally unconvincing, with a main focus on the unlikely bond between the protagonist diplomat and a survivor from a destroyed world.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is rich and intricate, combining striking imagery with challenging themes that demand careful reading and attention.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative features complex social experiments and explores deep themes of memory, sexuality, and interstellar relationships against a backdrop of ideological conflict.

Setting:

The setting features a richly imagined future universe filled with diverse worlds and cultures, marked by political complexities and social experimentation.

Pacing:

The narrative pace is slow and often drawn out, which can lead to a feeling of frustration but also allows for deeper exploration of themes.

His big-pored forehead wrinkled, his heavy lips opened (the flesh around his green, green eyes stayed exactly the same), the ideogram of incomprehension among whose radicals you could read ignorance’s...

Notes:

The book is a space fantasy set in a distant future where humans and alien beings coexist.

Marq Hyeth, an industrial diplomat, is the narrator of most of the story.

The plot explores complex philosophical questions about memory, anxiety, sexuality, and identity.

Radical Anxiety Termination (RAT) is a procedure that removes anxiety but strips individuals of free will, turning them into slaves.

The protagonist, Rat Korga, is the sole survivor of a planet destroyed during a Cultural Fugue.

The novel features explicit sexual themes, with characters engaging in diverse sexual relationships across species.

In this universe, everyone is referred to as 'she' unless sexually attracted to them, in which case they are called 'he.'

Delany's writing includes inventive use of language and unique pronouns to challenge traditional gender roles.

The novel has no clear conclusion, as it was intended to be part of an unfinished duology.

The story is filled with richly described alien cultures and social structures that some readers find difficult to grasp.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of mental illness, slavery, explicit sexual content, and philosophical discussions around anxiety.

Has Romance?

There is a significant focus on romantic and sexual relationships, particularly between the protagonists.

From The Publisher:

The story of a truly galactic civilization with over 6,000 inhabited worlds.

Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand is a science fiction masterpiece, an essay on the inexplicability of sexual attractiveness, and an examination of interstellar politics among far-flung worlds. First published in 1984, the novel's central issues-technology, globalization, gender, sexuality, and multiculturalism-have only become more pressing with the passage of time.

The novel's topic is information itself: What are the repercussions, once it has been made public, that two individuals have been found to be each other's perfect erotic object out to "point nine-nine-nine and several nines percent more"? What will it do to the individuals involved, to the city they inhabit, to their geosector, to their entire world society, especially when one is an illiterate worker, the sole survivor of a world destroyed by "cultural fugue," and the other is-you.

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About the Author:

SAMUEL R. DELANY is a novelist and critic who currently teaches English and creative writing at Temple University. He has won both Hugo and Nebula awards.

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