Theodore Sturgeon

THE

DREAMING

JEWELS

First DELL printing, December, 1978

CONDITON:  GOOD paperback book, with some shelfwear; notation written on first page; somewhat cocked.

Here is the Dell paperback edition of this 1950 novel, the author's first. Dell printed this edition twice, 1978 and 1980. It was reprinted previously in paperback as "The Synthetic Man." Sturgeon tells the story of a boy who runs away from his abusive family and takes refuge among the "strange people" in a traveling circus. The boy becomes mankind's only hope against a diabolical plot. A warm, wonderful story.

About the author:

Theodore Sturgeon (1918–1985) is considered one of the godfathers of contemporary science fiction and dark fantasy. The author of numerous acclaimed short stories and novels, among them the classics More Than Human, Venus Plus X, and To Marry Medusa, Sturgeon also wrote for television and holds among his credits two episodes of the original 1960s Star Trek series, for which he created the Vulcan mating ritual and the expression “Live long and prosper.”

Sturgeon is the recipient of the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the International Fantasy Award. In 2000, he was posthumously honored with a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement.

Commentaries on line:

Theodore Sturgeon only wrote SF because no other genre could possibly have contained the immensity of his ideas. But he wrote unconsciously of the genre and his work tends to be devoid of the usual trappings found in many other SF writers work. That this was originally published in 1951 only serves to intensify my admiration for this man's work, reminding me just how ahead of his time he was.

I love how Sturgeon blends science fiction, fantasy, and social commentary. His books are accessible and inventive and so far, highly recommended.

Although it definitely falls into the science fiction category by the very end (perhaps a little clumsily at its first entry early in the book), 'The Dreaming Jewels' (also called 'The Synthetic Man') might just as easily be regarded as a masterpiece of weird fiction for much of its length.

This is another well written, emotionally charged story about an 8 year old boy who runs away from his abusive foster parents and joins up with a travelling carnival full of "special" people. From there it is a "coming of age" story as only Sturgeon can tell it full of unique aliens, misfits, mad doctors and dreams of worldwide destruction. Recommended!!

The characters are wonderful, all outcasts but finding acceptance and beauty among each other and the story made me feel warm and fuzzy. A very positive and life-affirming read which in ways reminded me of Tiptree's Up the Walls of the World.

This is an astonishingly great book. 

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