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{{Short description|Series of science fiction novels}}{{Redirect|Farthest Star|the most distant star|List of star extremes}}
{{Notability|books|date=August 2008}}
{{Infobox book| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
{{Infobox book series
| name = Saga of Cuckoo
| name = Farthest Star
| title_orig =
| image = <!-- include the file, px and alt: [[File:Example.jpg|200px|Cover]] -->
| image_caption =
| translator =
| cover_artist = [[Philip Perlman]]
⚫
| books = Farthest Star <br> Wall Around a Star
| author = [[Frederik Pohl]] <br> [[Jack Williamson]]
| image = FarthestStar.jpg
| title_orig =
| caption = Cover of the first edition.
| author = [[Frederik Pohl]]<br> [[Jack Williamson]]
⚫
| translator =
| illustrator =
| country = United States
| cover_artist =
| language = English
| country = US
| series = Saga of Cuckoo
| language = English
| genre = [[Science fiction]]
| genre = Science fiction
| publisher = [[Ballantine Books]]
| publisher =
| release_date = 1975
| pub_date = 1975 / 1983
| isbn = 0-345-24330-7
| media_type = Print
| oclc = 073857
| number_of_books = 2
| pages = 246
| awards=
⚫
| list_books =
⚫
| followed_by=[[Wall Around a Star]]
}}
}}


{{Infobox book| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
⚫
| name = Wall Around a Star
| title_orig =
⚫
| translator =
| cover_artist = [[David B. Mattingly]]
⚫
| image =
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Cover of the first edition.
| author = [[Frederik Pohl]]<br>[[Jack Williamson]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| series = Saga of Cuckoo
| genre = [[Science fiction]]
| publisher = [[Del Rey Books]]
| release_date = January 12, 1983
|isbn= 0-345-28995-1
| oclc= 9184254
| pages = 275
| awards=1984 [[Locus Award]] - [[Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel|Best SF Novel]] (21st place)
⚫
| preceded_by=[[Farthest Star]]
}}


The '''''Saga of Cuckoo''''' is a series of [[science fiction]] novels by [[Frederik Pohl]] and [[Jack Williamson]]. It consists of two novels:
The '''''Saga of Cuckoo''''' is a series of [[science fiction]] novels by American writers [[Frederik Pohl]] and [[Jack Williamson]]. It consists of two novels, '''''Farthest Star''''' and '''''Wall Around a Star'''''.


The books feature an [[interstellar teleporter]] that leaves the original being behind and sends only a duplicate. When a person is duplicated, the original can just pass out of the machine without a second thought. The copies also can be "edited" at destination.
⚫
*''[[Farthest Star]] ''(1975)
⚫
*''[[Wall Around a Star]]'' (1983)


==''Farthest Star''==
==Characters==
*Ben Charles Pertin - an engineer
**Ben James - Duplicate, Deceased (Aurora)
**Ben Frank - Duplicate, Deceased (Aurora)
**Ben Linc - Duplicate, Cuckoo Station
**Ben Yale - Edited<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=130}}</ref> Duplicate, Cuckoo
**Ben Tom - Duplicate, Deceased<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=167}}</ref> (Cuckoo)


''Farthest Star'' was published by [[Ballantine Books]] in 1975,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/frederik-pohl/farthest-star.htm|title = Farthest Star (Saga of Cuckoo, book 1) by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson}}</ref> as a [[fix-up]] of the 1973 novella "Doomship" and the 1974 serial "The Org's Egg".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?3512|title = Title: Farthest Star|website = isfdb.org}}</ref>
*Napier Chimski<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=41}}</ref> (Doc Chimp) - an intelligent if pessimistic chimpanzee.
*Zara Doy - Ben's fiancee, married to Jon
In the novel, engineer Ben Charles Pertin is selected to be humanity's representative in a multi-race mission to reach "Object Lambda", a mysterious object traveling towards the galaxy at 1/6th lightspeed. Since the object is still approaching, Ben and the others are transported to the probeship Aurora by a matter duplication transporter. While the original goes on with his life, the duplicate (Ben James) and his Companion, Doc Chimp, work with the rest of the beings to construct a faster drone to get a transporter in orbit of the object, racing against time as the ionizing radiation from the ship's fusion drive is slowly killing them. After a struggle, the drone is successfully launched, killing all on board.
**Zara Gentry - Edited Duplicate, Cuckoo
*Jon Gentry - Husband of Zara
**Jon - Edited Duplicate, Cuckoo
*Fifteenth (Org Rider) - Native of Cuckoo (Human)
*Redlaw - Native of Cuckoo (Human)
*Venus - Purchased Person, Cuckoo Station
*Valkyrie - Edited Duplicate, Cuckoo
*Nlem (Nammie) - t'Worlie
**Nloom (Nammie) - Edited Duplicate, Cuckoo


The drone performs as planned and an orbiting habitat called Cuckoo Station is constructed. A new duplicate arrives, Ben Linc.
==Races==


==''Wall Around a Star'' ==
*Human
*t'Worlie - collective intelligence<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=13}}</ref>
*[[Sheliak]] - dough like beings
*[[Beta Boötis]] (Boaty Bits) - collective intelligence<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=39}}</ref>
*[[Scorpius|Scorpi]]ans - robotic lifeforms, resembling metal octopoids<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=52}}</ref>


{{main|Wall Around a Star}}
*[[Aldebaran]]ian - reptilian<ref>{{harv|SC: FS|p=66}}</ref>


''Wall Around a Star'' was published by [[Del Rey Books]] on January 12, 1983. The cover art for the 1983 edition was done by [[David Burroughs Mattingly|David Mattingly]].<ref name="IBL">{{cite web | url = http://www.iblist.com/book19581.htm | title = Book Information: Wall Around a Star | publisher = Internet Book List | access-date = 2013-05-14 | archive-date = 2012-07-28 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120728074306/http://www.iblist.com/book19581.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>
*Watchers

In this novel linguist Jen Babylon is called on to translate alien records which may explain the nature of "Cuckoo", a sphere built around a star, and thus save the galaxy.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Nickerson|first=Susan L|title=Wall Around a Star (book)|journal=Library Journal|date=1983-02-15|volume=108|issue=4|page=415}}</ref>
==Themes==

The series explores several themes, the most used is the notion of an [[interstellar teleporter]] that leaves the original being behind and sends only a duplicate.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
==Sources==
⚫
*{{cite book|last=Pohl|first=Fred|title=The Saga of Cuckoo|year=1983|publisher=Nelson Doubleday|author2=Jack Williamson|edition=SFBC|oclc=9879683}}


⚫
{{Frederik Pohl}}
⚫
*{{cite book|last=Pohl|first=Fred|title=The Saga of Cuckoo|year=1983|publisher=Nelson Doubleday|author2=Jack Williamson|edition=SFBC|ref=harv|oclc=9879683}}
[[Category:Book series introduced in 1975]]

[[Category:Science fiction book series]]
[[Category:Science fiction book series]]
[[Category:Works by Frederik Pohl]]
[[Category:Works by Frederik Pohl]]
[[Category:Works by Jack Williamson]]
[[Category:Novels by Jack Williamson]]
[[Category:1975 science fiction novels]]

[[Category:1983 novels]]
[[Category:Collaborative book series]]
[[Category:Del Rey books]]
[[Category:Books with cover art by David Burroughs Mattingly]]
[[Category:Fiction about teleportation]]


{{1970s-sf-novel-stub}}
{{1970s-sf-novel-stub}}
{{1980s-sf-novel-stub}}
{{1980s-sf-novel-stub}}

⚫
{{Frederik Pohl}}

Latest revision as of 21:52, 28 December 2023

"Farthest Star" redirects here. For the most distant star, see List of star extremes.
Farthest Star
Cover of the first edition.
AuthorFrederik Pohl
Jack Williamson
Cover artistPhilip Perlman
LanguageEnglish
SeriesSaga of Cuckoo
GenreScience fiction
PublisherBallantine Books
Publication date
1975
Publication placeUnited States
Pages246
ISBN0-345-24330-7
OCLC073857
Followed byWall Around a Star 
Wall Around a Star
AuthorFrederik Pohl
Jack Williamson
Cover artistDavid B. Mattingly
LanguageEnglish
SeriesSaga of Cuckoo
GenreScience fiction
PublisherDel Rey Books
Publication date
January 12, 1983
Publication placeUnited States
Pages275
Awards1984 Locus Award - Best SF Novel (21st place)
ISBN0-345-28995-1
OCLC9184254
Preceded byFarthest Star 

The Saga of Cuckoo is a series of science fiction novels by American writers Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson. It consists of two novels, Farthest Star and Wall Around a Star.

The books feature an interstellar teleporter that leaves the original being behind and sends only a duplicate. When a person is duplicated, the original can just pass out of the machine without a second thought. The copies also can be "edited" at destination.

Farthest Star

[edit]

Farthest Star was published by Ballantine Books in 1975,[1] as a fix-up of the 1973 novella "Doomship" and the 1974 serial "The Org's Egg".[2]

In the novel, engineer Ben Charles Pertin is selected to be humanity's representative in a multi-race mission to reach "Object Lambda", a mysterious object traveling towards the galaxy at 1/6th lightspeed. Since the object is still approaching, Ben and the others are transported to the probeship Aurora by a matter duplication transporter. While the original goes on with his life, the duplicate (Ben James) and his Companion, Doc Chimp, work with the rest of the beings to construct a faster drone to get a transporter in orbit of the object, racing against time as the ionizing radiation from the ship's fusion drive is slowly killing them. After a struggle, the drone is successfully launched, killing all on board.

The drone performs as planned and an orbiting habitat called Cuckoo Station is constructed. A new duplicate arrives, Ben Linc.

Wall Around a Star

[edit]
Main article: Wall Around a Star

Wall Around a Star was published by Del Rey Books on January 12, 1983. The cover art for the 1983 edition was done by David Mattingly.[3]

In this novel linguist Jen Babylon is called on to translate alien records which may explain the nature of "Cuckoo", a sphere built around a star, and thus save the galaxy.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Farthest Star (Saga of Cuckoo, book 1) by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson".
  2. ^ "Title: Farthest Star". isfdb.org.
  3. ^ "Book Information: Wall Around a Star". Internet Book List. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  4. ^ Nickerson, Susan L (1983-02-15). "Wall Around a Star (book)". Library Journal. 108 (4): 415.

Sources

[edit]
  • Pohl, Fred; Jack Williamson (1983). The Saga of Cuckoo (SFBC ed.). Nelson Doubleday. OCLC 9879683.
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