![]() In the 24 th century, where a small fraction of humanity has developed telepathic powers, corporate executive Ben Reich is being out-competed by a rival company. Case in point: The Demolished Man, a Freudian thriller. However good he is (or however bad he became after his hiatus), in his prime Bester was always delivering an experience that was somehow unique and strange. It’s Bester’s contradictions that make him so fascinating to watch, even when he’s not entirely successful. He was a white man writing in the 1950s, so when describing a black woman’s skin color in The Stars my Destination he uses the word “negro” (which is unacceptable in modern culture but at the time was considered the “proper” way to say “black person”) but the actual character is independent, intelligent and holds a respectable job as a hospital worker who rehabilitates accident victims. ![]() On the other his experiments with typography and form prefigured New Wave Science Fiction and are occasionally credited with birthing the movement. On one hand he’s indisputably a pulp author who put a heavy emphasis on pacing and excitement. ![]() Alfred Bester is an odd landmark in science fiction history. ![]()
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