Babel-17
by Samuel R. Delany
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Fast moving science fiction novel. The commander of the Earthpeople's Alliance journeyed into the bizarre depths of Transport Town to seek Rydra Wong, the cosmic poetess, linguist, and cryptographer, whose words reached across space and whose mind could perceive the meaning of all the worlds' tongues. And his request placed her into the heart of the vile interstellar war between the Alliance and the Invaders. The new weapon of the Invaders was Babel-17, a menacing hum clogging up Alliance space communications. Rydra had to decipher the communications power of Babel-17 before it could lead to intergalactic defeat. And to do that, she would have to be the target of the next outer-space attack.
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Subjects
Artificial Languages, Fiction, Language, Life on other planets, Specimens, Upside-down books, Women linguists, Women poets, Science fiction, Optical illusions, Fiction, science fiction, general, Linguists, Language and languages, award:nebula_award=novel, American Science fiction, Amerikaans Wetenskapfiksie, American fiction, Amerikaanse fiksieShowing 6 featured editions. View all 30 editions?
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Babel-17: Empire star
2001, Vintage Books
in English
- 1st Vintage Books ed.
0375706690 9780375706691
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Book Details
Edition Notes
Reprint of the 1969 ed. published by Sphere Books, London.
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Work Description
During an interstellar war one side develops a language, Babel-17, that can be used as a weapon. Learning it turns one into an unwilling traitor as it alters perception and thought. This is discovered by the starship captain Rydra Wong. She is recruited to discover how the enemy are infiltrating and sabotaging strategic sites.
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- Created April 1, 2008
- 12 revisions
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| June 16, 2025 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
| December 12, 2023 | Edited by MARC Bot | import existing book |
| December 8, 2022 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| October 22, 2021 | Edited by ImportBot | import existing book |
| April 1, 2008 | Created by an anonymous user | Imported from Scriblio MARC record |