Songs from the Stars

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1980. The original typed manuscript: the setting copy with all the editor's and proof-reader's marks. Complete book: 400 pages, 4to. Predominantly mechanically reproduced leaves, with some original typescript insertions. Original typed insertion leaves include those for the Dedication to David Hartwell; the leaf listing other books by Spinrad; and the About the Author leaf. The editorial corrections average some ten per page, and there are occasional annotations in Spinrad's hand. Songs from the Stars was Spinrad's ninth novel. Kirkus wrote: "Earth is in the post-Smash era: much of the northern hemisphere east of California is radioactive; tribes are now divided between white and black sorcery (science); chief transport is helium-winged hang gliders with pedals. Clear Blue Lou, something of a legal circuit rider, sails over to the Sunshine tribe to settle a dispute among rival Aquarians but himself settles into the druggy, free-sex nightlife for a spell before finding himself seduced by Sunshine Lou--a queen of the Word of Mouth communication network who knows (thanks to black sorcery) that her karma and Clear Blue Lou's will combine to reveal heavenly harmonies to Aquarians by means of a Big Ear satellite circling Earth with Songs from the Stars. First, however, C. B. Lou and S. Lou must accompany black sorcerer Harker to Big Ear, where they find the satellite crew dead. Debates on communications and karma ensue. Gassy."