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radix

 
Dictionary: ra·dix   ('dĭks) pronunciation
n., pl., rad·i·ces (răd'ĭ-sēz', rā'dĭ-), or ra·dix·es.
  1. Biology. A root or point of origin.
  2. (Abbr. rad.) Mathematics. The base of a system of numbers, such as 2 in the binary system and 10 in the decimal system.

[Latin rādīx, root.]


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The base value in a numbering system. For example, in the decimal numbering system, the radix is 10.

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Base upon which a Mortality Table is built by beginning with a randomly selected group of people who are alive at the earliest age for which statistics are available on the number of people alive at that age. From this data, the rates of mortality can be used to build "the number of people alive at a given age" and "the number of people who die at a given age" columns in the mortality table.

Pl. radices [L.] root.

Word Tutor: radix
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pronunciation

IN BRIEF: n. - (numeration system) the positive integer that is equivalent to one in the next higher counting place.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.

Wikipedia: Radix (novel)
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Radix  
Author A. A. Attanasio
Country United States
Language English
Series Radix Tetrad
Genre(s) Science fiction novel
Publisher William Morrow
Publication date 1981
Media type Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
Pages 467 pp
ISBN 0-688-00135-1
OCLC Number 7306214
Dewey Decimal 813/.54 19
LC Classification PS3551.T74 R3
Followed by In Other Worlds

Radix is a science fiction novel by A. A. Attanasio, published in 1981. It was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1981. It is the first of four books in Attanasio's Radix Tetrad, followed by In Other Worlds in 1984.

The novel is being re-issued by Phoenix Pick, an imprint of Arc Manor Publishers in 2010.

Contents

Plot introduction

Radix is the story of a young man's odyssey of self-discovery, from dangerous adolescent to warrior, from outcast to near-godhood, in a far-future Earth dramatically changed from the one we know.

Chapter summaries

Distorts

  • Firstness - The Sugarat kills the Northungs, and decided to go to the voors for some money (Zords)
  • Pictures of the real Universe - Sumner leaves his home city of McLure fleeing the Massebôth Protectorate, on the way to Jeanlu's he recounts the story that led to the conception of his son Corby
  • Teeth Dreams - Sumner meets Nefandi, an d takes him to Jeanlu's cottage. On his return to McLure the Massebôth Protectorate arrest him

Voors

  • The Mysteries - Jeanlu's death attracts other voors who find Corby and take him with them. Sugarat is beaten by the police before being sent to Meat City where he meets Dice. Sumner is recruited by a special forces division where he is trained by a man called Mauschel, who cut off his on legs to removes signs of mutation
  • The Emptying - Sumner befriends the Serbota tribe of mutants, and the seers of the community teach him how to channel energy and use the powers within him
  • The Blood's Horizon - Using his voor powers Corby shows Sumner the history of the Delph

Godmind

  • Destiny as Density - Sumner peaks into godmind
  • Trance Port -
  • The Untelling -
  • Epilogue -

Characters

Sumner Kagans alter-egos

Sumner Kagan 
The novel's hero, an overweight rebellious young man from a dysfunctional single parent family. Father of Corby
The Eth 
One of Sumner Kegans alter-egos, a powerful being created by accident by the Delph's fears
Lotus Face 
the name the Serbota tribe give to Sumner Kegan because of a facial scar in the shape of a lotus
Sugarat 
One of Sumner Kagan's alternate identity's, an unlikely vigilante who exacts a brutal revenge on local gangs that have negatively affected his life in some way


Sumners companions

Corby 
A voor, child of Jeanlu and Sumner Kegan. Eventually he puts his mind into Sumner Kegans body
Nefandi 
an artificial man bioengineering by the eo. He serves the godmind called the Delph in return for a drug less brain stimulator called Coobla
Dice 
an inmate at a military prison called Meat City who befriends Sumner Kegan
Ardent Fang 
A member of the mutant Serbota tribe
Drift 
A né, also a member of the Serbota tribe and a genderless being with telepathic abilities


Minor Characters

Zelda 
Sumner Kagan's mother, she makes a living as a spirit guide
Johnny Yesterday 
A lodger at Sumner Kagan's mother's house. an old man whos's genetic mutations allow for "deep mind" abilities occasionally manifest themselves telekenetically
Jeanlu 
A voor, who lives in the Rigalu salt flats. Mother of Corby
Broux 
The commander of Meat City who trains Sumner Kegan to become
Bonescrolls 
A long lived being who has had many different bodies. He has powerful mutant abilities and is a protector of the Serbota tribe


The Delph

The Delph 
A godmind whose powerful mental abilities are waining
Jac Halevy-Cohen 
An mutant from an earlier time who's mental abilities evolve him into the Delph

Glossary

Godmind 
A powerful mutant whose mental abilities allow them to shape the universe to their will
Deep Mind 
A Mutant whose mental abilities allow for some unusual powers
The Massebôth Protectorate 
A military regime who control a large area of land. The Massebôth do not tolerate people with genetic mutations, and they work hard to eradicate individuals such as mutants and voors
Ort 
an artificially created being designed for menial or military use
Voor 
a being who arrives on Earth by travelling along a stream of radiation and who exists in a human like form for the duration of their stay
Brood 
A nomadic community of Voors
Brood jewel 
A gemstone created by voor using glandular excretions, they can be of varied size, shape and colour but all allow for enhanced psychic states or visions of the future
Coobla 
A drug less device that stimulates the pleasure centres of the brain
Deadwalker 
An Ort
Deep 
The Massebôth name for a seer
Deva 
an artificial being that lives in the ionosphere and use the solar wind to sustain themselves
Distorts 
Humans who have been mutated by cosmic radiation
Dorgas 
Criminals who have been turned into drone workers
Howlie 
A voor term for anyone that cannot talk telepathically
Iz 
Voor term for the Line of cosmic radiation
Kha 
Biospectral energy
Kiutl 
A plant that has been mutated by the cosmic radiation and when consumed or smoked allows normal humans telepathic abilities
Lusk 
A voor ability that merges the two mind and allows the voor to suppress the other being
Olfact 
An inhaled mood changer
né 
a genderless mutant, often with psychic powers
né-futhore 
an alphabet used by the né

Review excerpts

  • "RADIX is sheer pleasure to read: brimming with living characters, splendid adventures....It is an exhilarating novel." - Minneapolis Tribune
  • "Attanasio invents language, customs, hardware, history, small animals, and more good supporting characters than most writers can get into five books." - Newsday
  • "Here stands a high talent; a truly amazing, original, towering talent." - L.A. Times[1]
  • "Alive with enough zest and daring to rise above the sf/fantasy run-of-the-mill" - Kirkus Reviews[2]
  • "An instant classic" - Washington Post[3]

External links

References

  1. ^ Taken from the 2nd edition (1983)
  2. ^ Taken from the 2nd edition (1983)
  3. ^ Taken from the 2nd edition (1983)

Translations: Radix
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Dansk (Danish)
n. - grundtal, rod, radix

idioms:

  • radix point    radixpunkt

Français (French)
n. - (Math) base, (Ling) radical

idioms:

  • radix point    (Math) base

Deutsch (German)
n. - Grundzahl

idioms:

  • radix point    Grundzahl

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (μαθημ.) βάση (λογαρίθμου)

idioms:

  • radix point    σημείο της βάσης

Español (Spanish)
n. - raíz, (matemática) base

idioms:

  • radix point    carácter que separa al número entero de la fracción

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - (vetensk) rot, (mat) bas

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
根, 基数

idioms:

  • radix point    小数点

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 根, 基數

idioms:

  • radix point    小數點

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 근원, 어근, 뿌리

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الاساس, , المصدر‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מספר-היסוד בשיטת ספירה (למשל 01 בשיטה העשרונית), שורש, יסוד, מקור‬


Best of the Web: radix
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Some good "radix" pages on the web:


Math
mathworld.wolfram.com
 
 
 
Learn More
rad.
nine's complement (computer science)
rad. (abbreviation)

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