radix

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.

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

• Radix Tetrad Site

References

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