Psion
Joan D. Vinge
Editorial Reviews
Ingram
Orphaned young and forced to survive on the streets of a distant planet, telepathic Cat is the ultimate future punk, but he is swept into a struggle for his life when two interstellar powers want to use his mind as a weapon.
Reprint.
H. AB.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Card catalog description
A
sixteen-year-old delinquent who has spent his life lying and stealing becomes involved in a research project which unleashes his extraordinary telepathic powers.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Spotlight Reviews
Fine, fine story
, July 8, 2001
| Reviewer: |
I discovered this jewel of a book completely by accident one day in my univerity's library. It was shelved in the children's storybook section, oddly enough.
An obvious, glaring mistake.
I knew it had to be something more, not only by its thickness, but by it's title. Show me a five year old who would know how to pronounce the word 'psion.' I checked it out, and damn, am I glad I did. Vinge gives her stories a character, a mood, and a depth that is absent from many sci-fi novels, which love to focus on infathomable technology instead of a good story. You can't help but to like Cat, and to feel for him throughout the hell he's put through. 'Psion' is just the first in the Cat trilogy, followed by 'Catspaw' and 'Dreamfall.' If you like your sci-fi with just the right amount of character and the right amount tech, then get these three books if you can. And be sure you get them all at the same time, or you'll find yourself going nuts waiting to read the next part.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
All Customer Reviews
Avg. Customer Review:
Just a question....
, February 9, 2003
| Reviewer: |
I haven't actually read this book. I checked out Catspaw from the library, started it, and realized I didn't have a clue about what was going on. So I had to place a hold on the two (?) other books that come before. Psion and Phoenix in the Ashes, right? But then I noticed that Psion and Catspaw are offered as a set along with another book, Alien Blood. Is that part of this series as well? I can't find any information on it...So that's just my kinda stupid question. I was just wondering if anyone knew the answer and would like to make a post. It would really be appreciated. I hate not starting at the beginning of a series...hehe. Thanks so much.
Psion
, May 31, 2002
| Reviewer: |
Psion is about a penniless orphan boy named Cat because of his strange appearance. For his entire solitary life Cat is discriminated against for reasons unknown to him. But one night he is caught by government officials, and instead of selling him into legal slave labor they send him to an institute for psychics. There he is told he is an exceptionally powerful telepath because rather than having a remnant of alien blood as do the other psychics he is half alien, which accounts for his catlike pupils, and the government wants his help in catching a renegade psychic who sells his power and wants to destroy those in power.
This
from the people who insult, abuse, mistreat, and cheat him and his kind whenever possible. When Cat is sold into the slavery by the people he had only just begun to trust and is then recruited by the feared Quicksilver he has to decide which side he's going to choose. Whether he is going to join Quicksilver and have riches rather than derision or whether he will risk his life and try to trick Quicksilver for the people who betrayed him and the empath who was the only one who ever cared.
Only....
While he is there, he meets the other half of the family tree.
If you can get this book do it. You certainly won't regret it.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Psion
, May 31, 2002
| Reviewer: |
Psion is followed by a short story in Pheonix in the Ashes, Catspaw, and then Dreamfall.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title
Fun, if fluffy reading
, November 22, 2001
| Reviewer: |
This story explores the use of the telepathy rather nicely. Mrs. Vinge imagines a compelling plot and her characters are original and many-dimensional.
Unfortunatly, Psion
falls
victim to a common trend in 1980s Science Fiction- cliches and stupidity.
The author apparently feels compelled to stick certain things in the book, even if they don't always fit. The hero's love intrest is taken by the hero's
enemy,
the hero is hurt seriously and cared for by the love intrest, the hero kills someone, ect.
Also, Mrs. Vinge's book is a light read. There are plot twists, but the book doesn't make on think. The subject of telepathy could be used to explore certain tendancies of human nature, or privacy laws. But it isn't.
All in all, a well rounded book.
Read it on vacation or on the beach.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title