The Byworlder

by Poul Anderson

THE SECRET OF THE SIGMAN

Skip Wayburn, artist drifter, sigaroon, gulped down his food with nothing on his mind but a long evening of lovemaking.

Far above him, the first emissary from interstellar space continued to orbit the globe. For three years it had been there, and still there were nothing but questions. What had lured the voyager from Sigma Dacron's to Earth? How did the creature plan to use its incredible power? And most important, why was it waiting...and for what?

Then, in a blinding flash of insight, Skip Wayburn suddenly knew the answers... knew with dead certainty why the Sigman had come, who "he' was, and precisely what the Earthmen must do.

But who would listen to the far-out ideas of a mere sigaroon? Skip didn't know. But someone had to listen—and fast.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Space Opera, Science Fiction Fantasy, Collections

160 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1971

About the author

Pseudonym A. A. Craig, Michael Karageorge, Winston P. Sanders, P. A. Kingsley.

Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories. He received numerous awards for his writing, including seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.

Anderson received a degree in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1948. He married Karen Kruse in 1953. They had one daughter, Astrid, who is married to science fiction author Greg Bear. Anderson was the sixth President of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, taking office in 1972. He was a member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America, a loose-knit group of Heroic Fantasy authors founded in the 1960s, some of whose works were anthologized in Lin Carter's Flashing Swords! anthologies. He was a founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Robert A. Heinlein dedicated his 1985 novel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls to Anderson and eight of the other members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.[2][3]

Poul Anderson died of cancer on July 31, 2001, after a month in the hospital. Several of his novels were published posthumously.


Series:
* Time Patrol
* Psychotechnic League
* Trygve Yamamura
* Harvest of Stars
* King of Ys
* Last Viking
* Hoka
* Future history of the Polesotechnic League
* Flandry

Reviews

[Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poul Anderson was such a great writer.

He packed a lot into an economical package, created an imaginative and thought provoking work of speculative fiction that combined humanist, libertarian ideals with hard science fiction details and did it inside three hundred pages and without the need for a sequel.

Byworlder, first published in 1971, is part Jack Kerouac, part 2001: A Space Odyssey and part Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Packed full with Anderson’s signature observations and erudite plot structures, this goes further into a “soft” fiction by including sociological, anthropologic, economic and political examinations.

Centering on a theme of over-population, and an allegory of salvation from space, a personal crusade for Anderson; this is also a metaphor for the arms race that remains lucid long after the cold war is over, because Anderson is writing as much about human nature as he is about politics in the sixties.

Anderson also wove into this tight design a world concept distinguished into Orthos (orthodox ideologists), Underworld (a clear criminal class) and Byworlders (free state, untethered libertarians) and stated succinctly within his allegorical instrument a concept of humanity that lesser writers can only do clumsily in three times as much text.

We need more of his kind today.

[Oleksandr Zholud · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a first contact SF novel by Poul Anderson. It was nominated for Nebula awards in 1971, but lost to A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg. I read is as a part of monthly reading for September 2020 at Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group.

Before starting the review I have to admit: Anderson was one of my favorite writers when I grew up, especially his Time Patrol series and his fantasy like The Broken Sword. Most of his work was initially written in the 1950s and 60s, so possibly he was nominated more to acclaim is lifetime work than for this specific novel. This story has its strong moments and ideas, but is inferior to his other works.

The story follows three persons on their attempt to establish contact with an alien. The story happens in the 2010s. three years ago an alien space vessel approached the Earth. This is hard SF, so sub-lightspeed drive based on collection of hydrogen in space, Bussard-type vessel. the problem is that an alien leaves after brief meetings with humans and in three years they are yet to set a way to communicate. The protagonist (even while there are three main characters) is Thomas John Waybum, called Skip, a painter/artist in his 20s, who is sigaroon, which means self-sufficient drifter/wonderer, who doesn’t care much about his tomorrow meal. Next, there is 30-something Yvonne Canter, Ph.D. in comparative linguistics, who made a math model, which finally broke the ice and started information exchange. Finally, there is Wang Li, a linguistic prof from Communist China. It is interesting to note that a notable part of the plot is a cold war struggle between the US and China, which sound ‘normal’ today, but in 1971 one more likely would expect the USSR. The reason behind the struggle is that the alien’s vessel is capable to burn anything on Earth by its exhaust, so can bу an alternative to A-bombs…

The concept of Byworlders, after whom the book is titled is about self-sufficient libertarians, who work hard but don’t want to adhere to any government, true people of the world, who at any moment can decide to go anywhere and do anything legal (unlike Underworlders).

While concepts are interesting and even great sometimes, as well as ideas about alien biology and what they could actually want from a contact, the story itself is lackluster… more for fans of the author.

[Art · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read as a monthly read for the Hugo and Nebula:Best Novels Group.

The plot seemed intriguing, I see how many other writers could have actually been inspired by this novel. But the execution seemed pretty bad and the characters and dialogues even worse.

The world building had something going for it, but it was mostly superficial. I would not mind reading this novel after a second, probably third draft, instead of what got actually published. The way it is it does not deserve to be on the Hugo nomination list.

Favorite quote, sure as hell not this:
"Wrong time of month coming on?", he asked. She gulped and nodded, "Feels like it."

I can't with this book...

Writing & Literary devices: - 2
Plot & Pacing: - 4
Theme & Message: - 4
Characters: - 2
Dialogues: - 3
Entertainment: - 4
World Building: - 4

[T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great First Contact scifi novel by the master SF author Poul Anderson. He takes the theme of First Contact, mixes it with an alternative Earth future that is >still< workable despite the novel being written decades ago, and explores just >why< an alien species might choose to come visit Earth/humans. Very nicely done with great, non-standard characters, a kind of love story, and a sobering perspective on secrecy versus openness. I liked a lot! Tom.

[Alien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich habe die deutsche Übersetzung "Der Außenweltler" aus der Collection "Fremde aus dem All" von Bastei Lübbe gelesen, die offenbar um ein paar Dutzend Seiten gekürzt wurde.
Es geht um den Erstkontakt mit einem schneckenähnlichen Alien, das durchaus kontaktfreudig ist, nur findet es mit den menschlichen Linguisten lange keine gemeinsame Basis. Dann macht die Linguistin Canter endlich Fortschritte. Doch ausgerechnet der Vagabund Skip kommt drauf, was das Alien von den Menschen wirklich will.

Das Buch hat einen interessanten Plot und gute Ideen. Trotzdem gefiel es mir nicht so richtig. Es mag am Stil von Anderson liegen, der mir nicht recht zusagte.
Der Roman handelt auch von der menschlichen politischen Unreife.

[Jessalyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was initially an interesting concept. To me the story ended up falling flat. The world-building was confused and I never figured out what Byworlder meant. The different people groups, what is a sigaroon, the orthians? The Sigman? The descriptions of interplanetary travel and visiting the other planets was thought provoking. But I didn't really care about the love story or the characters. And I don't understand the solution.

[Adam Rabiner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1972 and set in the not too distant future (not stated explicitly but some clues lead me to believe 2013! in fact) the Byworlder conjures a world somewhat like that which has come about: overpopulated, environmentally harmed, fractured, and still harboring Cold War era suspicions, despite some international treaties and a desire for world peace. Anderson also imagines a more technologically sophisticated planet with something akin to an internet instantly transmitting video images and financial transactions. He also spot on predicted 3D printing. There's something of a DaVinci code kind of thing going on in terms of suspense, crime, mystery, a love interest, and also an invented language of sorts to boot a la Anthony Burgess's A Clock Work Orange. All in all quite a good sci-fi tale.

[Allan Phillips · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. This was a struggle, thankfully only 160 pages. Definitely not Anderson’s best, and why it was nominated for a Nebula, I have no idea. I gave it 1 pity star, and I’m usually pretty generous. It reads much more like a late 50’s style book, replete with a damsel in distress and a Cold War baddie, not like a book nominated in 1972. Said damsel is constantly referred to in terms of her looks or sexuality, with the brief exception of the beginning, where she’s a respected, capable scientist. Then the educated hobo comes in with the brilliant key to save the day, and she becomes feeble, swooning eye candy. The alien, interesting at first, becomes completely irrelevant. Then it finishes like a bad detective novel and the pair ride off into the sunset.

[W Freeman]

Anderson’s vision of a near-future earth is flimsy and against the evocatively rendered early sections of attempting to achieve communication with an alien intelligence it just feels cheap - worse still is Anderson’s cool libertarian insert sex-hound wanderer character. You got a fascinating woman trying to breach language across the stars and are forced to hear a guy who thinks he’s cool prattle on - the communist foil was actually pretty interesting as well until he too devolves somewhat into cliche, at least in action. Downer ending that placed a bad taste in my mouth. Really loved the beginning though - like a pulpier “Arrival” or perhaps more aptly a pulpier “Story of Your Life.”

[Jeremiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poul Anderson is an author that I would not be aware of if it weren't for my late grandfather's love of his work and he is quickly becoming a favorite of mine as well. Originally published in 1971, The Byworlder is a story of the Earth's first contact with a superior species and their technology. What I enjoyed about the story is its depiction of the early 21st century(about ten years or so from now) and the people that inhabit the world. Anderson's familiarity with culture, art, and science permeate his writing and contribute to his own entertaining style.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This hasn't aged well. A first contact during the cold war novel, it isn't equal to the authors better known works. The sexism of the day is blatant too, with the male lead actually asking the female lead if it was that time of the month!

[Gr1972 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 out of 5

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

my first poul anderson book,I gave a 3 star as did 41 percent. I found it interesting enough to finish and mite of enjoyed it more 50 years ago.

[Raluca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I came across Operation Chaos in my early teens. I found it imaginative, engaging and laugh out funny. I've reread it several times and continued to enjoy it, albeit with slightly less fascination. I tricked The Boy into reading it as well, and he was just about as happy with it.
Turns out, there's a sequel to that book, Operation Luna. So the Boy and I are on (sometimes independent) quests through second-hand bookstores to find it. Until then, it turns out we can't resist picking up something by Poul Anderson.
Which is how The Byworlder was acquired. It's a tiny, light and well-paced novella, rather, using the pretext of an alien visit for some predictable, but fair observations about human society. Well, future human society, but we've really been doing the same thing for a while now. It's an OK book, but nothing more. Come on, Anderson, you can do better!

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade B

[Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

While enjoyable, Anderson botches the ending.

[Bent Andreassen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story of first contact that, rather than helping to unify humankind, serves to increase tensions.

[Clay · Rating 5 out of 5]

1

[Marko]

I have the english edition on 5a and the german edition on 3a: Aussenweltler