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Pstalemate
Very good hardcover with DJ. Pages are clean and unmarked. Covers show very minor shelf wear. Binding is tight, hinges strong. Dust jacket shows edge wear. Presented with clear mylar ARCHIVAL book jacket cover.
- GenresScience FictionFiction
190 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1971
88 people want to read
About the author
Lester del Rey
636 books117 followersLester del Rey was an American science fiction author and editor. Del Rey is especially famous for his juvenile novels such as those which are part of the Winston Science Fiction series, and for Del Rey Books, the fantasy and science fiction branch of Ballantine Books edited by Lester del Rey and his fourth wife Judy-Lynn del Rey.
Also published as:
Philip St. John
Eric van Lihn
Erik van Lhin
Kenneth Wright
Edson McCann (with Frederik Pohl)
Also published as:
Philip St. John
Eric van Lihn
Erik van Lhin
Kenneth Wright
Edson McCann (with Frederik Pohl)
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 22, 2014
Lester del Rey's 1971 Pstalemate is an intriguing and nuanced tale of a man who suddenly realizes--despite his disdain for what he regards as merely a "current fad in science fiction," despite his singular lack of luck at any sort of guessing games, and despite apparent common sense--that he himself possesses psionic power.
It makes no sense to bight young mechanical engineer Harry Bronson. Or...well, does it? Occasionally, after all, Harry has flashes of inexplicable dread, or even voices seeming to call him. His complete failure at guessing Rhine cards, moreover, actually is just a little too complete, a statistical aberration no less than had he gotten them all correct. And certainly his own past is strangely shrouded, with all memories of life before age ten, and of the death of his parents, now lost to amnesia.
But telepathy exists, the unwilling Harry discovers, and even precognition, too. His own parents had set up some kind of colony or commune of believers, now disbanded, of which little is known anymore, and he begins as well to be able to sense the mental presence of others like him in sprawling New York City. Yet he senses also something he can term only "the alien entity," a force utterly unknowable and frightening, and which seems to be trying to take possession of him.
Extrasensory perception, a researcher's lifelong notes reveal, first truly manifested itself following a mutation caused by petrochemical pollution just three generations earlier. Yet although the people whom the increasingly sensitive Harry from a distance comes to recognize as fellow telepaths seem, in general, more decent than the average human being, he begins to realize that he finds only the young, never the old...for some intrinsic factor of the mutation drives all to inescapable madness. And now Harry's precognition tells him exactly how long he has: three months, and then descent into the living hell of insanity.
Despite his delayed awareness of his abilities, Harry Bronson actually may be the strongest telepath still living. But he has only three months to solve the mystery of himself, lest he lose his own self, and this strange mutation prove merely an evolutionary dead end rather than a transformative quantum leap in consciousness. As Harry and his new wife, once his childhood friend and a telepath as well, race desperately for an answer, Lester Del Rey explores with subtlety and insight the very fundamentals of the human condition--growth and maturity, love and sexuality, and the nature of consciousness--and thereby gives an exciting, intriguing, sometimes touching story.
It makes no sense to bight young mechanical engineer Harry Bronson. Or...well, does it? Occasionally, after all, Harry has flashes of inexplicable dread, or even voices seeming to call him. His complete failure at guessing Rhine cards, moreover, actually is just a little too complete, a statistical aberration no less than had he gotten them all correct. And certainly his own past is strangely shrouded, with all memories of life before age ten, and of the death of his parents, now lost to amnesia.
But telepathy exists, the unwilling Harry discovers, and even precognition, too. His own parents had set up some kind of colony or commune of believers, now disbanded, of which little is known anymore, and he begins as well to be able to sense the mental presence of others like him in sprawling New York City. Yet he senses also something he can term only "the alien entity," a force utterly unknowable and frightening, and which seems to be trying to take possession of him.
Extrasensory perception, a researcher's lifelong notes reveal, first truly manifested itself following a mutation caused by petrochemical pollution just three generations earlier. Yet although the people whom the increasingly sensitive Harry from a distance comes to recognize as fellow telepaths seem, in general, more decent than the average human being, he begins to realize that he finds only the young, never the old...for some intrinsic factor of the mutation drives all to inescapable madness. And now Harry's precognition tells him exactly how long he has: three months, and then descent into the living hell of insanity.
Despite his delayed awareness of his abilities, Harry Bronson actually may be the strongest telepath still living. But he has only three months to solve the mystery of himself, lest he lose his own self, and this strange mutation prove merely an evolutionary dead end rather than a transformative quantum leap in consciousness. As Harry and his new wife, once his childhood friend and a telepath as well, race desperately for an answer, Lester Del Rey explores with subtlety and insight the very fundamentals of the human condition--growth and maturity, love and sexuality, and the nature of consciousness--and thereby gives an exciting, intriguing, sometimes touching story.
October 22, 2018
Interesting scifi / paranormal novel. Quite disorienting at times (intentionally so, I think). But the story moves along fairly well, and it doesn't go quite as expected. I enjoyed most of it, once I got past the extreme weirdness of the first chapter. Everything does not tie up neatly in a bow, but the ending is satisfying.
May 3, 2021
I’m an absolutely massive fan of Lester Del Rey and I have to say that this was the weirdest and most underwhelming book I have read of his. The plot and content just really didn’t appeal to me - maybe to others, but not me.
February 24, 2022
This book amazed me in a couple of ways. Its understanding of the long-standing damage the white patriarchy has done to women and black Americans really, really impressed me. The author gets it! And for 1971, the date of publication, that seems like a rare gem. The premise of the story and the slow burn of its 'madness apocalypse' drew me in. Some really solid ideas in there. And some of the writing really sizzled. When del Rey waxes poetic, he can really yank your brain around and draw out your emotional sympathy.
But the book's actual topic was telepathy and its purpose was sci-fi entertainment, and it was a bit middling for those items. Parts read like a textbook as the author laid out various backstories and his theory of the mutation that gave rise to the fictitious telepaths, or just listed the hero's actions and justified them somewhat tediously. Personally, I skimmed over that stuff and enjoyed the more adventurous parts of the book.
I am a great fan of the overall story arc. It was only partially a 'happy ending,' but it was logical and satisfying, with all the plot threads tied up at the end. But it also had thought-provoking moments, including the dark coda at the end. So, bottom line, solid science fiction that deals with some gritty themes and has some high-flying moments.
But the book's actual topic was telepathy and its purpose was sci-fi entertainment, and it was a bit middling for those items. Parts read like a textbook as the author laid out various backstories and his theory of the mutation that gave rise to the fictitious telepaths, or just listed the hero's actions and justified them somewhat tediously. Personally, I skimmed over that stuff and enjoyed the more adventurous parts of the book.
I am a great fan of the overall story arc. It was only partially a 'happy ending,' but it was logical and satisfying, with all the plot threads tied up at the end. But it also had thought-provoking moments, including the dark coda at the end. So, bottom line, solid science fiction that deals with some gritty themes and has some high-flying moments.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
May 12, 2021Because I don't have a strong enough stomach for how dark it's getting, and because my eyes are deteriorating and I have to ration my reading, I'm dnf'ing this at p. 75.
May 2021
May 2021
December 27, 2008
Contains an interesting concept - that precognition is merely the telepathic access of your future mind. A man is threatened with eventual insanity due to his powers, when in reality the insanity is caused entirely by the fear and stress of the foreknowledge of the insanity. The future mind ("a mature telepath") reaches back and cures the same insanity of his wife through him.
Unfortunately, sloppily written. It is unclear from the writing if the "Alien Mind" referenced frequently in the character's thinking is the future mind, or is the telepathic contact of an actual alien civilization. There were too many loose threads and too many digressions.
Unfortunately, sloppily written. It is unclear from the writing if the "Alien Mind" referenced frequently in the character's thinking is the future mind, or is the telepathic contact of an actual alien civilization. There were too many loose threads and too many digressions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2016
This is a really good story, I had no clue how it would turn out, and it become surprisingly complex and interesting. Really impressive considering when it was written, I will definitely read more by Lester Del Rey.
September 13, 2008
An intriguing novel with a most ambiguous conclusion. I liked it,
October 28, 2009
nice mind-f novel. i think you can only read it once to get the full effect. i haven't read it a second time.
November 12, 2014
1978 grade C-
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews