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To Marry Medusa by Theodore Sturgeon
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To Marry Medusa (original 1958; edition 1998)

by Theodore Sturgeon

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4621153,265 (3.54)2
A Nebula Award-winning author reinvents the alien invasion novel with this story of a malevolent, galaxy-consuming hive mind--and its surprising human hosts.   Drunk, angry, abusive, and pathetic, Dan Gurlick exists at the very lowest level of human civilization, sleeping in junkyard cars and scrounging through garbage cans for his dinner. But his last rotting meal contains something unexpected: a spore that originated from a galaxy many light-years away. First, Dan eats the spore, then, the spore eats Dan; and the homeless alcoholic becomes a host for the Medusa. An insatiable alien hive mind, the Medusa has already consumed the life forms of a billion planets. Now, it hungers for the dominant species of Earth. But to do so, it must somehow unite the planet's intelligent creatures into a single shared consciousness: an assignment the miserable wretch Dan may prove surprisingly capable of carrying out.   To Marry Medusa is suspenseful, inventive, and surprisingly compassionate; a vibrant and unforgettable exploration of what it means to be more--or less--than human.   This ebook features an illustrated biography of Theodore Sturgeon including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the University of Kansas's Kenneth Spencer Research Library and the author's estate, among other sources.… (more)
Member:DGD
Title:To Marry Medusa
Authors:Theodore Sturgeon
Info:Vintage (1998), Edition: Lst Vintage Books ed, Paperback, 160 pages
Collections:Your library
Rating:**1/2
Tags:SF

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The Cosmic Rape by Theodore Sturgeon (1958)

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English (10)  Spanish (1)  All languages (11)
Showing 1-5 of 10 (next | show all)
What begins as an apparent satire gets profound philosophical implications which revolve around the experience of the "idios"(ἴδιος) in the Greek sense of the term.

The text is structured in alternate chapters featuring 6 randomly selected story arcs plus the main storyline in which an alcoholic bum becomes the unlikely means to a cosmic integration (the "marriage" between humanity and the collective hive mind "Medusa"). From my point of view, the style of writing is convoluted and obscure but this also makes the reading thought-provoking. One has to read it more slowly than usual to grasp the intentions of the author since there are several passages which can spur discussion. ( )
  c12marin | Jun 20, 2020 |
Wow, this was fascinating. I've read some really fascinating Sturgeon before but this one is nearly as good as my favorite, More Than Human.

There's a ton of great and flawed characters and they were interesting enough to carry us to the freaking huge conclusion. We follow a real villain around for most of early part of the novel, one very reminiscent of The Stars My Destination, where a deplorable man carries the seed of some truly awesome changes.

More than that, however, is the inescapable mind-blowing change of becoming a Medusa, a single head where every hair is each of us. A single mind. Every one of us knows what everyone else on the planet has learned. A total and ultimate godhood that is, nevertheless, just us.

Sturgeon has always been one of the most fearless writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading. When he sets his teeth into an idea, he goes all out and blows our minds. It's one thing to say he does something like this, but it's another entirely to see the buildup leading to a nearly instantaneous conversion. Or the reason for the conversion. Or the battle with another hive mind.

I was like... damn! This was a very short novel, too, and he NAILED IT.

This is a spicy classic. It may never be everyone's cup of tea, but I think I can rank it up there with Bester. :) ( )
  bradleyhorner | Jun 1, 2020 |
Interesting premise, rendered with a little more show-offy style" than necessary. Slim paperback" ( )
  Cheryl_in_CC_NV | Jun 6, 2016 |
A short, but thoughtful - and unusual - story of alien invasion. The 'Medusa' is a hive mind which has taken over galaxies - and now one of its spores is here on Earth. However, the being it infects is Gurlick - a man that pretty much anyone would consider a waste of life - a stupid, drunken, violent loser. The Medusa, a sophisticated intelligence, is nonetheless unable to understand humanity, because the concept of intelligence that does not function communally, but is confined to isolated individuals, is incomprehensible to it. Humanity is saved!?!? But the book encourages us to think about values and the definition of civilization - the Medusa is indeed a frightening concept - but its spread is not a malicious act.
First published in 1958, this novel goes against the popular concepts of the limitations of science fiction from this time period. It may not be Sturgeon's best work, but it is definitely worthwhile. ( )
  AltheaAnn | Feb 9, 2016 |
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» Add other authors (3 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Theodore Sturgeonprimary authorall editionscalculated
Sturgeon, Theodoremain authorall editionsconfirmed
Lehr, PaulCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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The full-length novel has been published as both To Marry Medusa and The Cosmic Rape. An abridged version was originally published in Galaxy magazine as "To Marry Medusa."

Do not combine with the book entitled To Marry Medusa that is actually a collection of the title novel and the novella, "Killdozer!"
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A Nebula Award-winning author reinvents the alien invasion novel with this story of a malevolent, galaxy-consuming hive mind--and its surprising human hosts.   Drunk, angry, abusive, and pathetic, Dan Gurlick exists at the very lowest level of human civilization, sleeping in junkyard cars and scrounging through garbage cans for his dinner. But his last rotting meal contains something unexpected: a spore that originated from a galaxy many light-years away. First, Dan eats the spore, then, the spore eats Dan; and the homeless alcoholic becomes a host for the Medusa. An insatiable alien hive mind, the Medusa has already consumed the life forms of a billion planets. Now, it hungers for the dominant species of Earth. But to do so, it must somehow unite the planet's intelligent creatures into a single shared consciousness: an assignment the miserable wretch Dan may prove surprisingly capable of carrying out.   To Marry Medusa is suspenseful, inventive, and surprisingly compassionate; a vibrant and unforgettable exploration of what it means to be more--or less--than human.   This ebook features an illustrated biography of Theodore Sturgeon including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the University of Kansas's Kenneth Spencer Research Library and the author's estate, among other sources.

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