Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Vintage (1999), Edition: 1st Vintage Books ed, 224 pages
Description
Winner of the Hugo, Nebula and World Fantasy Life Achievement Awards "One of the masters of modern science fiction."--The Washington Post Book World Eight-year-old Horty Bluett has never known love. His adoptive parents are violent; his classmates are cruel. So he runs away from home and joins a carnival. Performing alongside the fireaters, snakemen and "little people," Horty is accepted. But he is not safe. For when he loses three fingers in an accident and they grow back, it becomes clear that Horty is not like other boys. And it is a difference some people might want to use. But his difference risks not only his own life but the lives of the outcasts who provided for him, for so many years, with a place to call home. In The Dreaming Jewels, Theodore Sturgeon renders the multiple wounds of loneliness, fear, and persecution with uncanny precision. Vividly drawn, expertly plotted, The Dreaming Jewels is a Sturgeon masterpiece. "An intensely written novel and very moving novel of love and retribution."--Washington Star… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Poquette
Imagine that aliens have been coming to earth forever in the form of crystals ferried in by meteors. The crystals lie dormant in the soil until an impulse of some kind causes them to "clone" a nearby object, be it animal, vegetable or mineral. Sometimes they find themselves in close proximity to a
Such is the underlying idea behind The Synthetic Man, which was originally published under the title of The Dreaming Jewels. Having this bit of intelligence actually helps to shed light on these alien crystals. They don't think in the way humans do, but they seem to engage in a kind of dreaming that stimulates activity of one sort or another. The crystals and their creations have always been among us but no one has really noticed — until now!
When Horton, or Horty as he was called, was a tiny baby in an orphanage, a toy made its way into his crib, a jack-in-the-box with crystal eyes. The close proximity of these crystals caused baby Horton to be modified to the extent that he had extraordinary powers. For example, when he was eight years old, his menacing stepfather, who was about to lock him in a closet for— to the father at least — the criminally insane activity of eating ants, accidentally shut the hinge-side of the door on three fingers which were all but severed. Horty ran away and was rescued by a troop of little people who belonged to a traveling carnival, the owner of which happened to be a doctor who cut off the damaged tissue and bone, and over a period time the missing fingers regenerated.
When Horty grows up, the same doctor who patched him up and the wicked stepfather join forces to try to destroy him — one having realized his secret and the other having altogether different motives.
Theodore Sturgeon has a wonderful way of telling a preposterous story based on a slightly skewed set of scientific "principles" and making it seem in the end like a plausibly ordinary everyday train of occurrences. The science is more than a bit outdated, but the story's seemingly disparate parts are woven skillfully together so that The Synthetic Man is a fine example of storytelling. It is a page-turner which reminds us of why Sturgeon was among the stars of mid 20th century science fiction writing.
Show More
like-"minded" crystal, and crystal nature being what it is, they procreate or invade a living creature and "enhance" it.Such is the underlying idea behind The Synthetic Man, which was originally published under the title of The Dreaming Jewels. Having this bit of intelligence actually helps to shed light on these alien crystals. They don't think in the way humans do, but they seem to engage in a kind of dreaming that stimulates activity of one sort or another. The crystals and their creations have always been among us but no one has really noticed — until now!
When Horton, or Horty as he was called, was a tiny baby in an orphanage, a toy made its way into his crib, a jack-in-the-box with crystal eyes. The close proximity of these crystals caused baby Horton to be modified to the extent that he had extraordinary powers. For example, when he was eight years old, his menacing stepfather, who was about to lock him in a closet for— to the father at least — the criminally insane activity of eating ants, accidentally shut the hinge-side of the door on three fingers which were all but severed. Horty ran away and was rescued by a troop of little people who belonged to a traveling carnival, the owner of which happened to be a doctor who cut off the damaged tissue and bone, and over a period time the missing fingers regenerated.
When Horty grows up, the same doctor who patched him up and the wicked stepfather join forces to try to destroy him — one having realized his secret and the other having altogether different motives.
Theodore Sturgeon has a wonderful way of telling a preposterous story based on a slightly skewed set of scientific "principles" and making it seem in the end like a plausibly ordinary everyday train of occurrences. The science is more than a bit outdated, but the story's seemingly disparate parts are woven skillfully together so that The Synthetic Man is a fine example of storytelling. It is a page-turner which reminds us of why Sturgeon was among the stars of mid 20th century science fiction writing.
Show Less
LibraryThing member sturlington
While this early horror novel starts out with a very intriguing opening paragraph—“They caught the kid doing something disgusting out under the bleachers at the high school stadium, and he was sent home from the grammar school across the street. He was eight years old then. He’d been doing it
This is the story of Horty, a human photocopy produced by strange living crystals that exist among us without us being aware of them. Except for one man, the Maneater—the evil, sociopathic owner of the carnival where Horty winds up after being evicted by his adoptive parents.
Although there are no details in the text to date this novel to the 1950s, it comes off sounding impossibly old-fashioned, far less relevant to our world today than the works of Sturgeon’s contemporary, Richard Matheson. This novel is better left forgotten.
Show More
for years.”—it quickly strains suspension of disbelief past the breaking point.This is the story of Horty, a human photocopy produced by strange living crystals that exist among us without us being aware of them. Except for one man, the Maneater—the evil, sociopathic owner of the carnival where Horty winds up after being evicted by his adoptive parents.
Although there are no details in the text to date this novel to the 1950s, it comes off sounding impossibly old-fashioned, far less relevant to our world today than the works of Sturgeon’s contemporary, Richard Matheson. This novel is better left forgotten.
Show Less
LibraryThing member delta351
I tought the story was pretty good, considering it was written in the 1950's. It starts as a Harry Potter precursor, with an adopteed child treated badly by his parents. After an especially brutal scene, boy takes off and ends up with a carnival. There are some good twists in the story, though
I thought the story was much better than "More Than Human", which I never really cared for or thought was worthy of the hype.
Show More
perhaps very predictable. The concepts of the green crystals is very intrigueing? The writing is representative of the times, and is awkward by today's standards. I thought the story was much better than "More Than Human", which I never really cared for or thought was worthy of the hype.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ScoLgo
A taut magical realism story with solid SF under-pinnings. Horty is a young orphan who, abused by his step-father, runs away and gets picked up by a strange group of carnies. Impersonating a girl midget, he lives for several years on the road with the carnival. But there is something different
Sturgeon weaves a wonderfully realized tale of humans who are enthralled and endowed with super-human talents by the hidden powers of an ancient species - The Dreaming Jewels.
First published in 1950, this is one of the better stories I have read from that era. For character development alone, it stands head & shoulders above much of the 'Golden Age' material of the time. If you happen upon a copy of this out of print gem - grab it before the next person does!
Show More
about Horty - and about the Maneater, the sinister figure who runs the carnival...Sturgeon weaves a wonderfully realized tale of humans who are enthralled and endowed with super-human talents by the hidden powers of an ancient species - The Dreaming Jewels.
First published in 1950, this is one of the better stories I have read from that era. For character development alone, it stands head & shoulders above much of the 'Golden Age' material of the time. If you happen upon a copy of this out of print gem - grab it before the next person does!
Show Less
LibraryThing member AltheaAnn
Strange little foundling Horty is abused by his adoptive parents, and runs away. He's 'adopted' by a group of midgets and joins a travelling carnival... but the carny hides some deeper secrets and more subtle cruelties than even his previous life.. what is the explanation for Horty's mysterious
Show More
abilities? And why is he so strangely attached to his childhood toy, a jack-in-the-box with weirdly glittering jewellike eyes? Show Less
LibraryThing member jigarpatel
A precursor to More Than Human, I actually prefer The Dreaming Jewels. I find its direct good-versus-evil storyline more satisfying than the disjointed fix-up of More Than Human. Sure, the latter is more polished, but to me the characters in The Dreaming Jewels are more alive. Would probably be
Show More
classed as Young Adult today, but don't let that dissuade you. Good fun and, as always, quality writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member grahzny
I read this a long time ago, and if memory serves, it's still my favorite piece of Sturgeon fiction.
LibraryThing member LynnMPK
Interesting concept about alien life and what it means to be human. The prose is straightforward and easily understood. The characters were well developed, but I had no strong feelings about any of them.
Subjects
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novella — 1951)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1950-02
Physical description
224 p.; 5.19 inches
ISBN
037570373X / 9780375703737