Slan - Paperback

Slan - A Golden Age Science Fiction Masterpiece

In the 1940s, the Golden Age of science fiction flowered in the magazine Astounding. Editor John W. Campbell, Jr., discovered and promoted great new writers such as A.E. van Vogt, whose novel Slan was one of the works of the era.

Slan is the story of Jommy Cross, the orphan mutant outcast from a future society prejudiced against mutants, or slans. Throughout the forties and into the fifties, Slan was considered the single most important SF novel, the one great book that everyone had to read. Today it remains a monument to pulp SF adventure, filled with constant action and a cornucopia of ideas.

About This Edition

This paperback edition features a new introduction by Kevin J. Anderson, providing modern context to this timeless classic. Originally published in Astounding Science-Fiction magazine under John W. Campbell's editorial guidance, Slan established A.E. Van Vogt as one of the defining voices of science fiction's most influential era.

The Story

Follow Jommy Cross as he navigates a hostile world where his mutant abilities make him both hunted and extraordinary. Van Vogt weaves together themes of prejudice, survival, and human evolution in this fast-paced narrative that defined what science fiction could achieve. The novel's exploration of discrimination against slans resonates as powerfully today as it did in the 1940s.

Why Slan Matters

For decades, Slan stood as required reading for any serious science fiction fan. Its influence shaped generations of writers and readers, establishing tropes and themes that continue throughout the genre. This is pulp science fiction at its finest - packed with action, innovative concepts, and the boundless imagination that characterized the Golden Age.