The Syndic (Illustrated) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Dystopian NovelsBy Cyril M. Kornbluth
Length6h 36m
About this audiobook
The Syndic (Illustrated) is a brisk, sardonic work of mid-century speculative fiction that inverts the familiar moral architecture of the crime story: organized crime has displaced the state and, paradoxically, made society more humane. Through intrigue, pursuit, and political satire, Kornbluth examines legitimacy, commerce, coercion, and civic myth. Its hard-edged prose, swift pacing, and ironic intelligence place it squarely within the Golden Age's more subversive current, anticipating later dystopian and libertarian debates while retaining pulp adventure's momentum. Cyril M. Kornbluth (1923–1958), a member of the influential Futurians, was among science fiction's sharpest satirists. His collaborations with Frederik Pohl, especially The Space Merchants, reveal a mind alert to propaganda, bureaucracy, capitalism, and social manipulation. Kornbluth's wartime experience and urban, politically aware milieu helped shape his distrust of official narratives and his fascination with systems that claim moral authority. This illustrated edition is recommended for readers who enjoy intellectually provocative science fiction that marries adventure to political irony. It will especially appeal to admirers of dystopian satire, alternate social orders, and classic SF that remains unsettlingly modern.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreScience Fiction, Action and Adventure
Length6 hrs 36 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateFeb 26, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
17CHAPTER XI.
2Introduction
18CHAPTER XII.
3Synopsis
19CHAPTER XIII.
4Historical Context
20CHAPTER XIV.
5The Syndic (Illustrated)
21CHAPTER XV.
Show all chaptersShow less
6PART I.
22CHAPTER XVI.
7CHAPTER I.
23CHAPTER XVII.
8CHAPTER III.
24CHAPTER XVIII.
9CHAPTER IV.
25CHAPTER XIX.
10CHAPTER V.
26CHAPTER XX.
11CHAPTER VI.
27CHAPTER XXI.
12CHAPTER VII.
28CHAPTER XXII.
13CHAPTER VIII.
29Analysis
14CHAPTER IX.
30Reflection
15PART II.
31Memorable Quotes
16CHAPTER X.
Takeoff (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth7h 13m$2 · $0.00
Two Dooms: Two Dystopian Novels (Illustrated) (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl10h 37m$2 · $0.00
Search the Sky (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl7h 6m3.4 (527)$2 · $0.00
Rocket Launch (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth7h 48m$2 · $0.00
The Naked StormCyril M. Kornbluth7h 2m$2 · $0.00
Wolfbane (Illustrated) (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl5h 1m3.8 (741)$2 · $0.00
The Best Short Stories by Cyril M. Kornbluth (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth12h 10m$2 · $0.00
TakeoffCyril M. Kornbluth6h 19m2.9 (30)$2 · $0.00
A Mile Beyond the MoonCyril M. Kornbluth6h 56m3.5 (332)$2 · $0.00
Takeoff (Sci-Fi Classic)Cyril M. Kornbluth7h 2m2.9 (30)$1 · $0.00
The Greatest Sci-Fi Books - Cyril M. Kornbluth EditionCyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl37h 11m$1 · $0.00
Reap the Dark Tide (Sci-Fi Classic)Cyril M. Kornbluth1h 28m$1 · $0.00
Wolfbane (Sci-Fi Classic)Cyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl4h 51m3.7 (1.4K)$1 · $0.00
The Essential Works of Cyril M. KornbluthCyril M. Kornbluth36h 20m4.0 (59)$2 · $0.00
Reap the Dark Tide (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth2h 20m$2 · $0.00
The Sci-Fi Stories - Cyril M. Kornbluth EditionCyril M. Kornbluth11h 59m$2 · $0.00
Not This August (Christmas Eve) (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth7h 5m3.5 (207)$2 · $0.00
Two DoomsCyril M. Kornbluth, Frederik Pohl10h 25m3.9 (60)$2 · $0.00
SF Boxed Set - Cyril M. Kornbluth Edition (Annotated)Cyril M. Kornbluth37h 19m$2 · $0.00
Sponsored Apocalypse 2Blaise Corvin10h 3m4.6 (1.5K)$25
Coup D’EtatC. R. Daems9h 12m4.6 (1.2K)$20
Judgment DayRick Partlow10h 44m4.6 (2.6K)$20
ViniumS. H. Jucha14h 7m4.6 (2.5K)$23
AdventSeth Ring13h 20m4.5 (3.6K)$27
Sons of War 4: SoldiersNicholas Sansbury Smith, Tom Abrahams12h 54m4.6 (507)$25
Hell to PayMichael Anderle7h 50m4.6 (362)$20
A Civil CampaignLois McMaster Bujold18h 49m4.5 (30.4K)$32
Warrior’s FateWalt Browning10h 37m4.5 (1.6K)$20
The RisenErica Stevens10h 17m4.5 (1.2K)$20
100 Years to ExtinctionPeter Solomon14h 48m4.8 (62)$27
Amazing Tales Volume 1Max Williams et al.4h 5m4.7 (183)$2.30
Scars of RebellionAnthony J. Melchiorri12h 56m4.6 (347)$25
The Galaxy, and the Ground WithinBecky Chambers9h 56m4.5 (55.2K)$29 · $0.00
AvengerBlair Howard9h 54m4.5 (2.5K)$23
Core’s AttackS.E. Smith5h 57m4.5 (2.1K)$17
TimelessR. A. Salvatore12h 30m4.5 (8K)$33 · $0.00
The Extinction New Zealand Series Box SetAdrian J. Smith23h 7m4.5 (1.3K)$30
The Quantum ChainNick Jones12h 59m4.5 (6K)$23
Thud!Terry Pratchett12h 29m4.4 (108.4K)$8 · $0.00
CollateralBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson13h 8m4.6 (7K)$23
War LordBernard Cornwell13h 21m4.6 (33.1K)$33 · $0.00
Something Like LoveBeverly Jenkins10h 21m4.6 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
The Newly Witch GameRobyn Peterman4h 39m4.7 (549)$15
Louis L’Amour’s Trio of TalesLouis L’Amour2h 8m4.7 (262)$10
Scaramouche (Annotated)Rafael Sabatini15h 24m4.6 (1.8K)$2 · $0.00
Northern ShadowsDaniel Greene12h 52m4.7 (281)$23
Jubal Stone: U.S. Marshal: Blood Trail To Hell: A Western Adventure NovelCasey Nash3h 42m4.6 (3.2K)$18 · $0.00
Can’t Ride Around ItAnn Charles, Sam Lucky10h 13m4.6 (796)$25
Punk’s FightWard Carroll10h 28m4.6 (796)$20
Sons of Valor IV: False FlagJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews11h 47m4.6 (1.1K)$25
The Labyrinth of the SpiritsCarlos Ruiz Zafon27h 55m4.5 (77.2K)$53 · $0.00
Ship of the Line (Annotated)Cecil Louis Troughton Smith11h 13m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
Sons of War 3: SinnersNicholas Sansbury Smith12h 40m4.6 (1.7K)$23
Sons of War 4: SoldiersNicholas Sansbury Smith, Tom Abrahams12h 54m4.6 (507)$25
The Road to Gundagai (The Matilda Saga, #3)Jackie French12h 31m4.6 (1.2K)$33 · $0.00
The Skull of the WorldKate Forsyth10h 28m4.5 (3.8K)$20
TimelessR. A. Salvatore12h 30m4.5 (8K)$33 · $0.00
Hang Them SlowlyWilliam W. Johnstone9h 22m4.5 (609)$20
The Quantum ChainNick Jones12h 59m4.5 (6K)$23
You may also like
The Secret AgentJoseph Conrad8h 51m3.7 (36.5K)$20
Dead Souls (Annotated)Nikolai Gogol17h 24m4.1 (116.1K)$2 · $0.00
The InterrogatorGlenn L. Carle10h 13m3.8 (3.8K)$20 · $0.00
PolostanNeal Stephenson11h 41m3.9 (9.9K)$29 · $0.00
The Maltese IguanaTim Dorsey9h 51m4.2 (1.7K)$29 · $0.00
The Girl Who Saved The King Of SwedenJonas Jonasson11h 53m3.9 (82.1K)$29 · $0.00
Confessions of an Economic Hit ManJohn Perkins9h 18m4.1 (48.6K)$20
America FantasticaTim O'Brien13h 40m3.5 (5.8K)$33 · $0.00
The Accidental Further Adventures of the Hundred-Year-Old ManJonas Jonasson, Rachel Willson-Broyles10h 18m3.9 (29.3K)$29 · $0.00
Erewhon (A Dystopia)Samuel Butler9h 34m3.6 (9.9K)$1 · $0.00
EldoradoBaroness Emmuska Orczy14h 6m4.2 (6.7K)$1.20 · $0.00
North Korea UndercoverJohn Sweeney10h 26m3.8 (2.1K)$20
The Dogs of WarFrederick Forsyth14h 12m4.1 (32.6K)$25
Somewhere InsideLaura Ling, Lisa Ling10h 17m4.2 (11.6K)$29 · $0.00
Barbarous MexicoJohn Kenneth Turner11h 49m4.2 (2K)$1 · $0.00
Casanova's HomecomingArthur Schnitzler3h 9m3.8 (1.3K)$2 · $0.00
Impostor SyndromeKathy Wang10h 35m3.6 (11.9K)$29 · $0.00
The Manhattan Beach ProjectPeter Lefcourt10h 3m3.5 (122)$20 · $0.00
Murder Madness (Annotated)Murray Leinster7h 54m4.1 (12)$1.99 · $0.00
100%: The Story of a PatriotUpton Sinclair11h 36m3.6 (117)$1 · $0.00