Sydney J. Van Scyoc
Encyclopedia
Sydney J. van Scyoc is an American science fiction writer. Her first published story was "Shatter the Wall" in Galaxy in 1962. She continued to write short stories throughout the 1960s and in 1971, published her first novel, Saltflower. Other novels followed until 1992, when she abandoned writing to make and sell jewelry. Retired now, she gardens and has begun to write science fiction
again.
According to book reviewer Dani Zweig http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/sf/dani/PS_015.htm, coming of age
and human evolution
are common themes in Scyoc's books. For example, in Assignment Nor'Dyren, the two main characters are young humans off on an adventure visiting an alien world. Tollan Bailey has not been able to fit into the post-industrial work force of Earth, but the world Nor'Dyren provides an environment well suited to his interests. Laarica Johns is the other main human character, struggling to develop a career and escape from her over-protective parents. The theme of evolution is also present in Assignment Nor'Dyren, with questions raised about how human-like species must adapt to an environment that includes advanced technologies such as space travel.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
again.
According to book reviewer Dani Zweig http://www-users.cs.york.ac.uk/~susan/sf/dani/PS_015.htm, coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
and human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
are common themes in Scyoc's books. For example, in Assignment Nor'Dyren, the two main characters are young humans off on an adventure visiting an alien world. Tollan Bailey has not been able to fit into the post-industrial work force of Earth, but the world Nor'Dyren provides an environment well suited to his interests. Laarica Johns is the other main human character, struggling to develop a career and escape from her over-protective parents. The theme of evolution is also present in Assignment Nor'Dyren, with questions raised about how human-like species must adapt to an environment that includes advanced technologies such as space travel.
Books
- Saltflower (1971) Avon Books
- Assignment Nor'DyrenAssignment Nor'DyrenAssignment Nor'Dyren is a 1973 science fiction novel by American writer Sydney J. Van Scyoc. It deals with an imagined world, Nor'Dyren, where an alien human-like species has a more structured social system than is the case for human society...
(1973) Avon Books; ISBN 0-380-17160-0. - Starmother (1976) Berkley; ISBN 0-399-11674-5
- Cloudcry (1977) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-03651-0.
- Sunwaifs (1981) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-04645-1.
- Darkchild (1982) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-05644-9
- Bluesong (1983) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-07130-8
- Starsilk (1984) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-07207-X
- Daughters of the Sunstone (Darkchild, Bluesong and Starsilk) (1984) Nelson Doubleday, Inc.; ISBN 0-425-06157-4
- Drowntide (1987) Berkley; ISBN 0-425-09775-7.
- Feather Stroke (1989) Avon Books; ISBN 0-380-75438-X.
- Deepwater Dreams (1991) Avon Books; ISBN 0-380-76003-7.