Front Page /// Books /// Amazon /// Site Index

The world of null-a by A E van Vogt (1948)

After reading science and sanity by Count Alfred Korzybski, science fiction author A E van Vogt was inspired into dramatizing the science of General Semantics.

The end result of this inspiration was this book. It starts with it's hero, Gilbert Gosseyn finding out that everything he knows about himself is false. He is then asked to leave the hotel where he is staying, and soon finds himself to be involved in an interstellar plan to take over earth and null-a venus.

This book is unusual for a number of reasons. It was writen with multiple levels of meaning. It won the manuscripters club award. Jacques Sadoul stated that the publication of this book single handedly created the french post ww2 science fiction market. It has also been translated into nine other languages. When Damon Knight wrote his famous attack on this novel, it made his reputation, and he is now a best selling author in his own right.

The story continues in the book The players of null-a, and concludes in the book null-a three.

or or