Editing Telempath

{{Short description|1976 novel by Spider Robinson}}
{{One source|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox novel
| image             = Telempath.jpg
| caption           = First edition (publ. [[Berkley Books]])<br>
Cover art by [[Richard M. Powers]]
| genre             = Science fiction
| author            = [[Spider Robinson]]
| pub_date          = December 1, 1976
| publisher         = Putnam
}}
'''''Telempath''''' is a [[science fiction]] novel by Canadian writer [[Spider Robinson]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=1976-12-01 |title=Telempath |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/spider-robinson-6/telempath/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=[[Kirkus Reviews]]}}</ref> set in a [[dystopia]]n near-future in which human cities have fallen into ruin and the population has been sharply reduced. The novel, Robinson's first, is an expansion of his 1977 [[Hugo Award]]-winning [[novella]] ''By Any Other Name''. It was first published under the [[Berkley Books|Berkley]] imprint of [[G. P. Putnam's Sons]] in [[1976 in literature|1976]].

==Plot summary==
The novel's protagonist, Isham Stone, is on a mission to kill the man allegedly responsible for the destruction of civilization: a scientist named Wendell Carlson, currently living alone at the former [[Columbia University]] in what used to be [[New York City]].

Isham has been told by his father, scientist Jacob Stone, that Carlson is a madman who brought the world to its current state by releasing a "hyperosmic [[Pandemic|plague]]": a [[virus]] that increases the sensitivity of the human sense of [[olfaction|smell]] by many hundred times. With their senses of smell thus heightened, humans were unable to tolerate the odors produced by their own [[pollution]]-producing technology; the result was mass [[insanity]] and widespread [[riot]]ing.

Another result was the discovery of a [[species]] of "Muskys" &mdash; intelligent plasmoids &mdash; that live in the [[Earth]]'s upper [[Earth's atmosphere|atmosphere]] and feed on human pollutants. The curtailment of technological activity has caused them to approach the planet's surface and attack human beings, on whose fear they are apparently able to feed.

Isham sets out for New York and succeeds in locating Carlson. He learns from Carlson, however, that the man actually responsible for developing and releasing the plague is Isham's father Jacob. Isham returns to his home [[colony]] and sets a trap to kill his father, then returns to New York.

The original novella "By Any Other Name" ends at this point. The novel continues as Isham's old teacher, Collaci, sets out to bring him back from New York to face a murder charge.

Isham is successfully captured, but before he can be tried, his colony is attacked by Agros (anti-technology worshippers of [[Pan (mythology)|Pan]]) and he is taken prisoner.

Eventually Isham manages to bring about a measure of peace between the scientists and the neo-[[Luddite]]s &mdash; and also learns that his father is not dead. The newly reconciled factions of humanity set out to rebuild civilization.

==Release details==
*1976, USA, Berkley ({{ISBN|0-399-11796-2}}), hardback (First edition. Cover art by 'Powers')
*1977, USA, Berkley ({{ISBN|0-425-03548-4}}), Pub date Oct 1977, paperback
*1978, UK, Macdonald & Jane ({{ISBN|0-354-04257-2}}), hardback
*1983, USA, Tom Doherty Associates ({{ISBN|0-8125-5228-8}}), paperback (US reissue)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1976 Canadian novels]]
[[Category:1976 science fiction novels]]
[[Category:Canadian science fiction novels]]
[[Category:Debut science fiction novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in New York City]]
[[Category:Berkley Books books]]
[[Category:1976 debut novels]]