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"The Tactful Saboteur" | |||
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Short story by Frank Herbert | |||
Country | United States | ||
Language | English | ||
Publication | |||
Published in | Galaxy Science Fiction | ||
Publication type | Periodical | ||
Media type | Print (Magazine) | ||
Publication date | October 1964 | ||
Chronology | |||
Series | ConSentiency | ||
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"The Tactful Saboteur" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Frank Herbert, which first appeared in Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in October 1964. It is the second story in Herbert's ConSentiency universe, the first being "A Matter of Traces".
Its three chapters are written in a brisk, economical style, and it proved to be one of Herbert's most accessible and popular works. It was subsequently republished in The Worlds of Frank Herbert in 1971, and again in Herbert's 1985 short story collection Eye after the film adaptation of his magnum opus, Dune .
The protagonist of "The Tactful Saboteur" is saboteur extraordinary Jorj X. McKie, an employee of the Bureau of Sabotage (BuSab). BuSab is a government agency responsible for conducting dirty tricks "in lieu of red tape" to help slow down and regulate the vast galaxy-spanning bureaucracy of the ConSentiency. (In keeping with its ethos the Secretary of the agency retains their office until they themselves are sabotaged or resign). Tasked with finding missing saboteur Napoleon Bildoon, McKie attempts to penetrate the secrets of the Pan-Spechi, a race divided into groups of five crèche mates, only one of whom possess ego-awareness at a time. In so doing he runs afoul of the "Tax Watchers" organization, which is adamantly opposed to the very existence of BuSab.
Children of Dune is a 1976 science fiction novel by Frank Herbert, the third in his Dune series of six novels. Originally serialized in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1976, it was the last Dune novel to be serialized before book publication.
Dune Messiah is a 1969 science fiction novel by American writer Frank Herbert, the second in his Dune series of six novels. A sequel to Dune (1965), it was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969, and then published by Putnam the same year. Dune Messiah and its own sequel Children of Dune (1976) were collectively adapted by the Sci-Fi Channel in 2003 into a miniseries entitled Frank Herbert's Children of Dune.
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Whipping Star is a 1970 science fiction novel by American writer Frank Herbert. It is the first full-length novel set in the ConSentiency universe established by Herbert in his short stories “A Matter of Traces” and “The Tactful Saboteur”.
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The Big Time is a short science fiction novel by American writer Fritz Leiber. Awarded the Hugo Award for Best Novel or Novelette in 1958, The Big Time was published originally in two parts in Galaxy Magazine's March and April 1958 issues, illustrated by Virgil Finlay. It was subsequently reprinted in book form several times. The Big Time is a story involving only a few characters, but with a vast, cosmic backstory.
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"A Matter of Traces" is a science fiction short story by American writer Frank Herbert, first appeared in Fantastic Universe magazine in November 1958 and later in Herbert's 1985 short story collection Eye. It is the first story in Herbert's ConSentiency universe, one of his three elaborate fictional universes spanning multiple volumes.
The Best of Frank Herbert (1975) is a collection of thirteen short stories by American science fiction author Frank Herbert and edited by Angus Wells. In 1976 this book was re-released as a two volume set; The Best of Frank Herbert 1952–1964 and The Best of Frank Herbert 1965–1970. All of the stories in this collection had been previously published in magazine or book form.
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