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The Exile Waiting

Vonda N. McIntyre

First published September 1975
Type Novel

<b>From the front flap of the Gollancz first printing:</b> The time is the distant future and Earth has been rendered uninhabitable for much of the year by terrible storms during which its only city, Center, constructed around a natural cave system, is closed off from the outside. <p>Mischa, a young thief whose capabilities are enhanced by hereditary mutation, is trying to escape with her drug-addicted brother from the dominance of her uncle. So when a starship arrives commanded by the twin alien pseudosibs, Subone and Subtwo, Mischa seizes her chance. She is soon assigned for training to Jan Hikaru, who quickly realises that Mischa has immense abilities. All goes well until Subone, in a moment of cruelty, lures Mischa's brother into a fight and then kills him. Mischa attacks Subone and both she and Jan have to flee the wrath of the brothers and take refuge n the deep cave system underneath the city.

The pre-publication title of this work was "The Clouds Return", e.g. in an extract in "The Witch and the Chameleon".

YearAwardCategoryStatus
1976 Locus Poll Award Best SF Novel Nominee/Finalist
1976 Nebula Award Novel Nominee/Finalist

Date Publication Publisher Type Page
September 1975 Cover The Exile Waiting Nelson Doubleday / SFBC Novel 1
February 1976 Cover The Exile Waiting Fawcett Gold Medal Novel 7
June 1976 Cover The Exile Waiting Gollancz Novel
February 1978 Cover The Exile Waiting Pan Books Novel 7
February 1980 Cover Loué soit l'exil J.-C. Lattès Novel
1981 Cover De banneling Elmar Novel 7
January 1981 Cover Die Asche der Erde Heyne Novel
1984 Cover Exílio: A Derradeira Esperança Publicações Europa-América Novel
December 1985 Cover The Exile Waiting Tor Novel 1
May 1987 Cover The Exile Waiting Pan Books Novel
April 2011 The Exile Waiting Book View Café Novel
October 2013 Cover The Exile Waiting Audible Studios Novel
October 2019 Cover The Exile Waiting Handheld Press Novel
October 2019 Cover The Exile Waiting Handheld Press Novel