Robert Holdstock — Eye Among the Blind

London, Faber and Faber, 1976. First edition. Cloth. The first edition of Robert Holdstock's first Science Fiction novel. An association copy, signed by the author to the title page. Signed by the author to the title page addressed to one 'June' with whom it appears Holdstock had a professional relationship with. 'To June, With many thanks & hopes for a long & challenging relationship - but no pop-up's!' In the publisher's original unclipped dustwrapper designed by Dave Griffiths. 'Eye Among the Blind' is set in space, where an inexplicable disease is decimating the human populations of many colonized worlds. The process of evolution is being diverted on the occupied planets and biologist Robert Zeitman is set to figure out what is going on. This was Holdstock's first novel and it saw great critical success. Ursula K Le Guin referred to this novel "As strong a treatment of a central theme of science fiction - alienness, and the relation of the human and the alien – as any I have read."Michael D C Drout of the Center for the Study of the Medieval at Wheaton College regards Holdstock's Ryhope Wood series as an important part of the fantasy genre. He notes that these writings display the power and aesthetic standards of Tolkien"s fantasy without being a close imitation. A very smart first edition copy of this novel. In the publisher's original cloth binding and held in an unclipped dustwrapper. Externally, in an excellent condition with minor shelf wear. Dust wrapper is very smart with just some light shelf wear to the joints and to the head and tail of spine. A few light marks to the rear wrap and a tidemark to the verso. Internally, firmly bound. The author's inscription to the title page. Otherwise, the pages are very bright and clean. Fine . Ill.: None. Fine/Very Good Indeed.