“The Dragons killed in another way. They killed through madness.” — Cordwainer Smith (P.M.A. Linebarger) In the deep reaches of space, where lightyears separate colonies and minds stretch across dimensions, a deadly war is being fought—not with weapons, but with perception. Humans, aided by telepathic cats, engage in a hallucinatory battle against an invisible alien threat known only as the Dragons. To survive, they must surrender their consciousness to speed-of-thought combat and rely on the feline instinct of their mysterious partners. Originally published under the pen name Cordwainer Smith, The Game of Rat and Dragon is a dazzling fusion of science fiction, psychology, and surrealism. This unforgettable tale from one of the most visionary voices in speculative fiction takes readers on a mind-bending journey through space, time, and the thin line between genius and madness.