Long out of print, it was originally packaged with a collection of Ellison short stories (A Touch of Infinity) by Ace.
In essence, it's a standard lowbrow revenge fantasy; the setting could as easily be the mythical American West or the modern urban streets rather than outer space. Yet its shifting narrative focus and stylistic variations reveal an unusual level of sophistication, even at this early stage of the author's career.
Ellison's plan to republish an expanded, updated version of Sound of a Scythe has never come to pass.
