I appreciate your commentary and perspective on this Silverberg story. I have not yet read any Silverberg, so a few of his titles are on my TBR list. Thanks!
I think I know exactly what you mean about Silverberg. His writing can be poetic but it's immediate; you always identify with his main male characters. I would go so far as to say that this because his fiction does two things: it always deals with some aspect of the feminine, of being wounded by it but seeking healing through it, and it's actually plugs right into the male psyche. Ironically, or strangely, Ursula K LeGuin, though a woman, obviously, also taps into the male psyche--differently, but she does. Every male character, so far, that I've read by Silverberg (the main ones) always seem to be on some sort of search to heal themselves (to heal their heart, in some way) by being wounded by love or lack of it. As a man, I strongly identify this and think most men do. This was a very curious. novel, for me, b/c it's philosophical, internal, sociological--none of the deeds of derring-do, as it were, they would expect from SF. It's set on another planet, but it's all about finding one's true self in a word that denies and punishes you for, basically, trying to find love. I read it many years ago, but parts of it stuck with me. Again, you this novel justice, too. Great review. Loved it. Cheers.
Thank you kindly for the very insightful comment. Silverberg and LeGuin partnering in a novel, how that would be something I'd love to read. Thanks again.
@@Reflekt0r me too, I'd have to say he is my favourite author. It would be such an honour if he were to watch and comment on one of my videos. I'd love to interview the man.
I think I've read all the major Silverbergs (late 60s to early 70s). Here is my order of greatness: Downward to The Earth Dying Inside A Time of Changes The Book of Skulls Tower of Glass The World Inside Nightwings Shadrach in The Furnace The Stochastic Man Outside the top 8: Thorns, Up The Line, Hawksbill Station. I'd count the top two at least as masterpieces within the SF genre. I haven't read The Man in The Maze (currently seeking it). And the Majipoor stuff is.....well, the less said the better.
@chriswright9096 that wouldn't be too far from the way I would rank them, I've read all the ones you mentioned in your list. I'll go about ranking them one day, it's been years since I've read most of them.
Silverberg used the pen name "Don Elliott" for sleaze novels in the 1950s and 60s. Calling them "pornographic" is a bit misleading as there's no hardcore depictions of sex in those books, just softcore titillation. SF writers from the '60s and '70s in general often included sexual situations as it was perceived as boundary-pushing. Check out The World Inside for even more of this kind of thing. LOL. Sometimes these scenes can read as gratuitous or even sexist. Whether or not Silverberg was sexist, I don't know and don't really care. Great review though. I love this book.
@thekeywitness that's the name I was thinking of, Don Elliot. Yeah, you're right. Calling it pornographic is a bit of an exaggeration. I don't have a script to my videos, and I try to keep it as conversational as I can, which means that, at times, the right word does not immediately come to mind. I'm glad you still enjoyed the video.
Agree that Up the Line is better than this one. I'd say Time of Changes is much better written than Man in the Maze. But the best of all I think is Dying Inside. I'll have to read the Tower of Glass, especially that I find myself in agreement with almost all your videos!
Thank you kindly, yeah, I love Dying inside. I really need to go through all the Silverberg's again, it's been too long. In my very first video on this channel I said that when I finish with the Hugo and Nebula I may do something similar for the Silverberg's. I still I haven't given up on that idea 🙂
@thesci-fished I know I know. Though I may be lying - I think I’ve read the full novel length version of Nightfall which was a collab between Asimov and Silverberg
I appreciate your commentary and perspective on this Silverberg story. I have not yet read any Silverberg, so a few of his titles are on my TBR list. Thanks!
@Greg_M1 thank you Greg, I'm a huge fan.
I think I know exactly what you mean about Silverberg. His writing can be poetic but it's immediate; you always identify with his main male characters. I would go so far as to say that this because his fiction does two things: it always deals with some aspect of the feminine, of being wounded by it but seeking healing through it, and it's actually plugs right into the male psyche. Ironically, or strangely, Ursula K LeGuin, though a woman, obviously, also taps into the male psyche--differently, but she does. Every male character, so far, that I've read by Silverberg (the main ones) always seem to be on some sort of search to heal themselves (to heal their heart, in some way) by being wounded by love or lack of it. As a man, I strongly identify this and think most men do. This was a very curious. novel, for me, b/c it's philosophical, internal, sociological--none of the deeds of derring-do, as it were, they would expect from SF. It's set on another planet, but it's all about finding one's true self in a word that denies and punishes you for, basically, trying to find love. I read it many years ago, but parts of it stuck with me. Again, you this novel justice, too. Great review. Loved it. Cheers.
Thank you kindly for the very insightful comment. Silverberg and LeGuin partnering in a novel, how that would be something I'd love to read. Thanks again.
I love Silverberg.
@@Reflekt0r me too, I'd have to say he is my favourite author. It would be such an honour if he were to watch and comment on one of my videos. I'd love to interview the man.
I think I've read all the major Silverbergs (late 60s to early 70s). Here is my order of greatness:
Downward to The Earth
Dying Inside
A Time of Changes
The Book of Skulls
Tower of Glass
The World Inside
Nightwings
Shadrach in The Furnace
The Stochastic Man
Outside the top 8: Thorns, Up The Line, Hawksbill Station. I'd count the top two at least as masterpieces within the SF genre.
I haven't read The Man in The Maze (currently seeking it). And the Majipoor stuff is.....well, the less said the better.
@chriswright9096 that wouldn't be too far from the way I would rank them, I've read all the ones you mentioned in your list. I'll go about ranking them one day, it's been years since I've read most of them.
Silverberg used the pen name "Don Elliott" for sleaze novels in the 1950s and 60s. Calling them "pornographic" is a bit misleading as there's no hardcore depictions of sex in those books, just softcore titillation. SF writers from the '60s and '70s in general often included sexual situations as it was perceived as boundary-pushing. Check out The World Inside for even more of this kind of thing. LOL. Sometimes these scenes can read as gratuitous or even sexist. Whether or not Silverberg was sexist, I don't know and don't really care. Great review though. I love this book.
@thekeywitness that's the name I was thinking of, Don Elliot. Yeah, you're right. Calling it pornographic is a bit of an exaggeration. I don't have a script to my videos, and I try to keep it as conversational as I can, which means that, at times, the right word does not immediately come to mind. I'm glad you still enjoyed the video.
Agree that Up the Line is better than this one. I'd say Time of Changes is much better written than Man in the Maze. But the best of all I think is Dying Inside. I'll have to read the Tower of Glass, especially that I find myself in agreement with almost all your videos!
Thank you kindly, yeah, I love Dying inside. I really need to go through all the Silverberg's again, it's been too long. In my very first video on this channel I said that when I finish with the Hugo and Nebula I may do something similar for the Silverberg's. I still I haven't given up on that idea 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever read any Silverberg!
tsk tsk tsk 😀😀 You must give it a try Nev
@thesci-fished I know I know. Though I may be lying - I think I’ve read the full novel length version of Nightfall which was a collab between Asimov and Silverberg
@NevsBookChannel I knew you were too cool not to have read Silverberg 😄😄
His best period is 1967-1976, IMO.
@@thekeywitness I'd make that tighter. 1969 to 72.