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Those Who Watch
THOSE WHO WATCH is the strange, seductive novel of three inadvertent colonists from outer space whose accidental encounter with Earth triggers interplanetary conflict. It also the most unusual love story ever written.
VORNEEN—the seducer, in the shell of an Apollo who came out of nowhere into the life of Kathryn Mason
GLAIR—the perfect woman, an empty form who filled the hours of Tom Faulkner
MIRTIN—otherworldly friend and mentor to an 11-year-old Indian boy who accepted the extraordinary on faith
ONLY THREE HUMANS WOULD EVER KNOW that the blinding flash in the sky on that night in 1982 was an exploding flying saucer. Only they would learn the truth about THOSE WHO WATCH—about the alien beings who came to this world in a crash landing from the stars.
VORNEEN—the seducer, in the shell of an Apollo who came out of nowhere into the life of Kathryn Mason
GLAIR—the perfect woman, an empty form who filled the hours of Tom Faulkner
MIRTIN—otherworldly friend and mentor to an 11-year-old Indian boy who accepted the extraordinary on faith
ONLY THREE HUMANS WOULD EVER KNOW that the blinding flash in the sky on that night in 1982 was an exploding flying saucer. Only they would learn the truth about THOSE WHO WATCH—about the alien beings who came to this world in a crash landing from the stars.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
2 people are currently reading
264 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
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Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.
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January 22, 2015
There is a certain aptness in the fact that I penned this review for Robert Silverberg's "Those Who Watch" on January 15, 2015. That day, you see, happened to be Silverberg's 80th birthday, so my most sincere wishes for many more happy and healthy birthdays must go out to the man who has become, over the years, my favorite sci-fi author.
These days, of course, Silverberg is one of the most honored and respected writers in his chosen genre; a multiple winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, not to mention a Science Fiction Grand Master. Hard to believe then that, back in 1959, Silverberg, facing a diminishing market for his work and chafing under the literary restrictions of the day, announced his retirement from the field. Since 1954, he'd already come out with some 15 sci-fi novels, plus around 240 (!) sci-fi short stories and novellas. And even during his so-called retirement, from 1959 – '66, he still managed to release 10 sci-fi novels, around 20 sci-fi short stories, 35 books of nonfiction, AND some 150 or so (!) adult novels, with such wonderful titles as "Lesbian Love," "Lust Goddess," "Sex Bait" and "Orgy Slaves."
It wasn't until "Galaxy" editor Frederik Pohl lured Silverberg back to the fold in 1967 that the author began his second phase of writing, one marked by a more literate style, a greater emphasis on characterization, and--taking advantage of the more liberal mores of the day--a healthy dollop of sex. "Those Who Watch," released in '67, and one of six Silverberg sci-fi novels that year (not to mention seven sci-fi short stories and eight adult novels), is very much a transitional work, melding the pulpy feel of his '50s books with the deeper characterizations and interest in sexual matters that would be a hallmark of his writing in the coming years. It is a short but highly pleasing affair; compulsively readable and, ultimately, quite touching.
In the book, the reader learns that Earth has been under observation, for many thousands of years, by orbiting spaceships of the rival planets Dirna and Kranaz. In the futuristic world of, uh, 1982, each side maintains some 1,000 ships in high orbit; an ancient treaty prohibits either party of this galactic Cold War from actually setting foot on the planet or making their presence known in any way. Major problems arise, however, for one of the Dirnan ships, when its fusion generator goes haywire and its three-person crew is forced to bail out before the novalike explosion ensues. Disguised in the outward semblance of Earthlings, the three crash-land, many miles apart, in the state of New Mexico; all have suffered major injuries to their human shells. Fortunately, all three are taken in and cared for by decent Earthlings, and "Those Who Watch" explores the Terran/Dirnan relationships that follow.
Mirtin, the oldest of the Dirnans, a male, is found by Charley Estancia, a keen-minded, 11-year-old Indian boy who lives in a nearby pueblo, and is cared for by the youth in a cave. Vorneen, the Adonis-like, sexually rapacious crewman, is cared for by Kathryn Mason, a 30-year-old, widowed single mother living in Bernalillo. And Glair, a Dirnan female inhabiting a voluptuous blonde body, is found and tended to by Col. Tom Falkner, an alcoholic, divorced wreck living in Albuquerque, who also happens to be in charge of the AOS (Atmospheric Objects Survey), the governmental agency in charge of tracking down UFOs...despite the fact that Falkner is a complete skeptic in these matters. Meanwhile, as the three pairs interact and ultimately find that all their lives are enriched and bettered because of it, a Kranazoi agent lands on Earth, determined to bring the three Dirnans to justice for breaking the ages-old treaty. A hoary plot, perhaps, but the author here manages to make it seem fresh.
OK, I’m going to voice my one major problem with Silverberg's book right now, before I praise it to high heaven. In the author’s 1957 novel "Master of Life and Death," which I recently read also, we are introduced to a race called the Dirnans, who are said to be 8' tall, with leathery green skin. To my surprise, the Dirnans here are said to be only 3' tall; that is the only description of their actual bodies that Silverberg ever gives us. So they cannot be the same race at all, nor could they even be a different race from the same planet, as the Dirnans in the '57 book were said to be ammonia breathers from Procyon's eighth planet, and the Dirnans here clearly thrive on oxygen and hail from their sun’s fifth. I can only infer that the author forgot he'd previously used the name "Dirna" in one of his novels 10 years earlier; they are clearly two very different planets and races. One can of course argue that it is a big universe, and two different planets named Dirna must statistically exist, but still, I can't help feel that Silverberg might have used another name, to less confusing effect.
Other than this problem, "Those Who Watch" is a beautifully written book, with exceptionally fine dialogue, and the reader really does get to know and care for its six main characters. Silverberg makes us feel the New Mexico milieu (a map of the state might come in handy for a better appreciation), and he does seem to have done his homework in regard to the Indian reservations and life thereon. (He would go on to write the nonfiction work "The Pueblo Revolt" in 1970.)
I’ve always been a sucker for a book with a good alternating story line, and here, the author gives us a triple doozy; quadruple, actually, counting the chapters dedicated to that Kranazoi agent. Silverberg colors his 1982 world with all sorts of futuristic touches that still haven’t seen the light of day--such as spray cans of liquor, ignition caps on cigarette butts, "antistim" pills to clear up a hangover, ultrasonic cleaners, the seemingly inevitable window opaquers...and fluorescent paint on women's cleavage as a fashion statement--but these failed predictions detract from the novel not a whit.
"Those Who Watch," as mentioned, is ultimately very moving; there is a gentleness, a sweetness about it that this reader found quite appealing. And if Mirtin's farewell note to Charley doesn't make you mist up a little...well, I can only say that you're made of tougher stuff than I. The book is a compact affair, clocking in at under 150 pages (I refer here to the original 60-cent Signet paperback, which I was fortunate enough to acquire), and one can justly say that the story might have been expanded a bit more; fleshed out just a tad. Another author might have easily turned this book into the introduction to an entire series, but Silverberg, at least at this point in his career, was not content to indulge in sequels. The book may be a concise one, but what's here is just wonderful. Score another one for today's birthday boy! More than highly recommended!
(This review, by the way, originally appeared on the FanLit website, an excellent destination for all fans of Robert Silverberg.... http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ )
These days, of course, Silverberg is one of the most honored and respected writers in his chosen genre; a multiple winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, not to mention a Science Fiction Grand Master. Hard to believe then that, back in 1959, Silverberg, facing a diminishing market for his work and chafing under the literary restrictions of the day, announced his retirement from the field. Since 1954, he'd already come out with some 15 sci-fi novels, plus around 240 (!) sci-fi short stories and novellas. And even during his so-called retirement, from 1959 – '66, he still managed to release 10 sci-fi novels, around 20 sci-fi short stories, 35 books of nonfiction, AND some 150 or so (!) adult novels, with such wonderful titles as "Lesbian Love," "Lust Goddess," "Sex Bait" and "Orgy Slaves."
It wasn't until "Galaxy" editor Frederik Pohl lured Silverberg back to the fold in 1967 that the author began his second phase of writing, one marked by a more literate style, a greater emphasis on characterization, and--taking advantage of the more liberal mores of the day--a healthy dollop of sex. "Those Who Watch," released in '67, and one of six Silverberg sci-fi novels that year (not to mention seven sci-fi short stories and eight adult novels), is very much a transitional work, melding the pulpy feel of his '50s books with the deeper characterizations and interest in sexual matters that would be a hallmark of his writing in the coming years. It is a short but highly pleasing affair; compulsively readable and, ultimately, quite touching.
In the book, the reader learns that Earth has been under observation, for many thousands of years, by orbiting spaceships of the rival planets Dirna and Kranaz. In the futuristic world of, uh, 1982, each side maintains some 1,000 ships in high orbit; an ancient treaty prohibits either party of this galactic Cold War from actually setting foot on the planet or making their presence known in any way. Major problems arise, however, for one of the Dirnan ships, when its fusion generator goes haywire and its three-person crew is forced to bail out before the novalike explosion ensues. Disguised in the outward semblance of Earthlings, the three crash-land, many miles apart, in the state of New Mexico; all have suffered major injuries to their human shells. Fortunately, all three are taken in and cared for by decent Earthlings, and "Those Who Watch" explores the Terran/Dirnan relationships that follow.
Mirtin, the oldest of the Dirnans, a male, is found by Charley Estancia, a keen-minded, 11-year-old Indian boy who lives in a nearby pueblo, and is cared for by the youth in a cave. Vorneen, the Adonis-like, sexually rapacious crewman, is cared for by Kathryn Mason, a 30-year-old, widowed single mother living in Bernalillo. And Glair, a Dirnan female inhabiting a voluptuous blonde body, is found and tended to by Col. Tom Falkner, an alcoholic, divorced wreck living in Albuquerque, who also happens to be in charge of the AOS (Atmospheric Objects Survey), the governmental agency in charge of tracking down UFOs...despite the fact that Falkner is a complete skeptic in these matters. Meanwhile, as the three pairs interact and ultimately find that all their lives are enriched and bettered because of it, a Kranazoi agent lands on Earth, determined to bring the three Dirnans to justice for breaking the ages-old treaty. A hoary plot, perhaps, but the author here manages to make it seem fresh.
OK, I’m going to voice my one major problem with Silverberg's book right now, before I praise it to high heaven. In the author’s 1957 novel "Master of Life and Death," which I recently read also, we are introduced to a race called the Dirnans, who are said to be 8' tall, with leathery green skin. To my surprise, the Dirnans here are said to be only 3' tall; that is the only description of their actual bodies that Silverberg ever gives us. So they cannot be the same race at all, nor could they even be a different race from the same planet, as the Dirnans in the '57 book were said to be ammonia breathers from Procyon's eighth planet, and the Dirnans here clearly thrive on oxygen and hail from their sun’s fifth. I can only infer that the author forgot he'd previously used the name "Dirna" in one of his novels 10 years earlier; they are clearly two very different planets and races. One can of course argue that it is a big universe, and two different planets named Dirna must statistically exist, but still, I can't help feel that Silverberg might have used another name, to less confusing effect.
Other than this problem, "Those Who Watch" is a beautifully written book, with exceptionally fine dialogue, and the reader really does get to know and care for its six main characters. Silverberg makes us feel the New Mexico milieu (a map of the state might come in handy for a better appreciation), and he does seem to have done his homework in regard to the Indian reservations and life thereon. (He would go on to write the nonfiction work "The Pueblo Revolt" in 1970.)
I’ve always been a sucker for a book with a good alternating story line, and here, the author gives us a triple doozy; quadruple, actually, counting the chapters dedicated to that Kranazoi agent. Silverberg colors his 1982 world with all sorts of futuristic touches that still haven’t seen the light of day--such as spray cans of liquor, ignition caps on cigarette butts, "antistim" pills to clear up a hangover, ultrasonic cleaners, the seemingly inevitable window opaquers...and fluorescent paint on women's cleavage as a fashion statement--but these failed predictions detract from the novel not a whit.
"Those Who Watch," as mentioned, is ultimately very moving; there is a gentleness, a sweetness about it that this reader found quite appealing. And if Mirtin's farewell note to Charley doesn't make you mist up a little...well, I can only say that you're made of tougher stuff than I. The book is a compact affair, clocking in at under 150 pages (I refer here to the original 60-cent Signet paperback, which I was fortunate enough to acquire), and one can justly say that the story might have been expanded a bit more; fleshed out just a tad. Another author might have easily turned this book into the introduction to an entire series, but Silverberg, at least at this point in his career, was not content to indulge in sequels. The book may be a concise one, but what's here is just wonderful. Score another one for today's birthday boy! More than highly recommended!
(This review, by the way, originally appeared on the FanLit website, an excellent destination for all fans of Robert Silverberg.... http://www.fantasyliterature.com/ )
October 24, 2018
I knew before I got into this that it would be a light read. I grabbed this out of my paperback drawer just as I was leaving for a one week holiday. The story revolves around three alien beings that have been observing Earth for centuries. Each have a scenario of their own as they recover from an emergency bail-out onto the Earth's surface. Two of the three of these scenarios quickly bordered onto what I imagined Silverberg's soft erotic pulp must be like - he published an astounding amount of this sort of thing under various pseudonyms between the late fifties and early sixties- quick easy money I suppose - but, fortunately steered clear of over self indulgence.
"Those Who Watch" (1967) seemed as though it was written in a rather short period of time, thus it was a bit silly and clunky in places, but wraps up nicely in the end. The New Mexico setting was well chosen, being less typical. Think of a rather amusing drive-in B-Movie of the day.
"Those Who Watch" (1967) seemed as though it was written in a rather short period of time, thus it was a bit silly and clunky in places, but wraps up nicely in the end. The New Mexico setting was well chosen, being less typical. Think of a rather amusing drive-in B-Movie of the day.
March 11, 2022
While reading this I had this thought: When it comes to matters of sophistication, we tend to blush at our younger selves, cringe at our parents' generation, and either find our grandparents' takes quaint or surprisingly modern. In the bounds between "Star Trek"-level "Kiss? What is 'kiss'?" explorations of sexuality and Heinlein-ian Space Swingers—either of which is an instant 1-3 star deduction depending the egregiousness—is a narrow lane which is probably more difficult to tread than the potential rewards are worth, but I will give Silverberg points for treading it with minimum cringe.
Sexy, sexy space aliens—worms in RealDoll bodies, I guess—crash-land on earth. Sexy space guy is rescued by widower, sexy space gal by drunken divorcé, and...third guy is found by an Indian kid wanting to escape his tourist-trap town.
The shortcomings of this book probably stem from being too short. I love the economy of story telling in these old paperbacks, as I've repeatedly noted, but sometimes the result is unsatisfying. In this case, we end up with a really sketchy explanation for how divorcé gets sexy space gal home, an alien antagonist subplot which is instantly defused, an Indian antagonist subplot which is also instantly defused, and not enough background on the alien race to give their side of the romance enough emotional heft to make the whole thing work.
So why four stars instead of three? Well, the characters did draw me in and ultimately I ended up liking them. Even the alien antagonist sort of obliquely comes off as just a slightly officious guy trying to his job.
For a 143 page story, you could do worse.
Sexy, sexy space aliens—worms in RealDoll bodies, I guess—crash-land on earth. Sexy space guy is rescued by widower, sexy space gal by drunken divorcé, and...third guy is found by an Indian kid wanting to escape his tourist-trap town.
The shortcomings of this book probably stem from being too short. I love the economy of story telling in these old paperbacks, as I've repeatedly noted, but sometimes the result is unsatisfying. In this case, we end up with a really sketchy explanation for how divorcé gets sexy space gal home, an alien antagonist subplot which is instantly defused, an Indian antagonist subplot which is also instantly defused, and not enough background on the alien race to give their side of the romance enough emotional heft to make the whole thing work.
So why four stars instead of three? Well, the characters did draw me in and ultimately I ended up liking them. Even the alien antagonist sort of obliquely comes off as just a slightly officious guy trying to his job.
For a 143 page story, you could do worse.
June 22, 2024
Ich habe in den letzten paar Jahren einige von Silverbergs Romanen gelesen. Sie zeichneten sich durch originelle, ja bizarre Settings aus. Außerdem spielten Psi-Fähigkeiten der Protagonisten fast immer eine wichtige Rolle.
Dieser Roman ist nun anders. Das Setting ist straightforward: Ufos sind real, eins hat eine Fehlfunktion und explodiert. Die 3 Besatzungsmitglieder können noch abspringen, werden getrennt, sind alle schwer verletzt und werden von gutherzigen Menschen gesund gepflegt. Es bilden sich tiefe Beziehungen zwischen ETs und Menschen.
Psi spielt (zu meiner Freude) keine Rolle.
Typisch für Silverberg ist aber, dass (auch) philosophische und moralische Themen eine Rolle spielen.
Hauptthema ist hier die rassenübergreifende Liebe (und sogar sexuelle Anziehung). Das ganze läuft praktisch ohne Konflikte und echten Bösewichtern ab.
Dieser Roman ist nun anders. Das Setting ist straightforward: Ufos sind real, eins hat eine Fehlfunktion und explodiert. Die 3 Besatzungsmitglieder können noch abspringen, werden getrennt, sind alle schwer verletzt und werden von gutherzigen Menschen gesund gepflegt. Es bilden sich tiefe Beziehungen zwischen ETs und Menschen.
Psi spielt (zu meiner Freude) keine Rolle.
Typisch für Silverberg ist aber, dass (auch) philosophische und moralische Themen eine Rolle spielen.
Hauptthema ist hier die rassenübergreifende Liebe (und sogar sexuelle Anziehung). Das ganze läuft praktisch ohne Konflikte und echten Bösewichtern ab.
January 26, 2019
Robert Silverberg is one of my favorite science fiction authors. I've read several of his books dating back to the 70s and always enjoy them. Those Who Watch is a short novel published in 1967. The novel is about three aliens who are part of a larger group of aliens who watch over the earth to see how humankind has been progressing. These aliens, the Dirnans, have been monitoring the Earth for thousands of years along with a competing alien group called the Kranazoi. The Dirnans are surgically altered to appear human. When their space craft malfunctions and explodes, the trio of aliens bale to Earth but are separated and injured. Luckily, they each are taken in and nursed back to health by kind human beings. The first is rescued by an 11-year old Indian boy who learns a lot from the Dirnan. The other two, one female and one male, are rescued by two lonely people of the opposite sex who end up falling in love with the aliens! This short novel draws to a close rather quickly but ends with a feeling of hope for those affected.
I did rather enjoy this novel from the 60s, written during the heyday of science fiction. I think this is the earliest novel I have read by Silverberg but I know he was writing science fiction as early as the 1950s. Some of his other novels I have read were a bit more substantive such as DYING INSIDE and THE BOOK OF SKULLS but this one was still worth reading.
I did rather enjoy this novel from the 60s, written during the heyday of science fiction. I think this is the earliest novel I have read by Silverberg but I know he was writing science fiction as early as the 1950s. Some of his other novels I have read were a bit more substantive such as DYING INSIDE and THE BOOK OF SKULLS but this one was still worth reading.
March 28, 2024
short, unoriginal, slightly horny. very lame book. "today's episode: the author's barely-disguised fetish" comes to mind.
February 4, 2025
"Her flesh felt like flesh, and within it were nerves and bones and conduits for blood, but flesh, nerves, bones, and blood all were the pseudo-living products of a laboratory. Within that glamorous unreal shape-- who could say what horror nested there?"
For thousands of years, two competing races of aliens have kept watch over Earth, vowing non-interference with the development of human civilization, biding their time for when we will be ready to join them among the stars…
Until the day in 1982, when three Dirnans accidentally crash land on the surface of the planet:
Mirtin breaks his back and is nursed to health by the boy Charley of the San Miguel Pueblo…
Vorneen is rescued by the lonely widow Kathryn…
Glair is captured by Colonel Tom Falkner, who leads the U.S. Air Force's investigation into a growing number of UFO sightings…
I think of this as a Young Adult book because that is undoubtedly how a publisher would market it today. The plot is a bit too thin and the world-building a bit too underdeveloped for adult sci-fi. However, I suspect in 1967 the sex scenes and the allusions to homosexuality would not fly in a "juvenile".
The most interesting scene involves Vorneen learning how to make love to a woman in a human body as opposed to "the Dirnan way". The Dirnan way is never fully explained. The aliens are said to mate in groups of three or four. They have markedly different anatomies but seem to possess binary gender identification roughly analogous to male/female. Beyond that, the author leaves the mechanics of alien copulation to our imaginations…
The emotional payoffs of the various relationships in the story are hit or miss. The character that resonates the most is Charley, a young teen whose imagination is stimulated by alien technology far beyond the confining experiences of his day-to-day life. He longs to visit distant suns but is prohibited from even telling anyone what he has learned.
This is a transitional work. Silverberg is clearly starting to move away from pulp action-adventure and is wanting to tackle more mature ideas. It is a later 1967 book Thorns that will soon mark his emergence as a "serious" sci-fi author.
3 stars.
For thousands of years, two competing races of aliens have kept watch over Earth, vowing non-interference with the development of human civilization, biding their time for when we will be ready to join them among the stars…
Until the day in 1982, when three Dirnans accidentally crash land on the surface of the planet:
Mirtin breaks his back and is nursed to health by the boy Charley of the San Miguel Pueblo…
Vorneen is rescued by the lonely widow Kathryn…
Glair is captured by Colonel Tom Falkner, who leads the U.S. Air Force's investigation into a growing number of UFO sightings…
I think of this as a Young Adult book because that is undoubtedly how a publisher would market it today. The plot is a bit too thin and the world-building a bit too underdeveloped for adult sci-fi. However, I suspect in 1967 the sex scenes and the allusions to homosexuality would not fly in a "juvenile".
The most interesting scene involves Vorneen learning how to make love to a woman in a human body as opposed to "the Dirnan way". The Dirnan way is never fully explained. The aliens are said to mate in groups of three or four. They have markedly different anatomies but seem to possess binary gender identification roughly analogous to male/female. Beyond that, the author leaves the mechanics of alien copulation to our imaginations…
The emotional payoffs of the various relationships in the story are hit or miss. The character that resonates the most is Charley, a young teen whose imagination is stimulated by alien technology far beyond the confining experiences of his day-to-day life. He longs to visit distant suns but is prohibited from even telling anyone what he has learned.
This is a transitional work. Silverberg is clearly starting to move away from pulp action-adventure and is wanting to tackle more mature ideas. It is a later 1967 book Thorns that will soon mark his emergence as a "serious" sci-fi author.
3 stars.
January 4, 2016
Cool premise... two rival alien cultures (seemingly analogous to the US and the USSR, but little sign of which is which) are watching Earth, since they're close to space flight, but still very warlike in nature. One of the watching ships crashes, and it's 3 crew (who are also a 'sexual group), bail out just in time. All three are seriously wounded, however, and are nursed back to health. One by a lonely widowed single mom, one by a down and out member of the AOS (the Air Force department that investigates flying saucers) and one by a Pueblo kid on the reservation.
All three aliens reveal their culture (against standing orders).. the two adults fall in love with their aliens, and keep them secret. The kid keeps it a secret because he's neglected and needs a teacher-father figure. Rescue groups eventually find them.. beating the other race to the punch just barely, and they peacefully go home. Of course the two humans who sheltered them meet up (and probably live happily ever after), while the kid steals a laser from 'his' alien and is determined to get a good education to escape the reservation and get to space and visit.
Fun little story, but not much plot... Silverberg seemed more interested in talking about the plight of people on Indian Reservations, talking about scientology (there's a similar cult that the characters mock), and doing a 'who watches the watchers' bit than telling a story. I would have liked some ramifications after... it's clear the aliens weren't going to say secret, but the book ends without addressing it. There's a few 'future' bits (it's 1982, 15 years ahead)... the cars are electric, and the booze just gets injected. Otherwise, not much advancement.
Worth reading overall, but I expected more from Silverberg, who is usually far better.
All three aliens reveal their culture (against standing orders).. the two adults fall in love with their aliens, and keep them secret. The kid keeps it a secret because he's neglected and needs a teacher-father figure. Rescue groups eventually find them.. beating the other race to the punch just barely, and they peacefully go home. Of course the two humans who sheltered them meet up (and probably live happily ever after), while the kid steals a laser from 'his' alien and is determined to get a good education to escape the reservation and get to space and visit.
Fun little story, but not much plot... Silverberg seemed more interested in talking about the plight of people on Indian Reservations, talking about scientology (there's a similar cult that the characters mock), and doing a 'who watches the watchers' bit than telling a story. I would have liked some ramifications after... it's clear the aliens weren't going to say secret, but the book ends without addressing it. There's a few 'future' bits (it's 1982, 15 years ahead)... the cars are electric, and the booze just gets injected. Otherwise, not much advancement.
Worth reading overall, but I expected more from Silverberg, who is usually far better.
June 4, 2018
I read Robert Silverberg’s short 1967 science fiction novel Those Who Watch in mass market paperback, because I found it in a used bookstore. I am fond of Robert Silverberg’s early science fiction works.
Those Who Watch is the story of three alien watchers, whose Earth-orbiting ship malfunctions and crashes them into various locations in New Mexico. In those locations, they each encounter a lonely human being with whom they become emotionally involved while recovering from their injuries. The alien technology and Earth future histories are fairly typical of the era in which the novel was written. This was the time of the original Star Trek series. The characters are also fairly stock at first, but do develop as the relationships grow. However, this is a short novel, and closure is soon needed. The ending itself is quite hopeful, with some heart. It is a competent and entertaining work, but I did not find it more than that.
Those Who Watch is the story of three alien watchers, whose Earth-orbiting ship malfunctions and crashes them into various locations in New Mexico. In those locations, they each encounter a lonely human being with whom they become emotionally involved while recovering from their injuries. The alien technology and Earth future histories are fairly typical of the era in which the novel was written. This was the time of the original Star Trek series. The characters are also fairly stock at first, but do develop as the relationships grow. However, this is a short novel, and closure is soon needed. The ending itself is quite hopeful, with some heart. It is a competent and entertaining work, but I did not find it more than that.
February 17, 2018
Somewhere in here is a pleasant, life-affirming tale of the salutary effects of grace on those going through hard times (basically a sf spin on the old “perfect humans in the form of angels fall to Earth, heal the broken lives of those who help restore their wings”). But it’s buried in pedestrian pacing and dull prose, and undercut badly by the tone-deaf, almost self-parodical insertion of sex into everything. More shocking, Silverberg’s usually laser-sharp character work is almost completely absent here, making for a limp and boring exercise that could have been penned by one of many lesser writers. There are no stakes either, no danger or menace. It feels rather like a first draft rushed out the door to meet a contract. If you’re looking to get into Silverberg, don’t start here.
August 23, 2012
Pretty good classic sci-fi about the survivors of an alien crash who are taken in by humans and nursed back to health. It read like a short story that had been fluffed up a bit. Nothing particularly exciting, but very nice and comfortable read.
May 11, 2024
This is a fun book to read. Having found myself living in Albuquerque some decades ago, I certainly liked the idea that aliens actually crash land in New Mexico, and are cared for by two local people in the Albuquerque area, and an 11-year-old-pueblo boy. The three Earth people and the three aliens are forever changed by the encounter. It is a fast-paced story, well-written. The details about life in New Mexico and in the watcher ships are very well characterized. I enjoyed every minute of it. There was danger, and not just of discovery. There are some advanced tools from the sky, but very understandable to anyone in the 21st century. I like good stories like this. And sex. I didn't mention the sex. There is some. The encounters are initially awkward, but what of love? There's a lot to love in this very human tale.
August 25, 2018
This a lucid, very entertaining read; really three first contact stories in one, we see a widow, an embittered military man, and a lonely boy encounter three injured alien observers in late-60s America. A Cold War in space is described, human lives on Earth are put into a larger perspective, and the aliens are shown to get something out of their contacts as well. Sure, it's dated, but not as badly as could be, and came across as more life-affirming than dire.
April 25, 2019
A readable, well written book. Good plot and interesting characters. A bit on the lurid side at times. Probably pretty racy stuff back in 67’. I got the paperback in eBay with several other science fiction books sold says lot. I’d read Robert Silverberg’s book “Lord Valentine’s Castle and found it fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable. This book was certainly not as vast and reaching as that one, but still a good read. He is a good storyteller.
May 8, 2023
A ship of aliens (Watchers) crashland and are each injured. They are tended to by people from different walks of life. Two of them get there freak on whilst the smart one teaches a precocious child about his gadgets. The characters that seemed less flat to me were in fact the child and his alien (who was recovering from a broken back, seriously). They are rescued by the end. These aliens are not violent just observers.
July 16, 2023
I’ve seen mixed reviews about this book, and I imagine it may be partly due to its age, but my interest didn’t falter once. The romance between Vorneen and Kathryn, and Glair and Tom, to me were unnecessary, but come the end of the book, I thought it at least offered a purpose and understanding. I really enjoyed this book a lot and I’m sad to have finished it. Charley and Mirtin had such a sweet relationship and I think that may have been the highlight of the book for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2024
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
3.25/5
"While a middling Silverberg novel at best, Those Who Watch (1967) almost succeeds as a revisionist take on UFO panic. The aliens do not seek to experiment on, exterminate, or manipulate humans. Instead, this is a book about the lost and lonely, and how their love and care for the injured interstellar visitors [...]"
3.25/5
"While a middling Silverberg novel at best, Those Who Watch (1967) almost succeeds as a revisionist take on UFO panic. The aliens do not seek to experiment on, exterminate, or manipulate humans. Instead, this is a book about the lost and lonely, and how their love and care for the injured interstellar visitors [...]"
March 19, 2018
This was pretty good! I really liked the idea of aliens keeping an eye on us, while also keeping an eye on each other. I mean, if there was intelligent life out there, it would make sense to me that they were wary of us.
I liked the three story lines and the different motivations each person had for harboring a flying saucer crash survivor. I think the kid and the old guy were my favorite.
I liked the three story lines and the different motivations each person had for harboring a flying saucer crash survivor. I think the kid and the old guy were my favorite.
May 15, 2021
Classic Sci-fi from the late 60's, about an interaction between multiple alien "monitors" circling the earth, and one tri that lands and interacts with a matching trio of humans.
Read quite quickly, engaging, pretty good.
Read quite quickly, engaging, pretty good.
October 22, 2024
A pretty good short Silverberg novel that could have been fleshed out more. Perhaps more background about the aliens and their world and customs. Also more expansion on the development of the romance between the aliens and two of the main human characters. That all happened way too quickly!
June 12, 2025
Very dated now but Silverberg is never less than entertaining.
Very dated as a story. Dated in It's language around race, sexism and attitudes to sex. But mildly entertaining nonsense.
Very dated as a story. Dated in It's language around race, sexism and attitudes to sex. But mildly entertaining nonsense.
March 1, 2018
aggiornamento vecchio libro letto chissà quando
February 22, 2019
"I didn't want to believe." :D
A pretty good story apart from the "show me how an Earthman makes love" scene....aaaaaaaaaaaaargh! :P
A pretty good story apart from the "show me how an Earthman makes love" scene....aaaaaaaaaaaaargh! :P
June 16, 2020
A nice little sci-fi jaunt. The story flowed well and was very interesting, especially considering it was published in 1967 and supposedly took place in 1982! Very enjoyable and quick read.
July 19, 2020
Those Who Watch is a dime store "crotch" novel. It's not representative of Silverberg's finer works.
October 23, 2022
A feel-good tale of human kindness with a low-stakes approach that that might arguably make for less drama, but actually feels refreshing in the current climate.
August 22, 2023
Very pulpy Silverberg. If you are looking for a casual, fun, and sometimes stupid, novel.. read this one.
September 8, 2023
I love how a bunch of this is just ripping on Scientology
November 24, 2023
A Short pulpy sci fi novel that was very much a product of the Cold War and late 60s
July 16, 2025
A surprisingly sweet love story.
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