The Tower

Spider World #1-3

by Colin Wilson

Vintage paperback

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Novels, British Literature

496 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Colin Henry Wilson was born and raised in Leicester, England, U.K. He left school at 16, worked in factories and various occupations, and read in his spare time. When Wilson was 24, Gollancz published The Outsider (1956) which examines the role of the social 'outsider' in seminal works of various key literary and cultural figures. These include Albert Camus, Jean-Paul Sartre, Ernest Hemingway, Hermann Hesse, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, William James, T. E. Lawrence, Vaslav Nijinsky and Vincent Van Gogh and Wilson discusses his perception of Social alienation in their work. The book was a best seller and helped popularize existentialism in Britain. Critical praise though, was short-lived and Wilson was soon widely criticized.

Wilson's works after The Outsider focused on positive aspects of human psychology, such as peak experiences and the narrowness of consciousness. He admired the humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow and corresponded with him. Wilson wrote The War Against Sleep: The Philosophy of Gurdjieff on the life, work and philosophy of G. I. Gurdjieff and an accessible introduction to the Greek-Armenian mystic in 1980. He argues throughout his work that the existentialist focus on defeat or nausea is only a partial representation of reality and that there is no particular reason for accepting it. Wilson views normal, everyday consciousness buffeted by the moment, as "blinkered" and argues that it should not be accepted as showing us the truth about reality. This blinkering has some evolutionary advantages in that it stops us from being completely immersed in wonder, or in the huge stream of events, and hence unable to act. However, to live properly we need to access more than this everyday consciousness. Wilson believes that our peak experiences of joy and meaningfulness are as real as our experiences of angst and, since we are more fully alive at these moments, they are more real. These experiences can be cultivated through concentration, paying attention, relaxation and certain types of work.

Reviews

[mark monday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spider World, yahoo! this is so much better than the series' title sounds.

the author is one of a kind. he has been many things: surveyer of iconoclasts (The Outsider) and analyst of charisma gone astray (Rogue Messiahs: Tales of Self-Proclaimed Saviors); a chronicler of diseased mentalities and disturbing crimes (Schoolgirl Murder Case, Lingard); a philosopher grounded in both intellect and mysticism (The Philosopher's Stone); and a genre specialist transforming his visions of humanity and beyond into YA adventure novels (Spider World) and phantasmagoric horror sci-fi (The Mind Parasites, The Space Vampires). if there isn't a cult built around colin wilson, there really should be - he's a visionary.

[Belinda Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a million years ago and it changed my world. Totally influenced who I am as a reader today.

Also helped me pass a Grade 7 spot test about insects, after which the teacher thanked me in front of the whole class for doing my homework, even though actually I'd spent the previous evening reading this book #truestory.

Sure it ruined my (non-existent) street cred at the time, but that's how well researched this shite is.

So giving it all the historical love.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars. Great premise and a very original novel. The society developed by the spiders and their integration of humans as servants was very well handled. The concept of the spider's "will force" was also very interesting. Recommended.

[Aloke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a compilation of the first three books of series set in a dystopian far future Earth ruled by spiders. I remembered enjoying it a lot as a sci fi obsessed teen so I picked it up again. Plus it has an amazing cover: a decaying metropolis dominated by twin skyscrapers connected by a giant spiderweb. Cool!

Of the three parts, the first one, "The Desert," is probably a solid 4 stars. Great world building, moments of suspense and fear and you really bond with the characters (well some of them not so much...Ingeld! Amirite?). The second and third parts have their moments but especially by the end it starts to get a bit repetitive. Of course now I'm hooked so I ordered a used copy of the fourth book on Amazon.

[Adeel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember reading this as a kid and was completely mesmerized by the genre. Would have to read it again to make sure though.....

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of a world full of giant insects and the Mr Wilson does a good job or portraying it. The book does get a bit up itself in certain points, like the entire chapter detailing the psychological evolution of man from biblical times to the middle ages.
I personally think if you are writing a book about giant, man-eating, psychic spiders then just go for it.

The descriptive elements of reading someone's mind are at first vivid and enthralling but get a bit repetitive.

This book has a bit of an identity crisis it flits from post apocalyptic thriller to Science Fiction to Fantasy to whimsical Science-fantasy.

There is lots of action, the world is interesting and the main character is likeable; it is not as good as I expected but am moving on to the second book with some anticipation.

[Maša · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting ideas, beautiful and awe-inspiring descriptions of wildlife. It filled me with renewed joy of discovery of all things that consist nature. Also, it neatly aligned with my efforts to practice mindfulness meditation.

This is an interesting journey of constant wonder and path of self-actualization. It's more philosophical than action-based, though.

There is some filibustering on evolution and sexist tone (the ladies never do anything remotely interesting, and are overall a bore/irritating/an ornament).
But overall, good stuff!

[Robin Schmobin · Rating 3 out of 5]

the only reason I've rated this as highly as I have is because of the first half (so like til halfway through book 2). I really enjoyed The Desert - the slower pacing, the setting, even the characters were great! But then you get about 300 pages in and the ever-present misogyny Really starts to set in - he tries to make it seem like it's not gonna be misogyny but it's misogyny - and Colin Wilson's ideas on slavery, and freedom, and human history, basically all his politics Really begin to rear their heads (you even get a whole lecture about it) and you find yourself wondering if eventually there's gonna be some kind of based twist where it turns out everything he's been preaching is fairly stupid and selfish. But I doubt it. And yet I can't stop reading.

Colin Wilson wants an ages 13-30 harem soooo bad

[Kirkirvarpa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silpniau, nei pirmoji serijos knyga.

[Abigail Leeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let the SciFi bookstore owner pick out my next read based on Mierville and I liked the naturalist approach and reading about the author but the book itself didn't thrill.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant series. Amazing and captivating writing.

[Lee Cagot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hectic. (Proper review will come just being lazy)

[Stephen Hermer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! Post-apocalypse, monsters (mainly, but not limited to spiders), strange mutations, new human cultures, expansive writing... this novel has everything that a post-apocalypse fan could want.

[Sameer · Rating 3 out of 5]

good novel set in the future, not like his other novels like Adrift in Soho Wilson here storngly employs his paranormal beliefs. its good bed time entertainment. if your girlfriend was away, and nothing on tv. and you are in no mood to go out. and.. no to be fair its a good novel :)

[Sojin · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far, this book is pretty interesting. It is about in the future, when spiders take over the world.

[Jordan Jones-williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite taking ages to begin reading this book because I was put off by the idea of giant spiders, I absolutely loved it!

[Zakaria Zalt · Rating 4 out of 5]

الى الدلتا

[Liutauras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visai smagu dar kartą perskaityti - šita man įdomiausia iš visos serijos

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

See my other reviews of the series.