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Star of Gypsies
Yakoub was once the legendary King of the Rom, the Gypsy race that has evolved from the days of caravans into lords of the spaceways - the only pilots capable of steering ships safely between the many worlds of the Galaxy. Weary and proud, Yakoub has relinquished his power and lives in exile on a distant, icy world. In his absence, chaos fills the vacuum of power. The fate of the entire Galactic Empire hangs in the balance. Yakoub must journey across the cosmos and fight to regain his throne. Only then can he fulfill his dream - to return his people to their ancestral home of Romany Star. The Rom need the Yakoub of legend once more. Can the once-mighty King overcome time and tyranny and inspire his people in their darkest hour?
450 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1986
27 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
2,327 books1,622 followersThere are many authors in the database with this name.
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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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 20, 2025
In Star of Gypsies, Silverberg uses an unreliable narrator to present a science-fantasy-flavored variety of imaginatively well-designed alien ecologies and convincingly described Romany culture. The story itself is a little weak, but the characters he studies are interesting. There's some sexual content and political satire, but it's a nice mix of the Majipoor adventure feel and the New Wave social commentary of his more serious late-1960s novels. It's a fun story, but not one I'd list in his top ten.
March 26, 2021
I’ve never felt this way about a Robert Silverberg novel before. It seems like Silverberg uses more than 130 pages of Star of Gypsies to set up his conflicted character, Yakoub—King of the Gypsies. The problem of the character is described by a former wife/lover: “You think I take anything you say at face value, Yakoub? You’re the only man I know who can hold six contradictory ideas at one time and feel comfortable with it.” (p. 71) Indeed, this protagonist could be a poster child for cognitive dissonance.
One of the good things about Silverberg’s entire body of work is that he is well-read in the field (as witnessed by his editorial efforts such as Legends series and Deep Space. So, I wasn’t surprised to find an intertextual reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when Yakoub turns on a “Vogon sphere.” (p. 65). Of course, his intertextuality extends to biblical and classical references: “To drive us forth from our homes with a flaming sword…” (p. 45), Yakoub’s very name (Jacob—especially because he longs for the planet of promise as opposed to land of promise), “milk and honey” (p. 177), “rod and staff” (p. 188), the threat of whips and scorpions as in Solomon’s son Rehoboam (p. 322), Absalom’s rebellion against his father King David (p. 328), the ungrateful child as sharper than a serpent’s tooth from ”King Lear”(p. 329), John Donne’s “No Man is an Island” (pp. 338, 349), The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (specifically on pp. 160 (quoting Book IV, 32 on history and IV, 33 on justice) and (the mention of a unique copy of the book on) 185, but a lot of Yakoub’s philosophy sounds like the ancient emperor’s book), some comments from Nikos Kazantzakis on Nietzsche on p. 210), and several lines from the last stanza of T. S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding” (p. 412).
The protagonist also tends to drop proverbial (albeit extended proverbs in some cases) wisdom. His description of youth is quite impactful. “To exist in the moment, not yet wound in layer upon opaque layer of experience. To be transparent, bones visible through the skin, every motivation laying in clear view just below the surface, …” (p. 53). I liked when Yakoub was speaking to his French friend Julien: “Power kept too long goes flat, Julien. You know, when you leave a bottle of champagne open too long, what happens to it?” (p. 85) In terms of dealing with a personal deity or destiny, Yakoub sounds a lot like Marcus Aurelius when he says: “Trying to see things His way is philosophy. Actually getting to see things His way is becoming wise.” (p. 288) Indeed, as obvious as it may seem, I chuckled over this advice on p. 400: “…it rarely pays to be discourteous to megalominiacs, especially when you’re standing in their living room.”
Yet, as the reader will find out (some 250 pages in), Yakoub is the creator of his own circumstances and, despite all of his cleverness, bears much responsibility for the major crisis in the book (which doesn’t really occur until more than 350 pages in). In fact, Yakoub is the most passive protagonist I can remember in reading a successful novel in years. With the exception of one very clever bit of action about the middle of the book, Yakoub’s strategy in most things seems to be to attack through surrender (pp. 310-311). The blurb on the back of my paperback edition, attributed quite ambiguously to the Associated Press, touts this as a “delightful swashbuckling tale across time and space.” While Yakoub is a larger-than-life, romantic figure, the bulk of the events do not depict Yakoub as having any particular “derring-do.”
The truth, though, is that Star of Gypsies, while not being the most exciting science-fiction I’ve read, has much to commend it. Just as Jack Vance is amazing in how he describes the sociology of alien cultures, Silverberg offers the most amazing planetary ecologies in this book that I can imagine. There is a sea of Cthulhu-like tentacles that turn out to be a strange forest as opposed to the scary creatures I had imagined (p. 63). But while the forest didn’t actually have an intelligence on one planet, a sea that seems like a cross between Pepto-Bismol and an amoeba most certainly does (pp. 127, 138-9). One planet has a vivid scarlet sea with interesting properties (p. 153) and another has almost a total framework of yellow vines (along with giant worms that, while not making “spice,” do provide the most valuable resource on the planet (pp. 215, 217). Silverberg creates a fascinating ecology for the so-called “mudpuppy” on, of all things, a desert planet (pp. 260-261). And while this list is not exhaustive, let me also commend the intriguing impressions made by his description of a city constructed solely of woven reeds (p. 428).
Time-travel in Star of Gypsies is limited in one way and unlimited in another. One isn’t physically travelling back in time and one can only travel backwards from where one is, but one doesn’t need a machine or a stimulant to perform what the novel calls “ghosting.” (p. 157) In fact, there are no problems with time paradoxes because this universe is, as with Marcus Aurelius’ philosophy, operating on a basis of determinism. One character explains: “Don’t you understand? There is never any in the first place.” (p. 158) Perhaps, even more simply, “Nothing can ever be changed,” (p. 173).
As a result, I liked Star of Gypsies; I didn’t love it.
One of the good things about Silverberg’s entire body of work is that he is well-read in the field (as witnessed by his editorial efforts such as Legends series and Deep Space. So, I wasn’t surprised to find an intertextual reference to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy when Yakoub turns on a “Vogon sphere.” (p. 65). Of course, his intertextuality extends to biblical and classical references: “To drive us forth from our homes with a flaming sword…” (p. 45), Yakoub’s very name (Jacob—especially because he longs for the planet of promise as opposed to land of promise), “milk and honey” (p. 177), “rod and staff” (p. 188), the threat of whips and scorpions as in Solomon’s son Rehoboam (p. 322), Absalom’s rebellion against his father King David (p. 328), the ungrateful child as sharper than a serpent’s tooth from ”King Lear”(p. 329), John Donne’s “No Man is an Island” (pp. 338, 349), The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius (specifically on pp. 160 (quoting Book IV, 32 on history and IV, 33 on justice) and (the mention of a unique copy of the book on) 185, but a lot of Yakoub’s philosophy sounds like the ancient emperor’s book), some comments from Nikos Kazantzakis on Nietzsche on p. 210), and several lines from the last stanza of T. S. Eliot’s “Little Gidding” (p. 412).
The protagonist also tends to drop proverbial (albeit extended proverbs in some cases) wisdom. His description of youth is quite impactful. “To exist in the moment, not yet wound in layer upon opaque layer of experience. To be transparent, bones visible through the skin, every motivation laying in clear view just below the surface, …” (p. 53). I liked when Yakoub was speaking to his French friend Julien: “Power kept too long goes flat, Julien. You know, when you leave a bottle of champagne open too long, what happens to it?” (p. 85) In terms of dealing with a personal deity or destiny, Yakoub sounds a lot like Marcus Aurelius when he says: “Trying to see things His way is philosophy. Actually getting to see things His way is becoming wise.” (p. 288) Indeed, as obvious as it may seem, I chuckled over this advice on p. 400: “…it rarely pays to be discourteous to megalominiacs, especially when you’re standing in their living room.”
Yet, as the reader will find out (some 250 pages in), Yakoub is the creator of his own circumstances and, despite all of his cleverness, bears much responsibility for the major crisis in the book (which doesn’t really occur until more than 350 pages in). In fact, Yakoub is the most passive protagonist I can remember in reading a successful novel in years. With the exception of one very clever bit of action about the middle of the book, Yakoub’s strategy in most things seems to be to attack through surrender (pp. 310-311). The blurb on the back of my paperback edition, attributed quite ambiguously to the Associated Press, touts this as a “delightful swashbuckling tale across time and space.” While Yakoub is a larger-than-life, romantic figure, the bulk of the events do not depict Yakoub as having any particular “derring-do.”
The truth, though, is that Star of Gypsies, while not being the most exciting science-fiction I’ve read, has much to commend it. Just as Jack Vance is amazing in how he describes the sociology of alien cultures, Silverberg offers the most amazing planetary ecologies in this book that I can imagine. There is a sea of Cthulhu-like tentacles that turn out to be a strange forest as opposed to the scary creatures I had imagined (p. 63). But while the forest didn’t actually have an intelligence on one planet, a sea that seems like a cross between Pepto-Bismol and an amoeba most certainly does (pp. 127, 138-9). One planet has a vivid scarlet sea with interesting properties (p. 153) and another has almost a total framework of yellow vines (along with giant worms that, while not making “spice,” do provide the most valuable resource on the planet (pp. 215, 217). Silverberg creates a fascinating ecology for the so-called “mudpuppy” on, of all things, a desert planet (pp. 260-261). And while this list is not exhaustive, let me also commend the intriguing impressions made by his description of a city constructed solely of woven reeds (p. 428).
Time-travel in Star of Gypsies is limited in one way and unlimited in another. One isn’t physically travelling back in time and one can only travel backwards from where one is, but one doesn’t need a machine or a stimulant to perform what the novel calls “ghosting.” (p. 157) In fact, there are no problems with time paradoxes because this universe is, as with Marcus Aurelius’ philosophy, operating on a basis of determinism. One character explains: “Don’t you understand? There is never any in the first place.” (p. 158) Perhaps, even more simply, “Nothing can ever be changed,” (p. 173).
As a result, I liked Star of Gypsies; I didn’t love it.
August 2, 2013
This book is amazing.. for me this is one of Silverberg's best works. the thoughts, dialogues are very funny.. some of them really glue you to the book. The planetary environments, characters ( I mean who can resist someone like Silouise) are vivid, believable and never seems unnecessary to the progress of the story ( except the 'ghosting ability'). With yakoub's dark humor and sarcasm, not a single page in this book is boring. And after reading " ...as black as sin, as hot as hell and as sweet as love.." who wouldn't want to try a cup of black coffee while reading the book??
January 9, 2018
Yakoub Nirano. Baro rom. Príncipe de los gitanos. "La estrella de los gitanos" narra la historia de Yakoub, un hombre destinado a conducir a los gitanos a su tierra prometida, la estrella Romaní, después de siglos de vagar por el espacio. He aquí un hombre imponente, una especie de Moisés para el pueblo rom, que vive un destierro voluntario en un planeta helado. Su máxima es sobrevivir a toda costa para ver cumplido su sueño. En esta tarea le ayudarán (o no) individuos como Polarca, Valerian, Syluise o Julien de Gramont. Son muchos los personajes que orbitan a su alrededor.
Seremos testigos de su nacimiento en Vietoris como esclavo. Asistiremos a su deambular por la galaxia en planetas como Megalo Kastro, Nabomba Zom, Alta Hannalanna, Xamur, Galgala o Mentiroso. Dos veces más será esclavo, y en sendas ocasiones su fureza de voluntad le ayudará a seguir adelante. Su historia, junto con la del pueblo rom y la del imperio creado por los gaje (los 'payos' para los que trabajan) son de lo más entretenido.
Más allá de la trama y de las escaramuzas de palacio lo mejor del libro es la capacidad que tienen los gitanos para espectrar y su pericia para guiar las naves estelares a través del espacio. Espectrar es una especie de vía de escape del alma que te conecta con tus ancestros y con el pasado. Además los rom son los únicos seres con la suficiente fuerza mental para atravesar los años luz en los saltos que hacen las naves para llevar a cabo sus rutas comerciales.
Pese a mi referencia a Moisés poco o nada tiene el libro de religioso. Más bien al contrario. En los pocos párrafos en los que se las cita los roms se ríen de las creencias gaje y Silverberg saca a relucir su humor más negro.
Estamos pues ante una novela más que entretenida. Si bien en la primera parte, aquella que nos presenta al personaje de Yakoub en su retiro voluntario, se hace algo tediosa es cierto que luego la trama arranca con fuerza y mejora a medida que avanza y se interna en los límites de la space-opera.
Mi primer Silverberg ha sido, sin duda, una muy buena toma de contacto. Veremos lo que nos deparan las próximas.
Seremos testigos de su nacimiento en Vietoris como esclavo. Asistiremos a su deambular por la galaxia en planetas como Megalo Kastro, Nabomba Zom, Alta Hannalanna, Xamur, Galgala o Mentiroso. Dos veces más será esclavo, y en sendas ocasiones su fureza de voluntad le ayudará a seguir adelante. Su historia, junto con la del pueblo rom y la del imperio creado por los gaje (los 'payos' para los que trabajan) son de lo más entretenido.
Más allá de la trama y de las escaramuzas de palacio lo mejor del libro es la capacidad que tienen los gitanos para espectrar y su pericia para guiar las naves estelares a través del espacio. Espectrar es una especie de vía de escape del alma que te conecta con tus ancestros y con el pasado. Además los rom son los únicos seres con la suficiente fuerza mental para atravesar los años luz en los saltos que hacen las naves para llevar a cabo sus rutas comerciales.
Pese a mi referencia a Moisés poco o nada tiene el libro de religioso. Más bien al contrario. En los pocos párrafos en los que se las cita los roms se ríen de las creencias gaje y Silverberg saca a relucir su humor más negro.
Estamos pues ante una novela más que entretenida. Si bien en la primera parte, aquella que nos presenta al personaje de Yakoub en su retiro voluntario, se hace algo tediosa es cierto que luego la trama arranca con fuerza y mejora a medida que avanza y se interna en los límites de la space-opera.
Mi primer Silverberg ha sido, sin duda, una muy buena toma de contacto. Veremos lo que nos deparan las próximas.
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December 25, 2021Solve your biggest problem by sleeping for weeks.
Interesting planets and interestingly hypocritical main character. In some sense not much happens.
You Yakoub Romany Star, ghosting.
Interesting planets and interestingly hypocritical main character. In some sense not much happens.
You Yakoub Romany Star, ghosting.
July 2, 2019
inventive world building, an interesting twist on the old galactic empire story
August 22, 2023
Zanimljiva priča o Romima u Svemiru.
February 17, 2011
Probably the book I read titled "Romany Star" ?
August 18, 2022
Aclaro: las cuatro estrellas son relativas, teniendo en cuenta el género (CiFi) y el estilo (tirando a pulp), por lo que no es una gran novela desde un punto de vista literario, pero sí entretenida.
Forma parte de mis lecturas sobre Pueblo Gitano (y/o autores/as romaníes) y lo primero que debo decir es que me ha sorprendido el respeto que se muestra por los gitanos, e incluso por su cultura y costumbres, con pocos estereotipos, casi ninguno.
Mi única queja durante toda la lectura fue la portada del libro, no achacable a Silverberg sino a la editorial, que ya ni existe (y, de existir, ya les habría escrito una protesta). En la portada en inglés, prácticamente igual, aparece la cara de un hombre con bigote, que es como se describe a Yakoub, el protagonista. La portada española, en vez de un hombre con cierto atractivo, nos presenta una cara casi simiesca. ¿En serio?
En fin... Llegué al libro por curiosidad; una novela de ciencia ficción protagonizada por gitanos me pareció una rareza y la comencé con ciertas reservas. Y lo que me encontré es una novela de aventuras, entretenida, con acción, buenos diálogos, personajes bien construidos, un universo con planetas y sociedades fascinantes (lo que se le pide a una buena space opera) y una trama bien planteada.
Es cierto que el ritmo de la novela es algo desigual, con tramos más lentos y otros más intensos, pero en conjunto es una novela recomendable si te gusta el género y buscas entretenimiento
Forma parte de mis lecturas sobre Pueblo Gitano (y/o autores/as romaníes) y lo primero que debo decir es que me ha sorprendido el respeto que se muestra por los gitanos, e incluso por su cultura y costumbres, con pocos estereotipos, casi ninguno.
Mi única queja durante toda la lectura fue la portada del libro, no achacable a Silverberg sino a la editorial, que ya ni existe (y, de existir, ya les habría escrito una protesta). En la portada en inglés, prácticamente igual, aparece la cara de un hombre con bigote, que es como se describe a Yakoub, el protagonista. La portada española, en vez de un hombre con cierto atractivo, nos presenta una cara casi simiesca. ¿En serio?
En fin... Llegué al libro por curiosidad; una novela de ciencia ficción protagonizada por gitanos me pareció una rareza y la comencé con ciertas reservas. Y lo que me encontré es una novela de aventuras, entretenida, con acción, buenos diálogos, personajes bien construidos, un universo con planetas y sociedades fascinantes (lo que se le pide a una buena space opera) y una trama bien planteada.
Es cierto que el ritmo de la novela es algo desigual, con tramos más lentos y otros más intensos, pero en conjunto es una novela recomendable si te gusta el género y buscas entretenimiento
May 15, 2020
DNF at page 160 (40%).
Stories that are "just a story" can work for me, if they are brief, fast-paced or constantly presenting interesting ideas or novelty. Unfortunately Star of Gypsies has none of those qualities. Robert Silverberg was a famously productive author, and this book is possibly an illustration of how, and an argument as to why that isn't necessarily a good thing. All of the standard Silverberg elements are in place here. The conversational prose style is very well done, the rampant sexism and boob obsession are omnipresent. It's fun to read, and he seems to have done some good research into gypsy culture (or is very convincing at making it up). The problem is that having come up with the Mel-Brooksian "gypsies-in-space" premise, he seems to have absolutely no idea what to do with it, and nothing to say about Gypsies or space, so the book just meanders in no particular direction, picking up a random selection of SF tropes as it bounces from pillar to post. A third of the way through I had absolutely no idea what the point of the book was supposed to be, and so gave up.
Stories that are "just a story" can work for me, if they are brief, fast-paced or constantly presenting interesting ideas or novelty. Unfortunately Star of Gypsies has none of those qualities. Robert Silverberg was a famously productive author, and this book is possibly an illustration of how, and an argument as to why that isn't necessarily a good thing. All of the standard Silverberg elements are in place here. The conversational prose style is very well done, the rampant sexism and boob obsession are omnipresent. It's fun to read, and he seems to have done some good research into gypsy culture (or is very convincing at making it up). The problem is that having come up with the Mel-Brooksian "gypsies-in-space" premise, he seems to have absolutely no idea what to do with it, and nothing to say about Gypsies or space, so the book just meanders in no particular direction, picking up a random selection of SF tropes as it bounces from pillar to post. A third of the way through I had absolutely no idea what the point of the book was supposed to be, and so gave up.
June 9, 2020
Przeczytałam dawno temu.Podobała mi sie bardzo
Na tyle bardzo że chciałam wrócić do niej raz jeszcze.
I dalej uważam ze to świetna powieść jest
Nie będe zdradzać szczegółów ale pomysł by umieścic Romów w kosmosie
jest pomysłem przednim
A może właśnie dlatego to "plemie" jest tak barwne i pełne tajemnic,
że pochodzi z dalekiego zaginionego lądu ?
Oprócz wielu przygód dostaniemy w tej książeczce i wiele intryg w walce o tron
i hulanek oraz kilka niezłych wątków miłosnych
Jest więc dla każdego coś co powinno się spodobać
Polecam bo naprawde warto sięgnąc po tego zapomnianego autora
Na tyle bardzo że chciałam wrócić do niej raz jeszcze.
I dalej uważam ze to świetna powieść jest
Nie będe zdradzać szczegółów ale pomysł by umieścic Romów w kosmosie
jest pomysłem przednim
A może właśnie dlatego to "plemie" jest tak barwne i pełne tajemnic,
że pochodzi z dalekiego zaginionego lądu ?
Oprócz wielu przygód dostaniemy w tej książeczce i wiele intryg w walce o tron
i hulanek oraz kilka niezłych wątków miłosnych
Jest więc dla każdego coś co powinno się spodobać
Polecam bo naprawde warto sięgnąc po tego zapomnianego autora
November 2, 2024
Three and a Half Stars.
August 11, 2021
Star of Gypsies is an older title, but one of my favorites... even as a person who is not particularly drawn to sci-fi as a genre.
Set in a moving current of time and space, author, Robert Silverberg, gives a startlingly accurate portrayal of Romani (Gypsy, to you, gadje) that as a Romani reader, myself, feels intimate.
In fact, there were times when I was reading, in which I wanted to reach through the pages and say, "Shush, cousin, you are saying too much."
The true Magick in the story is in how the author weaves subtle truths into the telling of this tale (the secret is in believing the lie as you speak it) (the secret is in calling the lie a "Freudian slip" before "accidentally" repeating it once again, and then correcting yourself with the truth, so as to have plausible deniability, should you later be held accountable) with such tactical strategy that the reader has no choice but to continue reading, sucked in to the story, hungry to learn what happens next.
Set in a moving current of time and space, author, Robert Silverberg, gives a startlingly accurate portrayal of Romani (Gypsy, to you, gadje) that as a Romani reader, myself, feels intimate.
In fact, there were times when I was reading, in which I wanted to reach through the pages and say, "Shush, cousin, you are saying too much."
The true Magick in the story is in how the author weaves subtle truths into the telling of this tale (the secret is in believing the lie as you speak it) (the secret is in calling the lie a "Freudian slip" before "accidentally" repeating it once again, and then correcting yourself with the truth, so as to have plausible deniability, should you later be held accountable) with such tactical strategy that the reader has no choice but to continue reading, sucked in to the story, hungry to learn what happens next.
March 27, 2014
There's a lot more to say--on close critical analysis you could problematize all day--however I found this to be an extremely enjoyable read. It's true that it can be a bit trying to reach full engagement in the first 50 pages, but it was worth the struggle for the chuckles. And yeah, I have no idea about the research that went into it about the cultural history of the Rom, it is a sci-fi novel after all.
October 6, 2015
One of my first ever sci-fi authors. I bought this one used. It was a little weird, old-school and over-all quite immersive and enjoyable. Give it a try if you like science fiction with a touch of fantasy and gypsies.
November 30, 2010
A rollicking good space adventure.
August 17, 2011
Great book very memorable.
December 28, 2011
Interesting concept. I like the idea of gypsies in space. Just wasn't my cup of tea.
May 4, 2012
Almost five stars, but the first hundred pages are a slog. Badly needed pruning. However, after a slow start the story really takes off. Character driven and delightfully conversational space opera.
November 19, 2012
Surprisingly good. I liked the way he wove prior stories of the protagonist into the current time.
January 19, 2013
On of the finest novels there is...
March 15, 2015
donated to smith family charity march 2015
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September 4, 2016Read 117 pages of 466.
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February 4, 20164 stars from Kat: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews