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New Springtime #1
At Winter's End
From the Five-Time Nebula Award-Winner Seven thousand centuries ago, falling death stars unleashed fiery apocalyptic destruction on Earth and inaugurated the Long Winter. One small band of People took refuge in an underground cocoon where they and their descendants waited for the time of ice to end. Now their long winter is over. Prophecy and circumstance urge the tribe out into the half-forgotten world beyond their safe cocoon. Led by their chieftain Koshmar, the tribe journeys to the city of Vengiboneeza, where the prophecy of the gods says they are to rule. On their way the tribe discovers the dangers and wonders of life in the New Springtime. In the face of new temptations and peril, Koshmar and her lover, the priestess Torlyri, struggle to keep the People united and fulfill the prophecy. For soon they will be beset by other trials, as other beings seek to fulfill their own prophecies. Robert Silverberg provides an introduction exclusive to this Bison Books edition.
491 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
314 people are currently reading
864 people want to read
About the author
Robert Silverberg
2,343 books1,601 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 - 30 of 73 reviews
February 7, 2024
3.5 stars - Metaphorosis Reviews
The 'death stars' that cause mass extinctions have come again, and gone, and Earth is slowly waking up from its long sleep. In one isolated shelter, a band of tradition-bound survivors of the 700 millennia-long ice age is realizing that the time may have come to leave their cocoon. Indeed, they may have to.
I've dipped into Robert Silverberg's work from time to time. In fact, I have stacks of his books. They're well written, but somehow, with the exception of Lord Valentine's Castle , they've never really drawn me back. Still, there's no denying his writing skill, and as Silverberg's back catalogs come out as e-books, I've bought several more.
At Winter's End epitomizes the Silverberg experience for me. The writing is in many ways top notch. The concept is grand, the scale vast. He effortlessly introduces ancient, crumbling civilizations on a tremendous scale, while keeping the story at a very human level. It's rare to see all this done so well.
Unfortunately, what he fails at is characterization. While he spreads the burden among a well-defined cast, most of the actors are stock characters without much attempt at customization. While their environment is fascinating, their motivations and actions tend toward the predictable. While Silverberg has a little fun rearranging modes of intimacy, this little band, eons in the future, has essentially the same secrets and jealousies that we all have. There's a message in that, and perhaps an intentional one, but it nonetheless robs the story of the passion it could have had. All through this book, I wished Silverberg had spent on characters just a little of the care he used for setting. That's often my feeling about his books, so perhaps by now I should just know what to expect. The thing is, the rest of the book is just so good that this (fairly major) flaw is frustrating.
Despite the obstacles of a cast with limited capacity, the book ends well - well enough that, frankly, I don't expect to go on to the sequel. The setting was the interesting part, and I have only a tepid interest in the tribulations of the actors themselves.
All in all, excellent writing, but lackadaisical characterization that keeps the book from being the success it might have been.
PS In the Open Road Media edition, the true book is 375 pages long, followed by over hundred pages of excerpt from the sequel.
The 'death stars' that cause mass extinctions have come again, and gone, and Earth is slowly waking up from its long sleep. In one isolated shelter, a band of tradition-bound survivors of the 700 millennia-long ice age is realizing that the time may have come to leave their cocoon. Indeed, they may have to.
I've dipped into Robert Silverberg's work from time to time. In fact, I have stacks of his books. They're well written, but somehow, with the exception of Lord Valentine's Castle , they've never really drawn me back. Still, there's no denying his writing skill, and as Silverberg's back catalogs come out as e-books, I've bought several more.
At Winter's End epitomizes the Silverberg experience for me. The writing is in many ways top notch. The concept is grand, the scale vast. He effortlessly introduces ancient, crumbling civilizations on a tremendous scale, while keeping the story at a very human level. It's rare to see all this done so well.
Unfortunately, what he fails at is characterization. While he spreads the burden among a well-defined cast, most of the actors are stock characters without much attempt at customization. While their environment is fascinating, their motivations and actions tend toward the predictable. While Silverberg has a little fun rearranging modes of intimacy, this little band, eons in the future, has essentially the same secrets and jealousies that we all have. There's a message in that, and perhaps an intentional one, but it nonetheless robs the story of the passion it could have had. All through this book, I wished Silverberg had spent on characters just a little of the care he used for setting. That's often my feeling about his books, so perhaps by now I should just know what to expect. The thing is, the rest of the book is just so good that this (fairly major) flaw is frustrating.
Despite the obstacles of a cast with limited capacity, the book ends well - well enough that, frankly, I don't expect to go on to the sequel. The setting was the interesting part, and I have only a tepid interest in the tribulations of the actors themselves.
All in all, excellent writing, but lackadaisical characterization that keeps the book from being the success it might have been.
PS In the Open Road Media edition, the true book is 375 pages long, followed by over hundred pages of excerpt from the sequel.
May 19, 2013
Originally published back in the 80s, At Winter's End, the first part in the New Spring time series of two books is getting a re-relase. And if you haven't read it you probably should now.
The book is classified as science fiction which will probably get those who worry about such things all tied in knots. It's certainly not hard SF and you could arguably call it fantasy since it does not worry about the science behind what is happening. Which is fine with me, because that's not what the book is about.
Silverberg uses his story which focuses on a tribe coming out of a 700 millennia long seclusion (as the result of meteors striking the planet and creating a long winter) and their attempt to both adapt to a new world establish a civilization as an opportunity to muse on what it actually means to be human.
The People as the tribe call themselves believe that they are human. This is what the chronicles tell them after all. Yet they do not look like humans and no one else they meet will acknowledge them as human. What are they then? The answer to that is what essentially concludes this story.
Of course while there are other things going on in the mean time. The tribe explores the new world and is faced with many challenges. The very social structure which they have become accustomed to is thrown in to chaos. They have moved from a world which requires that everything remain in stasis to a world which requires growth and change.
Over a period of years we watch these characters attempt to deal with the challenges they face. They are at turns selfish, brutal, clever and well meaning. The characters certainly feel human regardless of their race.
I found the story compelling and on at least one occasion found myself reading late into the night, reluctant to stop at any point, desperate to know more.
We only get to explore a tiny portion of this vast world, but the little bit we get both of geography and culture is fascinating. The new races do feel a little dated now and wouldn't pass for a sophisticated modern alien but they serve their purpose in the story effectively.
I can't quite call this a classic and I still consider Lord Valentine's Castle my favorite Silverberg book, but I'm giving this one a strong recommendation.
The book is classified as science fiction which will probably get those who worry about such things all tied in knots. It's certainly not hard SF and you could arguably call it fantasy since it does not worry about the science behind what is happening. Which is fine with me, because that's not what the book is about.
Silverberg uses his story which focuses on a tribe coming out of a 700 millennia long seclusion (as the result of meteors striking the planet and creating a long winter) and their attempt to both adapt to a new world establish a civilization as an opportunity to muse on what it actually means to be human.
The People as the tribe call themselves believe that they are human. This is what the chronicles tell them after all. Yet they do not look like humans and no one else they meet will acknowledge them as human. What are they then? The answer to that is what essentially concludes this story.
Of course while there are other things going on in the mean time. The tribe explores the new world and is faced with many challenges. The very social structure which they have become accustomed to is thrown in to chaos. They have moved from a world which requires that everything remain in stasis to a world which requires growth and change.
Over a period of years we watch these characters attempt to deal with the challenges they face. They are at turns selfish, brutal, clever and well meaning. The characters certainly feel human regardless of their race.
I found the story compelling and on at least one occasion found myself reading late into the night, reluctant to stop at any point, desperate to know more.
We only get to explore a tiny portion of this vast world, but the little bit we get both of geography and culture is fascinating. The new races do feel a little dated now and wouldn't pass for a sophisticated modern alien but they serve their purpose in the story effectively.
I can't quite call this a classic and I still consider Lord Valentine's Castle my favorite Silverberg book, but I'm giving this one a strong recommendation.
December 12, 2019
Interesting ideas but it doesn't go anywhere and it hasn't dated well.
I liked the story; it's slow-moving and not very eventful but I still found it interesting. There's maybe a bit too much drama and it outweighs the action and plot too much to really suit me. The most exciting thing in a post-apocalyptic world full of strange animals and lost cities to explore isn't who is going to be in charge of the little group of survivors.
My biggest issue with this story is - probably due to it being written by a man in the 80's - it's full of constant, low-level sexism.
It got off to a good start; the tribe is led by a woman, Keshmar, who is in a committed, supportive relationship with another woman. Keshmar is a fantastic character, stubborn, strong-willed, determined to be in charge - for the time it was written this was probably groundbreaking.
From those lofty heights it slowly falls back into gender stereotypes - oddly for a tribe where the leaders are women, the rest of the women all follow their men around and let them make all the decisions for them. For example, the tribe splinters off and it's the men that make the decision to stay or leave, the women follow without question or any sort of input.
Keshmar's partner leaves her twice for different men and also included is that common cliche of men writing female characters: we have the moment where a young woman inspects her breasts.
It doesn't help that I hated the hero of the book: a very annoying young boy who at 9 years old is "different" - super intelligent and the only one that can read.
I didn't hate the actual story but it's nothing special and has been done many times and much better.
I liked the story; it's slow-moving and not very eventful but I still found it interesting. There's maybe a bit too much drama and it outweighs the action and plot too much to really suit me. The most exciting thing in a post-apocalyptic world full of strange animals and lost cities to explore isn't who is going to be in charge of the little group of survivors.
My biggest issue with this story is - probably due to it being written by a man in the 80's - it's full of constant, low-level sexism.
It got off to a good start; the tribe is led by a woman, Keshmar, who is in a committed, supportive relationship with another woman. Keshmar is a fantastic character, stubborn, strong-willed, determined to be in charge - for the time it was written this was probably groundbreaking.
From those lofty heights it slowly falls back into gender stereotypes - oddly for a tribe where the leaders are women, the rest of the women all follow their men around and let them make all the decisions for them. For example, the tribe splinters off and it's the men that make the decision to stay or leave, the women follow without question or any sort of input.
Keshmar's partner leaves her twice for different men and also included is that common cliche of men writing female characters: we have the moment where a young woman inspects her breasts.
It doesn't help that I hated the hero of the book: a very annoying young boy who at 9 years old is "different" - super intelligent and the only one that can read.
I didn't hate the actual story but it's nothing special and has been done many times and much better.
February 18, 2024
Mix Fallout and Planet of the Apes. Add some psychic powers for some spice. Let it simmer and you’ll get this great book by the science fiction master, Robert Silverberg.
Chock full of great survival drama, interpersonal relationships, philosophy, and likable characters, this story is just what the doctor ordered. To me, it felt like a nice mixture of old fashioned science fiction with the more modern style of storytelling.
For hundreds of hundreds of years, the People have lived in the depths of the cocoon, waiting for the prophesied day to re-inherit the world after meteors destroyed the world. Now this time is upon them, and they must soldier out into an unforgiving land where their traditions and relationships will be tested. This is especially so for a curious young boy whose penchant for knowledge leads him into trouble more often than not.
If you like Silverberg, if you like Fallout, or if you like a primal/prehistoric feel to your stories, this book will not disappoint.
Chock full of great survival drama, interpersonal relationships, philosophy, and likable characters, this story is just what the doctor ordered. To me, it felt like a nice mixture of old fashioned science fiction with the more modern style of storytelling.
For hundreds of hundreds of years, the People have lived in the depths of the cocoon, waiting for the prophesied day to re-inherit the world after meteors destroyed the world. Now this time is upon them, and they must soldier out into an unforgiving land where their traditions and relationships will be tested. This is especially so for a curious young boy whose penchant for knowledge leads him into trouble more often than not.
If you like Silverberg, if you like Fallout, or if you like a primal/prehistoric feel to your stories, this book will not disappoint.
June 22, 2013
...There is more than meets they eye to this book. To a superficial reader it might seem a tad slow and in need of a good dose of action but it provides what a science fiction novel is supposed to provide, food for thought. And plenty of it. The position the characters find themselves in invariably mirrors some shift in the culture and societal structure of the people, and finding out what is going on on that level is perhaps even more fascinating that following the lives of the tribe's individual members. It is perhaps not the most interesting novel for those who like very character driven stories but if you like looking at the big picture, At Winter's End is a novel you'll enjoy.
Full Random Comments review
Full Random Comments review
December 17, 2007
This was the closest I got to erotica when I was 11.
February 7, 2020
A creative high fantasy--or arguably, science fiction with that fantasy level of worldbuilding. Dense with lore and pseudo-myth. A throwback to classic writing like Herbert and Tolkien. And yet, I was disappointed. So many of the author's choices, especially for the ending, were puzzling.
At first I was suprised and pleased to find two protagonists who are wlw in a book written in 1988. There are a few moments in their characterization where you kind of think, "ugh, this was written by a man," but it's still inspiring. But then as the story went on I realized the characters are not really meant to be wlw; they're meant to be "friends." Not mates, but "twining-partners," which is a more intimate connection than mating. IDK. I'm marking it lgbtq but you could argue it's not overtly gay. And the maybe-gay characters didn't have a particularly satisfying arc.
The premise is deeply intriguing to my agorophobia. The story starts with a band of 60 humans living underground. 700,000 years ago there was some sort of shower of meteors that hit the earth and drove most of the species then living into extinction. The humans have been living underground since that time, in a safe "coccoon" of caves where breeding is severely limited. They keep records of the past, giving the story a rich mythology and theology. The culture is pre-industrial and--a bold move I think--they have fur and tales. When the story begins, it is finally time for them to go forth from the caves and experience the wider world.
In the beginning I liked how Silverberg developed his characters. They felt very human. Or at least, human as imagined by a man who lived in the 1980s. As I went on I did have a few problems with that, with their values... like for instance, there's an old mentor who smacks his young protege around, and it's presented as affectionate teaching behavior. Also, at times the perspective encourages you to empathize with a rapist. I'm not usually bothered by problematic elements, but this was more of a ??? in emotional consistency. I didn't understand why the author chose, for instance, not to develop the hjjk men any. I was so curious about them!
Some of the themes are interesting. The author ponders the role of death and destruction in the cycle of life, and also the nature and meaning of being "human." But I'm not sure I liked the conclusions he reached. I felt like there was more unachieved potential, like questions weren't being asked.
I guess I really enjoyed the first half of the book but the last half left me confused and disappointed. I plan to read more of this author, but I'm wary about him.
At first I was suprised and pleased to find two protagonists who are wlw in a book written in 1988. There are a few moments in their characterization where you kind of think, "ugh, this was written by a man," but it's still inspiring. But then as the story went on I realized the characters are not really meant to be wlw; they're meant to be "friends." Not mates, but "twining-partners," which is a more intimate connection than mating. IDK. I'm marking it lgbtq but you could argue it's not overtly gay. And the maybe-gay characters didn't have a particularly satisfying arc.
The premise is deeply intriguing to my agorophobia. The story starts with a band of 60 humans living underground. 700,000 years ago there was some sort of shower of meteors that hit the earth and drove most of the species then living into extinction. The humans have been living underground since that time, in a safe "coccoon" of caves where breeding is severely limited. They keep records of the past, giving the story a rich mythology and theology. The culture is pre-industrial and--a bold move I think--they have fur and tales. When the story begins, it is finally time for them to go forth from the caves and experience the wider world.
In the beginning I liked how Silverberg developed his characters. They felt very human. Or at least, human as imagined by a man who lived in the 1980s. As I went on I did have a few problems with that, with their values... like for instance, there's an old mentor who smacks his young protege around, and it's presented as affectionate teaching behavior. Also, at times the perspective encourages you to empathize with a rapist. I'm not usually bothered by problematic elements, but this was more of a ??? in emotional consistency. I didn't understand why the author chose, for instance, not to develop the hjjk men any. I was so curious about them!
Some of the themes are interesting. The author ponders the role of death and destruction in the cycle of life, and also the nature and meaning of being "human." But I'm not sure I liked the conclusions he reached. I felt like there was more unachieved potential, like questions weren't being asked.
I guess I really enjoyed the first half of the book but the last half left me confused and disappointed. I plan to read more of this author, but I'm wary about him.
July 25, 2013
This is an older treasure (original publication 1988) from one of our science fiction greats. It's got Golden Age sense of wonder, a contemporary attitude about gender equality, and an optimism that's been hard to find in the last decade or so.
That's on top of the excellent writing, world-building, and character development.
The People have been living underground in the Cocoon for 700,000 years, ever since the fall of the Death Stars ended the civilization of the Great World and brought the Long Winter to Earth. They've had to limit births, and send their aging tribe members out into the desolate cold to die at the limit age of thirty-five, but it has been overall a comfortable life, and a good one. Now, though, omens of change surround them. Thaggoran, the tribe's "old man," or chronicler (and the only member not subject to the limit age), detects signs that, as predicted by the chronicles, the giant ice eater worms are approaching through the rock and ice below the cocoon. When they reach it, the cocoon will be destroyed. Riyyig Dream Dreamer, a strange-looking creature with no fur, no sensing organ/tail, awakens and announces the coming of the New Springtime, and then dies.
Koshmar, the tribe's chieftain, overrides all doubts, and prepares her tribe to leave the cocoon forever and venture out into world.
What follows is an exploration and an adventure. The world has changed in seven hundred thousand years, and the end of the Long Winter doesn't change the fact that all the plants and animals they encounter are new, completely unknown to either their experience or anything the chronicles can tell them.
They also meet some survivors of the long-dead Great World--the hjjk-men, insectoid beings who are the only (other?) survivors of the Six Peoples: the hjjk-men, vegetals, mechanicals, sapphire-eyes, sea lords, and humans.
The People know that they're the humans, destined to inherit the world after the end of the Great World civilization, now that the New Springtime has come.
There are wonderful characters in this book. Koshmar is proud, ambitious, but dedicated to the welfare of her people. Torlyri, the offering-woman, is gentle and deferential, and a major source of strength both for Koshmar, and for the tribe as a whole. Hresh, a young boy often called Hresh-full-of-questions, learns to ask uncomfortable questions and find answers the tribe needs, as he grows into manhood. Harruel, the senior warrior of the tribe, is a complicated character filled with ambition, violence, and self-will, but willing to face real hardships for the tribe, and with an instinct for some risks that others miss.
This is a rich world well worth exploring, and some great characters to do it with.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
That's on top of the excellent writing, world-building, and character development.
The People have been living underground in the Cocoon for 700,000 years, ever since the fall of the Death Stars ended the civilization of the Great World and brought the Long Winter to Earth. They've had to limit births, and send their aging tribe members out into the desolate cold to die at the limit age of thirty-five, but it has been overall a comfortable life, and a good one. Now, though, omens of change surround them. Thaggoran, the tribe's "old man," or chronicler (and the only member not subject to the limit age), detects signs that, as predicted by the chronicles, the giant ice eater worms are approaching through the rock and ice below the cocoon. When they reach it, the cocoon will be destroyed. Riyyig Dream Dreamer, a strange-looking creature with no fur, no sensing organ/tail, awakens and announces the coming of the New Springtime, and then dies.
Koshmar, the tribe's chieftain, overrides all doubts, and prepares her tribe to leave the cocoon forever and venture out into world.
What follows is an exploration and an adventure. The world has changed in seven hundred thousand years, and the end of the Long Winter doesn't change the fact that all the plants and animals they encounter are new, completely unknown to either their experience or anything the chronicles can tell them.
They also meet some survivors of the long-dead Great World--the hjjk-men, insectoid beings who are the only (other?) survivors of the Six Peoples: the hjjk-men, vegetals, mechanicals, sapphire-eyes, sea lords, and humans.
The People know that they're the humans, destined to inherit the world after the end of the Great World civilization, now that the New Springtime has come.
There are wonderful characters in this book. Koshmar is proud, ambitious, but dedicated to the welfare of her people. Torlyri, the offering-woman, is gentle and deferential, and a major source of strength both for Koshmar, and for the tribe as a whole. Hresh, a young boy often called Hresh-full-of-questions, learns to ask uncomfortable questions and find answers the tribe needs, as he grows into manhood. Harruel, the senior warrior of the tribe, is a complicated character filled with ambition, violence, and self-will, but willing to face real hardships for the tribe, and with an instinct for some risks that others miss.
This is a rich world well worth exploring, and some great characters to do it with.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 7, 2018
At winter's End makes you question what it really means to be human. The story gives you a glimpse of the descendants of the human race a few million years after being forced underground by a nuclear apocalypse. While their lives are difficult and, in some instances barbaric, to them it is business as usual.
The story is entertaining while at the same time making you question your own beliefs and values on whether the defining characteristics of humanity is appearance or intelligence?
The story is entertaining while at the same time making you question your own beliefs and values on whether the defining characteristics of humanity is appearance or intelligence?
May 6, 2019
The People have lived in a cave for thousands of years, and the portents tell them it's time to leave.
OK, but I couldn't find anything to care about. Started skimming after the first third of the book, still didn't find anything. There's no action sequences. There's not much political intrigue. There's one interesting concept about the early history of the People, but it seems they never learn about it. I can't imagine spending my time on book 2.
OK, but I couldn't find anything to care about. Started skimming after the first third of the book, still didn't find anything. There's no action sequences. There's not much political intrigue. There's one interesting concept about the early history of the People, but it seems they never learn about it. I can't imagine spending my time on book 2.
November 7, 2017
A good story of a people in the far future facing an uncertain destiny. Silverberg always spins a good yarn and this is no exception. When reading his works, I often feel he has a general idea of how he wants to end the book but that the path getting there often evolves as he writes it. This one was much that way.
January 31, 2019
6/10. Media de los 30 libros leídos del autor : 6/10
Leí mucho a Silverberg de chaval. Junto a joyas como "Tiempo de mutantes" o "El hombre en el laberinto" (o incluso la saga e Majipur) tiene libros normalitos o malos-malos. Este mas bien normalito.
Leí mucho a Silverberg de chaval. Junto a joyas como "Tiempo de mutantes" o "El hombre en el laberinto" (o incluso la saga e Majipur) tiene libros normalitos o malos-malos. Este mas bien normalito.
October 7, 2018
What an astonishing book -- another tribute to the extraordinary imagination of Silverberg, and definitely one of his better novels. It's a long read, and what I like about long reads is that they keep you company for a week or several, whereas quick reads tends to go by like fallen leaves in the breeze.
Some readers will certainly find the pace slow, but At Winter's End was never plotted to be a thriller. However, it is a mystery, and a darned good one, which should keep you guessing till close to the end: what happened to the humans, as the Earth flounders through a 'nuclear winter' seven hundred thousand years long, in the wake of a cometary impact? What, indeed...
Throughout, the characters are so vivid, they really do come alive, and remain with you days after you put the book down. A couple of them perish or are left behind, and you'll be sad. The closing section is extremely emotional, and because it's a long, involving book, you may find it very moving.
As always, Silverberg's writing is lush, extravagant, filled with great imagery and vast imagination. Some readers don't actually care for the intricate level of detail which underpins so many of his works, but if you do, you'll find this one richly fulfilling. If you don't ... well, better to pass on to something with more pace and "kick," because I will say, right here, the mysterious ruined city and the reborn Earth are not elements of the backdrop, they're characters with their own major parts to play, and Silverberg scripts them as lovingly as his protagonists. The style is lyrically beautiful, and SF merges into fantasy, back and forth, effortlessly: Silverberg at his best.
For me, this a five-star read. I must see if I can track down the follow-on novel. Not that At Winter's End needed a sequel: its complete, in and of itself. But I did liked the characters and world so much, I wouldn't at all mind coming back for a second helping!
Some readers will certainly find the pace slow, but At Winter's End was never plotted to be a thriller. However, it is a mystery, and a darned good one, which should keep you guessing till close to the end: what happened to the humans, as the Earth flounders through a 'nuclear winter' seven hundred thousand years long, in the wake of a cometary impact? What, indeed...
Throughout, the characters are so vivid, they really do come alive, and remain with you days after you put the book down. A couple of them perish or are left behind, and you'll be sad. The closing section is extremely emotional, and because it's a long, involving book, you may find it very moving.
As always, Silverberg's writing is lush, extravagant, filled with great imagery and vast imagination. Some readers don't actually care for the intricate level of detail which underpins so many of his works, but if you do, you'll find this one richly fulfilling. If you don't ... well, better to pass on to something with more pace and "kick," because I will say, right here, the mysterious ruined city and the reborn Earth are not elements of the backdrop, they're characters with their own major parts to play, and Silverberg scripts them as lovingly as his protagonists. The style is lyrically beautiful, and SF merges into fantasy, back and forth, effortlessly: Silverberg at his best.
For me, this a five-star read. I must see if I can track down the follow-on novel. Not that At Winter's End needed a sequel: its complete, in and of itself. But I did liked the characters and world so much, I wouldn't at all mind coming back for a second helping!
December 2, 2025
La grande planète s'approche de la fin de l'hiver. Mais pas n'importe quel hiver ! Un hiver de 700 000 ans (dans le roman, la durée de 70 000 est énoncée au début et dans le quatrième de page, mais la durée de 700 000 est la plus utilisée), dû à la chute assez fréquente de comètes qui ont obscurci le ciel et fait tomber la température. Pour le peuple, le temps est venu de sortir de son cocon protecteur dans la montagne. Bien sûr, la majorité des espèces ont disparu, dont certaines intelligentes. Mais la vie a repris son cour et de nouvelles espèces ont émergé.
Tout un changement pour le peuple et sa chef Koshmar, mais quelle stimulation pour le jeune Hresh avec son esprit vif et sa curiosité débordante. Le monde entier vient de s'ouvrir. Et où aller ? Sans compter que le peuple se classe comme humain, mais il a une fourrure et une queue sensorielle qui accroit ses perceptions.
Un roman qui raconte les aventures du peuple et ses découvertes : des animaux étranges, des êtres bizarres, des restes de civilisation peu compréhensibles et quelquefois des conflits dans la tribu. Et Hresh commence tranquillement à devenir celui qui a les réponses.
Un roman plutôt d'inspiration fantasy avec des pouvoirs et des objets plus magiques que scientifiques. L'auteur a laissé aller son imagination sans trop s'attarder à la plausibilité. Par malheur, le ton ressemble à celui d'un documentaire; on se sent peu impliqué et il ne suscite guère d'émotions.
J'ai aimé, car il se lit bien. Mais je remet la suite de la série à plus tard.
Tout un changement pour le peuple et sa chef Koshmar, mais quelle stimulation pour le jeune Hresh avec son esprit vif et sa curiosité débordante. Le monde entier vient de s'ouvrir. Et où aller ? Sans compter que le peuple se classe comme humain, mais il a une fourrure et une queue sensorielle qui accroit ses perceptions.
Un roman qui raconte les aventures du peuple et ses découvertes : des animaux étranges, des êtres bizarres, des restes de civilisation peu compréhensibles et quelquefois des conflits dans la tribu. Et Hresh commence tranquillement à devenir celui qui a les réponses.
Un roman plutôt d'inspiration fantasy avec des pouvoirs et des objets plus magiques que scientifiques. L'auteur a laissé aller son imagination sans trop s'attarder à la plausibilité. Par malheur, le ton ressemble à celui d'un documentaire; on se sent peu impliqué et il ne suscite guère d'émotions.
J'ai aimé, car il se lit bien. Mais je remet la suite de la série à plus tard.
February 24, 2020
A perfectly serviceable, yeomanlike far-future post-apocalypse tale with a terrible cover that actually turned out to be pretty accurate. At some point on every day I was reading this I turned to my partner and said, "Well, back to my boob apes." I was trying to resist the idea that they were chimp-like until that became unavoidable, mostly because that just seemed too close to Planet of the Apes, which isn't really fair. Anyway. It's fine! Not exactly a book of ideas, though it glanced at patriarchy vs. matriarchy and the value of life in a Universe without meaning, and by "glanced at" I mean these topics came up but were not addressed to an extent that drew any interesting conclusions. Twining (sex-ish psychic coupling) was interesting, but again, it's treatment was mostly on the level of "it happens, it's cool, it means something different than sex." Can it go wrong? How are are the mores around twining different than sex? Can you twine with an animal and control it like in Avatar? What if you lose your tail? Too many other things going on to get into that stuff.
I picked this up because Silverberg's Dying Inside was so lauded in Among Others and this was the most interesting Silverberg book I could find at the used bookstore. I'm glad I didn't dislike it, so I'm still looking forward to trying Dying Inside.
I picked this up because Silverberg's Dying Inside was so lauded in Among Others and this was the most interesting Silverberg book I could find at the used bookstore. I'm glad I didn't dislike it, so I'm still looking forward to trying Dying Inside.
February 19, 2024
‘At Winter's End’ is an early fantasy novel about the renewal of life on earth after almost a million years of a radioactive ice age. It is written in almost a lyrical style, about the exodus of a tribe from an underground shelter into a clean and warming open air, to seek a new life. The discoveries they make (the most stunning is that they are not human), the changes they adapt to (procreation in the shelter had perforce to be limited, and no one allowed to live beyond thirty or thirty-five at most); while a woman was almost always chosen as the tribe’s chief, it is not a matriarchal society. Thus, with the new freedom, the men grow aggressive and rebellious. The inevitable split takes place, while all around them are other tribes, having mutated or evolved as a result of underground living and limited food supplies into different kinds of beings, both friendly and hosgile. The Chronicler or wise man of the clan dies just as the exodus is about to start. In his place, an eleven-year old boy, hungry with energy and curiosity, is made the wise man!
These little touches make the book unforgettable. If there is a fault to be found, it is that just two people in the book have independent minds, and control the tribe as a flock of sheep. Robert Silverberg’s style and narrative is impeccable at all times.
These little touches make the book unforgettable. If there is a fault to be found, it is that just two people in the book have independent minds, and control the tribe as a flock of sheep. Robert Silverberg’s style and narrative is impeccable at all times.
August 6, 2025
Mit Robert Silverbergs Romane haben ich manchmal Probleme. Er schafft es große Ideen aufzuwerfen, aber die Handlungen wirken manchmal arg antiquiert.
So auch in "am Ende des Winters", dem ersten Band einer Duologie.
Nach einem Meteoritenschauer und einer folgenden Eiszeit ist die Erde für Millionen Jahre unbewohnbar. Ein Volk menschenähnlicher Wesen hat sich über die Zeit unter der Erde versteckt und kommt nun, nach dem langen Winter zurück zur Oberfläche.
Dort existiert mittlerweile eine völlig anderen Welt und es gibt nur noch Ruinen der Vergangenheit.
Silverberg versucht hier die große Frage zu beantworten. Was macht einen Menschen aus? Obwohl die Rückkehrer nicht wie Menschen aussehen, halten sie sich für solche.
Die Handlung selbst ist sehr gemächlich. Silverberg lässt und den Stamm der Überlebenden begleiten und schildert deren Überlebenskampf. Nur leider ist dies mäßig interessant. Die an sich gute Grundidee reicht nicht aus, um über eine mäßige Handlung und seltsame Charaktere hinwegtäuschen. Die Charaktere sollen natürlich nach Millionen Jahren anders als wir Menschen sein. Sind dann aber doch zu ähnlich, um interessant zu wirken.
Ob sich der zweite Teil wirklich lohnt anzufangen, ist noch unklar.
So auch in "am Ende des Winters", dem ersten Band einer Duologie.
Nach einem Meteoritenschauer und einer folgenden Eiszeit ist die Erde für Millionen Jahre unbewohnbar. Ein Volk menschenähnlicher Wesen hat sich über die Zeit unter der Erde versteckt und kommt nun, nach dem langen Winter zurück zur Oberfläche.
Dort existiert mittlerweile eine völlig anderen Welt und es gibt nur noch Ruinen der Vergangenheit.
Silverberg versucht hier die große Frage zu beantworten. Was macht einen Menschen aus? Obwohl die Rückkehrer nicht wie Menschen aussehen, halten sie sich für solche.
Die Handlung selbst ist sehr gemächlich. Silverberg lässt und den Stamm der Überlebenden begleiten und schildert deren Überlebenskampf. Nur leider ist dies mäßig interessant. Die an sich gute Grundidee reicht nicht aus, um über eine mäßige Handlung und seltsame Charaktere hinwegtäuschen. Die Charaktere sollen natürlich nach Millionen Jahren anders als wir Menschen sein. Sind dann aber doch zu ähnlich, um interessant zu wirken.
Ob sich der zweite Teil wirklich lohnt anzufangen, ist noch unklar.
July 16, 2023
This is my kind of science fiction fantasy. Yes, the setting is rather fantastical - about genetically uplifted apes and several genetically mutated lifeforms that have evolved after the surface destruction of the world - but there is also the exploration of technology left behind by the previous civilization. No dragons, magical fairies or pixie dust, which is what puts me off to most fantasy.
The characterization is vivid and varied in the role of gender and generations. There’s a cautious elder, a precocious youngster, a strong female leader, and a grumpy male figure that just doesn’t see the nuances in life. I like how the characters evolve and question their experiences but essentially remain true to their own psychological temperament. Even in my own family we can characterize each other based on normative behavior. Same in the work place. Too many writers seem to seek out transformative shifts in the characters, which I don’t believe reflects what we actually experience in life.
The settings are lavish, the intrigue of danger and discovery at every turn. The story perfectly balances action with inner thought, and there are no lulls in the development, all the while rooting for the main characters and the destiny that awaits them. I’ve read this twice now and will re-read again in the future. I give this a 9/10 on my own rating scale, and the sequel The New Springtime a 9.5/10.
The characterization is vivid and varied in the role of gender and generations. There’s a cautious elder, a precocious youngster, a strong female leader, and a grumpy male figure that just doesn’t see the nuances in life. I like how the characters evolve and question their experiences but essentially remain true to their own psychological temperament. Even in my own family we can characterize each other based on normative behavior. Same in the work place. Too many writers seem to seek out transformative shifts in the characters, which I don’t believe reflects what we actually experience in life.
The settings are lavish, the intrigue of danger and discovery at every turn. The story perfectly balances action with inner thought, and there are no lulls in the development, all the while rooting for the main characters and the destiny that awaits them. I’ve read this twice now and will re-read again in the future. I give this a 9/10 on my own rating scale, and the sequel The New Springtime a 9.5/10.
July 21, 2021
I might go for 3-1/2 stars for this. I don't think it's one of Silverberg's best, but it IS Silverberg. I didn't know there was a second novel in this series, but I find myself drawn to it, because of the development of the characters, being millions of years on a future Earth, they are quite different than your usual science fiction earthlings. I would appreciate more scene/chapter breaks. I always seem to have to quit reading right in the middle of something (maybe 10-15 page chapters, rather than 25-40.
I am looking forward to the second, and last, book in the series, even though I have heard it's a monster (more sleepless night ahead, I fear).
If you like grand scopes (26 million years in the future, 700,000 years living underground) this series should pique your interest.
I am looking forward to the second, and last, book in the series, even though I have heard it's a monster (more sleepless night ahead, I fear).
If you like grand scopes (26 million years in the future, 700,000 years living underground) this series should pique your interest.
April 26, 2025
a random pick up from bucket o blood on a whim. surprisingly smokeable.
although the world building is new and vibrant, the strength of At Winter’s End is in its characters. Every member has their own interesting complexities - secret ambitions and colorful idiosyncrasies. as you learn more about the world and each member of The People you slowly accept and believe in the religious destiny of the tribe. everyone has their role, everyone plays their part, everyone is succeeded. there is a beauty in the determinism of it all.
Hresh, who is the unofficial protagonist of the novel, is wonderfully curious, hilariously witty, and frustratingly angsty (a great combo).
recommend for anyone has questioned their humanity and is into monkey furries.
although the world building is new and vibrant, the strength of At Winter’s End is in its characters. Every member has their own interesting complexities - secret ambitions and colorful idiosyncrasies. as you learn more about the world and each member of The People you slowly accept and believe in the religious destiny of the tribe. everyone has their role, everyone plays their part, everyone is succeeded. there is a beauty in the determinism of it all.
Hresh, who is the unofficial protagonist of the novel, is wonderfully curious, hilariously witty, and frustratingly angsty (a great combo).
recommend for anyone has questioned their humanity and is into monkey furries.
October 27, 2017
While I feel an argument for sexism could be made for this novel, it would not be because of a lack of female characters. It would be for the hugely exaggerated emotional arcs of the female characters: climb to the top no matter who gets stepped on, die for lack of one's lesbian lover, choose to gamble on a man one knows little about... And the author is a man attempting to write female characters. Then again, all of the characters get plenty of time to be themselves living their individual lives with guilt, disappointment, goals, and love. There is a very diverse cast of characters both male and female, and it's a very imaginative look into the future.
September 25, 2018
I'm keeping this review short, as I think this just wasn't the type of book I expected. His world detail was great, characterization was good. Pacing was a bit slow, but to be expected from an alien archaeology style book.
For some reason, though, none of the characters or scenarios presented to me really clicked. I just couldn't quite care about what was going on, and a lot of the descriptions involving The People left me wanting to skip as there weren't gradual insights into their nature (aside from a couple of plot hooks that prevented it from stagnation).
I do think it's a good read, but not one which I particularly would feel is my favorite.
For some reason, though, none of the characters or scenarios presented to me really clicked. I just couldn't quite care about what was going on, and a lot of the descriptions involving The People left me wanting to skip as there weren't gradual insights into their nature (aside from a couple of plot hooks that prevented it from stagnation).
I do think it's a good read, but not one which I particularly would feel is my favorite.
October 1, 2022
Shades of Planet of the Apes
An highly enjoyable experience... I haven't read Silverberg in over 50 years since and this book brings back my love of science fiction! After hundreds of thousands of years, a small tribe of people, not unlike the apes in Planet of the Apes, emerge from a cavern underground and discover a world they've never experienced before. They believe they are human, as their folklore describe, but come to realize they aren't. Can they become the new humans on this planet?
An highly enjoyable experience... I haven't read Silverberg in over 50 years since and this book brings back my love of science fiction! After hundreds of thousands of years, a small tribe of people, not unlike the apes in Planet of the Apes, emerge from a cavern underground and discover a world they've never experienced before. They believe they are human, as their folklore describe, but come to realize they aren't. Can they become the new humans on this planet?
July 1, 2023
Intrigued by the potential of its storyline in combination with Michael Whelan’s great art, this is the first Silverberg novel I’ve ever purchased and read.
I enjoyed this tale of the People who survived a long winter and then finally emerged to claim the new world outside their sheltered existence, finding that the author’s world-building and characters possessed the depth needed to craft a solid narrative. Silverberg’s writing is very accessible and engaging, and there are some great ideas here, with many unique customs and beliefs adding life to his protagonists.
I enjoyed this tale of the People who survived a long winter and then finally emerged to claim the new world outside their sheltered existence, finding that the author’s world-building and characters possessed the depth needed to craft a solid narrative. Silverberg’s writing is very accessible and engaging, and there are some great ideas here, with many unique customs and beliefs adding life to his protagonists.
September 7, 2022
Historia muy entretenida, que parte de la ciencia ficción con toques post-apocalípticos, aunque toca muchos temas: evolución de especies, pensamiento mágico, filosofía... Todo muy trabajado y con ideas bastante interesantes. Por supuesto, algún que otro fallo tiene, pero cumple con todo lo que le suelo pedir a un libro, que a su vez se resumen en un único verbo: entretener.
February 24, 2024
Silverberg rarely disapoints
While some of his works are better than others I have never been sorry for reading something by Silverberg.
At Winter's End has some interesting concepts and thoughts like most of his works do. His world building is always fantastical and imaginative and I will no have to read the next in the series.
While some of his works are better than others I have never been sorry for reading something by Silverberg.
At Winter's End has some interesting concepts and thoughts like most of his works do. His world building is always fantastical and imaginative and I will no have to read the next in the series.
March 13, 2025
Amazing -- amazingly bad that is! Amazing that an author with his accolades is willing to sink to such duplicitous writing. There is barely a plot to be found here. Appears to be more about inventing some sort of fantasy culture as an outlet for repressed sexual desire than anything else. Not recommended.
January 30, 2018
Science-fiction fans will love this book.
Beautiful imagery and an imagination as vast as the landscape being explored by the characters. I have rarely been called upon to question so thoroughly not just the nature of humanity, but also its origins.
Beautiful imagery and an imagination as vast as the landscape being explored by the characters. I have rarely been called upon to question so thoroughly not just the nature of humanity, but also its origins.
April 4, 2022
If I could give it 3 1/2 stars I would but it's not good enough for 4 stars. It should have had about 75 pages removed but it's still a good book and I will read the sequel. I can definitely see Silverberg's interest in anthropology and archaeology in it.
August 15, 2022
More fantasy than SF, I had this on my list because as a boy I had loved Time of the Great Freeze, and thought I’d enjoy this.
It was a decent read but ultimately I don’t think I will continue the series
It was a decent read but ultimately I don’t think I will continue the series
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