Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

Great news! I just noticed that Robert Silverberg has seven works (two novels, five short stories) available in the public domain (meaning they are free) right here: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/autho...

I have only read two previous Silverberg books, but I gave both 5 stars, a rating I don't that often give. I loved Hawksbill Station and his Volume 1 Science Fiction Hall of Fame is my favorite science fiction anthology of all time. Are there any other Silverberg fans out there?

The three series currently leading consideration for books of the month reads don't appeal to me right now -- they are all heavy time commitments (Hyperion Cantos - a repeat since we did the first two three years ago, Octavia Butler's Parable series, and an Alastair Reynolds trilogy). So I ordered Silverberg's Masks of Time for mail delivery because I am interested in Silverberg's take on Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Until that arrives I plan to have some free fun with early Silverberg. If anyone else has read or decides to read any of these seven Silverberg stories or his Masks of Time, let me know what you think!

Here is my review of two of the five short stories. Goodreads lists these as ebooks:

"The Hunted Heroes" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

"The Happy Unfortunate" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Nightwings was pretty good. I don't think I have read anything else by him.

thank you for the Project Gutenberg link, Dan! Silverberg is one of my favorite authors so I immediately downloaded each of them.

To me, Silverberg took over from Heinlein as the leading mainstream sci-fi author.

My review of "Birds of a Feather." This is the first Silverberg short story to get five stars from me. I was surprised at how good the three Wally Wood (of Daredevil fame) illustrations included were. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I don't see a review!

EDIT: now I see one.

Tom wrote: "To me, Silverberg took over from Heinlein as the leading mainstream sci-fi author."

I agree. I keep going back to Silverberg.

I just picked up this really cool early Robert Silverberg novel: Surprisingly, it does not have a single review here on GoodReads. I just started it, but it's an exciting read so far. I'll review it as soon as I finish it. [image error]

I'm looking forward to your review. the story looks really interesting to me.

I just found The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg, Volume 4: Trips: 1972-73 at a library sale for a dollar.

Great deal. That is one very well thought of volume. I've seldom seen a collection of short stories rated that highly.

Silverberg's consistently high standard was quite astonishing. Funnily enough if I was picking my sci fi top 10 then none of his novels would be close to it yet if picking a top 100 he'd have more entries than anyone.
There's a clear change from 'Lord Valentines Castle' onwards towards bigger(but not better). To mention just three of his earlier classics, try 'Dying Inside','Time of Changes' or 'Shadrach in the Furnace'.

I just finished the early Silverberg novel People Minus X / Lest We Forget Thee, Earth. It was excellent! Strangely, I am the first person to review it on this site. Anyway, here's a link if you want to read it: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Bill wrote: "Silverberg's consistently high standard was quite astonishing. Funnily enough if I was picking my sci fi top 10 then none of his novels would be close to it yet if picking a top 100 he'd have more ..."

I feel the same way. I gave Man in the Maze 5 stars on here, but the rest of the ones I've really enjoyed have been 4 stars.

I just posted reviews of two of Silverberg's freely available short stories:

"Judas Valley" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Postmark Ganymede"
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I think Silverberg's sheer volume of production in a single year (1957) is the most impressive I have ever seen of any author. Did the man not sleep for 365 days?!

I'm now reading his The Masks of Time, a book we as a group were considering as the read of the month not too long ago. It is billed as Silverberg's answer to Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. I can see that, but there are huge differences too. I'm only seventy pages in, but so far this is the best Silverberg book I've read yet. Heinlein focused Stranger on the visitor and his perspective. While not ignored by Silverberg, I like that his focus (so far) is more on the reaction of certain key characters that interact with the stranger. The question is the same as that framed in the Kevin Spacey film K-Pax: is this guy the real deal?