Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

Spoil away

3 stars or 4. Not sure.

There was a lot of filler here, I felt. Yes, it made the character more understandable, but long philosophical discussions, term papers, and long lists of stuff were meh. Story was ok, the character was ok even if a self-pitying whiner, a type I don't usually like. Which is a tribute ti Mr. Silverberg's writing, I guess.

Actually, I finally took the time to start Bujold's Penric series, which is what I really want to read now. But I always try to read our stuff first.

Kateblue wrote: "the character was ok even if a self-pitying whiner."

Agreed, he whines a lot, a kind of person ho thinks he got the worst lot on this Earth

Yet the way it is written, there is something about him you pity, and something that makes you keep reading. It's an odd SF book in that it is so inwardly focused.

Allan wrote: "Yet the way it is written, there is something about him you pity, and something that makes you keep reading. It's an odd SF book in that it is so inwardly focused."

agree--today, it might be considered literary

I liked this quite a lot. I'm still digesting the book, so I'm not sure whether I'll give it 4 or 5 stars.

Because there is a lot to digest, for such a short book! Like Allan said, this is atypical SF book. Is not New Wave, exactly, but the are similarities, especially with the more literary feel of the book. But while New Wave generally went for the symbolism, Dying Inside goes for the slice-of-life realism, only with telepathy.

The most interesting thing about the book is how Selig never does anything productive with his telepathy. His friend/foil Tom Nyqvist uses his power to make money when needed, butSelig seems peculiarly unwilling to use his gift for this purpose. He does sometimes read women's mind to find sexual partners, but he seems ashamed for doing this. In short, he has superhuman powers, but he wastes them completely. Selig is the original slacker.

I found it interesting that Selig is also extremely well-read, knowing all the classics of both ancient and modern times. I think you can see the whole book being an allegory about very intelligent people who get into humanities and literature, but who don't seem to get their life together You know, like the oft-repeated joke about McDonald/Starbucks/etc employees all being English majors.

Antti wrote: "Like Allan said, this is atypical SF book. Is not New Wave, exactly, but the are similarities, especially with the more literary feel of the book."

So far I've read only two books by the author, this one and The Book of Skulls, both bent to experimental and literary. I've also read his regular columns in Asimov's SF magazine, quite interesting

Was the book of skulls the one where they drove from and east coast college to a new york and then out west? I like this one MUCH better

Silverberg was quite prolific in the late 60's & 70's. He has an H/N book each year from 1968-1973, and is one of only a handful of authors with double-digit entries. These are the books on the list:
Thorns
The Masks of Time
Up the Line
Tower of Glass
A Time of Changes
The Book of Skulls
Dying Inside
The Stochastic Man
Shadrach in the Furnace
Lord Valentine's Castle

Allan wrote: "Silverberg was quite prolific in the late 60's & 70's. He has an H/N book each year from 1968-1973, and is one of only a handful of authors with double-digit entries. These are the books on the lis..."

Thanks for the list. I read Lord Valentine's Castle and hated it and never returned to Silverberg ever, so I'm glad we have read a couple. This most recent one was affirmatively not bad, IMHO

I've read the last 6 on the list above. I've liked all of them to varying degrees, except for The Stochastic Man, which I don't remember much. I have the other books in the Valentine series but haven't read them yet. A friend put me onto Silverberg a few years before I joined the group.

Kateblue wrote: "Was the book of skulls the one where they drove from and east coast college to a new york and then out west? I like this one MUCH better"

Yes, four guys, and each chapter narrated by one of them

I’ve read some Silverberg, but only Dying Inside and The Book of Skulls from the list of novels above. I believe those two were actually on the same Hugo ballot. Both good books in my opinion. I participated in this group’s discussion of The Book of Skulls last year. I enjoyed Dying Inside when I read it a few years ago but I don’t think I have anything to add to the current discussion.

Oleksandr wrote: "Kateblue wrote: "Was the book of skulls the one where they drove from and east coast college to a new york and then out west? I like this one MUCH better"

Yes, four guys, and each chapter narrated..."

thanks. yes, that one wasnot as good for me as Dying Inside

Computer gets better if turn off and let the screen cool off, apparently.

I've finished re-reading. One question that arose during the re-read: the 'present' in the novel is 1976, while it has been published in 1972 - why the author decided to push it to his future? One possible answer is to lengthen the time between LSD experience (1968) and final collapse of powers, but I ain't sure

Oleksandr wrote: "I've finished re-reading. One question that arose during the re-read: the 'present' in the novel is 1976, while it has been published in 1972 - why the author decided to push it to his future? One ..."

Interesting. I did not notice the gap in years. I just assumed he was writing current day,

Maybe he pushes them out a few years because he is writing several at the same time and doesn't know when they will be done or published? And a few years makes sure it's "futuristic?"

For what it’s worth, I’ve seen the character described as “semi-autobographical”. He’s 41 years old in the book’s 1976. Silverberg was born in 1935.

Stephen wrote: "For what it’s worth, I’ve seen the character described as “semi-autobographical”. He’s 41 years old in the book’s 1976. Silverberg was born in 1935."

Yes, I guess there is a tiny bit of autobiography, from childhood to college most likely. I doubt he earned money selling term papers - from what I recall he started publishing early and did copious amount of writing, including soft porn, which also can be seen in this novel

Finally added my review https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...