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blake921's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
saralopolis's review against another edition
2.0
I just found this book terribly boring. When I first read the synopsis on the back of the book it sounded fantastic. It's about this guy called a watcher (it didn't really go into detail about what that was in the synopsis) and he is "led away from his vigil" by a girl, a flier, and they travel around together for a time. There is some sort of alien invasion on earth (I get the feeling it is set in a very far future version of earth where science and magic have sort of melded together) and this girl, the flier, has some secret knowledge that will mean salvation for the earth. Anyway, sounds amazing right, and it won a Hugo and Nebula award in Science Fiction, and so I thought it would be right up my alley but its not. It is boring as hell and it actually felt heavy in my mind when I tried to read through all of that drudgery. I just could not continue. Maybe it is just not the book I want to read at this time.
smortimer's review against another edition
4.0
Genre bingo: dying earth. Set in the far far future, a 1960’s science fantasy imaging of what happens to earth. Really interesting ideas, kind of dark at times which I liked. Would recommend if someone is curious about the genre but intimidated by the Jack Vance books that are not as accessible.
josephine687's review against another edition
Lost track of where I was in the audiobook and just too frustrating to take the time to find it again.
fallen_adam's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
scamp1234's review against another edition
3.0
Reread this to see if my opinion changed on this which it did slightly. Unfortunately I still couldn't find myself interested in any of the supporting characters outside of the watcher and Roum.
bl0ndekitten's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
marhill31's review against another edition
3.0
3.25 Stars
Robert Silverberg has become my favorite old school SF writer and I have read 6 books during his most prolific period of 1967-1976, beginning with [b:A Time of Changes|1706646|A Time of Changes|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1264969026s/1706646.jpg|1011356], [b:Downward to the Earth|12143546|Downward to the Earth|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347607384s/12143546.jpg|953818], [b:Tower of Glass|22047472|Tower of Glass|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1399456667s/22047472.jpg|1876968], [b:To Open the Sky|25072316|To Open the Sky|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1425514520s/25072316.jpg|1398402], [b:The Man in the Maze|449329|The Man in the Maze|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457202385s/449329.jpg|2505700], and [b:Nightwings|18244810|Nightwings|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1374852236s/18244810.jpg|3118873].
Nightwings is a short and mournful novel that follows the wanderings of a member of the Watcher's Guild as he looks to the stars in anticipation of a foretold alien invasion of Earth. His companions include a beautiful young 'Flyer' (the "Nightwings" of the title) and an enigmatic Changeling. During his journey, this Watcher sees the devastation caused the invaders as he is trying to figure out his new role as Earth has become an alien tourist attraction backwater planet.
Similar to [b:Downward to the Earth|12143546|Downward to the Earth|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347607384s/12143546.jpg|953818], Nightwings presents a spiritual journey in the novel and Silverberg explores with the concepts of sin and redemption quite well. However, I will admit I did not connect to the Watcher character of this novel like I did with the main character in Downward to the Earth.
Nightwings is my least favorite of the six Silverberg novels I have read from his most prolific period. But, Silverberg knows how to tell a story and present thought-provoking ideas as well as anyone in the genre.
Robert Silverberg has become my favorite old school SF writer and I have read 6 books during his most prolific period of 1967-1976, beginning with [b:A Time of Changes|1706646|A Time of Changes|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1264969026s/1706646.jpg|1011356], [b:Downward to the Earth|12143546|Downward to the Earth|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347607384s/12143546.jpg|953818], [b:Tower of Glass|22047472|Tower of Glass|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1399456667s/22047472.jpg|1876968], [b:To Open the Sky|25072316|To Open the Sky|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1425514520s/25072316.jpg|1398402], [b:The Man in the Maze|449329|The Man in the Maze|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457202385s/449329.jpg|2505700], and [b:Nightwings|18244810|Nightwings|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1374852236s/18244810.jpg|3118873].
Nightwings is a short and mournful novel that follows the wanderings of a member of the Watcher's Guild as he looks to the stars in anticipation of a foretold alien invasion of Earth. His companions include a beautiful young 'Flyer' (the "Nightwings" of the title) and an enigmatic Changeling. During his journey, this Watcher sees the devastation caused the invaders as he is trying to figure out his new role as Earth has become an alien tourist attraction backwater planet.
Similar to [b:Downward to the Earth|12143546|Downward to the Earth|Robert Silverberg|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1347607384s/12143546.jpg|953818], Nightwings presents a spiritual journey in the novel and Silverberg explores with the concepts of sin and redemption quite well. However, I will admit I did not connect to the Watcher character of this novel like I did with the main character in Downward to the Earth.
Nightwings is my least favorite of the six Silverberg novels I have read from his most prolific period. But, Silverberg knows how to tell a story and present thought-provoking ideas as well as anyone in the genre.
psteve's review against another edition
3.0
In the far future, mankind is separated into guilds, who all perform unique tasks. The main character is a watcher, who keeps looking for signs of an alien invasion, which is triggered by some brutal human behavior thousands of years in the future. Accompanied by a Flyer and a Changling, he travels from "Room" to "Perris" as at the first step in a pilgrimage which will occur during the alien invasion. The tale is well-told, and the main character and some others are well drawn. Still, it's clumsy in spots (as in the names of those cities), but still has a narrative pull.