A review by tome15
A Mirror for Observers by Edgar Pangborn
4.0
Pangborn, Edgar. A Mirror for Observers. 1954. Afterword by Peter S. Beagle. Bluejay, 1983.
Years before Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman collaborated on Good Omens, Edgar Pangborn, an almost forgotten master of fantasy and science fiction, gave the idea a more serious treatment. In A Mirror for Observers, two Martians meddle in human affairs, one intending benevolence and one hoping to hasten the collapse of civilization. In a small New England town, they observe a young boy who they suspect will have special qualities. The story is character-driven in the extreme, to the extent that some reviewers argue that the science fictional elements of the novel are unnecessary. Perhaps, but the ethical message at the heart of the novel goes down easier if it is enunciated by a caring Martian than it would be by a human character or an angel. Is the novel a creature of its time? Sure. Is it slow at times? Yup. Is it still worth a read? Definitely.
Years before Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman collaborated on Good Omens, Edgar Pangborn, an almost forgotten master of fantasy and science fiction, gave the idea a more serious treatment. In A Mirror for Observers, two Martians meddle in human affairs, one intending benevolence and one hoping to hasten the collapse of civilization. In a small New England town, they observe a young boy who they suspect will have special qualities. The story is character-driven in the extreme, to the extent that some reviewers argue that the science fictional elements of the novel are unnecessary. Perhaps, but the ethical message at the heart of the novel goes down easier if it is enunciated by a caring Martian than it would be by a human character or an angel. Is the novel a creature of its time? Sure. Is it slow at times? Yup. Is it still worth a read? Definitely.