Highway of Eternity [Hardcover]

Clifford D. Simak (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Severn House Publishers Ltd (August 27, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0727814982
• ISBN-13: 978-0727814982
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,104,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The old magic never dimmed...., May 4, 2003

By 

OAKSHAMAN "oakshaman" (Algoma, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Highway of Eternity (Hardcover)

This final book of the master was a joy to read. Here, he returns, one last time, to many of the favorite topics, characters, and settings of so many of his other books and stories. All in one book you have time travel, alternate dimensions, robots, a vast brotherhood of friendly aliens, a very dog-like wolf (ala City), not to mention many other familiar elements. It is all contained in a very complex, skillfully woven, unpredictable narrative.

It is fitting that that this book should address the issues of immortality, eternity, and the purpose of life. After all, it was written only two years before the author died (peacefully and in his sleep.) You find immortality achieved by means of fields that hold time at bay, by artificially becoming points of pure intellect, by evolutionary means, by intelligent machines, etc. There is also the understanding that mankind has infinite potential to grow in intellect and understanding. Indeed, it is clearly stated that without consciousness and understanding the universe would lack meaning. That is the ultimate purpose of all sentient beings- to give meaning to the universe.

This is a mature, thoughtful, science fiction novel. It is not an old style shoot-em-up space opera, though it does have some pretty good killer monsters in the pay of sinister aliens from the future.

All in all, I found this novel to be an excellent capstone to a distinguished career. The old magic never dimmed. I actually postponed reading this book, for I knew that there would be no more coming after I had finished this one....

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clifford's Heritage!, May 11, 2006

By 

Maximiliano F Yofre "Maxi" (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Highway of Eternity (Hardcover)

Clifford Simak (1904-1988) wrote a masterpiece, "City" (1952), two remarkable sci-fi novels "Way Station" (1963) and "Highway of Eternity" (1986) and many good short stories and novels.

Here we have his last published novel that is a compendium of the author's major themes. He packs in a single volume: robots, aliens, a gentle wolf, a unique family, time travel, irresistible temptations to humankind and parallel universes.

Some passages express, what I think, are Simak's deepest convictions regarding human evolution in a cosmic perspective.

The story starts showing a cluster of very different characters that will be coming across each other and giving a special dynamism to the novel.

Sceneries change from present to far future and far past; from ordinary space to "eternity"; from an English farm landscape to purple alien deserts.

All these traits force the reader to be attentive to shifting characters and landscapes in order not to loose track of what's going on.

The tale is constructed as a mosaic that will gain significance as the plot progresses to a coherent end.

I recommend this book to sci-fi lovers. Do not let it pass by!

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

5.0 out of 5 stars Simak's last book - a suitable coda to his body of works, February 7, 2012

By 

Paul Brooks (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Highway of Eternity (Hardcover)

"He lay flat on his back, looking at the glittering points in the sky. he was content to watch. Up there, he saw the final phase of the human race. As segments of pure thought, humanity could survive the extinction of both time and space at the end of the universe. The intelligence of man would remain untouched in the emptiness and would persist forever. But persist for what? He tried to conjure up what might come, if anything could, after time and space were gone. He could think of nothing." from Highway to Eternity

The subject matters that are ruminated upon in "Highway To Eternity" by Clifford Simak, his last book incidentally, will not be unsettling to readers familiar with his other novels. New readers will, I suppose, be at first somewhat mystified then perhaps startled and finally, hopefully, inspired to seek out his other books.

Clifford Simak published 26 novels over the period 1950 - 1986. "Highway To Eternity" is his last novel published in 1986. The author died two years later at age 84.
On the surface this appears to be a convoluted "time travel" escapade interspaced with extensive metaphysical ponderings. Add to that an assortment of gruesome extraterrestrial aliens, dimwitted robots some mystifying beings, well, what results is a fine story but more to the point a suitable coda to Simak's novel-length works.

An extensive plot summary would not be very helpful so I will digress and outline some of the more relevant themes pertinent to not only this story but to many other Simak novels. These ruminations are based upon my readings as an admirer of the author.

ROBOTS - Robots are biologically created and almost identical in appearance and function to human. They are equal to humans in intelligence and believe that their eventual destiny is to be completely equilivent to human beings. There is some conjecture that they will replace "real" humans as "the" evolutionary entities on Earth. There is one major distinction: they cannot reproduce and seem to be emotionally stunted. Their role is usually one of a very intelligent helper, co-worker or servant, which they seem to accept without any introspection. Robots play a major role in several novels and are minor characters in several others.
TIME TRAVEL - Shifting through time is a common event in some novels. There is hardly any discussion as to the how, it just happens. In some cases the "mechanism" is stolen or provided by aliens or is an action performed voluntary or involuntary by an alien being from an advanced civilization. The event of time traveling is used primarily as a means to propel the plot and not a subject of deep introspection.
CRIPTIC BEINGS - In many books a supernatural, almost, god-like being plays a role that is critical to the story. The reader must usually, ultimately, decipher just who this entity may be, although there is almost always speculation as to its origins and motives.
MANKINDS FUTURE - Several books are deeply speculative concerning the evolutionary role of "intelligence beings" on earth particularly when there is interaction with alien beings.
NATURE - The author assumed a reverential attitude towards nature, primarily as it occurs in the American mid-west. In "Highway To Eternity" two humans speculated that after millions of years man has come to an evolutionary dead end and that intelligent trees will become the earth's contribution to the destiny of the universe.

I am lifelong reader of science-fiction/fantasy, an admirer of Simak's works having have read many of his 26 novels. However I claim no unique insights or privileged knowledge or association with Simak. My goal here is only to encourage individuals who are attracted to thoughtful and entertaining science fiction, and yes fantasy, to read the novels written by Clifford Simak.