Customer Reviews

Mountains of Majipoor, The

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

For those of us who have read Silverberg's novels located in huge, beautiful and diverse Majipoor, the publication of a new book on this marvelous world is always a special event. Two of three previous books in this saga ("Lord Valentine's Castle" and "Valentine Pontifex"), have been full-length novels, with well developed characters and plots, covering 400 pages or more. The third one ("Majipoor Chronicles")is a collection of short stories, which contains one titled "A thief in Nimoya", which I consider one of the best ever written by Silverberg. However, "Mountains of Majipor" is only a short story, maybe what is considered a "novella" in the science fiction jargon. A large print and a clever page layout converted an otherwise short-story in a novel. The books depicts the adventures of a court noble who is disgraced and sent to one of the most remote and harshest areas of Majipoor, where he finds a primitive people, with very strange customs. His mission is to rescue several scientists who have been kidnapped by that isolated tribe. Silverberg's talent for creating believable and interesting aliens appears again in this book, which offers clues to the origin of one of the native peoples of the planet, the shapeshifters. I consider "Mountains of Majipoor" a loosening exercise by the author, preparing himself for the bigger task of giving his readers once again a full novel placed in Majipoor. That one is "Sorcerers of Majipoor", recently published. It was a good read, I liked it, but I expected a little more depth from one of the most respected authors in science fiction.

While I wouldn't put this book on the same level as Valentine Pontifex just because of its size, it is still a really fun book to read. WHile the events here do not affect the world of Majipoor in any big way, the simplicity and excitment of this one are really great.

Basically, the story consists of a prince from Castle Mount (Harpirias) being sent on a mission to recover a team of scientist that were captured by a lost tribe of barbarians (the Othinor) in the Kyhntor Mountains. While the story line was very simple, the action was great and the interactions among the characters (which had major communication problems) were entertaining and interesting.

This is a short, easy read, and I'd reccomend it to anyone who has enjoyed Silverberg's other Majipoor novels.

Buy this one last after you've read every other Majipoor novel, and you're addicted. It's a poor story that could have taken place anywhere; there's little that ties it to Majipoor at all. Silverberg doesn't seem to have dedicated much thought to this one.

I would have given this book 4 stars, but it is more of a short story and should have been published as such. Other than the length, I thought the book was very good overall. Great little story and even though I may have made other choices if I were in the main character's shoes, I respected and appreciated his actions anyway. The auther did a good job in swaying me to see things from the character's point of view. If you are trying to decide if it is worth reading, it is. Just don't pay full retail for it.

I had a hard time getting started with The Mountains of Majipoor, but once I did I couldn't put it down. This book is outstanding. The story is so well defined that I plan on reading it again in the near future. It's a must buy for all sci-fi lovers!

God help me, but I cannot comprehend how someone can stand this author.

It is now three novels I have attempted to care about by Silverberg, and I have failed utterly.