Dreams from the stars
Written: Jun 03 '00
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: An entertaining and thought provoking story
Cons: The plot is a little disappointing
|
|
|
| DudeFace's Full Review: |
A different book by one of the true masters of science fiction
The cast of characters. Charlie, friend of Tom's, a scratcher who lives life scavenging the remains modern civilization. Elszabet, the caring and gentle director of a mind pick institute. Ferguson, convicted swindler and patient at the institute under Elszabet's care. Jaspin, the burn out social anthropologist turned religious fanatic. Finally, Tom O'Bedlam, source of all the power and mystery that everyone is trying to understand.
Tom O'Bedlam is your basic post apocalyptic novel. Thirty years after the dust war (radio active dust dropped rather then atomic bombs). Life drifts from one day to the next. People trying their best to make a future in a world that's dying. Enter a lost soul wandering his way back and forth across the country side. Tom feigns troubled innocence to cover the fact that he is the conduit for the vivid dreams being sent from the stars. As Tom's power increases, so does the power and the frequency of the dreams. Society starts to lose touch with its sanity.
The climax?
Your reason to read.
Tom O'Bedlam is a good example of one of Robert Silverberg's lesser books. What this means is that while this is a great tale, its not quite up to the stellar quality of some of Silverberg's other offerings. Is that a failing? I don't think so. Tom O'Bedlam isn't in the same class as Lord Valentine's Castle. Still, I would pull it off a shelf before the works of most other authors.
Characterization and visualization. No one paints a scene and places you in it with the talent of Silverberg. Unparalleled in science fiction.
Silverberg doesn't write pure sci-fi. The science isn't the star. If your looking for a view into a future with space stations and star travel pick up a tomb by Asimov or Clarke. With Silverberg, the focus is on the people he creates. He makes them shine brighter then the stars the stories are set among. Like every other novel he has written, Tom O'Bedlam places you in the future, watching the interactions, and routing for the heroes.
I can't give it five stars. The plot is a little flat, and it drags a little towards the climax.
Tom O'Bedlam does strongly earn four stars. The story is intriguing. The ending memorable.
The Bads: The plot is a little disappointing.
The Goods: An entertaining and thought provoking story.
Read it. You will have no regrets.
Recommended:
Yes
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
DudeFace
|
|
Location: Miami Lakes, Florida
Reviews written: 9
Trusted by: 3 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.