Tales of Majipoor

Seven stories of Majipoor from science fiction grand master Robert Silverberg

Hailed as "one of the most fully realized worlds of modern science fiction" (Booklist>), Majipoor is a planet unlike any other, with countless untold stories. Now, available for the first time in one volume, Silverberg presents seven tales that chronicle thousands of years of Majipoor’s history, from the arrival of the settlers of Old Earth to the expansion of vast cities to the extraordinary life of Lord Valentine. Within these stories lie the secrets of Majipoor - a wondrous world of incredible imagination.

©Asberg, Ltd. (P)2013 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"When Silverberg is at the top of his form, no one is better." (George R. R. Martin, number-one New York Times best-selling author, praise for Robert Silverberg and the novels of Majipoor)

"An imaginative fusion of action, sorcery, and science fiction." ( New York Times Book Review, praise for Robert Silverberg and the novels of Majipoor)

"Majipoor is probably the finest creation of Silverberg’s powerful imagination." ( Booklist, praise for Robert Silverberg and the novels of Majipoor)

Non-science fiction

Humans are living on a beautiful planet far from the Earth. Presumably they needed some pretty awesome technology to get there. But the technology represented in these stories is pre-industrial. No telecommunications, computers, cars, planes--nothing. What is equally weird is that the stories herein supposedly span thousands of years, but the technology never changes. Always the same Medieval technology. I think the author would have done better to make this historical fiction. Locate it in the Middle Ages or some other pre-industrial era.

Technology aside the stories are moderately interesting psychological portraits of various male characters.

Happily, there's no violence, no battles with aliens. Just quiet psychological sketches.

Well done

Interesting stories. Well executed. One of the best sci fi books included with audible. Rudnicki is so good.

Nostalgic Re-read

Years ago I stumbled upon the intriguing world of Majipoor at my local library. I read all the novels & short stories I could find. It has been a pleasure to reacquaint myself with this world, it's inhabitants & it's system of governance. I also note many lessons I did not in my first reading: the potential results of confiscating land from aboriginal people's, how resentment can bubble beneath the surface for centuries, that attempts to placate or ameliorate wrongs can backfire & that ultimately there must be an accounting. But then, maybe I'm reading too much into what are entertaining tales of a distant world.

Majipoor

At first, it was difficult to get into this story due to a lack of knowledge of the history of Majipoor, and the author's dedication to jargon and creative naming. But the author is also poetic, and that poetry, read by such a great storyteller, eventually grabbed my attention so that I was forced to accept that there were just some things I would not understand in this collection of stories. I also wondered how humanity could travel the stars and then seemingly lose technology (cars, planes, etc.), but also retain technology (scanners, recorders, the existence of Castle Mount), but perhaps this explanation is another part of the series. Two stories stuck out as beautiful; the story of how Aethan writes The Book of Changes, and the story of about the love between a wizard and her student. Forgive me, as I cannot remember the chapter titles. In any case, I highly recommend this book.

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easy on the ear, occasional recording stuttering. otherwise a five.
interesting short stories with interesting twist