In his illustrious forty-five-year career as a novelist and author of short fiction, Robert Silverberg has belonged in the company of the best writers of the twentieth century. In this extraordinary Nebula Award–winning story, Silverberg builds on a literary allusion from Yeats to create a complex science fiction scenario of worlds lost and dreams fulfilled.
It is the fiftieth century on Earth, and ancient historical cities such as Byzantine Constantinople can now be created on a whim for visiting tourists. Charles Philip, a man from the twentieth century struggling to find his way home, finds himself fascinated with this strange new world. But beneath the surface fantasies, things are not as they seem.
Download and start listening now!
"wonderfully unique sci-fi stories. Great writing. Silverberg never disappoints.These are more novellas than stories. I liked the first two and the last one. I found numbers three and four to be not as much fun. "
— Leslie (4 out of 5 stars)
“A beautifully worded novella from a highly respected author is made even more enjoyable by the reading of Grover Gardner. His precise, cultured voice adds to the wonder felt by the protagonist, and his calmly assured tones give the listener a feeling of comfort.”
— AudioFile“This fascinating futuristic novel, about a man traversing a fiftieth-century landscape to try to get himself home, is inspired by a poem of the same name by W. B. Yeats, which traces a spiritual journey and explores the concept of immortality.”
— Entertainment Weekly“He remains one of the most imaginative and versatile writers ever to have been involved with sf. His productivity has seemed almost superhuman, and his abrupt metamorphosis...into a prose artist was an accomplishment unparalleled within the field”
— Encyclopedia of Science Fiction" Mysertious future earth consisting of just five artificial cities. "
— Rick, 1/1/2013" Read the first story titled after this collection = fantastic!! "
— Filip, 3/23/2012" A collection of novellas by Silverburg. This was an uneven collection, while I enjoyed two of the novellas the others weren't as good in my opinion. I guess I'm not as caught up by Silverburg's writing style as some are. "
— Jamie, 7/23/2011" Read the first story titled after this collection = fantastic!! "
— Filip, 4/12/2011" Mysertious future earth consisting of just five artificial cities. "
— Rick, 7/28/2010" A collection of novellas by Silverburg. This was an uneven collection, while I enjoyed two of the novellas the others weren't as good in my opinion. I guess I'm not as caught up by Silverburg's writing style as some are. "
— Jamie, 12/14/2008" I couldn’t get excited about any of the stories. "
— Robert, 6/16/2007Robert Silverberg’s first published story appeared in 1954 when he was a sophomore at Columbia University. Since then, he has won multiple Nebula, Hugo, and Locus awards. He has been nominated for both awards more times than any other writer. In 1999 he was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and in 2004 the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America gave him their Grand Master Award for career achievement. He remains one of the most imaginative and versatile writers in science fiction.
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.