New Releases by Robert Silverberg

This issue we have quite an all-star lineup. From modern masters of mystery like Donna Andrews and Andrew Welsh-Huggins to the greatest names in science fiction like Frank Herbert and Robert Silverberg, this is an amazing issue no matter how you look at it. As for our featured novels, we have a Fantômas tale by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain and Metropolis by Thea von Harbou. This might possibly be our best issue ever! Take a look at our contents and see for yourself— Cover: Ron Miller Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “A Beauty All Its Own,” by Andrew Welsh-Huggins [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Death Takes the Stage,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire,” by Donna Andrews [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “The Murderer,” by Murray Leinster [short story] The Long Arm of Fantômas, by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain [novel, Fantômas series] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Chowhound” by Mack Reynolds [short novel] “A Kiss for the Conqueror,” by Henry Slesar [short story] “The Mystery of Deneb IV,” by Robert Silverberg [short story] “Try to Remember!” by Frank Herbert [short novel] Metropolis, by Thea von Harbou [novel]

In this epic, “[a] brilliant concept of the imagination,” an amnesiac wanderer rediscovers his destiny as ruler of a vast planet (Chicago Sun-Times). Valentine, a drifter who remembers nothing except his name, finds himself on the fringes of a great city. Joining a motley troupe of jugglers and acrobats, he travels with them across the magical planet of Majipoor. All the while, he hopes to meet someone who can help him retrieve his past. Then Valentine begins to dream—and to receive messages in those dreams. Messages that tell him he is a lord, a king turned out of his castle. Now his travels have a purpose: to return to his home, discover what enemy took his memory, and claim the destiny that awaits him. “An imaginative fusion of action, sorcery, and science fiction.” —The New York Times Book Review “Absorbing . . . a wildly imaginative universe.” —People

In the third novel of this acclaimed sci-fi/fantasy series, the ruler of a vast planet faces a threat of war—and conspiracy within his own court. Plagued by nightmares of blizzards and earthquakes besieging the planet Majipoor, Lord Valentine believes these dreams signal the coming of war between his people and the Shapeshifters, who once ruled the planet. For centuries they have conspired to regain their stolen world, and recently they were discovered impersonating members of the kingdom’s inner circle. Since coming to power, Valentine has made peaceful overtures to the Shapeshifters. This has led select members of the royal court to question his loyalties. Now some even want to remove Valentine from his governing role—casting him into the higher, ceremonial office of Pontifex. But if Valentine accepts the mantle of Pontifex and surrenders his position to his successor-in-waiting, he may be remembered as a leader who evaded his duties—and shattered the peace that has reigned for eight thousand years. . . . “[Valentine Pontifex is] a dance of conflicting emotions and political intrigue. Both the world and Lord Valentine have matured, and the trilogy becomes whole in a way that the form rarely achieves.” —The Village Voice “There’s an almost hypnotic grandeur to the thoughtful way Silverberg weaves the strands of the story together, effortlessly jugging the various motifs.” —Publishers Weekly

The first three novels in the acclaimed sci-fi fantasy series from the award-winning author: “An imaginative fusion of action, sorcery, and science fiction” (The New York Times Book Review). In the first three books of the Majipoor Cycle, Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Robert Silverberg delivered a vast and vividly imagined world full of epic adventure, court intrigue, and high drama. In Lord Valentine’s Castle, an amnesiac wanderer receives dreams of his true destiny as ruler of the planet Majipoor. In Majipoor Chronicles, the planet’s bloodthirsty history is revealed through tales of rulers and thieves. And in the final novel, Valentine Pontifex, Valentine faces the threat of civil war as well as conspiracy within his court.

In the sequel to Lord Valentine's Castle, the history of Majipoor is revealed through thrilling tales of rulers, warriors, murderers, and thieves. "If you like tales with an Arabian Nights piquancy, this book belongs in your hands." — The Washington Post Book World Lord Valentine has claimed the title of Coronal, ruling over the gigantic planet of Majipoor. Yet he still remembers Hissune, the boy who aided him in his time of wandering, and gives him a post in the House of Records. In a catalogue of ancient reports, Hissune discovers the Register of Souls, a repository of millions of memories of long-dead explorers, pioneers, warriors, even Coronals and Pontifexes. He begins to immerse himself into their lives—and finds himself experiencing first-hand the vast history of Majipoor . . . "Majipoor is probably the finest creation of Silverberg's powerful imagination and certainly one of the most fully realized worlds of modern science fiction." — Booklist

The epic sci-fi fantasy Majipoor Cycle continues with the saga of Lord Prestimion, whose rise to power is beset by war and madness. Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Robert Silverberg returns to the richly imagined world of Majipoor. Collected here in one volume is the complete Prestimion Trilogy, set hundreds of years before the events of the first three novels. In Sorcerers of Majipoor, a peaceful transfer of power is threatened by a cunning rival to the throne. In Lord Prestimion, peace returns to Majipoor, but at a terrible price. And in King of Dreams, Prestimion prepares to ascend to the role of Pontifax as a plague of nightmares spreads across the planet.

Our 105th issue features a pair of original mystery stories, one by Steve Liskow (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Michael Bracken) and one by the late Henry T. Parry (revised and completed by me). Parry published more than two dozen mystery stories from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, and his daughter was kind enough to pass on his unfinished and unpublished work, which will be appearing in BCW in future issues. We also have a mystery tale by Stephen D. Rogers (courtesy of Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman) and a suspense novel, The Horror Expert—a foray into crime noir by noted fantasist Frank Belknap Long. I suspect there are more than a few autobiographical elements! And, of course, we have a solve-it-yourself puzzler from the mighty pen (or word processor) of Hal Charles. On the science fiction side of things, we have a classic novel by British writer J.J. Connington, best known for his mysteries. (I thought it made a nice counterpoint to Long’s crime novel.) It chronicles one man’s attempt to stop a plague from destroying humanity. Plus fantasies by Adrian Cole and Joseph Payne Brennan, and SF shorts by Robert Silverberg and Lin Carter. Quite a fun issue. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “This Year’s Model,” by Steve Liskow [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Jellybean Justice,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “Stagnant,” by Stephen D. Rogers [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Best-Laid Plans,” by Henry T. Parry and John Gregory Betancourt The Horror Expert, by Frank Belknap Long [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Broken Billy,” by Adrian Cole “Age of Anxiety,” by Robert Silverberg [short story] “The Man Who Feared Masks,” by Joseph Payne Brennan [short story] “Owlstone,” by Lin Carter [short story] Nordenholt’s Million, by J. J. Connington [novel]

The Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author delivers a prescient tale that "explores the inanity of conformity with a hopelessly superficial future humankind" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review). He was revived, somehow, and thrust into a brand-new world, one in which humans have evolved to breathe underwater, reproduction is quite uncommon, and everyone has standardized their appearance to conform to the presently favored model. He is a rarity, a throwback, with his short legs, hairy body, lopsided face, and scars. He remembers automobiles, tax returns, a family—all the components of an imperfect world. But here and now, he is an object of fascination to be studied by doctors and politicians, and to be wanted by adventurous women. He keeps telling himself that in a country of the beautiful, the ugly man is king. If only he'd listen . . . Praise for Robert Silverberg and his short stories "When Silverberg is at the top of his form, no one is better." —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times–bestselling author "Silverberg's creative story premises are matched by a remarkable ability to make his characters sympathetic, whether human or not." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The short stories in Robert Silverberg's First-Person Singularities are inventive, sublime, and endlessly entertaining." — Foreword Reviews "Decades after being originally published, most of these stories are still just as entertaining and powerful as they were when first released. A singularly unique collection." — Kirkus Reviews

The Martian Invasion! Accounts of the War of the Worlds as told from celebrity eyewitnesses all around the globe! - Jules Verne reports on the Martian attacks on Paris - Teddy Roosevelt, big game hunter, goes after the most dangerous game...from another world. - Mark Twain recounts the Martians on the Mississippi. - Jack London fights the Martians in the Yukon. - Albert Einstein pits his great mind against the Martian overlords. And fourteen other imaginary reports from the front lines of the War of the Worlds, including H.P. Lovecraft, Winston Churchill, Pablo Picasso, Rudyard Kipling, Joseph Conrad, and others-as written by some of the greatest names in modern science fiction.

One of the most persistent legends in the annals of New World exploration is that of the Land of Gold. This mythical site was located over vast areas of South America (and later, North America); the search for it drove some men mad with greed and, as often as not, to their untimely deaths. In this history of quest and adventure, Robert Silverberg traces the fate of Old World explorers lured westward by the myth of El Dorado. From the German conquistadores licensed by the Spanish king to operate out of Venezuela, to the journeys of Gonzalo Pizarro in the Amazon basin, and to the nearly miraculous voyage of Francisco Orellana to the mouth of the Amazon River, encountering the warlike women who gave the river its name, violence and bloodshed accompanied the determined adventurers. Sir Walter Raleigh and a host of other explorers spent small fortunes and many lives trying to locate Manoa, a city that was rumored to be El Dorado—City of Gold. Celebrated science fiction author Robert Silverberg recreates these legendary quests in The Golden Dream: Seekers of El Dorado.

"Gilgamesh in the Outback" is a science fiction novella by American writer Robert Silverberg, a sequel to his novel Gilgamesh the King[ as well as a story in the shared universe series "Heroes in Hell." It won the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 1987 and was also nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novella in 1986. Real-life writers Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft feature as characters in the novella.

"A ribald, Byzantine tale of time-tourism" from the multiple Nebula and Hugo Award–winning author (Tor.com). It''s 2059, and former law clerk Jud Elliott finds himself at loose ends—until a chance meeting with a Time Courier gives him the inspiration to become one himself. The job—as a time-traveling guide—gives him the opportunity to indulge his love of Byzantine history, in between shuttling tourists to such monumental events as the crucifixion and the assassination of JFK. But there are strict rules to follow as a Time Courier, put in place to guard against paradoxes and preserve the sanctity of "now-time." Jud isn''t used to following the rules—especially when faced with temptation. All it takes is one tiny slip here, one misplaced step there, and Jud could destroy his own timeline and cease to exist in the blink of an eye . . . a practicality that''s hard for Jud to grasp when he crosses paths with an eleventh-century Byzantium beauty he can''t resist. "A hugely ambitious, enormously fun, sly, paradox-peppered piece that chronicles the time-tourist trade and all its perils—specializing in Byzantine history." — Strange Horizons "This novel is a comedy, and it is funny, but it is one of those black comedies where things go wrong, and then the more the protagonist tries to fix things, the more wrong they become, until the ending is at one and the same time an O. Henry punchline and a deep existential truth, neat as a pin and just as sharp." —Kim Stanley Robinson

A "dark, restrained, and powerful" mirror of current politics from the Science Fiction Grand Master ( Science Fiction Ruminations). In the barren landscape of the late Cambrian period, a penal colony sits high above the ocean on the east coast of what would become the United States. The men—political prisoners—have been sent from the twenty-first century on a one-way ticket to a lifetime of exile. Their lonely existence has taken its toll . . . Jim Barrett was once the physically imposing leader of an underground movement dedicated to toppling America''s totalitarian government. Now he is nothing but a crippled old man, the camp''s de facto ruler due to his seniority. His mind is still sharp, having yet to succumb to the psychosis that claims more and more men each day. So when a new prisoner is transported to the colony—a startlingly young and suspiciously apolitical man—Barrett''s instincts go on high alert. As Barrett reminisces about his revolutionary past, he uncovers the new prisoner''s secrets—and faces a shocking revelation that thrusts him into a future he never dreamed possible . . . "One of the finest writers ever to work in science fiction." — The Philadelphia Inquirer

This "toothy follow-up to Datlow's first-rate Blood Is Not Enough" offers "admirably inventive variations on vampirism" ( Kirkus Reviews). Featuring stories by Jonathan Carroll, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and Robert Silverberg, A Whisper of Blood is a "consistently engrossing anthology" from award-winning editor Ellen Datlow ( Publishers Weekly). Continuing to expand the boundaries of the concept of vampirism—as she did in her first collection, Blood Is Not Enough—Datlow has assembled eighteen fascinating stories that range from tales of literal vampires to what she calls "metaphorical bloodsuckers," who can drain another's life force without ever sinking their teeth into necks. In "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep" by Suzy McKee Charnas, an elderly Jewish woman who's taken her own life has second thoughts and makes a deal to become a vampire to stay immortal, the only condition being she has to drink blood by request only. An amnesiac operative tries to sort out if a secret government agency is trying to help him regain his memory or is wiping it clean in Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Kafkaesque "Do I Dare to Eat a Peach?" And in Jonathan Carroll's "The Moose Church," a tourist in Sardinia is literally scarred by asking questions of death in his dreams . . . A Whisper of Blood includes contributions by Suzy McKee Charnas, Karl Edward Wagner, Robert Silverberg, Kathe Koja, Elizabeth Massie, Barry N. Malzberg, Rick Wilber, Jonathan Carroll, Thomas Ligotti, Melissa Mia Hall, David J. Schow, Jack Womack, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Thomas Tessier, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, K. W. Jeter, Pat Cadigan, and Robert Holdstock and Garry Kilworth.

Based on Robert Silverberg’s bestselling Sci-Fi novels about Humanity’s search for immortality out among the stars.

This far-future sci-fi saga by a multiple Hugo and Nebula Award–winning Grand Master chronicles the perilous rebirth of humanity on a destroyed Earth. Robert Silverberg's critically acclaimed masterworks have earned him entry into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, and a place among the genre's greatest legacies. This classic, two-book saga gazes into a world many millennia from now and spins a mesmerizing tale of survival, evolution, and the ultimate future of humanity. At Winter's End: For the past 700,000 years, the remaining inhabitants of planet Earth have survived underground, escaping the endless rain of "death stars" that destroyed their civilization—and the world. Now, with the surface finally inhabitable after countless millennia, one tribe's leader is guiding her people to freedom. But unexpected threats and dark revelations could endanger their long-awaited rebirth. The Queen of Springtime: Hidden below ground for millennia, the People have finally emerged to repopulate the Earth and reclaim their legacy as the dominant species. But the cold, insectile hjjk, who remained on Earth's surface throughout the frozen eons, will not give up the world they inherited without a fight. The New Springtime series is Robert Silverberg at his very best, showcasing the intelligence, ingenuity, humanism, and extraordinary talents that have won him four Hugo Awards, six Nebulas, and a host of other honors.

The Hugo Award–winning author returns to the mythical world of Gilgamesh the King in this adventurous sequel: "An enthralling quest." — The Times (London) The warrior-king Gilgamesh—part man, part god—is not only larger than life; he is larger than death. Trapped in the Afterworld, a bizarre reality in which everyone who has ever died lives again . . . only to die again and again in endless succession, Gilgamesh sets out to find his lost friend Enkidu and fight his way back to the land of the living. Along the way, he encounters a rogue''s gallery of figures from history, literature, and myth—including H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard—and travels from the ancient city of Uruk to modern-day Manhattan. But the Afterworld is not so easily escaped.

A diplomat who successfully negotiated with intelligent aliens finds his loyalty to the human race tested in this novel by a Nebula Award–winning author. Richard Muller was an honorable diplomat who braved unimaginable dangers to make contact with the first-known race of intelligent aliens. But those aliens left a mark on him: a psychic wound that emanates a telepathic miasma his fellow humans can neither cure nor endure. Muller is exiled to the remote planet of Lemnos, where he is left, deeply embittered, at the heart of a deadly maze . . . until a new alien race appears, seemingly intent on exterminating humanity. Only Muller can communicate with them, due to the very condition that has made him an outcast. But will Muller stick his neck out for the people who so callously rejected him?

A tortured man’s visions hold the key to mankind’s future in Robert Silverberg’s post-apocalyptic masterpiece Life in the blasted wasteland of 2103 California is nasty, brutish, and short. If the savage “scratchers” don’t kill you, the poisoned environment will. But one man wanders this desolate landscape and sees beauty: glorious visions of impossible places and majestic beings not of Earth. Scorned and mocked as a madman, Tom doubts his sanity until his visions mysteriously begin to spread to others and a returning star probe offers evidence that they are real. Now, as a new religion is born, with Tom as its reluctant messiah, violent forces are unleashed—forces that have the power to transform humanity . . . or destroy it.

The beings that dwelt on Ganymede didn''t use metals, but they didn''t want to deal with Earthmen, either; and Earth needed those metals. The Ganymedeans were harmless primitives, but that wouldn’t do; pacifying such aliens, and grabbing their metal, wouldn’t go with the public. So Ted Kennedy, of the Steward & Dinoli agency, found himself assigned to produce the biggest sell in history — convince the public that the Ganymedeans were not pathetic, somewhat cute, aliens, but vicious monsters that had to be subdued! This very early work by science fiction Grandmaster Robert Silverberg showcases a young author developing his skills, and gives hints of the great talent that would fully manifest in later years. Over fifty years after its publication, many of this story''s themes retain their relevance and make for an unforgettable reading experience!

Hugo and Nebula Award Finalist: This tale of an encounter between a probability expert and a psychic is "a treasure" ( San Francisco Examiner). Lew Nichols can predict the future. Not see the future, just make predictions based on research and statistics. Nichols is damn good at it, though, and his accuracy makes him a valuable addition to Paul Quinn''s political campaign for New York City Mayor and possibly the White House. But, when Nichols meets eccentric millionaire Martin Carvajal, predictions suddenly seem petty and flippant. You see, Carvajal can actually see the future—not trends, not options—a signal line of events stretching out ahead. It''s a gift Nichols can learn from this "mentor," but at what price? Will knowing the future make the present meaningless?

A New York Times Notable Book: A far-future coming-of-age tale from the SF Grand Master, "one of the world''s finest stylists and storytellers" ( San Antonio Express-News). "What wonders and adventures he has to tell us," is how Ursula K. Le Guin characterized the work of Robert Silverberg, and in The Longest Way Home, he takes readers on another dazzling odyssey. Joseph, fifteen and separated from his family in the land known as Getfen, awakens to an attack on the Great House in which he is visiting. Narrowly escaping with his life but still pursued by enemies who wish to see him killed, Joseph must journey across a dark, unfamiliar world on his quest to return to his home of Helikis and his father. He has thousands of miles to travel and much to learn about this perilous alien world in transition—and about himself. "What the greatly changed Joseph might find at the end of his journey, and how he might react, are questions that I came to care deeply about." — The New York Times Book Review " The Longest Way Home recalls, in a lot of ways, the old-time frontier adventures, not the ones with the cowboys and the Indians, but the ones where people have to learn to survive in the wilderness or along the prairie. [Joseph''s] adventures in survival are exciting, and the travels along this world are a pleasant escape." —SF Site "This engaging, entertaining book is a fast read with many thoughtful themes." — School Library Journal

A pilgrimage leads to a shocking revelation in this "deeply affecting and evocative extraterrestrial novel" from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author ( Locus). The village of Jespodar nestles in the foothills of a world-dominating mountain known to all as "The Wall." Poilar Crookleg has grown up in Jespodar training hard and hoping that he will be chosen for the annual Pilgrimage, a group journey to the top of the mountain from which no pilgrim has ever returned both alive and sane. The pilgrims seek to replicate the legendary journey of a distant ancestor who scaled the mountain and, so the story goes, met with the gods. The Pilgrimage is a a life journey, an overwhelming challenge and a sacred honor and Poilar feels blessed when he is finally chosen to lead it. But not all is as it first seems. Along the journey lie hazards of all kinds, both vilently dangerous and seductively beguiling and to triumph in the climb is to confront a revelation so surprising and so disturbing that none, not even the smartest and best prepared, are likely to survive. What belief and what devotion leads so many to hope for such a challenging task and what will be the ultimate result of such dedication? Only The Wall itself can reveal the destiny for those who undertake the Pilgrimage.

Nearly twenty years ago Robert Silverberg began writing a monthly column of opinion and commentary, for Galileo Magazine, Amazing Stories, and then for Isaac Asimov''s Science Fiction Magazine. Now he has chosen the liveliest and most relevant of his hundreds of magazine columns for the present collection. They constitute a vivid chronicle of events both in science fiction and the world in general over the past two decades. Robert Silverberg is one of the great veterans of fantasy and science fiction. During the course of a career that has now stretched across more than forty years, he has written dozens of novels and hundreds of short stories, many of them considered classics of the genre. He has won more major award nominations than any other writer in his field, and no less than nine Hugo and Nebula awards, the key s-f/fantasy trophies. His books have been translated into some eighteen languages and his short stories have appeared in every science-fiction and fantasy magazine in the world, as well as in Omni, Playboy, and Penthouse.

First published in 1958 under the pseudonym David Osborne, Invisible Barriers is an expansion of the short story "And the Walls Came Tumbling Down" (1957), which was published under the author''s own name.

Winner of the Hugo Award: This classic is an “evocative look at a crumbling Earth of the far future and a human race struggling to survive” (George R. R. Martin). “Roum is a city built on seven hills. They say it was a capital of man in one of the earlier cycles. I knew nothing of that, for my guild was Watching, not Remembering.” For a thousand years, mankind has lived under the threat of invasion from an alien race. After the oceans rose and the continents were reshaped, people divided into guilds—Musicians, Scribes, Merchants, Clowns, and more. The Watchers wander the earth, scouring the skies for signs of enemies from the stars. But during one Watcher’s journey to the ancient city of Roum with his companion, a Flier named Avluela, a moment of distraction allows the invaders to advance. When the Watcher finally sounds the alarm, it’s too late; the star people are poised to conquer all. And so, with the world in turmoil, the Watcher sets out alone for the Hall of the Rememberers, keepers of the past, where humanity’s last hope for survival might be hidden . . . Perfect for readers of Greg Bear and Ursula K. Le Guin, renowned, award-winning author Robert Silverberg’s science fiction novel represents the best of the genre and beyond. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert Silverberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

A thrilling retelling of the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh from the Hugo and Nebula Award–Winning author of Lord Valentine''s Castle. Gilgamesh''s appetite for wine, women, and warfare is insatiable. As the King of Uruk, he oppresses his people and burdens his city. To temper his excesses, the gods create Enkidu, Gilgamesh''s equal, who becomes his greatest friend. Together they wander the kingdom as brothers, conquering demons until a cruel twist changes Gilgamesh''s path forever. Two parts god and one part man, Gilgamesh is mortal—a fate he now resolves to overcome, no matter what the price. And so he embarks on another journey, in pursuit of vengeance and the ultimate prize for a mortal king: eternal life. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert Silverberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author''s personal collection.

Who knoweth the spirit of men that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? –Ecclesiastes 3:21 Okay, they did resemble elephants, it can''t be denied. That led many people to underestimate the Nildoror and their obviously more fearsome commensals, the Sulidoror. But aliens should never be judged by human standards, as the Company learned to its cost when Holman''s World, now once again known as Belzagor, was given back to the natives and the Company sent packing. Now Edmund Gunderson, once head of the Company''s operation on this world, has come back across the galaxy to settle old scores with the Nildoror. If he can even get them to acknowledge his existence. Downward to the Earth is a classic from the golden age of Robert Silverberg''s career in the 1970s. His homage to Joseph Conrad''s Heart of Darkness, it remains as fresh and powerful today as the day it was written. Our Orb edition will have a map of Gunderson''s journey across Belzagor and a new introduction by the author. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The classic science fiction novel, now back in print Clay is a man from the 20th Century who is somehow caught up in a time-flux and transported into a distant future. The earth and the life on it have changed beyond recognition. Even the human race has evolved into many different forms, now coexisting on the planet. The seemingly omnipotent Skimmers, the tyrannosaur-like Eaters, the sedentary Awaiters, the squid-like Breathers, the Interceders, the Destroyers—all of these are "Sons of Man". Befriended and besexed by the Skimmers, Clay goes on a journey which takes him around the future earth and into the depths of his own soul. He is human, but what does that mean?

Earth is home to seventy-five billion souls in this Hugo Award–nominated novel: "A major work of contemporary science fiction." — Locus Welcome to Urban Monad 116. Reaching nearly two miles into the sky, the one thousand stories of this building are home to over eight hundred thousand people living in peace and harmony. In the year 2381 with a world population of over seventy-five billion souls, the massive Urbmon system is humanity''s salvation. Life in Urbmon 116 is cherished—and highly regulated. The culture of procreation is seen as the highest pinnacle of god''s plan. Conflict is abhorred, and any who disturb the peace face harsh punishment—even being sent "down the chute" to be recycled as fertilizer. But not everyone has fallen completely in line. Jason Quevedo, a historian, searches records of the twentieth century hoping to find the root of his discontent with the perfection of Urbmon life. Siegmund Kluver, a young. ambitious administrator, strives to reach the top levels of the Urbmon''s government and discovers the civilization''s dark truths. Michael Statler, a computer engineer, harbors a forbidden desire to leave the building—to walk in the open air and visit the far-off sea. This is a dream he must keep secret. If anyone were to find out, he''d face the worst punishment imaginable . . . The World Inside is a fascinating exploration of society and what makes us human, told by a master of speculative fiction and winner of numerous Nebula and Hugo Awards.