New Releases by Robert Silverberg

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

In the final novel of The Prestimion Trilogy, the succession of Majipoor''s ruler is threatened by a plague of the mind. Since gaining the Starburst Crown, Coronal Lord Prestimion has faced unfathomable challenges as ruler of Majipoor. But now peace has finally been restored to the planet, and it is time for Prestimion to name his successor and descend to the Labyrinth as Pontifex. Though the capable Prince Dekkeret is chosen to become the next Coronal, the transition is imperiled when a dark force reemerges from the past . . . Coronal Prestimion defeated his enemy Dantirya Sambail years ago, but the ignoble jackals who followed him are scheming to reclaim his lost lands and power. At their head is the tyrant''s former henchman Mandralisca, who has unleashed a torrent of dark visions upon Prestimion''s subjects. Otherworldly nightmares invade the sleep of those loyal to the Lords and the Lady of Majipoor, driving them to commit horrible, destructive acts. And the dark wave is flowing ever-closer to the throne atop Castle Mount . . . and into the sacrosanct depths of the Imperial Labyrinth itself. "Robert Silverberg is the Marco Polo of Majipoor. What wonders and adventures he has to tell us, what treasures he brings back from every voyage to that fabulous world." —Ursula K. Le Guin "In The King of Dreams Robert Silverberg takes us once more into the wonder of Majipoor and proves again that he is a master." —Robert Jordan

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.

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]

A lonely dolphin narrates this touching tale of interspecies love from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of Needle in a Timestack. Meet Ishmael. He''s a bottle-nosed dolphin employed at a seawater recovery station on St. Croix. He''s the foreman of the Intake Maintenance Squad, which means he and his team clear the intake valves of obstructions like starfish or algae. He works hard for his wages of fish and is highly educated. He''s also in love—with a human. Lisabeth Calkins is a twenty-seven-year-old specialist in human-cetacean relations. Though immune to the charms of her human anatomy, Ishmael believes he has found his soulmate. She gave him his name, when he was only a number among many others. Sure, there are obstacles to their being together, just like in every other epic romance. Ishmael can see a way forward—through human interference, through biology, and even acts of sabotage. But can Lisabeth? "Time and again, Silverberg sets the bar high for himself and then clears it, as in a tale told from the perspective of an English-speaking dolphin who has developed feelings for a human woman." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) 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 "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

"Vividly realized and inventive . . . A brooding masterpiece of social science fiction" from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author ( Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations). After eight years away from the planet known as Holman''s World, Edmund Gunderson has returned. Before, as the assistant station manager, he helped the Company exploit the bustling colonial outpost for Earth''s gain—mining its riches and putting its native species to work. Now, the planet has been given back to its inhabitants: the intelligent, elephant-like beings known as the nildoror, who peacefully coexist with carnivorous bipeds known as the sulidoror. And Edmund Gunderson has come back to relive his past and meet up with old acquaintances. Or so he says . . . What Gunderson really wants is to witness the rebirth of the nildoror, a sacred ceremony performed in the northern mist country. Given permission from the elders, he travels deeper into the exotic world than he has ever gone before, through tropical jungles teeming with alien creatures. It is a journey that will take Gunderson deep within himself, where his own failings and fears reside, and bring him face to face with the planet''s greatest mysteries—and the evil within men''s souls . . . "Brilliantly imagined . . . One of the finest writers ever to work in science fiction." — The Philadelphia Inquirer on Tom O''Bedlam "Like all truly superior sci-fi, Downward to the Earth is the sort of novel that just bursts with some imaginative idea or unexpected touch on every single page. It is a terrific feat of the imagination, wonderfully well written by Silverberg, and with fascinating characters, both alien and human." — Fantasy Literature

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.

A "dark, restrained, and powerful" mirror of current politics from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author ( Science Fiction Ruminations ). A Grand Master of Science Fiction 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

Ex-lieutenant Eddie Gundersen returns to Belzagor on a scientific expedition to the borders of the indigenous lands, where he must face his nemesis, Kurtz, and his own inner demons on a planet which still has hidden secrets. "COLONIES: Return to Belzagor" is a new edition of the previously released "Downward to the Earth" (2017). It has been edited for content.

The definitive collection of the best in science fiction stories between 1929-1964. This book contains twenty-six of the greatest science fiction stories ever written. They represent the considered verdict of the Science Fiction Writers of America, those who have shaped the genre and who know, more intimately than anyone else, what the criteria for excellence in the field should be. The authors chosen for The Science Fiction Hall of Fame are the men and women who have shaped the body and heart of modern science fiction; their brilliantly imaginative creations continue to inspire and astound new generations of writers and fans. Robert Heinlein in "The Roads Must Roll" describes an industrial civilization of the future caught up in the deadly flaws of its own complexity. "Country of the Kind," by Damon Knight, is a frightening portrayal of biological mutation. "Nightfall," by Isaac Asimov, one of the greatest stories in the science fiction field, is the story of a planet where the sun sets only once every millennium and is a chilling study in mass psychology. Originally published in 1970 to honor those writers and their stories that had come before the institution of the Nebula Awards, The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame, Volume One, was the book that introduced tens of thousands of young readers to the wonders of science fiction. Too long unavailable, this new edition will treasured by all science fiction fans everywhere. The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame, Volume One, includes the following stories: Introduction by Robert Silverberg "A Martian Odyssey" by Stanley G. Weinbaum "Twilight" by John W. Campbell "Helen O''Loy" by Lester del Rey "The Roads Must Roll" by Robert A. Heinlein "Microcosmic God" by Theodore Sturgeon "Nightfall" by Isaac Asimov "The Weapon Shop" by A. E. van Vogt "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" by Lewis Padgett "Huddling Place" by Clifford D. Simak "Arena" by Frederic Brown "First Contact" by Murray Leinster "That Only a Mother" by Judith Merril "Scanners Live in Vain" by Cordwainer Smith "Mars is Heaven!" by Ray Bradbury "The Little Black Bag" by C. M. Kornbluth "Born of Man and Woman" by Richard Matheson "Coming Attraction" by Fritz Leiber "The Quest for Saint Aquin" by Anthony Boucher "Surface Tension" by James Blish "The Nine Billion Names of God" by Arthur C. Clarke "It''s a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby "The Cold Equations" by Tom Godwin "Fondly Fahrenheit" by Alfred Bester "The Country of the Kind," Damon Knight "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes "A Rose for Ecclesiastes" by Roger Zelazny At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

A thousand years in the future, the earth has been conquered by an alien race and covered by a single sea. Dovirr Stargan, who is disgusted with the servility of his life on the floating city of Vythain, longs to become one of the Sea-Lords, who roam the sea as powerful protectors of the cities. Dovirr gets his wish, but the return of the alien race brings unexpected and critically dangerous crises to his new life as he learns the real, sometimes terrible, significance of power.

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?

Space opera at its best—wild and fast and furious, as only Robert Silverberg could write it As a young man, Robert Silverberg was a science fiction prodigy, turning out top-flight stories in the blink of an eye. Though written quickly, Silverberg''s early prose already showed evidence of the literary and imaginative qualities that would make him a giant in the field. In "Slaves of the Star Giants," electrician Lloyd Harkins finds himself transported from 1956 into a desolate far-future Earth ruled by monstrous aliens. And in the gripping title story, a spacer named Barsac risks his life and sanity to free a friend from the clutches of an evil cult—by joining the cult himself. Filled with slam-bang action and dazzling speculation, these seven novellas pay eloquent homage to the Golden Age of science fiction and anticipate the groundbreaking work that has become Silverberg''s legacy.

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!

This sprawling, episodic novel by the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author is a "tour de force sci-fi outing . . . a wonderful read" ( Fantasy Literature). 2077. With Earth reeling from centuries of unregulated population growth and environmental decimation, a new religion has taken root. The Vorsters worship science and the material world over all else, searching for the promise of immortality through new technology and the promise of heaven among the physical stars. But on Venus, a renegade sect has found its home. The Harmonists find the answers to life''s eternal questions in their own spirituality and in their own bodies, which have undergone genetic changes on Venus, giving them paranormal abilities. With humanity''s future at stake, religion becomes a political business, and both groups will have to face their motivations and manipulations when a shocking discovery threatens the balance of power in the universe. "The absorbing story of an overpopulated and economically depressed world clinging to the outcome of a religious schism for its salvation." —sff180

When aliens invade, a generations-long struggle begins against an impenetrable enemy in this sci-fi epic from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author. The Entities have arrived on Earth, fifteen feet tall with impenetrable defenses and inscrutable motives. As conquerors, they have no demands, no explanations, simply harsh consequences should they be challenged. Releasing a plague and plunging the world into a new Dark Age, the Entities seem unbeatable. But, one family at least—the Carmichael clan led by Colonel Anson Carmichael—will never give up the resistance. THE ALIEN YEARS is an epic story told over multiple generations by master of thoughtful science fiction Robert Silverberg. Can ideas of freedom survive in the face of an overwhelmingly powerful enemy? "A remarkable study of human endurance and patience that belongs in most SF collections." —The Library Journal "Sobering and frightening.... Silverberg''s rich characters, his dead-on-target vision of modern society, his mastery at building tension—all are in evidence in this notable outing from one of the very best." —Publishers Weekly

The Science Fiction Grand Master''s Thorns "holds up chillingly well after all these decades. A dark pastiche upon Beauty and the Beast" ( SF Reviews). In a world where humanity has colonized the solar system and begun to explore more of the local galaxy, a vast audience follows real-life stories presented by wealthy media mogul Duncan Chalk. To satisfy his audience''s voyeuristic needs—and his own appetite for others'' pain—he pairs Minner Burris, an emotionally withdrawn space explorer who was captured and freakishly surgically altered by aliens, with Lona Kelvin, a suicidal seventeen-year-old girl who donated eggs for a fertility experiment that produced one hundred babies, none of whom she has been allowed to adopt or even see. Chalk promises to solve their personal problems in return for a joint performance tour. Though the love affair doesn''t last, Chalk keeps the couple on the hook by making new offers. While Minner and Lona struggle to cope with their newfound celebrity and Chalk''s broken promises, they will uncover the true nature of their manipulator—and risk everything to regain the humanity that has been stolen from them . . . An early exploration of media exploitation and a deep look at freak-show entertainment on a mass scale, this novel was one of the earliest of Silverberg''s mature masterworks. "Masterful . . . This is a sophisticated novel, beautifully written, intelligent and insightful, with wonderful dialogue and a satisfying conclusion." — Fantasy Literature "Silverberg''s brooding, post-utopian, rumination has the makings of a great science fiction novel. . . . A worthwhile read which rambles along a dark path . . . Well done." —Science Fiction Ruminations

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.

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.

Nebula Award–winning author: Humans have emerged to reclaim the Earth after the Long Winter. But they never anticipated the battle that awaits . . . As Earth thaws after the Long Winter, the remaining human tribes journey from beneath the continent to the fertile land above. But the hjjk, an ancient insectlike race that remained on Earth’s surface throughout the frozen eons, stand in their way. Keeping a tight grip on their power, the hjjks are the chief barrier to the people’s further expansion in the New Springtime. When Kundalimon, a human who has lived with the hjjk for seventeen years, arrives as an emissary of peace, the tribes are wary. They rely on Nialli Apuilana, who had been stolen at thirteen by the hjjk and released months later, to ascertain his true mission. But in this new world, it’s hard to know whom to trust. As both sides prepare for war, the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. The Queen of Springtime is the second book of the New Springtime series, which begins with At Winter’s End. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert Silverberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection, as well as a detailed outline for the final, unrealized title in the New Springtime series, The Summer of Homecoming.

A team of space archaeologists makes an astonishing discovery about an ancient alien race in this science fiction tale from “a master of his craft” (Los Angeles Times). Graduate student Tom Rice is thrilled to embark on his first deep-space archeological expedition. He is part of a team from Earth, venturing out in search of artifacts from a civilization that ruled the universe many millennia ago. Called the High Ones, the members of this long-gone society left tantalizing clues about their history and culture scattered throughout space. One such clue, a “message cube” containing footage of the ancient ones, is more interesting than all of the others combined. It seems to indicate that the High Ones aren’t extinct after all—and just like that, Tom Rice’s archeological mission has become an intergalactic manhunt, one filled with ever-increasing danger that will send the explorers hurtling headlong into the greatest adventure—and peril—of their lives. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert Silverberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

After seven hundred thousand years underground, a tribe emerges to a frozen Earth, in this novel from the Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author. The time of falling death stars ushered in the Long Winter—eons of cold that caused plants and animals to vanish from Earth and drove people to take refuge in underground cocoons. Human ingenuity had never faced a greater challenge. For seven hundred thousand years, generation after generation was born and died below the Earth’s surface. But now, one small tribe is sensing change. Chieftain Koshmar is sure that the New Springtime is near, so she leads her people above ground to explore the new world that awaits. The unfamiliar Earth, still a frozen shell of its former self, will test their mettle in every way, leading the people of the tribe to the brink of their destiny—or to their doom. At Winter’s End is the first book of the New Springtime series, which continues with The Queen of Springtime. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Robert Silverberg including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

Somewhere in Philadelphia, a master engraver is turning out brilliant forgeries of U.S. currency plates for an organized crime gang - and the government wants to put a stop to it. But how can they get close enough to bring down the criminal enterprise from the inside? By snatching a west coast crime boss'' right-hand man and sending a federal agent undercover in the man''s place. His assignment: pose as a buyer of counterfeit bills and try to get the engraver out. Which works fine - until he crosses paths with someone who knows the man he replaced... A lost masterpiece from science fiction Grandmaster Robert Silverberg, published as a complete novel for the very first time!

ROBERT SILVERBERG confronts the paradoxes of time travel in a brilliant novel of the 25th century, when the only escape from suffocation in a totally controlled environment is to hop backward through time. Since time hopping rearranges the past on which the structure of current existence is based, it must be stopped - but not too quickly. For the history of the 1970''s includes the arrival of hoppers who have not yet left the 2490''s - and whose departure thus must not be stopped!

From Turkish dominated Europe, across the high seas to the land of opportunity - the Aztec Empire. Dan Beauchamp is a young Englishman whose heart longs for fortune and adventure. But industrial Mexico is a long way from primitive Britain, and Dan has a lot to learn. From the city of London - better known as New Istanbul - to the untamed wilderness of North America here is a high adventure not to be missed.

''The explosion was painfully bright against the dark backdrop of the moonless New Mexico sky. To those who looked up at that precise moment - and there were many who happened to look up - it was as though a new star had momentarily blossomed in blue-white incandescence.'' Only three human beings would ever know that the blinding flash in the sky on that night in 1982 was an exploding flying saucer. Only they would learn the truth about THOSE WHO WATCH - about the alien observers who came into this world in a crash landing from the stars. THOSE WHO WATCH is the strange, seductive story of three accidental colonists from outer space whose chance encounter with Earth brought revelation to three earthly counterparts - and triggered interplanetary conflict. It is a remarkable story by one of science fiction''s most remarkable writers.

Robert Silverberg''s debut novel, first published in 1955.