Rating: 
Summary: Good Gawd what a boring book!!!
Review: One thing I will say about this book is the author has some great imagination and this book seemed to be an excuse for him to get the fantastical creatures out of his system and onto paper. The "hero" is boring, passive, and only gets semi interesting when he is trying to reach his mother. The shapeshifters are creepy and virtually the only highlight in this dull dull book. There is a seamless blend of magic, medeval lifestyle, and advance technology, I just wish the author convince me to acutally care about the characters. If my brothers kept getting killed I would have ditched Valentine after couple chapters, I mean, what does it take for these people to get a freaking clue!?!?
Rating:
Summary: Good Gawd what a boring book!!!
Review: One thing I will say about this book is the author has some great imagination and this book seemed to be an excuse for him to get the fantastical creatures out of his system and onto paper. The "hero" is boring, passive, and only gets semi interesting when he is trying to reach his mother. The shapeshifters are creepy and virtually the only highlight in this dull dull book. There is a seamless blend of magic, medeval lifestyle, and advance technology, I just wish the author convince me to acutally care about the characters. If my brothers kept getting killed I would have ditched Valentine after couple chapters, I mean, what does it take for these people to get a freaking clue!?!?
Rating:
Summary: An average fantasy-type novel with few interesting moments
Review: Overall I was disappointed with this book, not because it was really bad (it's not), but rather because it wasn't nearly the great novel reviews here indicated. Most of the characters were somewhat trite and not especially interesting (and about as alien as left handed humans). The plot was linear, predictable, and slow moving. At times, the book read like a almanac (e.g., there was a population number given for virutally every city Valentine and his group passed through or near). This doesn't make for particularly exciting reading. Bottom line, it's the last Marjipoor story I'll read.
Rating: 
Summary: Continental Adventure
Review: Rob Silverberg must love mountains. Like his Kingdoms of the Wall (where the heroes climb mountains for the adventure) and The Alien Years (where the heroes live on mountains to plot against the aliens), LV's Castle is atop a huge mountain.
But the mountain comes only at the end of this story.
The setting is in the future where humans from Earth have conquered the planet Majipoor from a great alien race that can change shapes. The humans are also in control of about half a dozen other unique races on the planet with three huge continents.
But no, this is more like a fantasy novel than pure sci-fi.
Valentine is a circus juggler who goes from town to town with his troupe. But he has a super secret which you will find out as we go along.
In between, get ready for some of the most fantastic vistas of a planet with their imported strange and wonderful aliens. I like the sea-dragons the best.
I have read all of Asimov's Foundation sci-fi series and most of Zelazny's (semi-fantasy) Amber series. I think this one is better in scope because it mixes up both genres well.
Rating: 
Summary: Engaging fantasy, although lacking that epic feel
Review: Robert Silverberg is certainly one of the finest authors of this century, and this book lives up to that title by providing an engaging series of events and alien characters to experience. It follows the ardious journey of Valentine, who was cast down from power by a tyrant and who must regain his rightful post by casting aside the usurper. Silverberg has provided a colourful array of unusual organisms and ecosystems which are woven together in a fine tapestry of scenes and situations. Although lacking the epic feel usually associated with such fantasy, it certainly should satisfy readers looking for an exciting fantasy adventure.
Rating: 
Summary: Better as Epic Fantasy than as Science Fiction
Review: Robert Silverberg is deservedly one of the most revered names in the sci-fi pantheon, not so much for his ability to communicate the dry facts of hard science (à la Clarke and Asimov) as for his imaginative extrapolations and mythic themes. So one might reasonably expect great things from him in the realm of fantasy, which after all, seems to play to his strengths. And that's the main reason this book was rather disappointing.
Lord Valentine's Castle is the first in a series of books set on the planet Majipoor, a vast, metals-poor world, settled by humanity thousands of years ago, and now home to several other sentient species as well. The story has a naïve simplicity to it that will enable most readers to figure out the main plot points within the first few pages of this seemingly endless book, so this reviewer will refrain from giving too much away here. Suffice it to say that an amnesiac joins a troupe of itinerant jugglers and embarks on a solemn quest. As is typical of fantasy, there's no real point being made here; the work exists solely for its entertainment value, which unfortunately is not that great. This reviewer found the first enormous chapter intriguing enough, but the story slowly plodded downhill from there. Not only is the tale bone-dry humorless, but there isn't really that much action either.
Silverberg works hard to create a sense of awe at the beauty and size and variety and majesty of this world he's created, and to some extent he's successful, but at the same time it all seems to fall rather flat, perhaps because there're just too many pages to slog through between the interesting parts. Only the protagonist shows any sign of being more than a one-dimensional character; everyone else exists only to serve him in his quest, with little enough motivation of their own. And the conclusion would have been laughable if the readers hadn't already worn themselves out getting there. The ease with which the hero vanquishes his enemies seems more consistent with a short story than with a 500+ page novel.
Approaching it as a fantasy, this book probably rates four stars, being perhaps better than the run of the mill, but as science fiction, it deserves no more than two. While there are few obvious inconsistencies in the story, Silverberg's approach here is distinctly non-scientific. He shows us the marvels of Majipoor, but he doesn't explain the details of how it's done, except to say in passing that someone "has a device" that accomplishes this. But science fiction fans who want to know the theory behind it, and some details of its construction, may be forgiven for not bothering to finish this ponderous tome.
For devotees of the epic fantasy, this may be fairly good stuff, but hard science fiction fans will surely be disappointed, and the general reading public may find themselves regretting the 20 hours of their lives that they'll never get back.
Rating:
Summary: Nice world, boring book.
Review: Robert Silverberg is great at creating his world, but I felt that the entire book lacked momentum. Except for the end, the plot is fairly predictable, and there are too many minor characters that aren't developed. I had trouble becoming immersed in the world, but reading is one half the reader's part as well as the writer's, so other people might find this book either really thrilling or downright boring. Overall, a lot of pretty places, but nothing to really string them together. If there had been more momentum to the plotline (as in, not everything happens as planned), this would be an epic rivalling Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings."
Rating:
Summary: Good read if you're a fantasy buff.
Review: Silverberg has done a good job of creating an entire world in a book. As always if the world does not appeal you are unlikely to enjoy the book. Its nice to read a fantasy novel that doesn't completely follow the normal formula and the inclusion of juggling is enjoyable. If you do not juggle, this book may inspire you to learn. If you are a serious juggler you'll probably be annoyed with the small discrepancies, although Silverberg is more accurate than most. I'd reserve this book for serious fantasy buffs.
Rating:
Summary: Could have been a lot better
Review: The extremely fascinating world of Majipoor is introduced in this novel. There are lots of great things about this book, but it doesn't really live up to its potential. While the characters, plot, dialogue, and imagery are all top rate, there is a serious lack of action and suspense. The book is very predictable (from the first chapter you'd be able to guess at most everything that happens in the rest of the book). I actually would have given this book three stars if not for the last couple of chapters, which contained some good action and threw in an unexpected (but welcome) twist. The story takes you through Valentine's journey to take back his castle from a usurper. While there are a couple of times during the journey when he is challenged in some way or another, he is able to coast through most of his journey without too much adversity. While the story had all the elements of a truly epic adventure, Silverberg dissapoints by failing to give his character more than a small challenge every now and than. (There couldn't have been more than 2 battle scenes the entire book, and even those weren't very suspenseful). For the most part, Valentine and his friends have a free ride along their journey. They are always able to find everything they need and luck stays with them the entire way. Overall, this book was disapointing because it just didn't live up to its potential.
Rating:
Summary: Could have been a lot better
Review: The extremely fascinating world of Majipoor is introduced in this novel. There are lots of great things about this book, but it doesn't really live up to its potential. While the characters, plot, dialogue, and imagery are all top rate, there is a serious lack of action and suspense. The book is very predictable (from the first chapter you'd be able to guess at most everything that happens in the rest of the book). I actually would have given this book three stars if not for the last couple of chapters, which contained some good action and threw in an unexpected (but welcome) twist. The story takes you through Valentine's journey to take back his castle from a usurper. While there are a couple of times during the journey when he is challenged in some way or another, he is able to coast through most of his journey without too much adversity. While the story had all the elements of a truly epic adventure, Silverberg dissapoints by failing to give his character more than a small challenge every now and than. (There couldn't have been more than 2 battle scenes the entire book, and even those weren't very suspenseful). For the most part, Valentine and his friends have a free ride along their journey. They are always able to find everything they need and luck stays with them the entire way. Overall, this book was disapointing because it just didn't live up to its potential.
|
