Reviews

After a recurrence of the cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs and a resulting Long Winter of 700,000 years, the eventual New Springtime sees only two of the far future Earth's original Six Peoples emerge from their deep cocoons: the resilient, insect-like hjjk-folk and the simian tribes who regard themselves as heirs to humanity. Young Hresh-full-of-questions is a member of one of the latter, a small band that must radically change its ancient rituals and taboos to adapt to their new life. Taking up temporary residence in the shell of a once great city, the group fearfully meets another people, is itself torn in half by rivalry and, through Hresh, achieves a new realization of who they are. This solid, dramatic novel expands on a favorite motif of Silverberg's: the mixed terrors and pleasures of freedom, of going out into the wider world without guide, map or a sure sense of one's own capabilities. (April)

After 700 centuries, the Long Winter has ended, and Koshmar leads her small band of humans from their underground cocoon onto the surface of the earth to begin reclaiming their inheritance. Against a backdrop which contrasts tantalizing visions of a long-dead civilization with the harsh realities of a beautiful and dangerous new world, Silverberg relates the struggle of a new humanity at the dawn of an age. Highly recommended. JC