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The Last Song of Orpheus

Written by Robert Silverberg

Average Score: 63(6)

In the course of his extraordinary--and prolific--career, Robert Silverberg has made an enormous contribution to imaginative literature. In The Last Song of Orpheus, his longest story in more than a decade, Silverberg has given us one of his most remarkable accomplishments, a resonant recreation of one of the central myths of western civilization.

In this mesmerizing narrative, Orpheus--wanderer, demigod, and master musician--recounts his own astonishing story. That story ranges from the depths of the Underworld, where he attempts to rescue his beloved but doomed Eurydice, to the farthest, most dangerous corners of the ancient world, where he journeys in search of the legendary Golden Fleece. It is a tale of men and gods, of miraculous encounters, of the binding power of inescapable Fate. More than that, it is a meditation on the power of the creative spirit, and on the eternal human search for balance and harmony in a chaotic universe. Beautifully constructed and masterfully written, The Last Song of Orpheus is Silverberg at his incomparable best, showing us a deeply familiar series of scenes, themes, and characters from a fresh, wholly original perspective.

Book Details

Fantasy
Hardcover, 136 Pages
Published by Subterranean on September 30, 2010
ISBN-10 1596063106
ISBN-13 978-1596063105

Reviews


Fantasy Literature | Kat Hooper
Review Rating: 82
There's not much new in The Last Song of Orpheus -- you've likely heard these stories before. But there is much beauty here
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Publishers Weekly
Review Rating: 80
Though it's not the literary SF that has won Silverberg much of his fame, readers who love ancient myths will find much to admire.
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SF Site | Rich Horton
Review Rating: 80
This isn't a masterwork, no, but it's solid work from a master.
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Stephen Hunts SF Crownest | Eamonn Murphy
Review Rating: 60
[Silverberg] went for first person, stream of consciousness narration re-telling an ancient myth. He did it well but I prefer his Science Fiction.
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Strange Horizons | T. S. Miller
Review Rating: 40
The Last Song of Orpheus is, in a phrase, a lackluster retelling of an imperishable narrative by an accomplished master.
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The Green Man Review
Review Rating: 40
There's no rule that says a protagonist has to be the most appealing person you've ever run across, but they should be interesting, at least, and Orpheus isn't.
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SF Site | Trent Walters
The Last Song of Orpheus is very contemplative in both mood and posture.
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