Rating: 
Summary: A captivating book.
Review: The Man Who Fell to Earth is one of my favorite books, as is The Queen's Gambit, also by Walter Tevis. I heartily recommend the book, but not the movie. As usual, key elements have been changed and the plot simplified. By the way, I painted a picture of T.J. Newton as an art assignment in high school. (And I, unlike the movie, gave him tan skin and white hair...)
Rating:
Summary: One of Tevis' finest novels
Review: The Man Who Fell To Earth works on many levels: it's a perfect metaphor on the lonliness of Tevis' life and his battle with booze; the novel also works as an internalized view of any one that has ever felt alienated and apart from society; Man also works as a straight ahead science fiction narrative. Although there are holes in the novel (wouldn't any society advanced enough to send someone across the stars and come up with marvelous inventions be able to create the resources necessary to sustain it's society?).The plot acts as little more than a narrative device in this character study. Like much of Tevis' other work (Mockingbird in particular), the story really is about an outsider's attempts to fit in with an uncaring society. The novel compliments Nicholas Roeg's classic film and vice versa. It isn't necessarily important to read the novel prior to the film but it will add an extra dimension to the experience.
Rating:
Summary: The Best Sci-Fi Book In The World!!
Review: This book was absolutely amazing! I'd seen the movie first, but it didn't make sense till I read the book! walter tevis is amazing!
Rating: 
Summary: A product of its time
Review: This story is about an alien who comes to earth with a mission
to save the few remaining people of his own planet, and to save
us from destroying ourselves. It's an easy read, enjoyable, and believable. The main character
is well developed and the pacing remains brisk throughout. It's
not very science fiction-y, more of a human interest story. It's interesting to note that this was originally published in
1963 and bears the marks of cold war/nuclear destruction fears.
This, and many other works of that time assume that we would nuke
ourselves to rubble at some point. The story takes place in
the late eighties so the author is making some guesses about that
time, like every country would have nuclear capabilities and we
would be teetering on the brink. I was amused when one of the
characters went to see a movie and sat through a news reel. Also
that the alien states that there are no other solar systems that
he knows of. Those distractions are minor however, and I very much recommend
you read the book.
Rating:
Summary: Brutal ending
Review: This story just has doom written all over it. An alien comes to earth advances the earth technology so that he can eventually bring what's left of his dying race to earth. Of course, there is a time limit and the alien has to overcome his indoctrination into earth's culture as well as certain changes he goes through adapting to earth and its people. All of us can probably relate to being an outsider at one point in our lives and, T.J. Newton, our alien friend, more than aptly makes us feel his uniqueness. Oh, yeah, and a wildly unexpected ending makes this an unforgettable book.
Rating:
Summary: The Man Who Fell To Earth
Review: This truly is my favorite book.
If the book were 'The Day the Earth Stood Still', then the movie version would be 'Plan 9 From Outer Space'. I think most of the reviews of this book have been tainted by impressions left on them by the movie. The movie doesn't follow the plot of the book very closely and leads people to jump to different conclusions. I disagree with people who state that Thomas Jerome Newton becomes corrupted, leading him to betray his people. It's clear from the start of the book that he's uncomfortable around humans, fearing he may be discovered and his mission compromised; and this fear remains through all the years he spends on Earth. He doesn't become a recluse. He always was from the very moment he arrived. He tries to keep his contact and interaction with humans to a minimum because it's so hard physically rather than mentally- for him to fit in. He probably has this in mind for his people when his plan is to bring them here. He was chosen for the mission because he was the strongest and if the gravity of the Earth affected him this way, it surely would be worse for every one else.
In the end he gives up on his mission because he feels that he has run out of time. He had a window to build a spaceship and send it back to Mars for his people. He missed the window and would have to wait several years for Mars to come close enough to the Earth again. His people have enough resources to live for another 50 years in reasonable comfort on Mars, However on Earth, they would not live so comfortably and he believed that without proper intervention the Earth only had 10 years left before it was destroyed. The one thing I wish is that they had thought of a contingency plan. Another good thing about the book is that it is deep. Very well written. Conversations are exact and minimal saying only what needs to be said and giving little clues that if you follow, it opens up new areas hidden from plain sight. This gives far more insight into the characters and history than could ever be dreamed of, if the movie was anything to go by. I watched the movie recently and it pained me to see the butchery done to the novel. The only redeeming point of the movie was that it put some faces to the characters. David Bowie's face and acting fit very well into my expectations for Thomas Jerome Newton. Everything else was utter clap-trap. Adding extra scenes here and there, removing important dialogue, changing characters and relationships around. It turned a wonderful, deep story into a surreal sex romp.
Rating: 
Summary: Good 'till the End
Review: Walter Tevis does a good job on this Sf book. I especially enjoyed the concept of an alien from a devistated world trying to save his people from extinction. The alien's (for we don't know his real name) assumed name is Thomas Jerome Newton, who is apperently a genious in science. He comes to Earth and sets up the World Enterprizes Corporation. W.E. Corp. is a pioneer in technological advancis. Newtons real plan on Earth is to build a space ship to ferry his people there. Their world is dying out from its wars. Eventually, Newton is caught and ends up a rich bum. In my opinion it was a good story till the end, where it becomes very sad. I think Tevis could have put a better ending on it. Overall, I do not reccomend this book except to those of you who love a bad ending.
Rating:
Summary: Tevis' best novel about alienation, set among humans.
Review: Walter Tevis is no sci-fi writer, but writes about the human condition called alienation, in a manner so moving that you can visualize and feel what characters go through. This is best exemplified by his novel "The Man Who Fell To Earth". In this story, T.J. Newton is an alien who comes to this planet hopingto save his own. Eventually, he falls prey to human weaknesses that he thought he did not possess. END
Rating:
Summary: How it used to be...
Review: With the endless barrages of big-budgeted, simple-minded, ray gun-blasting movies and absurdly complex, geek-aimed fantasy trilogies and tetralogies that have ruled the genre during the past decade, it is difficult to believe that science fiction stories were once compelling, introspective works that employed strange and surreal methods to carry great sociopolitical and philosophical weight. The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis, first published in 1963, is a paradigmatic example of that fine, long-gone variety of space age tale. Mr. Tevis' protagonist, a tall, slender, frail humanoid that calls itself "Thomas Jerome Newton," is sent to Earth from Anthea, a planet where the only knowledge of our world is from the television broadcasts that reach it. Between the glossy commercials and the startling news reports, the Antheans see Earth as a green, watery utopia in some ways and a nuclear powder keg in others. After falling from the Kentucky sky in a one-man spacecraft, Newton embarks on a shady and ambiguous mission. The reserved and methodical stranger's true intent is way too surprising and well developed for any measly reviewer to rightfully give it away. Without letting slip too many precious details, I will tell you that the flimsy extraterrestrial discovers the darker aspects of human society, the feelings of futility, the addictions and vices, the ignorance and distrust and other stigmas not shown on TV. From Newton's fragile eyes, Mr. Tevis does nothing less than paint a striking portrait of the frustrations of being an Earthling.
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