Rating:  Summary: Weak Hugo winner Review: "Way Station", the 1964 Hugo winner, is a dated tale of alien presence on Earth. The story describes a 19th century man, recruited to maintain a terminal for traveling aliens, and his interactions with the Earth and the aliens. It's interesting as an exhibit of 60s Science Fiction (preachy preachy!), but didn't hold much sway with me as a standalone read.
Rating:  Summary: Weak Hugo winner Review: "Way Station", the 1964 Hugo winner, is a dated tale of alien presence on Earth. The story describes a 19th century man, recruited to maintain a terminal for traveling aliens, and his interactions with the Earth and the aliens. It's interesting as an exhibit of 60s Science Fiction (preachy preachy!), but didn't hold much sway with me as a standalone read.
Rating:  Summary: This is the best. Deeply moving. Visionary work! AAA+++ Review: .... I always enjoy this unworldly sense of peace and serenity when I re-read Way Station. CDS excels at hinting at the vastness of the cosmos, and the enormous importance of love and tolerance. I am not ashamed to say I was touched by CDS's Way Station in a way other far more brilliant and technically-accomplished sci-fi works has not. Re-reading it is a spiritual experience for me, no joke this. ....
Rating:  Summary: Almost as good as City Review: A great early sf novel, this story of a long-lived Civil War vet whose home is used as a stopover point for interstellar travelers will captivate and entertain all who love the poignant tales that Simak was noted for. Probably his best after the classic, City. Great read!
Rating:  Summary: A great book, back in print! Review: A new edition of WAY STATION (& CITY !) was released by Old Earth Books at the 62nd annual World SF Convention over Labor Day weekend and will eventually, I'm sure, appear on Amazon.
The book is a great read.
This is what Robert A. Heinlein wrote about Clifford Simak:
"To read science fiction is to read Simak. The reader who does not like Simak stories does not like science fiction at all."
And for someone more contemporaty, Allen Steele:
"Clifford Simak was one of the finest writers to ever grace
science fiction; there has never been another voice quite like his. CITY and WAY STATION are two of his best novels; if you haven't read them, now is a perfect opportunity."
If you haven't WAY STATION - or CITY - boy, are you in for a treat!
Rating:  Summary: classic book of SF from it's best period Review: actually i don't have much to add to the previous review. he realy said what i thought about the book. the book was great and very imaginative, but the end was very "holliwood" style - but what's so bad whith happy endings, when life outside doesn't seem so full of them ?
Rating:  Summary: One of the Greatest SF Novels, Period!! Review: But unfortunately in our pessimistic, cynical and violent world, a beautiful, pastoral and gentle book such as "Way Station" is out of print!!! May I remind everyone that this novel won the '64 Hugo Award and it should be the obligation of publishers to ensure it never gets out of print. It really burns my hide to see such novels as Bester's "The Demolished Man" or Heinlein's "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress", two of the greatest (possibly THE two greatest)SF novels of all time disappear from the bookshelves for a decade or four. I don't see "Dune" or "Stand on Zanzibar" off the shelves because "they're old and no one will read them anymore despite the fact that they were honored by the SF community". But with all the media tie-in novels attracting the readers (I don't necessarly mind them, since I actually like reading a "Star Wars" novel from time to time and I think if publishers could promote classic and "real, honest-to-God" SF through those books then the much-talked-about but nothing-done-for "Death of SF" will never happen, although I would like to see less "BattleTech" and post-Weis and Hickman "Drangonlance" pulp novels), the market for such classics of SF literature maybe lost forever in the stars of time. Please buy or check out of your local library "Way Station" or any other Simak novels before they can only be found collecting dust in second-hand bookstores.
Rating:  Summary: Timeless Masterpiece of Classic SF Review: Clifford D. Simak's Way Station is simply one of the most original and best SF novels ever written. Long considered a masterpiece, published in 1963, this story remains as fresh today as when first written. Though the theme has often been explored, the plot is one of a kind. So different that it remains unduplicated after almost 4 decades.The theme of the book revolves around whether human society is worthy of inclusion in galactic society, mainly because of its warlike tendencies. Written in the era of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the nuclear uncertainty surrounding that era of the Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union, Simak weaves a tale that was modern when written, but timeless in retrospect. This theme has recurred again and again in actual society, such as during the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and now the War against Terrorism. But the plot of this book is so unique, that we are fortunate that no writer has attempted to copy this idea. The Way Station is a galactic transportation transfer point, kept by a lone human being, himself a throwback to another era. Beings from all over the galaxy secretly pass through the Earth, communicating, learning and sharing with the station keeper, and spreading their cultures by so doing. The character development of the protagonist is first rate, and the writing is of exceptional quality. When separate crises develop simultaneously on the Earth and within galactic society, the book comes to a fascinating and exciting climax. Simak's body of work has been rated highly, but this story ranks among the best SF novels of all time. It is a must read for all serious SF fans, and should be a foundation piece for anyone looking to acquire such works on their bookshelf. Way Station is rated at 4.95 stars out of 5.00, easily rounded up to 5.00. The book reads wonderfully now; it will read wonderfully again when you pick it up in 10-20 years.
Rating:  Summary: Thoughtful SF Review: Clifford Simak was a newspaper writer who also wrote SF. His profession was obvious in the way he always grabbed your attention with the first few sentences. The Way Station is probably his finest novel. It shows a deeper level of character development and empathy than is customary in most SF. The story is about a man living in isolation on his home planet Earth, while maintaining a way station for citizens of the galaxy, unknown to earthlings. The loneliness of this portrayed brilliantly.
Rating:  Summary: Thoughtful SF Review: Clifford Simak was a newspaper writer who also wrote SF. His profession was obvious in the way he always grabbed your attention with the first few sentences. The Way Station is probably his finest novel. It shows a deeper level of character development and empathy than is customary in most SF. The story is about a man living in isolation on his home planet Earth, while maintaining a way station for citizens of the galaxy, unknown to earthlings. The loneliness of this portrayed brilliantly.
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