A Time of Changes
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| Author | Robert Silverberg |
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| Cover Artist | Gene Szafran(not credited) |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Fantasy/ Science Fiction |
| Publisher | Signet |
| Released | August 1971 |
| Media Type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 220 (paperback 1st printing) |
| ISBN | ISBN missing |
A Time of Changes is a 1971 science fiction novel by Robert Silverberg. It won the Nebula Award for that year.
[edit] Short Synopsis
The novel is set in a culture where the first person singular is forbidden. This could be seen as similar to Ayn Rand's earlier Anthem, except that in Rand's book the idea of individuality is simply unknown, whereas Silverberg makes the more plausible suggestion of a world where I and me are treated as obscenities or social errors. A powerful new drug enables protagonist Kinall Darival to attain telepathic contact with others, and this sharing brings him the courage to lead a revolution against his repressive culture. A backlash to the Sixties culture in which the book was written leads some critics to see it as merely a psychedelic drug fantasy, but the book still repays reading.
[edit] Summary Plot
Everyone's lives in Velada Borthan is ruled by the Covenant, which most conspicuous trait is the denial of the self. Referring to oneself in the first person is forbidden. A selfbarer is someone who exposes his soul to others and as a result is ostracized.
Protagonist of the story is Kinnall Darival, a prince of Salla, tormented by existential doubts and by his forbidden passion for his bondsister, Halum. After his brother Stirron became septarch of Salla, Kinnall exiled in Glin to avoid a direct clash with him. After a more than cold reception in Glin, his money savings are sequestered by the Grand Tresurer of Salla, and he was declared an illegal alien, leaving him as a penniless fugitive. He finds a nice man who employs him for a year in a logging camp. But he was eventually recognized as the fugitive prince by a woman from Salla. On the road again, Kinnall took shelter in Klaek, a miserable village in Glin with a family of peasants. Longing for news from the "real world", Kinnall went to Biumar and engaged as a seaman in a merchant boat headed to Manneran. Once there, he recurred to his bondfather, Segvord for a job which allowed him a honest living in Manneran. Turned into a powerful bureaucrat in Manneran, Kinnall marries Halum's look-alike and cousin Loimel. Then he meets the earthman Schweiz with whom he can give free course to his alienation of his own culture. Schweiz tells him about the wonderful drug available in the wild southern country of Sumara Borthan. Finally, both go to a country lodge and share the secret drug which causes their minds to melt together and creates a strong connection between them. Kinnall and Schweiz organize a small expedition to Sumara Borthan were they share the drug with the natives in a kind of social magic ritual.
Smugling an amount of the drug in Manneran, Kinnall started to be the apostle of a new selfbaring cult, convincing many people to share the telepathic drug with him. Among them his bondbrother Noim. Finally, betrayed and revealed, he seeks escape to Noim's in Salla. There, visited by his beloved Halum, they share the drug. She is so disturbed that she enters the pen of the voracious stormshields who shred her to pieces. Kinnall take his last flight to the Burnt Lowlands where he ultimately is captured by the royal guards.
[edit] Characters and places
Kinnall Darival -- is a prince of Salla, second son of the septarch. Tall and muscularly sportive.
Stirron -- older brother of Kinnall. A hulk like his brother. Eventually became septarch of the province of Salla.
The septarch -- father of Stirron and Kinnall. A man of slender body and modest height. Killed by a hornfowl -- a large bird of prey, which caused Stirron to be the new septarch.
Bonding -- a personal alliance between individuals arranged by the families since early childhood. These bond-kin are supposed to become very close friends.
Noim Condorit -- Kinnall's bondbrother. Son of Luinn Condorit from the northern frontier of Salla.
Halum Helalam -- Kinnall's bondsister and forbidden Kinnall's love interest. Daughter of Segvord Helalam from Manneran.
Schweiz -- an earthman. A merchant who develops a strong relationship with Kinnall.
Drainers -- Along the story, Kinnall sought relief in the drainers -- much like catholic confessions. The drainers were supposed to keep these revelations secret, however they instead betrayed their subjects.
Planet Borthan -- is an Earth colony orbiting around a golden-gren sun. There are five continents, Velada Borthan, Sumara Borthan, Umbis, Dabis and Tibis.
Burnt Lowlands -- arid place in the middle of Velada Borthan, Flanked by two immense mountain ranges: the Huishtors in the east, the Threishtors in the west.
Velada Borthan -- "the Northern World". Most important continent and home of the human civilization. Divided in an eastern and a western portion by the Burnt Lowlands. Western portion is divided into nine unnamed provinces. Eastern portion has four provinces: Salla, Glin, Manneran and Krell.
Salla -- most powerful province of Velada Borthan. The capital, Salla City is the home of Kinnall and Stirron.
Glain -- capital of the Glin province. Ugly, miserable, dismal. The folk of Glain is described as having dark clothes, dark frowns, dark souls, closed and shrunken hearts.
Biumar -- Glin's main seaport and second most populous city. A greasy gray sprawl of an oversized town, backed up against a gray and menacing ocean.
Manneran -- Province favored by the gods. The air is mild and sweet, filled all the year through with the fragrance of flowers.
Manneran -- Prosperous, hot and beautiful Capital city of Manneran Province. Its site is the finest natural harbor in all Velada Borthan. Manneran has established itself as the holy of the holies with the famous Stone Chapel.
