A Time Of Changes (Robert Silverberg)

• 18 Aug 11:51
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A Time of Changes is a 1971 science fiction novel by Robert Silverberg. It won the Nebula Award for that year, and was also nominated for the Hugo and Locus Awards for in 1972.

The novel is set in a culture where the first person singular is forbidden, and words such as I or me are treated as obscenities or social errors. A powerful new drug enables protagonist Kinnall Darival to attain telepathic contact with others, and this sharing brings him the courage to lead a revolution against his repressive culture.

The novel is presented in the style of an autobiography, written by Kinnall while he awaits impending capture and imprisonment for his cultural crimes.

Life in Velada Borthan is ruled by the Covenant, of which the 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.

The protagonist of the story is Kinnall Darival, a prince of the province of Salla, tormented by existential doubts and by his forbidden passion for his bondsister, Halum. After his brother Stirron becomes Prime Septarch of Salla, Kinnall exiles himself to the neighboring province...

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