An intriguing premise; one at, first glance, seems more horror than science fiction. Since I’m a moderate fan of Silverberg’s, having read about a half-dozen selections from his prolific output, I decided this was too good to pass up.
I recommend The Book of Skulls, with reservations.
First, the set-up: Immortality! The lure of immortality. Who would not want to skip that inconvenient, inevitable crossroads of fear and unknown called Death? Who feels one-hundred percent confident he has the courage to face it? Or half that?
But how about this intellectual teaser – what would you do if you were immortal? What would you do, see, study, experience, master, if you would live forever without having to taste death? One character actually takes the plunge, cerebrally, detailng timelines to each and every thing he’d do, see, study, experience, and master. Perhaps I might, too, in a future post.
Now, the story: A college kid finds an old and forgotten manuscript in the university library. He translates it, revealing a shadowy monastery in the Arizonan desert that offers the gift of immortality. But, as always, there’s a catch. Supplicants must come in groups of four. Eternal life will be granted to two, while immediate death is the penalty (reward?) for the others. Via backstory exposition, a little bit of detective work is done, and the monastery is located.
We follow our collegiate philologist and his three dorm mates on their cross-country trip to Arizona over spring break. Actually, we follow four stereotypes: the wealthy WASP, the corn-fed Nebraskan, the New York Jew, and the Boston Catholic, who, natch, happens to be a flaming homosexual. The cardboard cut-out stereotyping, coupled with dialogue and imagery straight out of that most navel-gazed and overly-self-inflated decade known as the Sixties, initially turned me off. But since the book was relatively short and direct, I stuck with it.
Silverberg does something different, though. Each chapter (there are forty-two of them) is told from the viewpoint of a different character. By rotating the narrative point of view between our four protagonists, we get to know and understand them deep down, so they grow past their initial pigeon-holed personae. Not all characters are likeable, nor did I like the ones I think I was supposed to like. But I liked the literary device, and I think it worked for the story.
From the very first page burning questions sprung up in my mind. First, does the “monastery” actually exist, and do the “monks” offer immortality, or is it some sort of trap? Second, how is this immortality earned, attained or bestowed? Mystically, scientifically, or fantastically? Third, if eternal life is offered, who of the four buddies lives and who dies? Fourth, does something like a “monkey’s paw” – a terrible and ironic fate – befall the two chosen ones?
The desire to see these questions answered, plus the short chapters of shifting point-of-views, plus the simple, linear direction of the novel, made it a quick and fun read. I put the whole thing away in about four hours, including a half-hour at the town pool and a half-hour at my daughter’s friend’s birthday party.
The major downside to the novel is, well, the constant obsession with sex. Yes, it was written during that false and destructive period of “free” love, and yes the protagonists are all horny college kids. But every page? And with one character gay, and another – of course – a latent homosexual, there’s lots and lots of the Love Which Won’t Shut Up. The late-sixties-isms were abundant: LBJ, Nixon, and Viet Nam all got honorable mentions. And there’s lots of drug use, couched in all those dated hippie terms.
All things considered, I’d grade The Book of Skulls a solid B. Definitely worth a read, because its strong points modestly outweigh its weaknesses.
CODA
I got to thinking what Silverberg books I’ve read over the years. He’s been around for nearly half-a-century, and may still even be writing. I read him as a kid, as a teen, and in my twenties and thirties. So here’s a quick list, with off-the-top-o’-my-head grades:
Conquerors from the Darkness – A+ . One of the all-time favorites from my youth.
Lord Valentine’s Castle – B
The Face of the Waters – A-
Hot Sky at Midnight – C
A Time of Changes – A . Unique story, unique alien culture: individuality is squashed to the point where it’s even taboo to say the word “I”. A little difficult because it demands the reader’s full attention, but it’s worth it.
The New Springtime – B+
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