Other Dimensions by Robert SilverbergMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This omnibus edition was published by the now defunct Science Fiction Book Club which compiles four of Robert Silberberg's novels: The Man in the Maze, Nightwings, Up the Line and Dying Inside.
The Man in the Maze concerns a deadly trap-filled maze on a distant planet where an Earthman has self-exiled. For what purpose and why is the crux of story as his fellow Earthmen seek him out for help with a possible alien invasion.
Nightwings I believe was three separate novellas at one time, so the book is what you call a "fix-up" novel. Anyway, this far-future tale where Earth is a tourist spot for alien races tells how several characters react to an impending alien invasion. They travel from city to city meeting weird inhabitants along the way and discover where humanity is heading in its next phase of evolution.
Up the Line is a futuristic story where time travel has become commonplace and people use this technology for time tourism. The main character is a time travel tour guide who is not averse to bending the rules of time travel - paradoxes be damned!
The omnibus ends with the best (and I believe one of Silverberg's best-known) stories: Dying Inside. This very emotional tale can hardly be called science fiction as it only deals with the pseudo-science of extra-sensory perception. The story is set in the present day (as of the writing of the novel) and has no other SF elements. One man able to read minds holds this ability secret from all but a very few. The real story begins as his power begins to fade and he becomes a normal human, he however, has never been normal and therein lies his dilemma. The themes of alienation, solitude and the anxiety of being different from others (themes now done to death, I know) are masterfully presented by Silberberg. The main character's emotional insecurities stemming from his "spying" ability are what alienates him and prevents any true emotional connection with anyone. A wholly character-driven tale, Dying Inside is very worthy of your time.
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