Star of Gypsies - Robert Silverberg Book Review

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Review Summary

Yakoub, king of the Gypsies in a faraway future, where Gypsies are capable of space-travel and time teleportation of astral body, has retired on a lonely planet. He receives visits from the projected images of friends who urge him to return, as the Human emperor of the Galaxy (here Gypsies are thought to be an alien race who came from a Star, the Romany Star, that underwent Nova, and escaped on Earth) is dying and senile and has left no indications for succession. Human Emperor and the King of gypsies, become starship operators, have always governed in unison. Yakoub refuses until he learn that his degenerate son has taken his place, whilst civil war breaks up as the Emperor finally dies and the three pretendents fight for power. Meanwhile, we are told the story both of Yakoub's life and of the Gypsies race, whose final yearning is to return to their lost home planet. Yakoub will have to resolve his very personal political crisis and the human one, in a very unusual way.
Angelo Ventura, Resident Scholar

Detailed literary breakdown of Star of Gypsies

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 30%

Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Mental/magical powers focus Yes
magical powers: - teleporter (scifi)
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture Yes
Culture clash- - one human from different culture of other humans
Intense exploration of society's culture? Yes

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - politician/elected ruler
Age: - long lived adults
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character: - teleportation
Eccentric: - eccentric
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - dictator
Eccentric: Yes - emotionally unstable - wild
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society - empty, or nearly empty world
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references only
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

Most similar books to Star of Gypsies
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Snare by Katharine Kerr

Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).

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