Way Station - Clifford D. Simak Book Review

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"Way Station"
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Review Summaries

"One of Clifford Simak's signature works, Way Station is about Enoch Wallace, a civil war veteran. An alien offers him immortality in exchange for his maintaining a "Way Station", sort of a train depot for Galactic Central's matter transmitter, in his Wisconsin farmhouse. The story deals with the truth about him coming out, and the lonely life he leads. As with most of Clifford's works, it is a tale not of action but of thoughtful discourse, often just the character's thoughts. Written in the shadows of the Cuban Missile Crisis, it presents ideas -- and hopes -- that are still valid today. Way Station is almost 40 years old, but it is classic intellectual sci-fi at it's best; it's old, but not tired."
Kim Marks, Resident Clifford D. Simak Scholar

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Overall Review

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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Explore/1st contact/ enviro story Yes
Plotlets: - dimension travel - generally friendly contact with alien(s)
Inner Struggle Yes
Plotlet: - search for identity/new understanding - coping with mental/magical powers
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - diplomat
Age: - long lived adults
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - society
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.

Setting
Terrain - Forests
Earth setting: - 20th century
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - some scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - little dialog

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

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