Capricorn Games

by Robert Silverberg, Kelly Freas (Illustrator)

Starblaze Editions, 1979. Collection of stories, each introduced by the author and individually illustrated by Kelly Freas. “Capricorn Games” (1974); “The Science Fiction Hall of Fame” (1973); “Ms. Found in an Abandoned Time Machine” (1973); “Breckenridge and the Continuum” (1973); “Ship-Sister, Star-Sister” (1973); “A Sea of Faces” (1974); “The Dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV” (1974); “Getting Across” (1973); “Ishmael in Love” (1970).

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

There are many authors in the database with this name.

Robert Silverberg is a highly celebrated American science fiction author and editor known for his prolific output and literary range. Over a career spanning decades, he has won multiple Hugo and Nebula Awards and was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2004. Inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 1999, Silverberg is recognized for both his immense productivity and his contributions to the genre's evolution.
Born in Brooklyn, he began writing in his teens and won his first Hugo Award in 1956 as the best new writer. Throughout the 1950s, he produced vast amounts of fiction, often under pseudonyms, and was known for writing up to a million words a year. When the market declined, he diversified into other genres, including historical nonfiction and erotica.
Silverberg’s return to science fiction in the 1960s marked a shift toward deeper psychological and literary themes, contributing significantly to the New Wave movement. Acclaimed works from this period include Downward to the Earth, Dying Inside, Nightwings, and The World Inside. In the 1980s, he launched the Majipoor series with Lord Valentine’s Castle, creating one of the most imaginative planetary settings in science fiction.
Though he announced his retirement from writing in the mid-1970s, Silverberg returned with renewed vigor and continued to publish acclaimed fiction into the 1990s. He received further recognition with the Nebula-winning Sailing to Byzantium and the Hugo-winning Gilgamesh in the Outback.
Silverberg has also played a significant role as an editor and anthologist, shaping science fiction literature through both his own work and his influence on others. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, author Karen Haber.

Reviews

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

About half of these eight stories are worthwhile. Three of them – "The science fiction hall of fame", "Ms. found in an abandoned time machine", and "Breckenridge and the continuum" – are annoying experimental and self-consciously psychedelic, composed of seemingly random fragments and with little discernible point as far as I could see.
Fortunately the others are far better. "The dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV" is basically a joke about warring strands of Judaism, but the other three are well-imagined tales of journeys into other dimensions, often involving trips inside a character's mind (head trips, literally). And while they're dated in many ways the fluidity of the writing makes them very readable.

[Tom LA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love Silverberg, but these are mainly old notes and scraps.

[Iván Ramírez Osorio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué descubrimiento más bonito.

Me he enamorado de Silverberg.

[Paul Bard · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read "Capricorn Games" as a kid. Story didn't age well.

Ironically, the story is about mortality: a dying billionaire and a spiritual immortal are contrasted. It's also about sex, drugs, astrology, telepathy, and various exotica.

A shallow girl fails to manipulate a man. I remembered it as a rich fable about social masks and conflicting social agendas. But it's not.

[Ari Pérez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Capricorn Games [*****]
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame [****]
Ms. Found in an Abandoned Time Machine [***]
Breckenridge and the Continuum [**]
Ship-Sister, Star-Sister [**]
A Sea of Faces [**]
The Dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV [*]
Getting Across [*]

[Melbourne Bitter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly dated 60/70s freak out stories, but "The dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV" was hilarious.

[Ptjerónimo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inclui:

- "Os Jogos do Capricórnio" (Capricorn Games - 1974);
- "O Templo da Ficção Científica" (The Science Fiction Hall of Fame - 1973);
- "Manuscrito encontrado numa Máquina do Tempo Abandonada" (Ms. Found in an Abandoned Time Machine - 1973);
- "Breckenbridge e o Contínuo" (Breckenridge and the Continuum - 1973);
- "Nave Irmã, Estrela Irmã" (Ship-Sister, Star-Sister - 1973);
- "Um Mar de Rostos" (A Sea of Faces - 1974);
- "O Dybbuk de Mazel Tov IV " (The Dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV - 1974);
- "De um Lado para o Outro" (Getting Across - 1973).

[William Worsham · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the stories within also appear in the much larger collection Beyond the Safe Zone, which is what I actually read. I'm a collection/anthology/short story fiend so I bought this without considering whether I might be double dipping. This collection's stories are from Silverberg's later career and involve the future in some way, be it merely setting or as a plot point. While it might not be Silverberg's very best (although it was nominated for a Locus), it's still a highly entertaining read.

[Almustafa Couch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was an interesting magazine sci-fi story. This sci-fi story was centered on a Birthday party for our 2 main characters, an analysis is offered in to the different ways of acting in our time compared to theirs, there is barely any new technology at all it turns out to be a superb story of class warfare. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in class difference.

[Wordlady13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gets better with each reading.

Probably the third time I've read this over four decades. Like the World Inside and Downward to the Earth it becomes a different story to me at each stage of my life. I am Dave the husband of Sheri.

[Yuukimura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un conjunto de relatos de ciencia ficción con elementos comunes como: robots, naves espaciales, viajes en el tiempo.

[Brian R. Mcdonald]

This volume of short stories includes Ship Sister, Star Sister, which was later expanded into the novel Starborne. .
Go plays a major role in the story.

[Chiefdonkey Bradey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subtle and haunting dreams

[Bill Jenkins]

Aborted Read.

This book is rare. All stories in this book can be found in "The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg, (Volume Three). Publisher D I Fine. 1986.

[Lanzdybek · Rating 3 out of 5]

2'75

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capricorn Games (1974)
The Science Fiction Hall of Fame (1973)
Ms. Found in an Abandoned Time Machine (1973)
Breckenridge and the Continuum (1973)
Ship-Sister, Star-Sister (1973)
A Sea of Faces (1974)
The Dybbuk of Mazel Tov IV (1974)
Getting Across (1973)

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

En esta entrega de recopilaciones de ciencia ficción, exclusivamente nos encontramos con relatos del mismo autor.
Silverberg ( un gran escritor de la temática, aunque no tan conocido ni laureado como Heilein o Asimov), hace despliega de su capacidad creativa y cambio de temática dentro del mismo género. Un imprescindible para conocer al escritor.