The Silent Invaders

Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of the 1977 Ace paperback edition I read of this novel was Silverberg's introduction. He describes how when shopping a paperback rack in Alamagordo, New Mexico, he happened upon a 1973 Ace printing of the same novel and honestly did not remember writing it. Once he started reading it he remembered it as a 1957 magazine novella that he expanded into half an Ace Double in 1962. It was that version Ace had reprinted without mentioning anything to the author. This was also the first time Silverberg's name had appeared on the story rather than that of one of his many pseudonyms of the 1950's. Silverberg spruced the book up a bit more and added the introduction for the 1977 reprint I read.

This is an alien invasion story that takes place on an overcrowded, 26th century Earth. The first landing parties of two rival species, disguised as humans, are establishing their footholds on the planet to prepare us for a coming intergalactic war. The only human characters tend to be either helitaxi pilots or hotel concierges. Many of them might be robots.

This is more of a cold war spy novel than space adventure, and our main character, a Daruuiian, undergoes a crisis when he encounters his arch enemies the Medlins and learns that he may be fighting for the wrong side. There is also a new breed of super humans in the works, a genetically advanced subspecies that could be the real hope of the universe.

I was not convinced by the Daruuiian's easy conversion to the other side, nor do I trust genetically advanced subspecies to the extent these alien races do. At the end of the novel I felt that another shoe was bound to drop but it didn't. No real complaints. There is something to be said for wrapping things up in 150 pages. Also the 1997 PB I read still had both cardboard advertising inserts. One for Kent Gold Lights (Only 8mg of tar!), and the other the order form for the science fiction book club. I always wanted to join as a kid and my parents wouldn't let me. I still enjoyed choosing my four books for a dime plus shipping and handling.