A review by jnzllwgr
The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis

5.0

Continuing a theme from having finished Stranger In A Strange Land…an alien from Mars (? we don’t *really* get to know) visits earth, develops wealth and influence…but where Smith brings great knowledge to help Earth grow in SIASL, here, Newton has travelled in hopes of saving his species from extinction. The case of a loner on a mission, deeply impacted as an individual and derailed by his contact and life with Americans. Published 2 years after SIASL, the parallels and contrasts are fascinating. Perhaps a reflection of the Cold War, military-industrial complex era that would increasingly unravel as the 1960s moved along. You really get the sense of that both these authors are calling bullshit on the American culture and empire that emerged just a couple decades prior following the Second World War.
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A quick, worthwhile read from the author of The Hustler, The Color of Money and The Queen’s Gambit.
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Nicolas Roeg’s movie, with David Bowie in the lead role, drifts from the books story. Another case where the book is the superior form.