The Man Who Fell to Earth
T.J. Newton is an extraterrestrial who goes to Earth on a desperate mission of mercy. But instead of aid, Newton discovers loneliness and despair that ultimately ends in tragedy.
Stats for nerds
2recommend
6mentions
5people
2018–2025years
33% recommend67% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- Mockingbird, by Walter Tevis, about the first man to learn to read, centuries after humanity delegated even intellectual labor to robots; and the last robot overseer, suicidally bored with his assignment. Tevis also wrote The Man Who Fell To Earth – and, somewhat surprisingly, The Queen's Gambit and The Hustler.
The Shipkiller, by Justin Scott – dated but a great revenge adventure.
And of current releases I really enjoyed Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky.
- I love science fiction, but I've been reading too much and am a little burnt out! When I look for recommendations based on my tastes, I only get more sci-fi results. Do you have any recommendations for interesting reads from other genres that would suit a sci-fi fan?
(My recent favorites have been the Three Body Problem series, Permutation City by Greg Egan, Hail Mary by Andy Weir, and The Man who fell to Earth by Walter Tevis.)
Thanks!
- Mockingbird, by Walter Tevis (who wrote The Hustler and The Color of Money, and Queen's Gambit, and The Man Who Fell To Earth – quite an oeuvre!) has long been one of my favorite books and it's been eerie to see how right he was about how eager mankind is to hand over all intellectual labor to the robots.
(The last level 9 robot that hasn't killed itself is now the Dean of NYU, and in the 25th century it hires the first man who has learned to read in 400 years – to translate the title cards in silent films. Hilarity ensues. Well, no, but there is kind of a happy ending.)
- I am reading 'The Man Who Fell To Earth" and it's about this supposedly very smart martian who makes very basic mistakes that led to his capture. There is a quote, something to the effect, 'it's amazing the number of things you just don't think about'. Which I think is true and why people got caught. Truth is, he had a lot on his mind and that can make you very clumsy.
- The Man Who Fell To Earth.
- I've always thought of Man Who Fell To Earth as being a film of Stranger in a Strange Land. Brilliant "acting" by Bowie also.
