Title: Downward to the Earth

Title: Downward to the Earth Title Record # 2077
Author: Robert Silverberg
Date: 1969-11-00
Type: NOVEL
Webpages: Wikipedia-EN
Language: English

Synopsis: Edmund Gunderson was the Terran administrator of the colony world of Belzagor, and he returns to it after it has gained independence, feeling a sense of guilt for the way he has treated its dominant species, the elephant-like nildoror, whose animalistic appearance had kept Gunderson from taking them seriously as sentient beings. On his return, he feels a new sense of kinship with the natives, perhaps more than for the Terran tourists. The nildoror undergo a process of rebirth, and Gunderson's greatest guilt comes from having denied rebirth to seven nildoror to make them help him repair flood damage.(From Wikipedia)

User Rating: 7.00 (2 votes) Including variants and translations: 7.33 (3 votes) Your vote: Not cast VOTE
Current Tags: SF: The 100 Best Novels 1949-1984 (1), colonization (1), guilt (1), science fiction (1), aliens (1), rebirth (1), tourism (1), interstellar travel (1) Add Tags

Other Titles

Translations

Serializations

Year	Language	Title
1973^ⓘTranslated by Jacques Guiod	French	Les profondeurs de la terre
1973^ⓘTranslated by Walter Brumm	German	Die Mysterien von Belzagor
1979	Italian	Mutazione
1981^ⓘTranslated by Margarita González Trejo.	Spanish	Regreso a Belzagor

Year	Title
1969	Downward to the Earth (Part 1 of 4)
1969^ⓘMistakenly listed as "Down to the Earth" in the Galaxy TOC.	Downward to the Earth (Part 2 of 4)
1970	Downward to the Earth (Part 3 of 4)
1970	Downward to the Earth (Part 4 of 4)

Awards

Place	Year and Award	Category
5	1971 Locus	Best SF Novel
Withdrawn -- Nomination Declined	1971 Nebula	Novel

Publications

Displaying all variants and translations • Do not display translations • Do not display variants or translations

Title	Date	Author/Editor	Publisher/Pub. Series	ISBN/Catalog ID	Price	Pages	Format	Type	Cover Artist
Galaxy Magazine, November 1969	1969-11-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal Publishing & Distributing Corporation		$0.60^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Galaxy Magazine, December 1969	1969-12-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal Publishing & Distributing Corporation		$0.60^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Jack Gaughan , Phoebe Gaughan
Galaxy Science Fiction [UK], December 1969	1969-12-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal-Tandem Publishing Company Ltd.		5/-^?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Galaxy Science Fiction [UK], January 1970	1970-01-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal-Tandem Publishing Company Ltd.		5/-^?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Jack Gaughan , Phoebe Gaughan
Galaxy Magazine, February 1970	1970-02-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal Publishing & Distributing Corporation		$0.60^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Galaxy Magazine, March 1970	1970-03-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal Publishing & Distributing Corporation		$0.60^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Galaxy Science Fiction [UK], March 1970	1970-03-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal-Tandem Publishing Company Ltd.		5/-^?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Galaxy Science Fiction [UK], April 1970	1970-04-00	ed. Ejler Jakobsson	Universal-Tandem Publishing Company Ltd.		5/-^?Prior to decimilisation (1968-1971), UK books were priced in shillings, or shillings and pence, where 20 shillings equals one pound and 12 old pence equals one shilling. Shillings were indicated with a variety of suffixes, e.g. 3s, 3', 3", 3/ all mean 3 shillings. Any number after that is additional pence, usually 6 (half a shilling) but sometimes 3 or 9 (a quarter of a shilling or three-quarters of a shilling).	164	digest^?Digest-size magazine, including both standard digest size, at about 7" by 4.5", and also large digest, such as recent issues of Asimov's, which are about 8.25" by 5.125".	mag	Gaughan
Downward to the Earth	1970-08-00	Robert Silverberg	Nelson Doubleday / SFBC	2404	$1.49^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	[7]+ 180	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	novel	Frank Frazetta
Downward to the Earth	1971-01-00	Robert Silverberg	Signet / New American Library	0-451-04497-5 / T4497	$0.75^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	176	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Gene Szafran
Downward to the Earth	1971-01-00	Robert Silverberg	Signet / New American Library of Canada	T4497	C$0.75^?C$: Canadian dollar. ISO code: CAD	176	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Gene Szafran
Le fils de l'homme / Les profondeurs de la terre	1973-02-10	Robert Silverberg	OPTA (Club du Livre d'Anticipation #41)			416	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	omni
Die Mysterien von Belzagor	1973-06-00	Robert Silverberg	Heyne (Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy #3345)	3345	DM 2.80^?DM: German (Deutsche) mark. ISO code: DEM in 1948-1999	127	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	C. A. M. Thole
Downward to the Earth	1977-08-00	Robert Silverberg	Gollancz (Gollancz SF Series (4))	0-575-02298-1	£3.95^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	189	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	novel
Downward to the Earth	1978-12-00	Robert Silverberg	Pan Books	0-330-25591-6	£0.75^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	173	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Stuart Hughes (artist)
Downward to the Earth	1979-02-00	Robert Silverberg	Berkley Books	0-425-03952-8	$1.95^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	ix+ 181	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Paul Alexander
Mutazione	1979-03-00	Robert Silverberg	Editrice Nord (Cosmo Collana di Fantascienza #85)		Lit 2,500^?Lit: Italian lira. ISO code: ITL in 1861-1999	vi+ 168	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	novel
Les profondeurs de la terre	1980-00-00	Robert Silverberg	Le Livre de Poche (Le Livre de Poche - Science Fiction #7063)	2-253-02577-1		285	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Gérard Ruffin^?Gerard Ruffin
Regreso a Belzagor	1981-00-00	Robert Silverberg	Martínez Roca (Super Ficción (1ª época) #66)	84-270-0681-0		167	tp^?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.	novel	Salinas Blanch
A Robert Silverberg Omnibus	1981-02-00	Robert Silverberg	Harper & Row	0-06-014047-X	$14.95^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	x+ 544	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	omni	Ron Walotsky
A Robert Silverberg Omnibus	1981-09-00	Robert Silverberg	Harper & Row / SFBC	5726	$9.98^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	x+ 497	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	omni	Ron Walotsky
Downward to the Earth	1984-02-00	Robert Silverberg	Bantam Books	0-553-24043-9	$2.50^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	181	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Jim Burns
Les profondeurs de la terre	1987-10-00	Robert Silverberg	Le Livre de Poche (Le Livre de Poche - Science Fiction #7063)	2-253-02577-1		285	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Jackie Paternoster
Three Novels: The World Inside / Thorns / Downward to the Earth	1988-05-00	Robert Silverberg	Bantam Spectra	0-553-27287-X	$4.95^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	viii+ 487	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	omni	Gary Rudell
Downward to the Earth	1990-01-00	Robert Silverberg	VGSF / Gollancz (VGSF Classics #40)	0-575-04734-8	£3.50^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	190	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Jim Burns
Edge of Light	1998-02-00	Robert Silverberg	Voyager / HarperCollins	0-00-648038-1	£9.99^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	981	tp^?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.	omni	Fred Gambino
Les profondeurs de la terre	2002-04-00	Robert Silverberg	Le Livre de Poche (Le Livre de Poche - Science Fiction #7063)	2-253-02577-1	€5.95^?€: Euro. ISO code: EUR	285	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Jackie Paternoster
Downward to the Earth	2004-02-00	Robert Silverberg	Gollancz / Orion (Millennium / Gollancz SF Masterworks #56)	0-575-07523-6	£6.99^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	213	tp^?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.	novel	Jim Burns
Downward to the Earth	2011-08-22	Robert Silverberg	Blackstone Audio	978-1-4551-0960-9			digital audio download^?Digital recording in any format that is downloaded directly from the Internet. This category includes podcasts.	novel
Downward to the Earth	2011-09-29	Robert Silverberg	Gateway / Orion	978-0-575-10615-4	£4.99^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP		ebook^?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.	novel
Downward to the Earth	2012-08-00	Robert Silverberg	Orb	978-0-7653-3173-1	$15.99^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	254	tp^?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.	novel	Tomasz Maronski
Downward to the Earth	2012-08-07	Robert Silverberg	Orb / SFBC	1363683	$14.99^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	256	hc^?Hardcover. Used for all hardbacks of any size.	novel	Tomasz Maronski
Downward to the Earth	2012-08-07	Robert Silverberg	Orb	978-1-4299-4227-0	$9.99^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD		ebook^?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.	novel	Tomasz Maronski
Downward to the Earth	2015-04-09	Robert Silverberg	Gollancz / Orion (Gollancz SF Masterworks (II))	978-1-4732-1192-6	£8.99^?£: UK pound. ISO code: GBP	254	tp^?Trade paperback. Any softcover book which is at least 7.25" (or 19 cm) tall, or at least 4.5" (11.5 cm) wide/deep.	novel	Jim Burns
Les profondeurs de la terre	2016-07-00	Robert Silverberg	Le Livre de Poche (Le Livre de Poche #7063)	978-2-253-02577-1	€6.90^?€: Euro. ISO code: EUR	285	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Alain Brion
Downward to the Earth	2022-03-15	Robert Silverberg	Open Road Integrated Media	978-1-5040-7405-6	$11.99^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD		ebook^?Used for all electronic formats, including but not limited to EPUB, eReader, HTML, iBook, Mobipocket, and PDF.	novel
Downward to the Earth	date unknown	Robert Silverberg	Signet / New American Library	W7134	$1.50^?$: US dollar. ISO code: USD	176	pb^?Paperback. Typically 7" by 4.25" (18 cm by 11 cm) or smaller, though trimming errors can cause them to sometimes be slightly (less than 1/4 extra inch) taller or wider/deeper.	novel	Gene Szafran

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Reviews

Review by Ted Pauls (1971) in Locus, #72 January 19, 1971
Review by Richard Delap (1971) in The WSFA Journal #77, June-July 1971
Review by Terry Crooks (1972) in Vector 60
Review by John Clute (1977) in Vector 82
Review by Phil Stephensen-Payne [as by Philip Stephensen-Payne] (1979) in Paperback Parlour, February 1979
Review by M. G. Brashear (1980) in Riverside Quarterly, March 1980
Review by David Pringle (1985) in Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels , reprinted in:
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (1985)
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (1986)
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (1987)
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (1997)
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels (2014)
Review by Jon Wallace (1954 -) (1990) in Paperback Inferno, #84
Review by Bruce Gillespie (1991) in SF Commentary, #69/70
Review [Spanish] by Alberto Cairo (2001) in Las 100 mejores novelas de ciencia ficción del siglo XX
Review [French] by Pascal J. Thomas (2002) in Galaxies, #26
Review by L. J. Hurst (2004) in Vector 235
Review [Portuguese] by Eduardo Torres (2007) in Somnium, Setembro 2007
Review by A. C. Fellows (2014) in Big Sky, #3: SF Masterworks 1
Review by Mark Monday (2014) in Big Sky, #3: SF Masterworks 1