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The Veils of Azlaroc
AZLAROC
...a planet to fire the imagination, where shimmering veils of pure energy fall at yearly intervals, sealing in everything - and everyone - on its surface at that moment into a time "pocket".
IMAGINE... yourself as a settler, living in a translucent "pocket" that makes your life an almost ageless state, as time in each pocket passes so slowly that senility and death are meaningless concepts. Your immortality has a price; you have free interaction only with those of your "generation"; you see settlers from ten years before as blurred outlines. And a settler from fifty years before can walk right through you!
IMAGINE... yourself as a tourist, struck by the wonder of the shimmering planet, yet careful to heed the date of the next predicted veilfall, knowing that to be on Azlaroc at veilfall is to be there forever.
IMAGINE... yourself as the one man on Azlaroc who knows for a certainty that, this time, veilfall will come early, and without warning!
...a planet to fire the imagination, where shimmering veils of pure energy fall at yearly intervals, sealing in everything - and everyone - on its surface at that moment into a time "pocket".
IMAGINE... yourself as a settler, living in a translucent "pocket" that makes your life an almost ageless state, as time in each pocket passes so slowly that senility and death are meaningless concepts. Your immortality has a price; you have free interaction only with those of your "generation"; you see settlers from ten years before as blurred outlines. And a settler from fifty years before can walk right through you!
IMAGINE... yourself as a tourist, struck by the wonder of the shimmering planet, yet careful to heed the date of the next predicted veilfall, knowing that to be on Azlaroc at veilfall is to be there forever.
IMAGINE... yourself as the one man on Azlaroc who knows for a certainty that, this time, veilfall will come early, and without warning!
216 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1978
About the author
Fred Saberhagen
301 books473 followersFred Saberhagen was an American science fiction and fantasy author most famous for his ''Beserker'' and Dracula stories.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
Saberhagen also wrote a series of a series of post-apocalyptic mytho-magical novels beginning with his popular ''Empire of the East'' and continuing through a long series of ''Swords'' and ''Lost Swords'' novels. Saberhagen died of cancer, in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Saberhagen was born in and grew up in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Saberhagen served in the [[U.S. Air Force]] during the Korean War while he was in his early twenties. Back in civilian life, Saberhagen worked as an It was while he was working for Motorola (after his military service) that Saberhagen started writing fiction seriously at the age of about 30. "Fortress Ship", his first "Berserker" short shory, was published in 1963. Then, in 1964, Saberhagen saw the publication of his first novel, ''The Golden People''.
From 1967 to 1973, he worked as an editor for the Chemistry articles in the ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' as well as writing its article on science fiction. He then quit and took up writing full-time. In 1975, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
He married fellow writer Joan Spicci in 1968. They had two sons and a daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 3, 2021
Veils of Azlaroc features an ingenious concept/plot device that I haven't seen explored elsewhere: due to intermittent waves of energy emitted from the nearby quasar and black hole, various groups of explorers and settlers on the faux-planet Azlaroc are trapped within their own specific "veils" of time, basically immortal but unable to physically interact with groups from other time periods, all of whom are increasingly ghostly depending on the distance of time involved. and yet they all live side by side in the same city, on the same planet. fascinating stuff. the idea is at first a little hard to grasp, but Saberhagen's clear, straightforward style makes Veils quite easy going down. which is really necessary, since the narrative features various characters with various agendas who exist together but who are unable to interact due to being separated by at times hundreds of years, some who are racing to get a warning out that the next veil will be falling unusually early, and so will trap any tourist left on the planet in their own time field, forever.
whew, I think I confused myself just typing that overlong synopsis! but the story is not difficult to grasp. no New Wave prose stylings or narrative trickery from Saberhagen; his ideas may be complex but he's in pure storytelling mode here. I liked the snapshots of the different lives in different eras; lives that include a lonely maverick explorer, a heel who once left his love on the planet and so trapped out of time from him, a brilliant scientist attempting to escape Azlaroc, and a professional thief tapped to raid a tomb who finds a strange love. there is tension and melancholy galore, as well as terrorist acts and a mindboggling journey through a quasar and huge leaps of faith and examples of both the empathy and the hypocrisy of the human kind. for such a Big Idea book, the tone of the novel is contemplative and elegiac.
whew, I think I confused myself just typing that overlong synopsis! but the story is not difficult to grasp. no New Wave prose stylings or narrative trickery from Saberhagen; his ideas may be complex but he's in pure storytelling mode here. I liked the snapshots of the different lives in different eras; lives that include a lonely maverick explorer, a heel who once left his love on the planet and so trapped out of time from him, a brilliant scientist attempting to escape Azlaroc, and a professional thief tapped to raid a tomb who finds a strange love. there is tension and melancholy galore, as well as terrorist acts and a mindboggling journey through a quasar and huge leaps of faith and examples of both the empathy and the hypocrisy of the human kind. for such a Big Idea book, the tone of the novel is contemplative and elegiac.
January 2, 2012
Fred Saberhagen continues to impress and surprise the hell out of me. In "The Veils of Azlaroc," he tells a science fiction story that is based on a unique concept. I won't go into the particulars, since finding out these details is part of the experience; suffice to say that Saberhagen concocts an intriguing scenario and explores its ramifications with an earnest curiosity that I do not often come across in the genre.
(In fact, a recently-published work of fantastic literature is posited on an idea that is very similar to Saberhagen's in "Veil"--so much that I wondered if this contemporary author ever read "Veil." I don't want to mention the title outright in this space, though, as doing so would spoil some of the reveals in "Veil").
Stanislaw Lem, one of my favorite science fiction writers, wrote an essay (the title of which escapes me) in which he criticizes the majority of science fiction for masquerading as idea-driven literature, when in fact the authors of these tales are more interested in human drama that bears the trappings of the genre; in other words, Lem does not care for space opera or any of its off-shoots.
I wonder if Lem ever read "The Veils of Azlaroc;" I imagine that, if he did, he would have been impressed with Saberhagnen's treatment of his own idea. I certainly was: every time I suspected Saberhagen of veering in a bombastic, "blasters-out" direction, he instead steered his story along the same thoughtful lines that he laid in the beginning. The human dramas that he explores are directly informed by the kernel of his idea, and the ramifications of the latter have far-reaching effects that Saberhagen manages to explore in a finite number of pages.
In fact, "Azlaroc" is remarkably short, given the ground that Saberhagen covers in its span. It's one of the few books that I thought could stand to be longer; at the same time, it is near-perfect as-is. I am certain that I will re-visit it in the future.
(In fact, a recently-published work of fantastic literature is posited on an idea that is very similar to Saberhagen's in "Veil"--so much that I wondered if this contemporary author ever read "Veil." I don't want to mention the title outright in this space, though, as doing so would spoil some of the reveals in "Veil").
Stanislaw Lem, one of my favorite science fiction writers, wrote an essay (the title of which escapes me) in which he criticizes the majority of science fiction for masquerading as idea-driven literature, when in fact the authors of these tales are more interested in human drama that bears the trappings of the genre; in other words, Lem does not care for space opera or any of its off-shoots.
I wonder if Lem ever read "The Veils of Azlaroc;" I imagine that, if he did, he would have been impressed with Saberhagnen's treatment of his own idea. I certainly was: every time I suspected Saberhagen of veering in a bombastic, "blasters-out" direction, he instead steered his story along the same thoughtful lines that he laid in the beginning. The human dramas that he explores are directly informed by the kernel of his idea, and the ramifications of the latter have far-reaching effects that Saberhagen manages to explore in a finite number of pages.
In fact, "Azlaroc" is remarkably short, given the ground that Saberhagen covers in its span. It's one of the few books that I thought could stand to be longer; at the same time, it is near-perfect as-is. I am certain that I will re-visit it in the future.
July 22, 2024
2.75/5
The book featured a fascinating world and setting but the story itself was average at best and never that interesting.
The book featured a fascinating world and setting but the story itself was average at best and never that interesting.
November 1, 2017
A decent story with some interesting speculative science.
April 9, 2018
The Veils of Azlaroc is a book I always meant to read-but time and fate seemed to conspire against me since I first saw a copy circa 1978 or so. Flashforward several decades, and a copy presents itself for one thin dime, thanks to my sharp eyed spouse. Dreams do come true. (It can happen to you-if you're young at heart.) I won't even pretend to understand the convoluted physics behind Fred Saberhagen's Azlaroc, a worldlet linked inextricably with a pulsar and a black hole, and whose denizens are linked inextricably to said worldlet. Because once the cosmological phenomenon know as a Veil falls-and these occur roughly every year-you will be trapped there, frozen in time, forever. Sure you will live for centuries but you can only communicate and touch people of your year-people who were trapped in other years appear as phantoms and become less and less detectable (and tangible) the more years separate the observer and the observed. I wonder if this is what being on acid is like? But once you strip the story of its' very unique setting it is sadly nothing special which is why I am giving this book three stars. I loved Saberhagen's Empire of the East and really expected something more with this novel.
July 14, 2021
The book clearly started as loosely connected short stories. It’s based on a pretty wild concept that I don’t think would have stood up very well to lengthier probing - the format worked well. Better to let the reader continue to chew on the clever ideas and the emotions after reading the short book than to overdo it in a longer novel.
November 17, 2022
Great Premise and interesting idea of being frozen within time slices (Veils). But frankly the story itself was boring and unexciting.
There is a magnificent story buried in this world but the one told here wasn't it.
Huge potential but really was a dud for me.
There is a magnificent story buried in this world but the one told here wasn't it.
Huge potential but really was a dud for me.
May 4, 2024
While this book takes a few pages to get going, it turns out to be a worthwhile read. Characters are sufficiently developed for the length of the read and the idea of the world presented could be used as food for thought should you want alternative ideas. At least it was unique to me. 77/100
August 11, 2020
Good characterization. Interesting world. Interesting story. I read this one many years ago, but I could not remember the plot. It holds up well.
November 20, 2012
So. This is the 2nd book I’ve read THIS YEAR. I know, I know, I’m a terrible human being.
Also, I just found out that Mr. Saberhagen passed in 2007 (See the site linked by the image at left or, hell just click here). Total bummer. His Swords books were an integral part of my initial sci-fi induction, and kept me company through many re-reads over the years. In light of that, it’s a little strange (even to me) that I’ve shied so hard away from his sci-fi stuff – there’s a bunch of it!
The premise for this story is crazy and awesome as only classic sci-fi can be:
Azlaroc is a “world” where, every year, some crazy energy field descends and traps anyone not currently “veiled” in a veil of energy that knocks them out of step with time from anyone not within that same veil.
It’s hard to describe in a simple manner, but the end result is that there are 400 or so separate waves of colonists that live here, more or less juxtaposed atop the others. Note that you can only, communicate clearly with people within …a couple dozen or so veils of you?
Anyway, so there’s that. And, gloriously farfetched as it is, it sets up some really neat possibilities for storytelling. Unfortunately, Saberhagen doesn’t have nearly enough time to pick up on them all in the brevity that also comes with classic sci-fi. There were some neat angles, and some hints of interesting character development, but just not time to address them. I would have loved to see a series set here, but what we get is, really, 3 or 4 barely overlapping short stories. Most of the stories, and the book itself, ended on a question – another thing that seems somewhat characteristic of the period – and I’m torn as to whether or not that’s a good thing. I may be spoiled by all this pagespace that modern works have for “endings”, and there is something to be said for mulling things over in your head instead of having them pounded into your brain…
I enjoyed the stories, but I hoped for more than the book could deliver. A great casual read/afternoon on the porch/etc.
THREE AND A QUARTER STARS
Also, I just found out that Mr. Saberhagen passed in 2007 (See the site linked by the image at left or, hell just click here). Total bummer. His Swords books were an integral part of my initial sci-fi induction, and kept me company through many re-reads over the years. In light of that, it’s a little strange (even to me) that I’ve shied so hard away from his sci-fi stuff – there’s a bunch of it!
The premise for this story is crazy and awesome as only classic sci-fi can be:
Azlaroc is a “world” where, every year, some crazy energy field descends and traps anyone not currently “veiled” in a veil of energy that knocks them out of step with time from anyone not within that same veil.
It’s hard to describe in a simple manner, but the end result is that there are 400 or so separate waves of colonists that live here, more or less juxtaposed atop the others. Note that you can only, communicate clearly with people within …a couple dozen or so veils of you?
Anyway, so there’s that. And, gloriously farfetched as it is, it sets up some really neat possibilities for storytelling. Unfortunately, Saberhagen doesn’t have nearly enough time to pick up on them all in the brevity that also comes with classic sci-fi. There were some neat angles, and some hints of interesting character development, but just not time to address them. I would have loved to see a series set here, but what we get is, really, 3 or 4 barely overlapping short stories. Most of the stories, and the book itself, ended on a question – another thing that seems somewhat characteristic of the period – and I’m torn as to whether or not that’s a good thing. I may be spoiled by all this pagespace that modern works have for “endings”, and there is something to be said for mulling things over in your head instead of having them pounded into your brain…
I enjoyed the stories, but I hoped for more than the book could deliver. A great casual read/afternoon on the porch/etc.
THREE AND A QUARTER STARS
May 7, 2014
This is a strange little book, lots of setting without too much description, lots of points of view without much character depth, and lots of plotline that didn't seem to go very far. All that said, there's so much depth in the story, so much to intrigue re the setting, that I'll have to read it again and be sure I'm really following it. And while some parts of the book just weren't my thing, the ending will stay with me and it was all I could think about last night. Four stars for staying power.
December 24, 2016
This was a really solid sci-fi novel.
Saberhagen really trended towards pulpy and a little bit repetitive. I really enjoy his work, but I recognize that it's a lot of the same stuff over and over again.
This book is kind of refreshing because it exists entirely apart from the rest of his work.
It's also got some really good world-building, which I sometimes forget was something that Saberhagen was pretty good at.
Saberhagen really trended towards pulpy and a little bit repetitive. I really enjoy his work, but I recognize that it's a lot of the same stuff over and over again.
This book is kind of refreshing because it exists entirely apart from the rest of his work.
It's also got some really good world-building, which I sometimes forget was something that Saberhagen was pretty good at.
September 6, 2016
A great, short sci-fi story. The imagination of the author gets 5 stars. The ending was a little bit anti-climactic as others have pointed out, but the whole concept of the book was so enjoyable that I am willing to overlook the ending and still give it 4 stars. I would recommend it for any fan of sci-fi.
August 2, 2009
This was one of the first books I ever read by Saberhagen and I enjoyed it very much. But in reading others of his books I was never quite so taken with any of them thereafter. I haven't read a lot of his books but if I could find more like this one I would.
November 28, 2011
Way too much plot for 216 pages. There's a black hole *and* a pulsar, which is supposed to explain the weird things that happen in this non-planetary world. Mostly it is a love-story about the nature of time, or possibly a time-story about the nature of love.
April 7, 2015
Reads a bit like a novelization of some ol' 8-bit text adventure.
February 19, 2015
Interesting ideas but the story feels unfinished.
April 29, 2015
1984 grade C-
September 7, 2023
All around good and interesting book and cool concept.
April 18, 2008
An absolutely fascinating world, but unfortunately the story never quite went any where.
Read
August 19, 2018dnf it at 76 pages. i didn’t really care for the characters or the plot. the characters were not interesting and fleshed out at all. and i didn’t understand the system/reasoning of the world.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews