F/SF

Top notch book.

Probably 3.5 really. Enjoyable, but unsatisfying. ( )

Durante su frustrado intento de contacto con los habitantes de Beta Hydri IV, el diplomático Muller quedó marcado con un estigma que provoca que ninguno de sus congéneres humanos tolere su presencia. Ahora está condenado a vivir en el laberinto.

The Man in the Maze is an older (1960s) short science fiction story by the celebrated writer Robert Silverberg. While he tends to objectify women, he still writes some excellent science fiction. This book is character-driven, utilizing three unique men. Richard Mueller is the man in the maze, an explorer who was infected by an alien species that causes him to emanate his feelings, causing other humans to avoid him. He's isolated himself on the planet Lemnos in a huge abandoned city shaped like a maze. Charles Boardman, the devious older man who sent Mueller out to the aliens first now needs him to visit another alien species that is threatening humanity, so he uses young Ned Rawlins to entice him out of the maze for another betrayal.
I found out that the story is loosely based on Philoctetes, a Greek warrior who was wounded on the way to the Trojan War. His wound smelled so bad that he was left on the island of Lemnos until Cassandra prophesied a need for the sword of Heracles which belonged to Philoctetes, so the Greeks went back to get him.
Mr. Silverberg raises some interesting questions in the debates between the three men. Is humanity worth saving? What does Mueller owe to humanity after they turned their backs on him? Does idealism no longer matter? He doesn't give answers but lets the reader come to their own conclusions. It's a very interesting read if you like older sci-fi. ( )