This award-winning science fiction classic explores a far-future world inhabited by intelligent canines who pass down the tales of their human forefathers. Thousands of years have passed since humankind abandoned the city—first for the countryside, then for the stars, and ultimately for oblivion—leaving their most loyal animal companions alone on Earth. Granted the power of speech centuries … speech centuries earlier by the revered Bruce Webster, the intelligent, pacifist dogs are the last keepers of human history, raising their pups with bedtime stories, passed down through generations, of the lost “websters” who gave them so much but will never return. With the aid of Jenkins, an ageless service robot, the dogs live in a world of harmony and peace. But they now face serious threats from their own and other dimensions, perhaps the most dangerous of all being the reawakened remnants of a warlike race called “Man.”
In the Golden Age of Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, Clifford D. Simak’s writing blazed as brightly as anyone’s in the science fiction firmament. Winner of the International Fantasy Award, City is a magnificent literary metropolis filled with an astonishing array of interlinked stories and structures—at once dystopian, transcendent, compassionate, and visionary.
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Fun concept being succeeded by intelligent dogs.
Seems not do be in synch with contemporary SF, butI remember reading it as a child and it was super exciting then.
I’m reading it again after reading years ago
Humanity has left Earth, and the robots and dogs have inherited the planet. They will do well, but sometimes they long for their former masters. Clifford Simak was one of the great writers of the Golden Age of science fiction. His humanity always shows through; his stories always start with empathy and kindness for their subject. CITY is one of his finest novels.
I read this along time ago (paperback days!) and really enjoyed it, as I do most of Clifford Simak’s works. Just ordered the Kindle version from Amazon and will write a more informative review after I re-read it. In the mean time, go check out Simak’s other books — easy relaxing reads
Story is told through the lenses of nonhuman entities. Thought provoking and have to admit the ending stays with me.
This is Clifford Simak at his very best and at the same time seeing that the deterioration of our cities was predicted more than seventy years ago. It is uncannily accurate. But wait, there’s more, he also predicted what happens to cities in our future. Well worth the read.
This is undeniably a classic, but I found it disappointing and somewhat depressing. I expected more from the dogs.
This book was way ahead of it’s time. Good read.
I just read Clifford Simac’s masterpiece, “City.” Simac’s long view narrative and heady themes captured my attention immediately and I remained captive to the last word. Lately I’ve been revisited some of the old masters and Simac is most certainly a master. Pick it up, you won’t be sorry.
Very cool. Loved the POV of the dogs. And really loved the ants. Should be a classic sci fi.
An all-time classic, and for good reason.
Took a bit to get into it, but once I was hooked it was a good read.
Highly imaginative portrait of evolution on Earth–from intelligent humans to intelligent dogs to organized ants. It’s a whole new way of looking at the world.
Interesting and original story telling on Earth’s future. City relates the future of Man and his dedicated companion the dog if Man chose to forgo violence and war. this is what science fiction should be – giving the reader something original, taking us on a new journey.
Simak’s classic work City makes us think about what makes us human and where the boundaries might be and if there are boundaries.
I guess I expected more of a viewpoint from the dogs. As I read the chapters the viewpoint of the dogs expanded. At first I wasn’t impressed but the story haunted me and I kept thinking about them. Isn’t that a writer ‘s goal?
I like all of Heinlein, some of Asimov, Clarke, and Bradbury, a few by Foster and LeGuin, and some of the newer generation. This was okay, an interesting concept, but no real character development, a series of short stories that did not coalesce into a coherent whole.
I have a new sci-fi god. I had heard of Simak but never read him. This came at the right time, I’m currently housebound and need distraction that’s truly engaging. This is…archetypal but fresh.
Unlike most scifi I have read. Very original concept. The synopsis sounds a little “Planet of the Apes”-ish, but is no where near that.