An ageless hermit runs a secret way station for alien visitors in the Wisconsin woods in this Hugo Award-winning science fiction classic
Enoch Wallace is not like other humans. Living a secluded life in the backwoods of Wisconsin, he carries a nineteenth-century rifle and never seems to age–a fact that has recently caught the attention of prying government eyes. The truth is, Enoch is the last … is, Enoch is the last surviving veteran of the American Civil War and, for close to a century, he has operated a secret way station for aliens passing through on journeys to other stars. But the gifts of knowledge and immortality that his intergalactic guests have bestowed upon him are proving to be a nightmarish burden, for they have opened Enoch’s eyes to humanity’s impending destruction. Still, one final hope remains for the human race . . . though the cure could ultimately prove more terrible than the disease.
Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Way Station is a magnificent example of the fine art of science fiction as practiced by a revered Grand Master. A cautionary tale that is at once ingenious, evocative, and compassionately human, it brilliantly supports the contention of the late, great Robert A. Heinlein that “to read science-fiction is to read Simak.”
more
This is a wonderful, original SF story that is quiet and both small and cosmic in scale. The characters are wonderful. The story begins with this mysterious fellow who wanders the woods who seems to be older than humanly possible. And he lives in a house that does seems to be impervious to damage… For some, the ending may have a touch of “deus ex machina” but I still liked it. It is one of my favorites and one of the few books I have re-read. Now that I think about it, it might be due for another re-read. Definitely recommended.
I reread this almost every year. It’s dated, sure, but it still holds up!
A Hugo Award winning novel and cautionary tale as great #scifi often is.
I may have a new favorite classic sci-fi author – Clifford D. Simak. It’s a tragedy that I’m just discovering him now – a glitch that quickly needs to be rectified. I loved Way Station and Simak’s writing. I found it to be warm, unpretentious, and distinctly midwestern. Lately, I’ve been rereading Heinlein, Clarke, and Asimov and some of the luster of my youthful idolization has worn away. Simak might be just the one to restore the patina of my love of the golden age of Science Fiction.
Way Station revolves around a man, named Enoch Wallace. Enoch is a survivor of the U.S. Civil War and his birth records say that he’s 124 years old, but he doesn’t appear to be a day over thirty. The government is watching him – something’s not right. Something about his age, his house, and his life.
Unbeknownst to the government, Enoch is a caretaker. For almost a century, he has been singlehanded running a way station inside his secluded and humble home in the backwoods of rural Wisconsin. His house is a rest stop for individuals passing through. These individuals are otherworldly guests from all over the Galaxy. They teleport (sort of) in, rest for a bit, and then teleport on their way. This ingenious plot allows for all kinds of creatures who not only enjoy interacting (as much as they can), but also leaving him intriguing little gifts behind. Many of which Enoch struggles to understand their purpose and function. However, all is not well. A series of events begin to converge that puts Enoch, his Way Station, Earth and even the entire Galaxy at great peril.
There was one plotline that I didn’t love as much as the rest of the story. It involves Enoch’s loneliness and to me, it felt added in and disconnected to the rest of the story. It felt to me like an editor recommended adding some flaws to the MC and this was the response. It’s a small complaint and it just might be my biased perception.
However, overall, this is my favorite kind of science fiction. It’s filled with wonder, possibilities, and intriguing ideas. It satisfies without tricky science, or space battles, or excessive violence. Simak uses this wonderous galactic worldbuilding to explore very human themes. His writing is at times is plain, but at just the right moment, he creates such emotion and sentimental beauty.
A line from the opening page – “But silence was an alien note that had no right upon this field or day, and it was broken by the whimper and the pain, the cry for water, and the prayer for death – the crying, the calling, and the whimpering that would go on for hours beneath the summer sun.”
I need to stop the review to run out and get “City” and anything else I can find by written by Simak! While embarrassing to admit this hole in my sci-fi past, I’m excited to have a new grand master to enjoy. Five stars for this imaginative and ingenious far out tale that exposes deeply human themes.
I wish there were more Clifford Simak books listed here on Book Bub. He was such a fine and fantastic writer. All of his books are so thought provoking that even after having read many of them 20 to 30 years ago, I still go back yearly and re-read some of them.
Way Station is one of those books. The protagonist, Enouch Wallace, is ageless. He runs a way station between the worlds – a galactic transfer station.
Enoch originally was a soldier in the Civil War. After the War he finds the Way Station and it is there that he lives on as an Eternal Soldier, so to speak.
The world eventually catches up with Enoch but in the end all is resolved.
I totally recommend this book for all who adore Clifford Simak’s writings.
I have liked this book since it first came out and have read it more than once.
Very creative writing by a real master.
General comment : this is an old text and it has aged in the way the story is told. And yet, each time I found it slow and thought about putting it down, then, something else happened and I had to continue … Definitely worth listening to.
Story : What makes us members of the entire galactic community ? More would spoil you but it’s amazing.
Characters : They are so detailed ! the author prepares the twists of his plot well in advance laying everything we need to know long before the action starts.
In short, I was surprised by how profound and well thought the story is. A must-read !
Great read! Touches on some deep themes and philosophical topics. Excellent characters.
This book had some good characters – well developed, very diverse, original and they fit well into the content of the book building the world around the main character. It was a little slow-paced but explored the subject, giving us a new reality and reminding us it is science fiction, not an action/adventure narration.
Enjoyed the premise and execution.
Original story line. This has twists and turns that you don’t see coming. I really enjoyed this book.
My first experience with Clifford Simak’s writing but it encouraged me to read a number of his other books. Almost poetic in places, it is the story of a man chosen by aliens to run a travel station for the galaxy on Earth and granted immortality for doing so. Enoch Wallace lives simply on the farm where he was born, his real work unknown to the rest of mankind. But now some have begun to notice there is something strange going on with this recluse. Earth is at a crossroads, to descend into war or join the galactic community. Enoch holds the key.
Also check out his “City” series. I never liked NewYork City and still don’t. But in the context of his books. I do!
Meandering and monotonous
I’ve read this book before and found it thought provoking.
It didn’t fit into cleat cut genres, but is definitely engaging
This is a story written in the 1960s that was ahead of its time but has aged well and deals with topics very much in the foreground of our world still today. Wonderfully told.
OK Book, got a little “weird” for me towards the end, I normally like the author but I wouldn’t reccomend this book…
An interesting Science Fiction read that takes place here on earth, not some distant galaxy, star ship or any of the usual SciFi settings. While it is fiction, the story line is as topical today as it was in 1963 when the book was published. Don’t know why I never found Mr. Simak’s books before but I will definitely read them in the future.