The Silver Metal Lover

This was more like a work of art than just a mere book...although not as perfectly, flawlessly rendered as a Da Vinci, it was at least as interesting and thought provoking as a Picasso. At times its lines were a little blurred and not entirely pretty, but it was so powerful and compelling and confronting, I just couldn't look away. I was drawn into it, and when I reached the end of the book, I had to admit that it was a masterpiece, and one ahead of its time for that matter. I don't know what I can say about this book that hasn't already been said by the other reviewers, but I'll try. It's amazing, it's brilliant, it's ultra-realistic (you'll swear the world that Jane and Silver inhabit really exists), it's a heart-wrenching love story, it's an insightful commentary on life and personal relationships, and at the end of it, unless you have a heart of stone, you'll have used up a box of tissues crying and feel like a changed person. There's not many books that make me FEEL the way this one did...it even affected my sleep the night after I read it. I just couldn't get it out of my head. Some books simply entertain. But this one got under my skin and stayed there. To the author's credit, this book hasn't dated in the quarter of a century since it was written, but still feels fresh and contemporary, as if it were written quite recently. It's a timeless story, and in this case, that's not just a cliche. At the time this book was written, modern gadgets like computers and ATMs were just coming on the scene and a lot of people were worried that machines would take over the jobs and even the lives of people. This book reflects what was a real fear at that time, and perhaps still is today, what with the current trend towards large-scale industrial automation and voice-recognition phone systems et al. It's an ongoing dilemma...can machines really replace people? And as this book asks, can they replace people even in our hearts? I've seen people who are so in love with their computers and the internet that they no longer seem to live in the real world or communicate with real people, so maybe the character of Jane in this book, who falls in love with a robot, isn't such an anomaly after all. This is the first Tanith Lee book I've read, but I nonetheless have a feeling that this is the beginning of a great love affair between myself and her books...

Before I started reading this book, I expected it to be an amusing and maybe kinky sci-fi romance. The more I read, the more I was impressed not only with the well-written love story, but also with the heart-warmingly poetic writing, and most of all with the thought-provoking philosophical themes that lie just beneath the surface.This book raises ideas about what the personality of a perfect human might be like. Silver is programmed to act human, but he is not programmed for negative emotions such as pain, fear, or anger. His kindness and eternal patience help Jane, the highly sensitive and sometimes paranoid protagonist, to come to grips with her life and her attitudes. Tanith Lee blurs the line between humans and robots, giving insight by comparison on what makes humans tick and what potential we have to better ourselves.Though this book is not as well-known as many fantasy classics, I consider it right up there with the best. If you enjoy fantasy or science fiction that has an interesting storyline *and* some deep meaning, do yourself a favor and read this book.

I first dicovered Tanith Lee with the book Sabella when I was in 6th grade, many many years ago. I was immediately a devotee for life. The Silver Metal Lover is the only book I've ever reread more than 3 times. I still have my original copy of this book & I'm glad to see it's back in print. This is simply the most incredible & wonderful book I've ever read, but you really do need a whole box of kleenex for this one too. This is simply the most touching book I've ever read: you end up hanging on every word, feeling everything that Jane feels. Yes, you will end up in love with Silver & you will put this book down a changed person. The most moving book I've ever read. EVER. Get a copy, NOW. There is a reason that this book has so many reviews and it's still a five star rating. Good books are like good friends: you never tire of them. This book will be one of your best friends for life.Tanith Lee, like no other writer I've ever read, can make you feel just what it's like to walk in the shoes of her characters. They come completely alive for you. No one else has such a command of the english language- how to make words on a page paint such a vivid picture. Get The Silver Metal Lover. And any other novel by Tanith Lee you can get your hands on. You won't be sorry.

Tanith Lee really, really shines in this novel. I don't think her writing was ever so good as in this book. Her character, Jane (Jain) is exceptionally written, superbly realistic, heartbreakingly wise. Her lover, Silver, at first infuriated me with his cold, non-human perfection -how can a robot love you, and does he really love you if he is programmed to love everyone else just as much?- but as the story grows, Silver skyrockets into a real, true character, as human as they come. This is a beautiful love story, and it's definitely withstood one test; it's being reprinted!!!! Most books, once out of print, stay that way, sadly (the book Fire and Hemlock by D.W.Jones comes quickly to mind). Also, I must say The Silver Metal Lover passed another test; so far, all (twenty-five) reviews already up here are five-stars. Does this ever happen? To anyone who hasn't read the book; Go directly to your nearest bookstore and buy a copy! Then, sit down somewhere comfortable and with access to lots of food and tissues, because you won't be getting back up for a long time, and when you do, you'll be drenched in tears. When I read it the first time, I could NOT put it down, and I had classes the next day (I ended up reading till dawn)!This book truly is timeless, beautiful, heartbreaking. Highest recommendation!

At a self-conscious 14, I was embarrassed borrowing a love story about a girl and a robot from the school library. That this book became one of the very few books to make me ache inside and bring me to the brink of tears even 13 years and 20 rereadings later is a testimony to Tanith Lee's skill as a writer. There are so many wonderful elements in this book: her eerily beautiful future Earth (especially Jane's mother's house in the clouds), the characters (Clovis is glorious), and the sensitive depiction of Jane and how falling in love with Silver changes her life. This book, written in the first person, is so well-written that it sounds convincingly like a sheltered 16 year old girl yet never patronises her emotions. The Silver Metal Lover will always be one of my all time favorite books.