Dark Companion

Form: Novelette

Year: 1961

Publication history:

• 1961 : Amazing Stories January 1961 (m) ,
• 1969 : Dimension Thirteen (pb) , Ballantine, 215 pp.
• 1971 : Eva en de Dreieentwintig Adams () , Bruna (Netherlands), 156 pp., ISBN 90-229-9008-7 (in Dutch "De Duisterre Begeleider")
• 1979 : The Songs of Summer (hc) , Gollancz (UK), 173 pp., ISBN 0575025654
• 1981 : The Songs of Summer (pb) , Pan
• 1982 : Les Chants de l'Été (pb) , J'ai lu (France), 245 pp., ISBN 2277213926, 1392 (in French "Comme un frère")

Leon Rocklin becomes very depressed after the death of his brother Jeff. After three suicide attempts, his parents buy him a Companion. The Companion is a synthetic human, an android much like those in Tower of Glass. It is quicker, stronger, and smarter than a human, so another attempt to kill himself will be futile. Nonetheless, Rocklin is determined to try. I found this story quite enjoyable, and did not find Silverberg's portayal of the main character to be shallow or cliched. It's a human story put into a science-fictional setting and told sensitively (though perhaps wrapped up too quickly).