A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
The novel “A Time of Changes” by Robert Silverberg was published for the first time in 1971. It won the Nebula Award for best science fiction novel of the year.
When the Prime Septarch of the province of Salla dies, his second son, Kinnall Darival, knows it’s best for him to move somewhere else. His older brother Stirron is the legitimate successor and ascends the throne, but in such cases, the new Prime Septarch often arrests a younger brother to prevent him from threatening his power.
Leaving his homeland represents a significant change for Kinnall Darival, but it’s only the first in a series of changes that are sometimes profound, including inner changes. In particular, his encounter with the Earthman Schweiz upends his life to the point of leading him to break the Covenant.



