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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Books Philip José Farmer

Posted by Paul Constant on Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 11:14 AM

6f6d/1235586886-51375b.jpg The sci-fi author is dead at 91.

I'm kind of ashamed to say that, though Farmer has written science fiction for 50 years, I've only read three of his books: Tarzan Alive, about the history of Tarzan, Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, about the history of Doc Savage, and Venus on the Half-Shell, which Farmer wrote under the pseudonym Kilgore Trout. Kurt Vonnegut gave Farmer his blessing to use his Trout alter ego—Farmer nearly wrote a whole series of Kilgore Trout novels, but the two had a disagreement and the series was scrapped.

The thing that strikes me as the most notable about Farmer's passing is that a giant piece of publishing history—especially the part pertaining to sci-fi pulp—is now gone forever.

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It was PFJ that first got me to change my reading style from fairly straight forward space opera to more of a fantasy/fantastic mix, and who opened my eyes to Lovecraft and other styles.

He will be missed. One of the good guys.

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 25, 2009 at 11:22 AM

I devoured Riverworld and sequels in my teens and young twenties.

But I thought Farmer was already dead.

Posted by StC on February 25, 2009 at 11:33 AM

A Barnstormer in Oz is a great book, if you like sexy, revisionist versions of Oz that feature hot Glinda sex, odd and disturbing funeral rituals and explanations for the death of President Warren G Harding, (hint: he was assassinated).

It's way better than Wicked...

Posted by michael strangeways on February 25, 2009 at 11:42 AM

I think a lot of people got PJF mixed up with Philip K. Dick and thought he died years ago.

The Riverworld books are among my favorites.

Posted by Geni on February 25, 2009 at 11:55 AM

Image of the Beast was an immensely useful book in my adolescent years.

Jack Vance may be about the last of the sci-fi pulp era greats still alive.

Posted by smade on February 25, 2009 at 11:59 AM

To his scattered bodies go.

Posted by Capt'm Seymore on February 25, 2009 at 12:32 PM

riverworld series is fucking awesome. RIP

Posted by zwBush on February 25, 2009 at 12:34 PM

farmer was a treasure. so sad.

Posted by qwerty on February 25, 2009 at 12:40 PM

World of Tiers series was fun, too. I had no idea Jack Vance was still alive, though.

Posted by mint chocolate chip on February 25, 2009 at 1:11 PM

@ 9 Yeah, Jack Vance is still alive, but he's stopped publishing. (He has said that Lurulu would be his last book.)

Posted by Vance Fan on February 25, 2009 at 1:40 PM

wow I always thought Venus on The Half Shell was by Vonnegut, as Trout. I feel as if the world has changed in a profound way.

Posted by Sara on February 25, 2009 at 1:40 PM

Jack Vance is still epic for his darkworld imagery.

Good he's still around.

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 25, 2009 at 2:11 PM

"Lord Of The Trees: Was he man, beast, or a puppet of the world's oldest conspiracy?"

Or a bad rip off of Edgar Rice Burroughs?

Posted by Y.F. on February 25, 2009 at 2:53 PM

Everyone was influenced by ERB, and Jules Verne.

I still have first editions of Tarzan and the Ant Men and one of the Mars books on the top of a bookshelf.

Appreciate a writer for what s/he brings new to the table, and consider when they wrote it.

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 25, 2009 at 3:53 PM

Ditto the love for the Riverworld books. Now I want to go back and read more of his stuff.

Posted by NaFun on February 25, 2009 at 4:05 PM

@ 13: Farmer specifically set out to tap into the implications of core Pulp archetypes, like Tarzan and Doc Savage, and flesh them out with more complete 'human' sensibilities (you'd be amazed, even with all the violence and machismo, Pulp novels were relatively sexless)...

Farmer worked to build an overarching cosmology of pulp and fantastic fiction, all loosely braced under the "Wold-Newton" books... He wasn't a plagiarist at all...

Posted by Vlad on February 25, 2009 at 5:34 PM

If you like sexy, revisionist versions of Oz that feature hot Glinda sex, odd and disturbing funeral rituals and explanations for the death of President Warren G Harding.

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