Scan barcode
desertjarhead505's review against another edition
4.0
The presentation of a truly unique and fantastic story premise by one of the most consistently creative and edgy science fiction writers of his generation. This shows off Farmer's great knack for characterization and dialogue, his extensive historical knowledge, and his wild imagination.
keszocze's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
grayjay's review against another edition
1.0
Richard Burton, a 19th century English explorer and a group of humans from different times and places wake up naked and hairless, resurrected in a strange empty paradise by a river.
The concept is interesting, but the plot leaves something to be desired. Halfway through the novel someone guesses what's going on and that turns out to be the case.
The other problem is that the main characters are all pulled out of times past with their racist ideas intact. The author tries to grapple with it, but we're still left with an unlikable cast of men.
The writing is pretty classically sexist and xenophobic. Even though everyone is naked, only the women's bodies are described by the narrator, and usually in terms of how attractive they are. Men's bodies are never described unless they are racially othered in some way. There is also a pretty homophobic moment.
The concept is interesting, but the plot leaves something to be desired. Halfway through the novel someone guesses what's going on and that turns out to be the case.
The other problem is that the main characters are all pulled out of times past with their racist ideas intact. The author tries to grapple with it, but we're still left with an unlikable cast of men.
The writing is pretty classically sexist and xenophobic. Even though everyone is naked, only the women's bodies are described by the narrator, and usually in terms of how attractive they are. Men's bodies are never described unless they are racially othered in some way. There is also a pretty homophobic moment.
ckcosner's review against another edition
5.0
I really like the setting Farmer came up with here. There is nothing remarkable about the storytelling, it's just fun. What if everyone on Earth were reincarnated at once in a "perfect" world where all of their needs were provided for? How would they behave? Very much as depicted in this series, I believe.
ltgallant's review against another edition
5.0
I really liked this book! Fast paced, unique, doesn’t dwell on the minutiae. Now I finally know where that silly movie Riverworld came from!
firstwords's review against another edition
4.0
Extremely similar to the Ringworld series, or the [b:Rendezvous with Rama|112537|Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405456427l/112537._SY75_.jpg|1882772] series (find yourself in a strange place, figure out what the new world is). There is a lot of [a:Burroughs Edgar Rice|19210621|Burroughs Edgar Rice|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] in this, as far as a "lone brave explorer" galavanting over the world. And, indeed, the author is clearly a fan, as was later associated with Burroughs groups.
Entertaining enough.
What was most interesting in this age of the Internet (this book was first published in the 60s), is how much historical name-dropping there is. Farmer brings in famous and not-so-famous names from the recent and ancient past. I spent enough time having to Google these people and read their histories, that I imagine when this book was published, readers were probably scribbling down names to look up at the library the next day. The protagonist and antagonist are both real historical figures, and the past that the author builds up appears to be entirely accurate. The protagonist, for example, is called out by other characters for being an anti-Semite, and the character defends himself, but it is clear where the author's beliefs lie. This then is a book with truly flawed protagoninsts, and antagonists who are revealed to be perhaps less of a monster than one might think, but still monstrous.
A book that takes place on a new world, with historical figures popping up, requiring a lot of internet legwork.
Entertaining enough.
What was most interesting in this age of the Internet (this book was first published in the 60s), is how much historical name-dropping there is. Farmer brings in famous and not-so-famous names from the recent and ancient past. I spent enough time having to Google these people and read their histories, that I imagine when this book was published, readers were probably scribbling down names to look up at the library the next day. The protagonist and antagonist are both real historical figures, and the past that the author builds up appears to be entirely accurate. The protagonist, for example, is called out by other characters for being an anti-Semite, and the character defends himself, but it is clear where the author's beliefs lie. This then is a book with truly flawed protagoninsts, and antagonists who are revealed to be perhaps less of a monster than one might think, but still monstrous.
A book that takes place on a new world, with historical figures popping up, requiring a lot of internet legwork.
joshsharp's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Many interesting ideas here, some explored well, some barely mentioned, and a fast-moving plot that makes this an easy read, but let down by its age. This book was clearly written when sci-fi was for boys, and women were auxiliary characters who must be described and valued solely by their appearance. That got pretty wearing. There's also a scene (I didn't go back to check, so maybe it's "technically not") that is basically rape. Cool.
Once the women disappear and the book busies itself with the world itself, things get a little better (I know, sorry). Riverworld, where all the humans of the past and present have been reincarnated and made to live together, lets the author explore conflict, language, nudity and base desires, the ethics of reincarnation, whether we should give war criminals second chances, and what to do to occupy one's self in a post-work world where all the necessities are provided. (The author's answer — war! It keeps things from getting too boring! Yeesh.) I liked these ideas but would happily have seen them explored with more depth.
Overall, I enjoyed it in a kind of pulpy way, but I won't continue reading the series.
Once the women disappear and the book busies itself with the world itself, things get a little better (I know, sorry). Riverworld, where all the humans of the past and present have been reincarnated and made to live together, lets the author explore conflict, language, nudity and base desires, the ethics of reincarnation, whether we should give war criminals second chances, and what to do to occupy one's self in a post-work world where all the necessities are provided. (The author's answer — war! It keeps things from getting too boring! Yeesh.) I liked these ideas but would happily have seen them explored with more depth.
Overall, I enjoyed it in a kind of pulpy way, but I won't continue reading the series.
dbroebuck96's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Vintage sf random pick #2
One of Farmer's most widely-read works, To Your Scattered Bodies Go certainly has an intriguing premise: all those who have ever died on Earth have been resurrected in a mysterious river valley.
The protagonist is Victorian explorer and academic Richard Francis Burton, who falls in with Hermann Göring and a band of others (including a primitive man) as he tries to uncover the mystery of where he really is.
This book is unfortunately, for the majority, a slog. The first half is a slow introduction of the world and its characters, which was fine for the most part, but the second half was a drag which I only endured in order to get to the 'reveal' or conceptual breakthrough at the end. It's this reveal that distinguishes the story as science fiction rather than fantasy, as it at first seems to be. If it wasn't for the reveal, which was decently worthwhile, this would probably have been a 2 star read. As for the rest, it actually is quite boring, only broken up and made just about tolerable by occasional flashes of humour.
An additional note on the writing, Farmer writes a British upper-class of the Victorian era using the word "gotten". No. Someone of that place and time simply would not have used that word. It had fallen out of use in Britain by then and didn't make the character's voice particularly believable.
I was satisfied enough with the answers given at the book's ending to not want to continue with the Riverworld series, which I hear only yield diminishing returns. Given that this first entry is not front-rank in my view (aside from the original premise), I won't be reading any more from this sequence.
One of Farmer's most widely-read works, To Your Scattered Bodies Go certainly has an intriguing premise: all those who have ever died on Earth have been resurrected in a mysterious river valley.
The protagonist is Victorian explorer and academic Richard Francis Burton, who falls in with Hermann Göring and a band of others (including a primitive man) as he tries to uncover the mystery of where he really is.
This book is unfortunately, for the majority, a slog. The first half is a slow introduction of the world and its characters, which was fine for the most part, but the second half was a drag which I only endured in order to get to the 'reveal' or conceptual breakthrough at the end. It's this reveal that distinguishes the story as science fiction rather than fantasy, as it at first seems to be. If it wasn't for the reveal, which was decently worthwhile, this would probably have been a 2 star read. As for the rest, it actually is quite boring, only broken up and made just about tolerable by occasional flashes of humour.
An additional note on the writing, Farmer writes a British upper-class of the Victorian era using the word "gotten". No. Someone of that place and time simply would not have used that word. It had fallen out of use in Britain by then and didn't make the character's voice particularly believable.
I was satisfied enough with the answers given at the book's ending to not want to continue with the Riverworld series, which I hear only yield diminishing returns. Given that this first entry is not front-rank in my view (aside from the original premise), I won't be reading any more from this sequence.