RIP, Philip Jose Farmer

[ShannonA]

Today we lost Philip Jose Farmer. From his website:

February 25th: Philip José Farmer passed away peacefully in his sleep this morning.
He will be missed greatly by his wife Bette, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends and countless fans around the world.
January 26, 1918 - February 25, 2009. R.I.P.
We love you Phil.

Farmer was a largely unique writer who seamlessly blended the worlds of pulp writing with science-fiction. He also really pushed the envelope on mixing sex with genre fiction, and though I ultimately found many of these efforts over the top, I still suspect he's contributed immensely to the more mature novels sold today.


In my opinion, Farmer's best series was Riverworld (with the possible exception of the final one, Gods of Riverworld). They didn't just present great characters, but they also offered a terrific mystery which kept you reading in a way that most authors can't.


Farmer is also well-loved for his World of Tiers series, which was pulp science-fantasy writing at his best. Out of place earth-men, pocket universes, and strange monstrosities ... the World of Tiers had it all.

Farmer's less well known for the classic pulp books he wrote starring heroes such as Tarzan and Doc Savage. You can find some of them under the background setting "Wold Newton" in the Book Index, which is the name given the reality where all these characters crossed over.


Just looking at these three works, you can see the extent of Farmer's influence on the genre. Riverworld begat such series as the so-so Heroes in Hell. Zelazny acknowledged The World of Tiers as an influence on Amber. Modern comic writers like Alan Moore and Warren Ellis have repeated Farmer's pulp crossovers.

He was a man with ideas.

[ShannonA]

This is a nice entry on Farmer that focuses on two works I'm not familiar with (though I think I have copies of both), the short story "The Lovers" and the novel Venus on the Half Shell:
http://io9.com/5160340/rip-philip-jos-farmer

[Matt-M-McElroy]

Rest in Peace

-Matt

[ChristopherA]

My first Philip Jose Farmer novel was the first of the World of Tiers series. It was much more character oriented then some many of his later novels, and Roger Zelazny once said was an inspiration for Amber. I think they are all out-of-print, but I think I'll see if I can find them again on ABE.

The most memorable for me of course was "To Your Scattered Bodies Go", the first book of the Riverworld series. All the historical characters being put together, with themes of immortality, power, and sexuality, were just amazing, especially given the context of the day (1971). I distinctly remember that that Farmer was my second favorite author as young teenager after Heinlein.

Unfortunately, Farmer was much better at starting things then finishing them. I don't think he ever really finished the World of Tiers, and the last Riverworld book didn't work for me. But he had an incredible imagination that still brings strong images to my mind after more then a decade since reading his books.

-- Christopher Allen

[ShannonA]

My first Philip Jose Farmer novel was the first of the World of Tiers series. It was much more character oriented then some many of his later novels, and Roger Zelazny once said was an inspiration for Amber. I think they are all out-of-print, but I think I'll see if I can find them again on ABE.

There's actually two nice omnibuses from Tor that collect the whole series.

Unfortunately, Farmer was much better at starting things then finishing them. I don't think he ever really finished the World of Tiers, and the last Riverworld book didn't work for me. But he had an incredible imagination that still brings strong images to my mind after more then a decade since reading his books.

I believe More than Fire completes the World of Tiers sequence. I've never read it, so don't know for sure. Any comments on it?

As for Riverworld, I thought The Magic Labyrinth was a fine conclusion; the problem was when Farmer revisited the series with Gods of Riverworld, an unnecessary additional book.

[Madu]

Dark is the Sun was among the first serious SF that I read as a lad, and it totally blew the top off my head. It still does today.

Adieu, Mr. Farmer. I believe you made me a smarter person.

~Madu